Lorraine

We're planning 16 days in central/southern Spain in October and have put together a tentative itinerary. We welcome your suggestions welcome. For instance, we may want to add another night in Barcelona and remove one night from the White Hill towns, although we're looking forward to hikes and a general break from city sightseeing.

Other questions: If we have time for only one day trip from Barcelona, should it be Girona or Montserrat? If we have time for only one day trip from Madrid, should it be Segovia or Avila or El Escorial?

Thanks!

Saturday, Oct. 7: depart
Sunday, Oct. 8: arrive Barcelona
Sleep in Barcelona (3 nights)
Monday, Oct. 9: Barcelona
Tuesday, Oct. 10: Day trip to Girona OR Montserrat.
Wednesday, Oct. 11: Barcelona
Overnight train to Granada
Thursday, Oct. 12: Granada
Sleep in Granada (1 night)
Friday, Oct. 13: Tour Alhambra, then rent car and drive 3 hours to Andalucia White Hill town region (Pueblos Blancos).
Sleep in Ronda (4 nights)
Saturday, Oct. 14: Ronda and hike
Sunday, Oct. 15: Grazalema and hike
Monday, Oct. 16: Zahara and hike.
Tuesday, Oct. 17: Arcos de la Frontera, then drive to Seville (1.5 hours). Return car.
Sleep in Seville (2 nights)
Wednesday, Oct. 18: Seville
Thursday, Oct. 19: Cordoba, then Madrid
Take hourly AVE train from Seville to Cordoba (45 min), explore city. Take AVE train from Cordoba to Madrid (2 hours).
Sleep in Madrid (4 nights)
Friday, Oct. 20: Madrid
Saturday, Oct. 21: Train to Toledo (1.2 hours) for half-day visit
Sleep in Madrid
Sunday, Oct. 22: Day trip to Segovia or Avila or El Escorial
Sleep in Madrid
Monday, Oct. 23: return home

laclaire

Here goes:

Sunday, Oct. 8: arrive Barcelona
Sleep in Barcelona (3 nights)
Monday, Oct. 9: Barcelona
Tuesday, Oct. 10: Day trip to Girona (Girona is much more interesting than Montserrat. . . it is an old city vs. a hyped up tourist attraction)
Wednesday, Oct. 11: Barcelona
Overnight train to Granada (flying will be much more comfortable for you and yours. Check vueling.com)
Thursday, Oct. 12: Granada
Sleep in Granada (1 night)
Friday, Oct. 13: Tour Alhambra, then rent car and drive 3 hours to Andalucia White Hill town region (Pueblos Blancos).
Sleep in Ronda (4 nights) (I would tell you to knock a night off here and add it to Barcelona, but if you like hiking (as much as I do) then I understand the lengthy stay)
Saturday, Oct. 14: Ronda and hike
Sunday, Oct. 15: Grazalema and hike
Monday, Oct. 16: Zahara and hike.
Tuesday, Oct. 17: Arcos de la Frontera, then drive to Seville (1.5 hours). Return car.
Sleep in Seville (2 nights)
Wednesday, Oct. 18: Seville
Thursday, Oct. 19: Cordoba, then Madrid
Take hourly AVE train from Seville to Cordoba (45 min), explore city. Take AVE train from Cordoba to Madrid (2 hours). (Eat at "el churrasco&quot
Sleep in Madrid (4 nights)
Friday, Oct. 20: Madrid
Saturday, Oct. 21: Train to Toledo (1.2 hours) for half-day visit
Sleep in Madrid
Sunday, Oct. 22: Day trip to Segovia (of the 3 options you have, Segovia is the most visitable, though Sunday is usually a bad day for day trips. Make sure everything will be open, particularly Candido (by the aqueducto) where you will want to have lunch)
Sleep in Madrid
Monday, Oct. 23: return home

Lorraine

Thanks, laclaire. I am going to incorporate your suggestions and re-post tomorrow with a better title.

Under the current plan, we will be in Granada on National Day, Oct. 12. If I take your suggestion and add a day to Barcelona, we'd be flying from Barcelona to Granada that day. Does this matter? Do you know how National Day is celebrated in Granada?

JoeTro

I think you need more time in Madrid. I absolutely loved the city, such great art museums, buildings, the Palace, etc. I took a day trip to Montserrat and very much enjoyed it, but I can't compare to Girona (we flew in there, but that's about it). I also daytripped to Segovia, which I thought was good, but not amazing. Just too small of a city for me.

laclaire

Lorraine- travel on the 12th is not so bad and should not cause problems. Just check ticket availability and see what you come up with. As this year it is on a Thursday, most people (and almost all students) will take Friday off, so travel will be a little more hectic than usual.

Do, though, book your Alhambra tix early because you don't want to miss that!

artlover

Looks really well thought out to me. I would add a day to Seville and take one away from Ronda, but that's just me and because Seville is one of my favorite places, though I loved Ronda and the white villages too, but there's more to see in Seville. Also, I haven't been to El Escorial, but have to Avila and Segovia, and would pick Segovia over Avila (though I loved that too).