Car Or No Car?
 

We are spending 7 days in Spain - 3 nights is Barcelona, then 3 nights in Madrid. <BR><BR>I have a few questions.<BR><BR>1. Would you suggest a rental car in Barcelona (we are staying at the Hilton)?<BR><BR>2. Is there an easy day trip from Barcelona to a wine region, wineries, etc? I know there is one only an hour away although a less popular one.<BR><BR>3. Once in Madrid, we would like to see Toledo for a day - do you recommend renting a car, taking the train etc?<BR><BR>help would be much appreciated!!!!!<BR><BR>

Forget the car with that itinerary. Hire a bus tour to Montserrat from Barcelona as your day trip, and train to Toledo--easy deal. Good luck !

I agree. No need for a car. Public transportation in Spain is great. You will want the 3 days to explore Barcelona. You can take an easy day trip to Toledo by train from Madrid (though I have to say I was a bit disappointed by Toledo).

crytalc18,<BR>Please don't have a car in Bareclona! The traffic is nightmarish, even worse than Madrid's because of the plethora of motorcycle's coming at one from every direction. We've also stayed at the Hilton on the Diagonal, and last July there was heavy construction on that section (don't know if it's finished or not), making the congestion even worse. Besides Bob's suggestion of Montserrat, do able by train or Julia bus, it's also quite easy to tour the Sant Sadurni d'Anoia cava (Spain's bubbly) cellars by train from Bcn. In fact, the Freixenet cellars are right across the road from the train station.<BR>For Toledo, simply take the train from Atocha station. See the schedule at www.renfe.es<BR>The trains have gotten speedier to Toledo (Regional Express takes between 1-1 1/2 hrs), and I now recommend train over bus from the Estaci�n Sur de Autobuses, as the heavily Mud�jar architecture of Toledo's train station makes it a tourist sight in its own right. From the station, bus 6 will take you up through the Bisagra gate to the Plaza del Zocod�var to start your touring.<BR>Organized 1/2 day or full day bus tours of Toledo (Julia, Pullman, Gray Line/Trapsatur-they're all the same) can be booked from your hotel.

Sorry about the multiple ?. They were supposed to be accents, but it seems that accents no long work. And no ' in motorcycles.<BR><BR>For the Bcn-Sant Sadurni d'Anoi train schedule look here:<BR>www.renfe.es/ingles/index.html<BR>Then click on the inverted C for Commuter lines, then select Barcelona, then choose Barcelona Sants and Sant Sadurni d'Anoia.