robertsmyth

My wife and I have 10 days for our first trip to Spain next April.

We come in and out of Barcelona. We love history, good food, beautiful buildings and coutryside and the performing arts.

Trying to decide if we should rent an apartment in Barcelona and make that our base. Or go South and focus on Seville and Granada. Rent a car or use trains? What would you do with 10 days?

Appreciate any suggestions. Many thanks!

NEDSIRELAND

It depends on the specific dayes of your visit: Easter Sunday is April 8. Semana Santa, very big in Sevilla, will peak on Good Friday (Apr 6), Then there's Feria de Sevilla. their Spring fair which will probably start around Apr 16.
Most of the 'action' during April will be in Andalucia (except for Toledo's traditional Palm Sunday Corrida - Apr 1.

robertsmyth

We're there just after Easter

weber6560

Spain is a big country. Moderate your arrogance and recognize that you can only get a taste of small part of the country in 10 days. Would you fly to NY and then get a flight to Phoenix? I'd stay several days in BCN and then get a car and head for San Sebastian.

Robert2533

"Moderate your arrogance". Sorry, but I don't read any arrogance into robertsmyth question. They are simply looking for advice, not a reprimand.

zwho

Weber, what was arrogant in robertsmyth question? Talking to you in person must be a treat. Barcelona has everything you and your wife enjoy. I've been there 2 X's and plan on another visit someday soon. Of course we have never been there for more then 4 days in a row. But it's a good excuse to keep returning. You don't want a car there. Take the train and do a daytrip to Girona. Then I would do 1 of 2 things. Either is great. Take a plane to Madrid, spend 2 days seeing the sights and enjoying the food, then rent a car and drive to Toledo or take the AVE train. I hear it stops in Toledo now. Spend 1 or 2 nights and return to Madrid for your flight home. OR, get to Granada, train, car, or plane, (I don't know the best way from Barcelona) and spend 2 days and nights. Then drive or take a bus to Sevilla for the remainder of your time in Spain. Drive if you can so you can stop in a white village or 2, but get rid of the car when you get to Sevilla. In fact having a car in Barcelona, Madrid, Granada or Sevilla is just wrong! It will be a quick trip, but you'll see many highlights and you hopefully can return someday.

Dukey

You can easily do both Barcelona and Seville/Granada in ten days if you wanted to (the Easter festivities notwithstanding) and here's one suggestion:

there are cheap one-way flights between Barcelona and Granada if you book early enough and the flight time is only a little more than an hour; even cheaper if you fly between Barcelona and Madrid and again only an hour.

Train between Granada-Seville takes three hours; bus takes 2.5.

If you are going to Seville and it is over Easter you need to look at booking accommodations soon I would think. I am not sure how much hotel prices may rise for that period.

Sue_xx_yy

You might be trying to analyse two variables at once: geographical (north versus south) and vacation style (have a base apartment in one location versus touring two or more locations.)

Regardless, if you just focus on the cities, a car is unnecessary (in fact undesirable.) But in the event you go south, ''twould be a pity to miss some of the small villages/towns of Andalucia, for which a car is definitely useful although not absolutely necessary, depending on which villages/towns you wish to visit.

Good luck with your choice. I'd start with resolving your vacation style first.

weber6560 - speaking of moderation, you might want to consider that one gets only a taste of what a person is like when one's contact is limited to a single casual exchange on the Internet. It is a bit ironic that in your rush to remind us that countries can be complex places to understand, that you forgot the same is even more true for human nature.

Poohgirl

The distance between Barcelona and Granada/Seville is nothing like the distance between NY and Phoenix. How arrogant to snarl at someone when said snarler has no geographic sense at all. Do your homework before being such a jerk.

Raydotman

Barcelona and Madrid might do for a start with only ten days to spend in the country. In addition to the attractions of Barcelona, Montserrat should be included in your itinerary. Barcelona also has a fine opera house. You could then take the train to Madrid, visit the great museums in that city and perhaps sign up for tours to Toledo, Segovia, even Salamanca. Head back to Barcelona for a night and fly home. I think I would leave Andalucia for another visit as there is plenty to see and do in that section of Spain.
I cannot for the life of me think why Weber should suggest your inquiry displayed any sense of arrogance. These travel boards are here to help not to chastise.

brando

I would split my time evenlly between barcelona and seville, 5 days each is ample time, take a night trian between the two and your golden. Plenty to see in the surrounding area as well. Forget madrid in my mind. Though they do have a very fun nightlife.

robertsmyth

Your ideas have been a great help.

Thank you all!