Can I pull this off? Need your experience/advice
 

Love the forums, everyone is very insightful, I've bookmarked some good topics.
Anyhow, my wife and I are hoping to go to Spain over her vacation (she's a teacher)...it looks like we could have 8 free nights over there. Originally it was Madrid and Barcelona, but I've read a lot about Seville also. Is this itinerary too fast paced? I am concerned that we won't be able to make it back to Spaim for awhile, if at all.
Boston -> Barcelona (3 days/nights in Bar.)
Barcelona- (via Air) Seville (2 days/nights in Sev.)
Seville - Madrid (train) (3 days / nights in Mad.)
Madrid -> Boston
I guess it basically comes down to whether 8 nights is enough for Barcelona/Madrid/Seville or if it should be two of them with some day trips. Any help would be appreciated greatly!
Thanks!

I think that is very "doable". I was in Barcelona for 4 nights last March and feel I got a fair taste of the city. Could have stayed longer but I think 3 nights would not be crazy. I'm currently planning a trip to Andalucia for this March and have booked 4 nights for Seville but I've done alot of research and many, many people only do two nights and seem happy enough. Same for Madrid. I'm planning that for July and am thinking of 3 nights. There are many great cities/towns within a hour or so of Madrid that a lot of people do as day trips (Toledo, Segovia, Avila,etc) and with only 3 days you wouldn't have time for those. But again, you'd get a "taste".

It really depends on your travel style. The more I travel, the longer I desire to stay in one place for more time. That's why I've split Spain into 3 seperate trips. With limited amounts of time for each trip I know I just can't see it all in one trip the way I want to see it. But there is a lot to be said for the travel style of getting a taste of an area. You can always return to the areas you liked the best.

Some people plan really crazy trips - like one day here or there. You're plan is not crazy. If you want to get a taste of three regions in Spain I think you will have a nice trip.

I also think it is doable, especially if you fly from BCN to Seville.

personally, I think there are three biggies in Seville: the cathedral, the Alcazar, and any decent flamenco. The architecture you are going to see as you move about and if you have ever been to the southwestern US you've already seen copies of that Seville architecture.

I too think it's doable. You could even take a daytrip to either Toledo or Segovia from Madrid.

Have a great trip!

hi,
if you are staying in Bar. for 3 nights , it makes for 2 days, same with Madrid ( I don't know how one can fit a day trip in to THAT one?)
8 nights makes for 7 days , sure, everything is duable but if you have a jet-lag the first day it will be a race.

Barcelona and Madrid would be my choice,

Thanks everyone for the quick replies, I really appreciate them. We just don't have many opportunities to travel, and being limited to teacher-time is a factor, but it sounds like we could pull it off. We don't want to zip through each place though, so I'm hoping we have enough time to comfortably explore the cities.

Nbujic, you might be right. I need to double-check the dates. Thanks again everyone.

I guess it might be short, but I forgot to mention we'd be leaving on a Thu night (getting into Barcelona on Friday). So then we'd have Fri/Sat/Sun in Barcelona, leave Monday morning for Seville (fly), so have Monday and Tuesday down there, then head up to Madrid Wednesday, have Wed/Thu/Fri in Madrid, take off Saturday for home.

Other option is just to do Barcelona and Madrid, with day trips off of each.

I think your trip is doable, but if it were up to me I'd add a day to Barcelona and subtract one from Madrid. Both the old and new sections in Barcelona are well worth seeing, and in addition there's the wild Gaudi architecture. Apart from the top notch art, my wife and I thought Madrid was dull. As a final comment, I suggest bringing along a compass if you intend navigating the old Juderia in Seville.

make sure you check the arrival and departer times and the time it takes to get from airport to your hotel , or to and from the railway stations ( some times it is half a day).
Hope it all works for you!

BCN has excellent transportation options into the city, either by airport bus or by rail or taxi. That shouldn't take more than 30 minutes depending on the location of your hotel (you might consider finding someplace close to the Placa Catalunya.

Seville to Madrid is 2.5 hours by AVE (rail).

IMO you can certainly see the "highlights" in Seville in two days.

That's exactly the itinerary I did in November 06, from Boston as well! My full trip report is on here (click my name). I was one who preferred Madrid over Barcelona, so I won't try to convince you otherwise, but I would have liked another day in Madrid, personally!

I wouldn't leave Seville out of this trip. It's just too special, and even with a few days, you'll be able to get a "feel" for it, as well as Barcelona and Madrid. Then you'll know where you want to go back to next time!

For me, that would be difficult because I am susceptible to jet lag, big time. I have been to Madrid, Barcelona and Sevilla: If your wife's Spring break is Semana Santa (3-7 Apr), Sevilla might be a mob scene.

We day-tripped Madrid-Sevilla one year: took an early (7:30 AM) AVE; came back to Madrid on an 8:00 PM AVE. There was a 25% discount on 'same day return.'

Another year, we took a Hotel Train Barcelona-Sevilla: quiet, comfortable and we slept like logs in a 2-person compartment.

If you're in Barcelona on Sunday, visit Parc Guell

Hi Nedsireland,

Your suggestion re visiting parc Guell on Sunday... is it because something special goes on there that day? I'll be in Barcelona on a Sunday so I am curious.
Thanks

That I know of,, nothing special in Parc Guell on Sunday except possibly lots of visitors. I would get there early in the day if possible.

another option would be taking AVE from Madrid to Cordoba ( if Seville is too crowded), it is only 1:45 min. and there are trains all day. Cordoba is small lovely and easily visited in a day ( this eliminates need to change hotels, pack ..blabala)