Going to Spain
 

My husband and I are traveling to Spain the first week in August for 4 days. We would like to know the best place to go for traditional Spanish culture and relax. Are there any beaches/resorts anyone one recommend? Should we stay in Barcelona or go somewhere else? Help!

Lots of luck finding a place to stay in Spain in August! Besides the fact that it is 'Peak' season, pricewise, people from the British Isles, France, Germany and northern Europe swarm to Spain in August because it is when Factories and Offices close for a month so employees may take their vacations. It ain't like in the U.S. People don't have a choice.

That having been said, I prefer Spain's north & northwest coast: Mar Cantabrico and Galicia's Atlantic coast. Last year I stayed at VilaGarcia de Arousa, on the coast about 30-min from Santiago de Compostela

4 days isn't much time. Does that include travel days? I would imagine any beach area would be crowded and possibly booked in AUgust. I think given only 4 days, if you are flying from the US, I would consider where you can get the most direct flight and minimize travel time.

I've only been to Madrid, and 4 days is certainly enough time to see the highlights of Madrid, experience the culture, and even do a day trip (Toledo possibly), but no beach.

In August I should avoid the inland cities - Madrid, Seville - they can be vey hot and not comfortable for sightseeing. Barca might not be too hot, and is a lovely city. You could try one of the small coastal villages in Andalucia like Competa which might not be so crowded.

4 days, beach, and culture are your criterias? I'd add to that heat. I'd definately stay away from inland cities like Madrid, Sevilla, or Zaragoza because it gets toasty in August in in these areas. Barcelona is nice but it's not what you call a "traditional Spanish" city because those Catalans see themselves very much separated from Castellanos and definately have different cultures (different food, language, dislike for bullfighting, etc). I strongly recommend that you consider Andalucia. Ronda is what you call a typical white Andalucian pueblo (it's actually much bigger than a pueblo) and has Spain's oldest and biggest bullring. Other pueblos that I recommend are Frigiliana and Nerja. They're located about 30 min. east of Malaga and offer beach-relaxation, traditional Spanish gastronomy, awesome views of the nearby mountains, the Mediterranean ocean, and a lot of cultural things. The Cueva de Nerja is an awesome natural wonder and a nice place to cool off from August's heat. The Balcony of Europe is literally a balcony that protrudes out onto the sea and the nearby Burriana beach was recently voted the "blue flag" or the best beach in Europe.

I live in Malaga so I guess I'm a bit biased for Andalucia. Good luck.