ideas for 3 extra days in Spain
 

After visiting the city of Barcelona we will have 3 to 4 days in Spain before heading to Paris. My husband and I will be with our 2 teenagers and need help deciding what to see in Spain. Do we see sites outside of Barcelona that are close by or jump to another city in Spain? We like the outdoors and tend to see the big sites rather than spend hours seeing every detail in a museum. We'd like to see more of the Spanish culture but not necessarily the big tourist areas. Hidden gems off the beaten path are our specialty. Any suggestions?

How are you "heading to Paris"?

I have the same question...if you are training, there are some nice places to stop - like Arles - for a few nights. How long are you going to be in Barcelona? There are several nearby choices for day trips if you don't have them in your intinerary already. Girona, Monserrat, Stiges, those would be ideas if you are flying to Paris.

The Costa Brava works well with Barcelona. Visit Figueres from there to see the incredible Dali Museum. Our tenn grandkids loved it.

Zaragoza is easily reached by train .
...or if you decide to fly , check Vueling
airlines for cheap flights from Barcelona all over Spain.

It is helpful to know how you are getting to Paris from Barcelona.

I agree with HappyTrvlr that Costa Brava works well with Barcelona. After spending 5 or 6 nights in Barcelona, we rented a car and drove along the Costa Brava, stopping in pretty seaside towns/villages. We spent one night in Cadaques & 2 nights in Girona.

Fly to Granada to see the Alhambra, Spain's most visited site and with good reason. Then take the kids hiking in the Sierra Nevada just outside the city.

We will either take the train to Paris if we stay near Barcelona or fly there if we go to a larger city in Spain.

We will be in Paris and taking a river cruise through Proven to Arles and ending up on Barcelona. I planned an additional 5 days to linger in Spain, ending up in Madrid. I plan that one of those days will be spent visiting Toledo.

After reading the reviews here and elsewhere, I'm worried that we'll have too much time in Madrid. We plan to spend another day or two in Barcelona, then where do you suggest we visit on our way to Madrid?

so your cruise ends and then you have 5 more days / nights? I'd say 2 or 3 more in Barcelona, take the fast train to Madrid - spend one day in Madrid and then a day trip to Toledo. There are so many delights in Barcelona, Madrid has the world class museums. 5 additional days in Spain could be easily filled.

Not only that Madrid has world famous museums and a splendid Palace,
but it is also a great city.
In addition to Toledo there are several beautiful places only an hour away : Segivia , Aranjuez, Alcala de Henares, Escorial, Chinchon....and more.

One of the most charming and under-touristed (by north americans) cities in Spain is San Sebastian. Suggestion ... take the train from BCN to San Sebastian, enjoy the city and take a day-trip to Bilbao (the Guggenheim), then either train of fly to Paris.

I have a decided preference to see something nearby rather than traveling a great distance, and with only 3 or 4 days, I would look to places near Barcelona -- Tarragona, the Costa Brava, Girona, Montserrat, Besalu, etc. But then, I don't think you've said how long you will be in Barcelona? My recommendation would follow if you are giving Barcelona at least 4 or better 5 days.... And if not, then I would say to consider adding time to Barcelona and definitely consider only a location or two nearby. ;-)

One of the things I like about exploring places that are near each other is seeing how very different even places that are near each other can be in Europe, when historically, a distance that seems trivial today could have meant crossing into another kingdom. And I think that lesson can be particularly powerful with teenagers. JMO.

The other main argument I have for visiting nearby areas is to take advantage of the opportunities while I'm there. Truth is, the world is too full of places I want to see for me to return to the same basic destination just to pick up what I missed first time around.


@ Compumom: Without knowing your times, it's difficult to comment. Five days TOTAL would be very, very little for Barcelona, Madrid, and Toledo. For context, I spent 5 busy days in Barcelona, 4 days rushed days in Madrid, and 2 very full days in Toledo. I recommend that you get some good guidebooks (or spend some time with a few in your local library), identify the things you most want to see in each location, check their opening/closing times on the internet, and mark them on a calendar. Pencil in your transportation, add some time on either side (for getting to/from your lodging, checking in/out, packing/unpacking, getting oriented, etc.). Then see how things fit together. And note that many things in Spain are closed on Monday, and often for all or part of Sundays too; and many things in Spain will also be closed daily for a very long mid-day break.

Thank you! We are really throwing in Madrid as a little looksee, I intend to spend more time in Barcelona. It's the end of a longish trip and we can't be gone any longer. I realize that if I love Spain, another trip will have to be planned. So many places, so little time! I don't want to see too many cities and poorly explore the ones that I yearn to see.

Perhaps explore the many excellent and local atmosphere central districts in Barcelona such as Poble Sec and Gracia, could be fascinating "day-trips" and something quite different than the most visited parts of town, the Gothic quarter, Las Ramblas and Passeig de Gracia/Eixample.

Poble Sec is excellent tapas bars and restaurants, and you have all the theaters, museums, Olympic sports arenas, great greens and the Castell in Montjuic (Jewish mountain) just above Poble Sec. http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/...to-bodega.html

Take the Teleferic up to Montjuic for the best views, all the greens, the Castell etc. etc. https://www.telefericdemontjuic.cat/en

Gracia is like a seperate village right on top of fashionable Passeig de Gracia: https://www.barcelona-tourist-guide....ia-barrio.html
http://blog.lifestylebarcelona.com/lively-gracia/

And of course the Born district, a cradle of Catalan identity and culture. http://www.barcelona-life.com/barcelona/born

I can also recommend the friendly and bustling Barceloneta district by the sea and the old, and now up and coming, Raval district with the fine Rambla de Raval, cutting edge art galleries and museums etc. etc.
Barceloneta: https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2...taurants-spain
El Raval: http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/...he-raval.html?