I am working on several possible itineraries for our two-week trip to Spain next spring (late April-early May). One has us mainly on a Barcelona-Madrid axis, with 4 nights in Barcelona, 3 nights with friends in Girona, then two nights free, and the last two nights in Madrid (we've been there before and don't need more time) . What to do with those two nights before Madrid is the question---what would be best without straying too far from our path? We will be traveling only by public transportation (train and bus if necessary).

Since we already have 6 nights in cities we'd like a smaller town. Possibilities that have been mentioned include Cadaques (but it seems like a long bus trip from Barcelona), and Toledo or Avila closer to Madrid. What do you think of these, and are there other places we should consider? Our interests are mainly art and architecture, history, local culture, food and wine, and scenic beauty. On our recent trip to Italy, we discovered we love walled towns with large pedestrian zones in the historic center. We like to walk a lot, or could rent bikes if appropriate. We also love hiking, but I assume this would be too early to get into the Pyrenees.

Thanks for your help.

IMO Toledo would be a good match to your interests.

Toledo is close to Madrid and you can use the Madrid pass with the proper Zone to take the train to Toledo. Avila is a nice walled-city. Segovia is also highly recommended. If you love pork, Segovia's cuchinillo is a must-eat. The aqueduct in Segovia is a must-see as well as the Cathedral of St. Mary and the Alcazar. Spain is a beautiful country with a lot to offer its visitors. Enjoy your trip!

Thanks! Segovia sounds interesting----are there other Roman ruins to be seen besides the aquaduct?

We were in Segovia in March, intending to have only 1 night there and a second single night stay in Toledo. Once we arrived in Segovia we canceled our plans to go to Toledo (will save it for another trip). I think it may be exactly what you are looking for. We went by car but I know it is easily accessible via train. Once you are there you don't need a car at all. It was a wonderful small, walled city - the aqueduct was amazing. We also very much enjoyed seeing the Alcazar, eating suckling pig, just walking around. It was VERY cold when we were there, but there was a great central square and others were brave enough to hang out there. I imagine it is quite lively when the weather is better.