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yirongshen5684 Feb 17th, 2025 05:28 PM

Help with 14-day itinerary in Spain in March
 
We're traveling to Spain with my parents (79 and 71 years old) and teenage son in the second half of March for 14 days/nights. We will be flying into and out of Madrid.

Currently, our tentative plan is:

Fly into Madrid and take the train to Valencia

3 nights in Valencia (to catch the last days of the Fallas festival)

1 night in Toledo

3 nights in Seville

3 nights in Granada

1 night in Cordoba

3 nights in Madrid

Fly out of Madrid

Is this plan reasonable or is it too much moving around? Is Cordoba worth another night? If so, should we subtract a night from Granada or Madrid? We are not big fans of art museums and would be okay with skipping Prado in Madrid.

Any advice is much appreciated!

kja Feb 17th, 2025 06:04 PM

It really depends on what you want to see and experience!
  • I was glad to have 2 nights in Toledo, but many people are satisfied with a day trip from Madrid.
  • I would want more time in Sevilla than 2 days. I would think 3 days the minimum for that glorious city.
  • 3 nights in Granada suited me well. Many people opt for 1 or 2 nights. (A day trip to Granada doesn't work well from ANY place, IMO.)
  • I was glad to have 2 nights in Cordoba, but many people are satisfied with a day trip from Sevilla.
  • I wanted more time in Madrid ... but I can spend entire days in museums, and did spend an entire day at the Prado. :)
As for moving around -- again, up to you. Remember that each time you change locations, you have to pack and unpack, check in and out, get to and from the train station, etc. Are you parents willing to do that as often as your itinerary demands?

If you haven't already booked your flights, I recommend checking options for open jaw into Madrid (or Valencia!) and out of Sevilla.

You'll have a wonderful time no matter what you decide -- these places are amazing!

neckervd Feb 18th, 2025 12:51 AM

Why not fly into Valencia - direct flight - Sevilla - train - Granada - train - Cordoba - train - Madrid - day trip (train) - Toledo?

bilboburgler Feb 18th, 2025 04:32 AM

Toledo needs to be towards the end and from Madrid

Cordoba move to next to Seville and maybe a day trip

just_tina Feb 18th, 2025 10:12 AM

Bilboburger gives good advice. Also, there's no point in all the hassle of getting yourselves and luggage to Toledo for one night - either make it two, so you get a whole day to explore Toledo, or day-trip from Madrid. It sounds a tiring trip for someone in their late 70s.....For me Valencia is an outlier and the chaos of Fallas would be the first to go.....but that may be a key point for you....

yirongshen5684 Feb 18th, 2025 04:53 PM

Thanks all for the advice! Unfortunately we already booked non-refundable flights to Madrid.

How big of a deal is the Fallas of Valencia? We did not even know about it until wife's co-worker highly recommended it as it happened to be within the window of our trip.

neckervd Feb 18th, 2025 10:54 PM

There are tons of local flights from Madrid to Valencia. I think that would be easier than to take he metro into town (Atocha) and change there to a train.
The trains (every hr) might be cheaper, however.
But forValencia - Sevilla I would definitely take the plane.:

bilboburgler Feb 19th, 2025 03:26 AM

train is 4.5 hours plus better for the environment

kja Feb 19th, 2025 01:15 PM


Originally Posted by bilboburgler (Post 17634532)
train is 4.5 hours plus better for the environment

+1

neckervd Feb 21st, 2025 08:57 AM

Bilboburgler is right: I didn't know AVE 3982. Sorry!


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