css1222

Ok- before I book my hotels & get down to the business of planing our days I just wanted to run my (hopefully) final itinerary by everyone! Going in mid April.
-------My main question is if I should be spending less or more time in one city over another. --------
Husband & I are good travelers and like to do a mixture of walking tours,some museums, and wandering around. Plus eat, and maybe a little shopping. Thanks!!

Friday -Arrive in Seville apx 1pm
Sat-Seville
Sun-Seville
Mon-train to Cordoba-spend day-train to madrid.
Tues -Madrid
Wed - day trip to Toledo
Thurs -Madrid or another day trip
Fri - train to Barcelona
Sat -Barcelona
Sun - Barcelona
Mon-Fly home

Egbert

Sounds good, for a first time trip to Spain with so little time I would cut out Barcelona and spend two nights in Granada. If you go all the way to Andalucia The Alhambra is a "must see". You will spend at least two valuable days traveling within the country. You can't go wrong though, those are all great destinations.

danon

I prefer Barcelona to Granada...
I would cut one day trip and spend more time in Madrid.

iris1745

MARIBELSGUIDES.COM You can find all your city guides on this site.

We have done those 9 night trips to three cities and it worked very well.

Agree to cut one day trip and spend more time in Madrid.

For me, go to Toledo on a day trip.

Bedar

Agree with Egbert. Cut out Barcelona and go to Granada for the Alhambra and the cathedral. Put Barcelona in a trip to the South of France. The natives will tell you they are not Spaniards.

yorkshire

Are the flights booked? If so, I would skip Madrid because it is so easy to get to Madrid on a future trip. And since you are flying into Sevilla, you may as well spend more time in the region.

Sassafrass

It is all such personal taste and interest, but I agree with Egbert and Bedar about the Alhambra in Granada being a "must see" sight.

Another poster on the forum once pointed out that you can often make stops in big cities or include an extra city for a day or so, but it is much harder and more time consuming to get to some out of the way place, so it is best to see the major things in more out of the way areas when you are there, so you do not skip something you wish you could get back to, but don't.

Since you will already be in Andalusia, and it is harder to get to than the major cities, which you might be able to include more easily in another trip, it would be nice to fit in more there. The Alhambra is one of those places.

I like Madrid much more than Barcelona and I love Granada and the Alhambra. I know I would do Granada and save Barcelona for another trip. I would also do it because Toledo and Segovia are so lovely and easy from Madrid.

OTOH, your trip is fine as it is and everything you see will be wonderful.

iris1745

All good suggestions. The only thing I will tell you, RESPECTFULLY, that it is not going to take two full days out of the itinerary you first suggested.
For us one day, not two. Different people travel at different paces, so it is conceivable.

The fast train from Madrid to Barcelona is only 2 1/2 hours. Add another 1 1/2 hours to the train and then to the hotel.

From Seville to Cordoba to Madrid it will be longer.

When we are away we do long days, 14-16 hours. From breakfast to dinner to after dinner.

You just have to consider how you travel.

When we went from Prague to Salzburg on the train thru Munich, it was perhaps 8/9 hours total. Not a problem for us.

So there are two ways of looking at travel, could take you two full days or one full day on the train.

kja

It obviously depends on what you want to see and experience, but FWIW, I cast my vote with those who are recommending that you defer Barcelona for another trip and use that time to more fully visit Andalusia. IMO, Granada's Alhambra is really special.

Approach_Guides

Looks like a great itinerary -- three nights each in Seville, Madrid, and Barcelona will give you a good flavor of each city and a day trip to both Toledo and Cordoba (the mosque is stunning, and, if you have time, consider this place for lunch - www.tabernasalinas.com) will be rewarding.
Like the others, I agree that the Alhambra is an incredible, totally unique site. But if you don't know when you'll be back to Spain, your itinerary is ideal and will give you a flavor of several key regions.
Have a great trip!

kimhe

You should be aware of the Feria de Abril in Sevilla, scheduled for April 21-26. Either as a great experience or somerhing to avoid. Food, drink, dance, song, music and serious and genuine Sevilla party 24/7 for a week. http://www.andalucia.com/festival/seville-feria.htm

css1222

Thanks so much. Appreciate all the good advice. I will see if I can talk my husband out if Barcelona and instead to Granada for a night. He does have his heart set on seeing Barcelona....

kimhe

Wouldn't change Barcelona for Granada. If you do, be sure to also see the huge and powerful Cathedral, built for the so called Reyes Católicos/Catholic kings (Isabel and Fernando) immediately after they took Granada from the last emir of Moorish Spain in 1492 and ordered the expulsion from Spain of all Muslims and Jews. The same year Columbus sailed overseas on a mission from Isabel and "discovered" the New World. Isabel and Fernando are buried in the adjoining Capilla Real/Royal Chapel together with their daughter Juana la Loca (The mad), her husband and their infant son. Few monarchs have had such impact on history as Isabella (especially she) and Ferdinand. The Cathedral leaves no doubt that they meant business!
http://www.lovegranada.com/monuments/cathedral/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_I_of_Castile
Capilla Real: http://granadamap.com/capillareal.htm

You could easily see Alhambra and the Cathedral as two parts of the same story.

WellsEuroTraveller

I personally recommend Barcelona -so much more to see! And if you get tired of being in the city, you can take the train to the 'Costa Brava' (north of Barcelona) and go to Figueres -don't miss the Dalí museum- and Cadaques.
Now, if you go to Andalusia, make sure you include Granada in your itinerary! As many people have said, the Alhambra is a definite 'must' when you're in the south. Make sure you book your tickets in advance!