Hi all you wise travelers

we have been to Barcelona before for 4 days so have seen lots of the famous sites but want to see some of them again.......we are flying into Barcelona arriving Oc1 for 7 nights, leaving Oct 8.

Wanted to stay in B for a couple nights but looking for some tips
- any suggestions on how to arrange this trip?
- drive or train to costa del Sol and what cities in between?
- I am thinking 4 stops - 3 of 2 nights and the 4th for 1 night.
- should we go into the Pyrenees and make a big circle ending up back in Barcelona?
- stay in Barcelona maybe first 2 nights to ease travel - not sure....
- should we definitely get to Seville, Cordoba, Valencia, Murcia..any 'must sees' ?
- not really thinking of Madrid unless our route takes us close?

all tips and comments are most welcome
happy trails

Barcelona, Sevilla and all places in-between, except Madrid, with only 7 nights?

7 nights is really not enough unless you fly directly to Seville for 3 nights and Granada for two. I don't know where you're from but if you're from the U.S. Costa del Sol night be a letdown. With 7 nights I would stay around Barcelona. Maybe visit Tarragona and the Costa Brava.

I didn't really understand what you were asking either. Planning a trip to Barcelona isn't hard.

I have an alternative to your plan. It is usually easier to fly home from Barcelona or Madrid, they are the major cities. I don't know where you are coming from, if the US, that will be true.

So end up in Barcelona and fly home from there, but fly into Seville. YOu will have to transfer, but it will be up-front. Spend maybe 3-4 days in Seville (you could do Cordoba as a day trip), then fly to Barcelona if you really want to see it. Actually, if there aren't any good cheap flights, maybe you could forget southern Spain and do something in the Pyrenees if it interests you, instead. I don't know that area though so can't advise. But you have to choose one -- southern Spain or the Pyrenees.

Of course it would be really easy to do Barcelona and Madrid, and I like both cities. Fly into either and fly out of the other, there is a high speed train now between them. But if Madrid isn't for you, figure out something else.

Well, we are coming from phila to barcelona round trip, not much flexibility since these are frequent flyer mile tix and options are limited..so the trip is a bit shorter that we like but that's fine.
we don't need to see all of Spain in this trip...we go to Europe every other year and don't like to stay away more than 10 days.
Since we have to go in and out of Barcelona, my question was should I rent a car and drive to Seville, Cordoba, Valencia or will that be too far?
Alternatively we could do 2 nights in Barcelona, train to Madrid for 2 nights, then get a car and go to Valencia and head back to Barcelona.
just wondered if anyone had any suggestions...thx

"Since we have to go in and out of Barcelona, my question was should I rent a car and drive to Seville, Cordoba, Valencia or will that be too far?"

Have you actually looked at a map? You can visit Valencia by train, doing an overnight, or do a two-night stay.

Visiting Sevilla and Cordoba by car is possible, if all you want to do is spend time behind the wheel. The drive from Barcelona to Cordoba takes about 8 hours, without stops, so figure spending the night somewhere along the way. Sevilla is another hour and a half beyond Cordoba. The train takes just under 5 hours to make the journey from Barcelona to Cordoba.

You are aware that there is a high-speed train between Madrid and Valencia, aren't you? It's now considered a day-trip for some. There is also a train between Sevilla and Valencia.

If you go to Sevilla, you can see Pastora Galván dance in the Sevilla Opera house, Teatro de la Maestranza on Sat Oct. 4. One of the major acts during the month long Bienal de flamenco de Sevilla, the most prestigious flamenco festival in the world. Could be a spectacular intro to this beautiful and powerful art so important for the south of Spain. http://www.labienal.com/en/programa/la-diferencia/

Pastora Galván (Sevilla, 1980): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2SBUcrJgeQ

I've driven a car in Cordoba and Seville, bad idea