Help With Itinerary for Spain
Feb 22nd, 2015, 07:06 PM
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Help With Itinerary for Spain
My Husband and I are planning a trip to Spain in May. I have planned part of the trip, and have done a lot of reading on this forum, but now need some help. First, a little background: I have been to Spain, both North and South, several times, but my husband has never been, and has always wanted to go. We are both in our early 70's, but in good shape, and like to walk. Most of our traveling together up until now has been in Asia.
We are Flying into Barcelona on May 3rd. Our Flights are already set, due to FF miles, which were pretty impossible to book. I could only book us back to the States out of Madrid on June 5th--so this is going to be a long trip. I should tell you all that for the most part we enjoy walking around, eating, exploring, and meeting the local people. We do go to museums, but that is not our primary interest. We do have a couple of things already planned:
May 3rd: We arrive in Barcelona at 7 in the morning after a long flight. I have booked the Gallery Hotel, which was recommended on this Forum for many reasons. This reservation is for May 3-checking out on May 7. This reservation can be canceled if I want to cancel it. I thought on the 7th we might rent a car, and drive to Girona, and spend the night of the 7th and 8th there, and then drive to a wonderful little hotel called Mas Can Batlle in Santa Pau, from which we could visit Figueures--I love Dali. We would spend the nights of May 9 and 10 there--In Santa Pau. We had also talked about taking a few days and flying to Lisbon instead of going to Catalonia, but I really think that might just be too much.....
On May 11, we will need to drive back to Barcelona, and return the car because we are leaving that day on a cruise from Barcelona. I would guess we will need to be back in Barcelona by noon. Will that be possible?
From May 11-May 21 we will be cruising the Mediterranean, going to France, and the South of Italy, Sicily, and Capri. Our Cruise debarks on the 21st in Rome, where we are booked on an Air Europa flight to Madrid. We both have been to Rome, and have no desire to spend time there.
At the moment, I have a reservation, which I can cancel, from May 21st-25th at the Westin Palace Hotel in Madrid. I am then considering this:
May 25: Madrid by train or car to Toledo
May 26: Toledo by train or car to Sevilla
May 27-30: Sevilla with a day trip to Cordoba
May 31: Leave by train or car for Granada
June 1-4: Malaga
June 4: Fly from Malaga to Madrid
June 5: We Leave by Plane at 12:30 PM from Madrid for Los Angeles, via Philadelphia
FYI---my husband loves to drive, but I don't love his driving....
I don't want to end up exhausted, but I also want to see the country.
We are Flying into Barcelona on May 3rd. Our Flights are already set, due to FF miles, which were pretty impossible to book. I could only book us back to the States out of Madrid on June 5th--so this is going to be a long trip. I should tell you all that for the most part we enjoy walking around, eating, exploring, and meeting the local people. We do go to museums, but that is not our primary interest. We do have a couple of things already planned:
May 3rd: We arrive in Barcelona at 7 in the morning after a long flight. I have booked the Gallery Hotel, which was recommended on this Forum for many reasons. This reservation is for May 3-checking out on May 7. This reservation can be canceled if I want to cancel it. I thought on the 7th we might rent a car, and drive to Girona, and spend the night of the 7th and 8th there, and then drive to a wonderful little hotel called Mas Can Batlle in Santa Pau, from which we could visit Figueures--I love Dali. We would spend the nights of May 9 and 10 there--In Santa Pau. We had also talked about taking a few days and flying to Lisbon instead of going to Catalonia, but I really think that might just be too much.....
On May 11, we will need to drive back to Barcelona, and return the car because we are leaving that day on a cruise from Barcelona. I would guess we will need to be back in Barcelona by noon. Will that be possible?
From May 11-May 21 we will be cruising the Mediterranean, going to France, and the South of Italy, Sicily, and Capri. Our Cruise debarks on the 21st in Rome, where we are booked on an Air Europa flight to Madrid. We both have been to Rome, and have no desire to spend time there.
At the moment, I have a reservation, which I can cancel, from May 21st-25th at the Westin Palace Hotel in Madrid. I am then considering this:
May 25: Madrid by train or car to Toledo
May 26: Toledo by train or car to Sevilla
May 27-30: Sevilla with a day trip to Cordoba
May 31: Leave by train or car for Granada
June 1-4: Malaga
June 4: Fly from Malaga to Madrid
June 5: We Leave by Plane at 12:30 PM from Madrid for Los Angeles, via Philadelphia
FYI---my husband loves to drive, but I don't love his driving....
I don't want to end up exhausted, but I also want to see the country.
Feb 22nd, 2015, 08:10 PM
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I would do Toledo as a day-trip from Madrid. It's the easiest way and you don't have to drive and park the car. You can then take the train to Sevilla and do a day-trip up to Cordoba, unless you'd like to spend the night in Cordoba, in that case, just take the train to Cordoba and catch the afternoon train to Sevilla. Simple!
From Sevilla I'd go with the train or bus to Granada. You will not need a car.
You can then take the bus to Malaga to enjoy a few days in this lovely city on the Costa del Sol.
If you can't change you flight to departing from Malaga, the take the early train from Malaga to Madrid. The 9:00 am AVE take less then 3 hours. The 11:00 AVE take 3 hours. Much better than flying.
From Sevilla I'd go with the train or bus to Granada. You will not need a car.
You can then take the bus to Malaga to enjoy a few days in this lovely city on the Costa del Sol.
If you can't change you flight to departing from Malaga, the take the early train from Malaga to Madrid. The 9:00 am AVE take less then 3 hours. The 11:00 AVE take 3 hours. Much better than flying.
Feb 22nd, 2015, 08:21 PM
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I actually don't have any flight reservation at all from Malaga. I just thought it would be easier to fly. Since we are going on a cruise, unfortunately, we will have two rather large suitcases to manage, which worries me a bit in terms of train travel.....and two carry-ons.....
The 11:00 AM AVE sounds ok, though, since my husband is not good at getting up early.
The 11:00 AM AVE sounds ok, though, since my husband is not good at getting up early.
Feb 22nd, 2015, 08:36 PM
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No problem! As long as the luggage is not larger then 26", you should't have any problem getting in on the train. The storage area is small, but if you are traveling in 1st or business class, and are first to board, there should be room.
The train starts in Malaga, so there will not be anyone on the train when it is ready to board and 1st class usually has more room then tourist class.
The train starts in Malaga, so there will not be anyone on the train when it is ready to board and 1st class usually has more room then tourist class.
Feb 22nd, 2015, 10:57 PM
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Such a long trip sounds wonderful.
If I could change your itinerary, I would fly from Rome to either Malaga or Granada or even Seville, and put all the time in Madrid together at the end.
This would save a good bit of travel time. You would save the cost of at least one train trip. You would not need to check into and out of hotels twice in Madrid.
Laid out to show travel days separately.
May 21: Fly from Rome to Granada
May 22-23: Granada
May 24: Bus or train to Malaga
May 25-26: Malaga
May 27: Train to Seville
May 28-30: Seville with day trip to Cordova
May 31: Train to Madrid
June 1- 4: Madrid with day trips to Toledo and Segovia
June 5: Depart Madrid
Cut a day from Madrid if you want to skip Segovia, and add that day someplace else, Seville or Malaga.
If you can fly into Malaga, you could also easily reverse Malaga and Granada, and train from Granada to Seville.
You could also cut one night from Granada and add it to Malaga if you wished, but spend at least two nights in Granada. May is prime time for the gardens of the Alhambra and Granada is incredibly beautiful.
Try to see the Alhambra both during the day and at night.
You could rent a car for the Seville, Granada, Malaga area, but you could use trains for most, if not all.
________________
If you can not change your flight from Rome to Granada or Malaga or Seville, then on landing in Madrid, go straight on by train to either Seville or Granada, and still put all Madrid time together at the end of the trip.
If I could change your itinerary, I would fly from Rome to either Malaga or Granada or even Seville, and put all the time in Madrid together at the end.
This would save a good bit of travel time. You would save the cost of at least one train trip. You would not need to check into and out of hotels twice in Madrid.
Laid out to show travel days separately.
May 21: Fly from Rome to Granada
May 22-23: Granada
May 24: Bus or train to Malaga
May 25-26: Malaga
May 27: Train to Seville
May 28-30: Seville with day trip to Cordova
May 31: Train to Madrid
June 1- 4: Madrid with day trips to Toledo and Segovia
June 5: Depart Madrid
Cut a day from Madrid if you want to skip Segovia, and add that day someplace else, Seville or Malaga.
If you can fly into Malaga, you could also easily reverse Malaga and Granada, and train from Granada to Seville.
You could also cut one night from Granada and add it to Malaga if you wished, but spend at least two nights in Granada. May is prime time for the gardens of the Alhambra and Granada is incredibly beautiful.
Try to see the Alhambra both during the day and at night.
You could rent a car for the Seville, Granada, Malaga area, but you could use trains for most, if not all.
________________
If you can not change your flight from Rome to Granada or Malaga or Seville, then on landing in Madrid, go straight on by train to either Seville or Granada, and still put all Madrid time together at the end of the trip.
Feb 23rd, 2015, 11:58 AM
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Thank you, Sassafrass. What you suggest does make sense! As it turns out, I can't really change my flight from Rome to Madrid--I have already done that once, at some cost.... But I will be arriving in Madrid at about 1:15 in the afternoon on the 21st, so on landing at the international airport in Madrid, maybe I should fly to Granada instead of taking a train. It just seems easier with luggage--although I'm not sure it would be from the same airport.
I found a flight to Granada that would work for us, since it leaves at 3:55 PM and the return flight to Madrid from Granada on May 31st from Granada leaves at 8:30 PM. Of course that would leave us plenty of time to follow your itinerary in Analucia, and we would just need to get back to Granada to make the flight back to Madrid. Since we do have to get back to Granada for the flight back to Madrid, maybe we should skip Malaga?
I found a flight to Granada that would work for us, since it leaves at 3:55 PM and the return flight to Madrid from Granada on May 31st from Granada leaves at 8:30 PM. Of course that would leave us plenty of time to follow your itinerary in Analucia, and we would just need to get back to Granada to make the flight back to Madrid. Since we do have to get back to Granada for the flight back to Madrid, maybe we should skip Malaga?
Feb 23rd, 2015, 12:57 PM
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You have plenty of time for everything, just easier if you do not backtrack.
If you fly from Madrid to Granada, you do not have to do round trip. Don't go back to Granada to get to Madrid.
Do you mean the flight is already booked from Granada to Madrid, or is the flight booked from Malaga to Madrid. If none of those flights are booked, this is a nice loop with no backtracking:
Fly (or train) from Madrid to Granda
Train (or bus) from Granada to Malaga
Train to Seville
Train to Madrid
Upon landing in Madrid, you could also catch a taxi to the train station and take the train to Cordova for one night and the next afternoon, on to Seville, or straight to Seville. I would go to Seville, settle in and do a day trip to Cordova, so this is another loop with no backtracking:
Train from Madrid to Seville
Train to Malaga
Train or bus to Granada
Train to Madrid
If you already have plane booked from Malaga, this is a little zig zag, but not bad.
Train from Madrid to Seville
Train to Granada
Train to Malaga
Fly to Madrid
From Granada (and Malaga if you do that last) to Madrid, check times because the train city center to city center may be better than flying, considering wait times at the airport. With luggage though, plane and taxi might be easier for you. We are your age, and it gets to be a toss up, though I much prefer sitting on a train than a plane.
At that time of year, you might not need so many clothes for the cruise. They keep getting more and more casual, but depends on the ship. If you can cut luggage a bit, it will help on the train, but I am sure you know that already.
Which ship are you on? I enjoy cruises. DH absolutely loves them.
Hope I do not make this seem more confusing that it really is. After traveling in Asia, Spain will be a snap.
If you fly from Madrid to Granada, you do not have to do round trip. Don't go back to Granada to get to Madrid.
Do you mean the flight is already booked from Granada to Madrid, or is the flight booked from Malaga to Madrid. If none of those flights are booked, this is a nice loop with no backtracking:
Fly (or train) from Madrid to Granda
Train (or bus) from Granada to Malaga
Train to Seville
Train to Madrid
Upon landing in Madrid, you could also catch a taxi to the train station and take the train to Cordova for one night and the next afternoon, on to Seville, or straight to Seville. I would go to Seville, settle in and do a day trip to Cordova, so this is another loop with no backtracking:
Train from Madrid to Seville
Train to Malaga
Train or bus to Granada
Train to Madrid
If you already have plane booked from Malaga, this is a little zig zag, but not bad.
Train from Madrid to Seville
Train to Granada
Train to Malaga
Fly to Madrid
From Granada (and Malaga if you do that last) to Madrid, check times because the train city center to city center may be better than flying, considering wait times at the airport. With luggage though, plane and taxi might be easier for you. We are your age, and it gets to be a toss up, though I much prefer sitting on a train than a plane.
At that time of year, you might not need so many clothes for the cruise. They keep getting more and more casual, but depends on the ship. If you can cut luggage a bit, it will help on the train, but I am sure you know that already.
Which ship are you on? I enjoy cruises. DH absolutely loves them.
Hope I do not make this seem more confusing that it really is. After traveling in Asia, Spain will be a snap.
Feb 23rd, 2015, 06:36 PM
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"May 25: Madrid by train or car to Toledo"
I found more than enough to keep my happily busy for 2 full days in Toledo. Given your time frames, you might want to think through your priorities (if you haven't already done so ;-) ) to decide whether to visit Toledo as a day trip or to spend a night or two there. FWIW, I found it especially evocative after day-trippers had left for the day. You should be able to get there EASILY by bus or train; I can't imagine that a car would be an advantage for this part of your trip -- YMMV.
As Robert notes, "unless you'd like to spend the night in Cordoba, in that case, just take the train to Cordoba and catch the afternoon train to Sevilla. Simple!"
Cordoba is another place where I was glad to spend 2 full days -- and where I was glad to roam after day-trippers had left.
"May 31: Leave by train or car for Granada
June 1-4: Malaga"
I strongly recommend at least 2 nights in Granada so you can see the Alhambra during both the day and the evening.
"May 25: Madrid ... June 4: Fly from Malaga to Madrid"
Can you put ALL of your time in Madrid at the END of your trip so you don't have to backtrack?
Hope that helps!
I found more than enough to keep my happily busy for 2 full days in Toledo. Given your time frames, you might want to think through your priorities (if you haven't already done so ;-) ) to decide whether to visit Toledo as a day trip or to spend a night or two there. FWIW, I found it especially evocative after day-trippers had left for the day. You should be able to get there EASILY by bus or train; I can't imagine that a car would be an advantage for this part of your trip -- YMMV.
As Robert notes, "unless you'd like to spend the night in Cordoba, in that case, just take the train to Cordoba and catch the afternoon train to Sevilla. Simple!"
Cordoba is another place where I was glad to spend 2 full days -- and where I was glad to roam after day-trippers had left.
"May 31: Leave by train or car for Granada
June 1-4: Malaga"
I strongly recommend at least 2 nights in Granada so you can see the Alhambra during both the day and the evening.
"May 25: Madrid ... June 4: Fly from Malaga to Madrid"
Can you put ALL of your time in Madrid at the END of your trip so you don't have to backtrack?
Hope that helps!
Feb 23rd, 2015, 09:05 PM
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Ok, how does this sound?
May 21st: We arrive in Madrid from Rome at 1:10 PM. Since we will already be at the Madrid airport, we can stay there to catch a flight to Granada at 3:55.
May 21st-May 23rd Granada Check out on May 24th
May 24th: Bus or train to Seville
May 24th-28th: Seville with side trip to Cordoba Check out on May 28th
May 28: Bus or train to Malaga
May 28th-31st: Malaga
May 31st: Fly from Malaga back to Madrid
May 31st-June 4th: Madrid with side trip to Toledo
The reason I decided to do it this way is that I was able to find a flight that flew me into Granada from Madrid, and then back from Malaga.
May 21st: We arrive in Madrid from Rome at 1:10 PM. Since we will already be at the Madrid airport, we can stay there to catch a flight to Granada at 3:55.
May 21st-May 23rd Granada Check out on May 24th
May 24th: Bus or train to Seville
May 24th-28th: Seville with side trip to Cordoba Check out on May 28th
May 28: Bus or train to Malaga
May 28th-31st: Malaga
May 31st: Fly from Malaga back to Madrid
May 31st-June 4th: Madrid with side trip to Toledo
The reason I decided to do it this way is that I was able to find a flight that flew me into Granada from Madrid, and then back from Malaga.
Feb 23rd, 2015, 09:19 PM
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MUCH better IMO!
One thing you might want to consider: If I'm reading correctly, you have 2 full days in Granada and 3 full days for Sevilla and Cordoba. If so, you might shift one day from Granada to Sevilla / Cordoba. I found a lot to enjoy in Granada, but I think there's MUCH more to see and experience in Sevilla and Granada. JMO.
Enjoy!
One thing you might want to consider: If I'm reading correctly, you have 2 full days in Granada and 3 full days for Sevilla and Cordoba. If so, you might shift one day from Granada to Sevilla / Cordoba. I found a lot to enjoy in Granada, but I think there's MUCH more to see and experience in Sevilla and Granada. JMO.
Enjoy!
Feb 23rd, 2015, 09:43 PM
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Looking good! I would probably have done train rather than plane, but it works for you.
Looks like you have
3 nts. Granada
4 nts Seville
3 nts Malaga
5 nts Madrid
Personally, I would consider taking a night from Madrid and put it in Seville or Malaga. It just comes down to want you like.
It is going to be a fabulous trip, cruise plus this beautiful part of Spain in the best month to go for the gardens.
Looks like you have
3 nts. Granada
4 nts Seville
3 nts Malaga
5 nts Madrid
Personally, I would consider taking a night from Madrid and put it in Seville or Malaga. It just comes down to want you like.
It is going to be a fabulous trip, cruise plus this beautiful part of Spain in the best month to go for the gardens.
Feb 24th, 2015, 01:50 AM
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I would definitely recommend to visit Cordoba, but you should know that the city is celebrating its annual and flamenco inspired Feria/Spring fair by the end of May (23.-30. May). Food, wine, dance, music, song, concerts and fiesta spirit out in the Spring fair area, and people in feria spirit and costumes all around. The more than one hundred festival tents are open for everybody. The program is jam packed with all kinds of events.
http://www.andalucia.com/festival/co...pring-fair.htm
http://www.cordoba24.info/english/html/feria.html
http://www.andalucia.com/festival/co...pring-fair.htm
http://www.cordoba24.info/english/html/feria.html
Feb 25th, 2015, 12:35 AM
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Cordoba is very well worth visiting anytime. Much more to it than the Mezquita etc. Have had some of my most memorable evings and nights in Spain here. This is Cordoba: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyfGdpF55Uk
