Madrid for 10 Days (Relax)
Sep 3rd, 2012, 03:07 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Madrid for 10 Days (Relax)
Hi,
I'll be visiting Spain for 10 days during the Christmas season, arriving and leaving from Madrid. Besides a required stop for 2 or 3 days in Salamanca we don't have anything planned. One idea we have is to stay in Madrid but take daily trips to the surrounding towns such as Toledo, Alcalá de Henares, Aranjuez, etc. Do you think it's too much time to spend in one area? Is visiting Granada, Sevilla, or maybe a trip to Galicia or the Basque region worth it considering the travel times and that we have to squeeze in Salamanca?
Background: We have visited Barcelona and don't want to go again (on this trip!). Also, we are pretty laid back and enjoy living the lifestyle of the cities we stay in, shopping for groceries, cooking our own meals, doing things on our own times, etc. In that case we are not considering visiting more than 3 cities.
Thanks a lot.
Ed
I'll be visiting Spain for 10 days during the Christmas season, arriving and leaving from Madrid. Besides a required stop for 2 or 3 days in Salamanca we don't have anything planned. One idea we have is to stay in Madrid but take daily trips to the surrounding towns such as Toledo, Alcalá de Henares, Aranjuez, etc. Do you think it's too much time to spend in one area? Is visiting Granada, Sevilla, or maybe a trip to Galicia or the Basque region worth it considering the travel times and that we have to squeeze in Salamanca?
Background: We have visited Barcelona and don't want to go again (on this trip!). Also, we are pretty laid back and enjoy living the lifestyle of the cities we stay in, shopping for groceries, cooking our own meals, doing things on our own times, etc. In that case we are not considering visiting more than 3 cities.
Thanks a lot.
Ed
Sep 3rd, 2012, 03:30 PM
#3
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I don't think you want to go to Galicia or the Basque coast in December. I might go to Cordoba for a day on the fast train, but not Sevilla.
Don't you want to go to Segovia?
Have you picked an apartment in Madrid? I would want to be someplace out of the tourist quarter so you really get a feel for Madrid. But I would want a good metro stop to facilitate day trips and other sightseeing.
Don't you want to go to Segovia?
Have you picked an apartment in Madrid? I would want to be someplace out of the tourist quarter so you really get a feel for Madrid. But I would want a good metro stop to facilitate day trips and other sightseeing.
Sep 3rd, 2012, 03:41 PM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi,
Thanks for the replies. I totally took weather out of the equation, thanks! I'll look into Segovia, it's pretty close to Salamanca so I would work.
We are looking at apartments at VRBO and HomeAway and have a few finalists. We are just trying to finalize our itinerary in order to make a commitment. This post has helped a lot in that http://kellycrull.com/madrid/best_places_to_1/ as we almost committed to staying right next to Puerta del Sol.
Thanks for the replies. I totally took weather out of the equation, thanks! I'll look into Segovia, it's pretty close to Salamanca so I would work.
We are looking at apartments at VRBO and HomeAway and have a few finalists. We are just trying to finalize our itinerary in order to make a commitment. This post has helped a lot in that http://kellycrull.com/madrid/best_places_to_1/ as we almost committed to staying right next to Puerta del Sol.
Sep 3rd, 2012, 04:20 PM
#5
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,311
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
That sure is an old blog!
I would never stay in the Puerta del Sol area! At Christmas time it will be so crowded/mobbed with shoppers.
I would suggest you consider staying closer to the Prado and then you can walk to Atocha to catch the trains for your day trips!
I would never stay in the Puerta del Sol area! At Christmas time it will be so crowded/mobbed with shoppers.
I would suggest you consider staying closer to the Prado and then you can walk to Atocha to catch the trains for your day trips!
Sep 4th, 2012, 02:44 AM
#6
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 23,385
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Agree not to stay around Puerto del Sol. I would not like to base in that area at any time of the year. It seemed to me to be a commercial area just mobbed with people at all times of day.
Ten days will fly past....Madrid is a great city for daytrips as there are so many places of interest within an easy train or bus ride. And that is not to mention the myriad sights within the city. And the food.....divine.
We had four nights there last year and are returning for more Madrid time next month; last time we stayed at a hotel, near the Prado, but this time we rented an apartment in Retiro from Spain Select, which seems to get good reports:
http://www.spain-select.com/en_US
Ten days will fly past....Madrid is a great city for daytrips as there are so many places of interest within an easy train or bus ride. And that is not to mention the myriad sights within the city. And the food.....divine.
We had four nights there last year and are returning for more Madrid time next month; last time we stayed at a hotel, near the Prado, but this time we rented an apartment in Retiro from Spain Select, which seems to get good reports:
http://www.spain-select.com/en_US
