Help please with Spain trip early May
 

I'm planning a 15 or 16 night trip to Spain beginning the first week of May, arriving in Madrid and returning home from Barcelona. We love to visit old towns/villages, eat outdoors, easy hiking. Coming from Miami, we're hoping for cool weather and no heat waves in Sevilla. Tentatively I have the following itinerary:

Madrid- 4 nights- I'd like to take a couple of day trips (public transportation) to Toledo, Segovia, El Escorial.
Take the high speed train from Madrid to Cordoba, pick up a rental car and
Cordoba- 2 nights
Sevilla-3 nights-
Valencia-2 nights
Barcelona- 3 nights

We're trying to avoid more than a 4 hour drive between destinations. I can stretch the vacation up to 16 nights, any suggestions where to modify the itinerary?

Thanks

Do not plan on cool in Spain. We have been in Andalusia twice in April and temps were in the high 80s. By the time we got to Madrid at the end of the month it was 99 or 100.

Summer in Spain ranges from hot to very hot to incredibly hot (120 in Seville) - the only place you can count on cool is the Atlantic coast.

If cool temps are what you want I would go late March - or pick another country.

I know I am a broken record, but with that amount if time, you really do not need a car. For example, you have two nights in Cordoba? That does not really leave much time for a day trip, and I assume you would spend the full day there at the mezquita and walking the town. There is so much to see in Sevilla, that I also don't see time for day trips, but if you wanted to get out of the city you could rent a car for the day. There are good train connections between Sevilla and Cordoba as well as most Andalucian cities/towns.
Valencia I don't know much about, but if you wanted to do some hiking, I would leave it out and spend those extra 2 days in Andalucia, where hiking opportunities abound.
Even without hiking excursions that would give you a more relaxed pace rather than going all the way to Valencia for one full day. You can fly to Barcelona, and I know there is also an overnight train from Granada to Barcelona.
I hope you have nice cool weather! Late May was nothing someone from southern US would notice, so early May should be perfect.

haha, was posting at same time as nytraveler and had to chuckle at our two takes on the weather--it is subjective for sure! You can see historic temps at wunderground website.

Well if you want cool, maybe go to San Sebastian instead of going south - it took me many trips to Europe before I went in that direction and now I wish I had gone there much sooner. But it will not be the expereince of moorish spain that you find going south. You do not need to stay in Cordoba AND Seville - maybe base in Seville and then do a day trip to Cordoba. Barcelona again will be cooler than the south. Enjoy!

So perhaps it might make sense to take the train to Sevilla, stay there 4 nights and do a day trip to Cordoba. Then from Cordoba drive to Valencia. I really do like the freedom a car affords, and the rental cost is within our budget.
Since nothing is written in stone yet, and we REALLY want to avoid the hot weather, any suggestions for cooler weather destinations in Spain? I've already been to Basque country and besides, we'd like to end up in Barcelona.

<<and the rental cost is within our budget.>>

If you're budgeting is strict, you better map out the tolls and petrol costs too. $8/gallon gas adds up, even if you're getting 31mpg/50kpg (about 14 kilometers per litre).

I've been to Andalucia several times in April and May and the weather has been quite comfortable - even sometimes chilly. It's quite similar to the beach weather in Southern California this time of year. I would certainly not let the weather bother you the first week of May.

I'm with everyone else on the car - there's absolutely no need to rent a car based on the itinerary you've outlined - it will in most cases take longer to get from point to point by car and be a hinderance with trying to park and navigate in unknown cities. As BigRuss also points out - cost of toll, fule and parking can add up quickly.

As for the itinerary, if you're going to be in Cordoba around May 8-19 OR May 3 I would keep the 2 nights. Most people only have time to visit Cordoba as a daytrip from Sevilla, which is doable. But Cordoba is a great city to spend a couple of days. Especially if your trip coincides with May 3 (May crosses festival) or May 8-19 (Patio Festival).

I would make a major change to this itinerary and skip Valencia. Instead visit Granada - it's a gem and I can't imigine skipping in lieu of Valencia. With Barcelona, Madrid, Sevilla, Granada and Cordoba it's still alot to do in 2 weeks but doable. Personally I'd try to fly into Barcelona, then head to Madrid, Cordoba, Sevilla then Granada. Returning home with a connecting flight from Granada to Madrid then Miami.

> Madrid- 4 nights- I'd like to take a couple of day trips (public transportation) to Toledo, Segovia, El Escorial

Perfectly do-able, but that probably won't leave you much time in Madrid.

> Valencia-2 nights

I'm sure it's unfair of me to comment, since I haven't been to Valencia, but I can't imagine visiting Andalucia and NOT visiting Granada.

You shouldn't be converned with the heat in the south in the first half of May. Past 16 years statistics for Sevilla (inland and usually among the absolute hottest in the country) the first two weeks of May says daily highs at 71-86F and night lows at 53-61.
www.wetteronline.de

Perfect time of year to go to Andalucía, spring blossom is here, loads of popular festivals with local food and drink in the streets and plazas and the summer heat is normally several weeks away.

In early May, Andalucian towns - especially Granada and Córdoba - celebrate the "Cruces de Mayo" (May Crosses): http://www.spanish-fiestas.com/spani...es-de-mayo.htm

Córdoba in May is something special, the "cruces" celebration is followed by the patio competition leading on to the flamenco inspired Feria by the end of the month.
Córdoba patio exposition and competition: http://www.andalucia.com/cities/cordoba/patios.htm
The Feria in late May: http://www.andalucia.com/festival/co...pring-fair.htm

May is also the month of the major San Isidro festival in Madrid, the celebration of the city's patron saint: http://www.madrid-guide-spain.com/san-isidro.html

Thank you all for your replies.
We really enjoy the freedom of having a car and not having to concern ourselves with bus/train schedules. Questions:
1. If we stay in Madrid 4 nights, what's the drive like to Toledo and Segovia as day trips from Madrid? Alternatively,if we were to take train for one of the day trips, which is the easiest day trip: Toledo, Segovia, or El Escorial?
2. After reading your comments, we've decided to stay in Granada for 2 nights. Valencia seems convenient as a stopover en route to Barcelona. Or would it be best to take a plane to Barcelona and bypass Valencia? Wanting to avoid a huge busy airport; is Granada airport manageable?

One additional question: Since we're coming from Miami, I'm not too keen of seeing more beaches (we have our share here). If we were to drive from Granada to Barcelona, are there any smaller quaint medieval towns to stay overnight instead of Valencia?

"We really enjoy the freedom of having a car and not having to concern ourselves with bus/train schedules"

Have you checked the bus/train schedules for the places you want to visit? What you will find is that these are not remote places with infrequent timetables. There are frequent options. As we have all advised a car will not give you more freedom - it will instead be a burden. It will take linger in most cases driving then taking the train. And that doesn't include time needed to navigate and park. If you had time for exploring a car would be a gret idea. But you don't have time given the days you've allotted to each place.

Train is very easy from Madrid to Toledo or Segovia. They have very frequent high speed trains and the trip takes about 30 minutes - driving time is at least double. I'm not sure about El Escorial but I know there is not a high speed train


Is there a way you can arrive into Barcelona and return home from Granada? If so you wiuldn't need to get from Granada to Barcelona. Considering you're flying from an Iberia hub you should be able to get these types of connecting flights. If not then I'd definately fly from Granada to Barcelona.

Another possibility would be to fly into Barcelona (3 nights), take the AVE to Cordoba (1 or 2 nights)--seems this is about a 4 1/2 hour train ride, then Granada (2 nights), Sevilla (4 nights) then the AVE to Madrid (3 or 4 nights) then back to US.
Would love to explore the white villages by car (will pick car up in Sevilla) and hoping 4 nights in Sevilla will permit this.
Doing this I'm bypassing Valencia.
My rationale for not taking the AVE directly from Barcelona to Madrid is simply to avoid back to back large cities (Barcelona and Madrid); I prefer breaking it up if possible.

If you have 4 nights for Sevilla and have visited cordoba then you'll probably just have one day to explore the white villages if you wanted to do this as a daytrip from Sevilla. In that case I'd do a 1 day rental. If you want to in this sequence (which is very roundabout with backtracking) why not just rent a car between Granada and Sevilla and stay one night in the white villages reducing Sevilla to 3 nights?

Honestly if you want to avoid Madrid and Barcelona back to back then why not fly into Madrid then visit cordoba, Sevilla, Granada and fly Granada to Barcelona. Then fly home from Barcelona? Or in reverse.

Most of the trains from Barcelona to cordoba actually connect in Madrid.....

Again, thanks for your recommendations. I took your advice and will be flying Vueling from Barcelona (4 nights) to Seville (4 nights), then Granada (2 nights), Cordoba (2 nights), Toledo (1 nights) and then Madrid (3 nights) before flying home.
I was able to get an additional 2 days vacation and would like to stay in 1 more destination for 2 nights before returning to Toledo and Madrid. I will have a car.
Can you recommend any spots worth considering?

In Andalucia-
If you'll have a car between Sevilla and Granada you could spend a couple of days exploring the white villages. This seems right up you alley. Or if you have the car between Granada and Cordoba you could do the same (you'll actually criss-cross with the itinerary). Hopefully you won't be picking up the car until you leave Sevilla or you'll be wasting money on parking and car rental while in Sevilla. You could also take the 2 nights and just add to Sevilla doing additional daytrips. Or spend a couple of nights in Jerez, Malaga or Cadiz. Malaga may be a good option as you could take the high speed train to Madrid if this was your last stop in Andalucia.

Catalunya-
You could add the time to Barcelona and do a couple more daytrips. Or spend a couple of nights in Girona, Cadaques or Tarragona.

> Barcelona (4 nights) to Seville (4 nights), then Granada (2 nights), Cordoba (2 nights), Toledo (1 nights) and then Madrid (3 nights) before flying home.
I was able to get an additional 2 days vacation and would like to stay in 1 more destination for 2 nights before returning to Toledo and Madrid.

It depends on your interests, but I thought Toledo worth 2 nights and 2 full days. If you want to see the museums in Madrid, you might want to have at least 3 nights there, maybe even 4. Other options: Segovia (worth a day IMHO), Salamanca (easily worth 2 days), Ronda (1 day)....

Also check out Grazalema, Zahara--near Ronda, for hiking. There is a super easy hike near Ronda in Montejaque.
Cadiz and environs if the sea draws you.
Antequera near Malaga.

Valencia is a beautiful town often skipped in favor of Andalusian towns. it is NOT right on the beach,

I may be in minority, but I would rather spend a couple days in Valencia than so much time in Seville and Cordoba.