Around Spain in 18 Days...
 

My husband and I have been to Barcelona and now we would like to take our two children back to Barcelona for a few days and then travel to other areas and cities in Spain for another two weeks. We are planning to go in July.

Our preliminary list of places we would like to see include Madrid, Toledo, Seville, Cordoba, Granada, Ronda and perhaps a short stay on a beautiful beach in the South (Costa Del Sol, Costa Blanca, or Costa de la Luz). We would like to not have more than four different areas to base ourselves out of including a beachside area.


It is important we tell you that we enjoy museums, architecture, good food and wine and love to walk.

We are not sure whether to have a car available at all times or to take the train for some of our travels.

We would appreciate any help on developing an itinerary for the above. If you can think of any other areas of interest, please let us know.

You all helped us so much when we planned our trip to Italy last summer and we would really appreciate your help once again.

Andrea

Hi Andrea,


You say you have 18 days, and will like to spend a few days in Barcelona , so that leaves you maybe around 15 days. If you are going in July, I would suggest you look at the possibility of going North rather than South. Sevilla and other southern cities get uncomfortably hot in the summer. You could consider after Barcelona going to Madrid( maybe 4-5 days including daytrips to Toledo and Segovia), and then Basque area, San Sebastian/ Bilbao, Santander in Cantabria, or Santiago de Compostela in Galicia.

agree with cl.
. many year ago I visited Granada in August - it was at least 100 degrees
Madrid was pretty close..

Be advised: Peak Tourist season and prices begin w/la Virgen de Carmen (16 jul).

I agree w/cruiseluv: northern Spain is better. Beaches on Costa Blanca are nicer than Costa del Sol but both will be wall-to-wall tourists in late July & August.

You may not "love to walk" when the soles of your feet are burning from the heat of the midday sun.

San Sebastian is nice, as is Bilbao (both w/Basque cuisine). Bilbao has Frank Gehry's Guggenheim and Spain's unique Casco Viejo. West from there is Santander (Cantabria), the Principality of Asturias, and Galicia.

Playa La Concha & Ondaretta in San Sebastian, playa Sardinero in Santander; crosssing rio Deva into Asturias, Llanes is a 'beautiful beach.' You can also visit Covadonga where Don Pelayo (with the help of an Avalanche) defeated and stopped the Muslim advance.

I thought I had seen this question before.
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntre...26813#15326813

To "ribeirasacra",

I did not know we were dating and that I could not post on other sites.

We find it helpful to get many opinions from travellers, as do others, so please, if you do not have anything useful to say, refrain from posting messages such as these.

Andrea

Andie8-- you need to chill Girl...

....and speaking about Chilling:

How old are your children? You speak how you enjoy museums, good food, and wine. Those are not really kids' oriented activities...so if your children are younger than 18y/o, you may need to recalibrate your expectations of this trip a little bit....

I would look into Sancti Petri beaches, specifically La Barrosa for your beach days. That said, I would definitely plan this vacation so that your children have access to a pool or beach every single day. Spanish summers are scorching and, with the exception (maybe...) of Madrid and Barcelona, the cities you have picked up are very, very, very hot (Please don't tell you are from California so you will manage....not a chance).

For diversity I would stay in Barcelona, Madrid, Ronda, and Sancti Petri. Plenty of day trips from each of these cities as well as likely to have more choices on hotels with pool facilities.

That said, if the price is right on an apt (vrbo.com) try Puerto Banus near Marbella.

First, I would like to thank everyone for their wonderful advice.

We went to Italy last summer for the last two weeks of July and the first week of August. It was scorching hot, however, we still had a great time doing all the things we love to do. The only pool we had access to was for the five days we spent at a beautiful B&B in San Gimignano. Thankfully, our children enjoy and appreciate museums, good food and "cold lemonade". We had a blast.

This is why we feel that it would be fun to go to the south of Spain, with lots of water in hand like last summer.

That being said, we would like to narrow down the amount of hotels we will need to stay at throughout the trip, and do more day trips from those points. Like in Italy, we stayed at four different hotels and took day trips from those points.

We know we definitely want to see Barcelona once again (to show the kids), Madrid and Seville.

What in your opinion would make sense as far as day trips.

Sorry so long... :)

Hi Andrea
I just read your thread and I am in the same boat. I am taking my teenage daughter this summer in July and we will be joined weeks later by my husband. I was in Spain 0 years ago and am so excited to take y family. I a planning this itinerary by myself and feel overwhelmed. I think I would like to use the train and perhaps rent a car in Andalucia.
I havae been having a hard time finiding info on bullfights for y husband this time of year.I am not interested in it but he is.
I have never used such a site and a interested in what people have to say.Seems for the most part people are very helpful. You seeed to be grateful for the previous trip you took and all the help you received for it.
Looking forward to sharing.
Sylvia

What is your budget for hotels? No sense to recommend hotels well above your budget or too "basic"...

As far as day trips, are you planning to rent a car? How are you planning to move around?

Basic info to be able to post any significant information to your trip.

Now seen that Andie8 Has changed her mind and is now going to Italy.

Now seen that Andie8 Has changed her mind and is now going to Italy.

BTW I am chilled but you did not have the courtesy to reply to my posting on LP and I was a bit baffled that you never replied.

Andie is NOT going to Italy

Again , Spain is hotter than Italy (the south is close to Africa )but if it is o.ok with you...
Barcelona has a beach (or you can go to Sitges ). There might be some hotels with a pool outside Madrid - not sure.
From Barcelona : Sitges, Girona , Taragona, Montserrat ..
Maritime Museum , park Guell and cable car to Montjuic for the kids
Madrid has several great museums. We also found the armory in the Royal Palace very interesting. The most common side trips are Toledo and Segovia.
I visited Seville many years ago- I remember the unbearable heat in Granada and Seville .
We stopped in Cordoba on the way to Seville.

If you are staying longer in one place you may consider renting an apt.
You may wish to take a look at

http://www.maribelsguides.com/

very helpful!

Danon,

Ribeirasacra is right. She has another post where she says so, or that at least she is thinking about it.

Just the thought of being in Sevilla in those dates sends chivers down my spine!

Hello all,

First of all,"ribeirasacra", had you looked carefully at the date posted, you would have seen that I had already been in Italy "last" summer.

Second, I have not answered any posts since I have been out of town.

Therefore, may I ask you to "chill" once more...

I would like to thank everyone for your help so far. It is a difficult decision to make, whether to stick with the south (hot), or the north. If we do decide to go north however, we will not do the Canary Islands (which sound like a lot of fun)...

I guess I will have to keep researching...

Thanks again :)

i am too wondering what is going in here. i have looked at other things siad and i too think you are going to itlay and i too see that you add the same question to lonlyplanet. so i too wonder waht this is about. maybe you should ask again about your trip this is confusing for us.