Fodor's Travel Talk Forums

Fodor's Travel Talk Forums (https://www.fodors.com/community/)
-   Europe (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/)
-   -   Granada to Barcelona flyvsdrive (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/granada-to-barcelona-flyvsdrive-649054/)

pjoneslake Sep 26th, 2006 05:56 AM

Granada to Barcelona flyvsdrive
 
I'm still working on the itinerary for my 2 month trip Spain/Portugal. Instead of driving from Granada to Barcelona, I'm thinking of taking the train instead. Is there anything really worth the 9-10 hour drive? We will have driven over a lot of Central/southern Spain and the southern half of Portugal.I really value your opinions

lincasanova Sep 26th, 2006 06:30 AM

there are quite a lot of nice towns on the way from granada to barcelona. but if you are pressed for time i would fly.

jaen/ubeda/baeza
guadix
lorca
orihuela
elche
alicante
moraira
altea
denia/javea
Jativa (inland)
valencia, of course
peniscola
morella/villafames (inland from castellon)

and there is a wine region before barcelona.. i am not at home so i don't have the names of many more ideas.

you could easily spend a couple days (or more!) on your way up.. which perhaps on your two-month trip was the whole idea? ( only you know).. to get a feel for the villages and out of the way places.

pjoneslake Sep 26th, 2006 09:40 AM

We are renting the car at the end of Madrid, touring over to Lisbon where we spend a week and then tour across the south including Granada, ending up in Barcelona for about 3 weeks. We do have the time but we thought about staying in Seville for a week rather than 4 days and paying for parking the car for a week makes me at least looking into dropping the car off before Seville and either fly or train to Barcelona. The car rent would be reduced by 200 Euro but of course the train or plane would make that up. Perhaps you can name about the top four places to stop and I could research them to see if we should just continue the drive and stay 4 days in Seville. Any further thoughts?


PalenqueBob Sep 26th, 2006 09:43 AM

Overnight train will have you in Barcelona around 8am but you will miss a lot of desolate scenery.

lincasanova Sep 26th, 2006 10:45 AM

top 4:

altea.. lovely beach town, a bit artistic, nice walkway following coast.. or secluded moraira.. not sure what things you like. overnight this area?

valencia..overnight. go to old town, new science center photo op, then hit the america's cup bases for glimpse of activities coming up.
.
peniscola.. photo op, walk around old town up by castle
.
inland to morella.. unless you have had enough of medieval walled cities??

overnight in wine country before hitting mega city barcelona

Eric_S Sep 26th, 2006 10:48 AM

If you decide to fly, Vueling has really cheap flights (around 30 Euros one way per person if you book early enough). Much cheaper than train.

pjoneslake Sep 26th, 2006 06:10 PM

check out (2 month trip to spain/portugal help) under portugal.
It's my trip so far up until Granada. Maybe I'm getting tired just planning it

lincasanova Sep 26th, 2006 09:06 PM

granada / barcelona in one day driving is too much. if you have the time , take 3/4/5 days and enjoy the towns on the way.otherwise, fly.

i quickly read your other thread and hope you can use some of these websites for lodging.

www.gtahotels.com
www.talonotel.com

i trust you can easily find places for 60 euros / night max on this entire trip except n barcelona. however, you might be able to stay in sitges for that.

if you are overplanning and actually getting a little discouraged, try to leave some space here.. and make some of these decisions later.

pjoneslake Sep 27th, 2006 04:47 AM

Thank you so much! Great suggestions. I think at that time of year I might be able to find nice places as we go but I am booking the apartments in Madrid, Lisbon, Seville and Barcelona. We will stay one week each in Madrid, Lisbon and Seville, three weeks in Barcelona. I'd like to try the Paradour in Granada and probably need to book that ahead of time. We could drop or add towns as we travel; for instance, drop Coimbra Portugal or just do a day trip if it's too cold in Salamance.
If we fly, we'll switch Seville to right before Granada, dropping the car off in Granada, take the train to Seville and fly the end of the week in Seville. Thank you for all of your suggestions. You all seem as if you know Spain well. I'm still researching the from Granada to Barcelona.

happytrailstoyou Sep 28th, 2006 06:35 AM

Since you have two months, why not drive?


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 04:37 AM.