How to choose? So. of France or Spain?
Dec 14th, 2005, 01:09 PM
#1
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How to choose? So. of France or Spain?
I am just starting to get the idea together for a trip in '06 and I need some travellers advice please. I love Paris and have been twice, and went to Italy last year. My next trip, I want to go to Barcelona but can't figure out what to add to it. Would you suggest So of France or Madrid for the other part of this trip? Looking at the map, Madrid seems like a lot of distance to cover in between. I travel alone, I am interested in art and history. I am pretty easily entertained and don't require first class accomodations.
Dec 14th, 2005, 06:33 PM
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How long a trip do you plan to take and what time of year? We combined Barcelona and Cote d'Azur one trip and it was really great, but I could see doing Barcelona and Madrid just as easily if you flew from Barcelona to Madrid--and there are very inexpensive flights between the two, or you could get an open-jaw ticket into Barcelona and out of Madrid. Of course, you could also do an open-jaw into Barcelona and out of Nice, so it just depends on you time and interests.
Either way, you'll have a great trip.
Either way, you'll have a great trip.
Dec 15th, 2005, 04:39 AM
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I'm from Barcelona and I will never go to Madrid in summer, it's incredibly hot. I will possibly recomend Girona, Figueras and la Costa Brava, or if you like mountains the parc nacional d'Aigues Tortes-Llac de Sant Maurici. If you really want to choose a city, then it's much better Bilbao and San Sebastian, in the north of Spain, cheap flights link them with Barcelona.
To the south, just at aprox. 1 hour time from Barcelona by train, you have the roman city of Tarragona, the medieval town of Motblanc and the romanic monasterys of Poblet and Santes Creus.
From what we have seen, and we have travelled a lot in France, the best part of France is the north one (Bretagne, Normandie, Paris, Alsace).
Barcelona is quite expensive related to accomodation, but there is a good youth hostel runned by the Generalitat in the north of the city, in an ancient modernism house. Look for "albergs de la joventut"+ "Generalitat de catalunya" in Google.
have a nice time among us,
imma
To the south, just at aprox. 1 hour time from Barcelona by train, you have the roman city of Tarragona, the medieval town of Motblanc and the romanic monasterys of Poblet and Santes Creus.
From what we have seen, and we have travelled a lot in France, the best part of France is the north one (Bretagne, Normandie, Paris, Alsace).
Barcelona is quite expensive related to accomodation, but there is a good youth hostel runned by the Generalitat in the north of the city, in an ancient modernism house. Look for "albergs de la joventut"+ "Generalitat de catalunya" in Google.
have a nice time among us,
imma
Dec 15th, 2005, 05:34 AM
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I´d say that the Provence and the Roussillon are similar to home for Inma, and that´s why she mentioned the north of France. But I wouldn´t know which region in France to choose if hard pressed ... probably the Dordogne.
I think that I would try not to do two big cities in one trip. It really depends on the time of the year, if Tina plans to drive or it will be only public transport, how long is she planning to stay (1 week, 10 days, more ...).
Inma´s rec of Girona and the Pyrenees sounds pretty good to me.
BTW, Tinarose, check www.vueling.com . Good prices and very interesting destinations ...
Rgds, Cova
I think that I would try not to do two big cities in one trip. It really depends on the time of the year, if Tina plans to drive or it will be only public transport, how long is she planning to stay (1 week, 10 days, more ...).
Inma´s rec of Girona and the Pyrenees sounds pretty good to me.
BTW, Tinarose, check www.vueling.com . Good prices and very interesting destinations ...
Rgds, Cova
Dec 15th, 2005, 05:47 AM
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I've had somewhat limited experience in France and very limited (and not recent) experience in Spain. I didn't find Madrid too appealing, but loved southern France (parts of Provence and the Dordogne). So for me, the choice would clearly be southern France. However, if you were to consider a different part of Spain, I think I might choose Andalucia over many many other wonderful places in several other countries.
P.S. I strongly disgree that the northern parts of France is the "best" one. First, the idea of a "best" part of a country just doesn't sit well with me at all. But anyway, I tend to be more drawn to the south. I've never been to Brittany or Alsace, and while I enjoyed parts of Normandy that I visited long ago, I didn't find them even close to Provence and the Dordogne in their appeal.
P.S. I strongly disgree that the northern parts of France is the "best" one. First, the idea of a "best" part of a country just doesn't sit well with me at all. But anyway, I tend to be more drawn to the south. I've never been to Brittany or Alsace, and while I enjoyed parts of Normandy that I visited long ago, I didn't find them even close to Provence and the Dordogne in their appeal.
Dec 15th, 2005, 06:09 AM
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I've been crawling all over France for more than 25 years and I would also strongly agree that the "best"(and that's kind of a silly concept to begin with) part is in the north. Certanly there are parts of the north that are very appealing, but I don't think anything can compare with the natural beauty, architecture, food, culture, geography, and ambiance of the south.
I'd obviously recommend the south of France. I really disliked Madrid, and though I've not made it to Barcelona found the Costa Brava to be a poor cousin to the coastal areas of the south of France.
I'd obviously recommend the south of France. I really disliked Madrid, and though I've not made it to Barcelona found the Costa Brava to be a poor cousin to the coastal areas of the south of France.
Dec 15th, 2005, 06:15 AM
#9
If it were me, I'd pick the South of France. I prefer to combine a city and the countryside in a trip unless it is in the winter, when I would probably stick to cities. I also like to compare and contrast cultures, and the variety between a city in Spain and the French countryside sounds perfect.
Disclaimer in the interest of full disclosure: I would probably pick France over any other choice at any time anyway. But that's just me.
Disclaimer in the interest of full disclosure: I would probably pick France over any other choice at any time anyway. But that's just me.
Dec 15th, 2005, 09:27 AM
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You are great. Thanks for the input. I have about 2 weeks door to door, and I can take this trip when it suits me. I will travel alone, on public transportation. From the responses that you sent, it looks like So of France is preferred. I might feel a little guilty about dissing Spain, but who doesn't love France? Well in this group anyway. Thanks to all of you.
Dec 15th, 2005, 10:44 AM
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Some years back a friend and I had the same thought,and a 2 week trip. We flew into Nice (nice art museum), and out of Barcelona. In between, we travelled by train and stopped in varied towns in Provence & the Riviera - Monaco (see how the rich people live), Aix-en-Provence (beautiful town), Nimes (Roman history), Marseilles (seaport & ancient cathedral), Avignon (pope's palace of old in a walled city), (not sure of the order of the previous 4 spots) Perpignon (on the border bet. France & Spain), and then in Spain, Girona (Jewish history) then Barcelona (wonderful architecture). If I had it to do over again, I would have eliminated one or two towns so that I'd have a bit more time in each. Otherwise, it was a wonderful trip. Since you're travelling solo, I'd say that the only place that I felt was "iffy" in terms of safety was Marseilles. Enjoy!!
