Hi everyone, I am flying from Brussels into Spain March 21 for a 3 week Spanish vacation. We want to see Madrid and the surrounding area, Barcelona, and Andalucia. Is there a preferred route to try and do this? I was thinking of flying into Madrid, seeing that area for 5-6 days,get to Barcelona for 5 days or so and then get over to Andalucia for 7 days or so. I have to get back to London to get home to Canada, so I would have to fly from Madrid probably to London. It's kind of hopscotchy. Any brilliant suggestions?

Of course we have suggestions that are brilliant, Man! What do you think!

Just kidding. The best suggestion I can give you is to browse http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34954915 and google Maribel Guides. Then prepare a framework so you can ask more specific questions.

There, I gave you three brilliant suggestions. That will be six cents. Canadian cents are better given the bloody exchange rate.

Thanks, I am used to a linear kind of travel but Barcelona throws that idea a little out the window. Flights from Madrid to Barcelona are cheap as are Barcelona to Seville flights, so that may be my circuit route. I hear Seville to Madrid has an AVE train so that will help as well. I'll keep reading.

Some may say that three weeks and all those regions may be too much but hey, you are you and they are they or is it "them"? Whatever! Nothing wrong with your flying from Madrid to Barcelona and then on to Sevilla and then back to Madrid. Of course it is a no-brainer to consider an open jaw flight out of Sevilla.

Regarding reading, remember that reading furnishes the mind only with materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours. I have no idea why I felt like sharing that with you.

We were in Spain for two weeks in May of this year. Our itinerary was Barcelona for four days, flight to Seville for 20 Euros each, four days in Seville, rented car and drove through white villages to Ronda for one night then on to Nerja for seven nights with flight out of Malaga to Barcelona for 20 Euros for flight home. Daytripped from Nerja to Granada. With your trip and three weeks, you could fly to Madrid from Barcelona (cheaper and easier than train), stay a few days with sidetrip to Toledo then train to Seville via Cordoba then consider travelling on by car or train to Granda or other areas in Southern Spain with eventual return flight to Barcelona.

Just in case you're interested in attending, or avoiding, keep in mind that "La Feria de abril" in Sevilla will be held April 8th - 13th.

Go to Toledo on March 22 and spend that night there to see the last procession of The Holy Week from San Andres church (procesión de la Virgen de la Alegría).
Take the AVE, high speed train, from Madrid to Toledo (30 minutes).

Thanks for the replies. The festival in Seville sounds very good. We will try and be there for that. It would be nice to be able to fly to Canada from Spain when our 3 week trip is done but the rates are still much cheaper to go to London and then on to Canada. It looks like there are many routes back to London from spain, which is helpful.

Should I avoid seville during the festival or attend?

If you have to fly back from Madrid, how abut going to Barcelona first, then fly to Granada and spend a week in Anda.
From Seville take AVE to Madrid for a week there.
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