Nicolemp

Quickly putting together a first time trip to Spain for end of next month to meet my husband after his conference in Paris (and spending 2 nights there). We have twelve nights total-still deciding whether to fly into Madrid first for two nights to walk/do a city bike tour to see the main sights (we don't typically like visiting museums) or go directly to Barcelona. Thinking 5 nights in Barcelona (with a day trip to Montserrat and a day trip to Girona) and then we will rent a car and drive to Costa Brava for four nights. (I read Maribels guide and it is full of great info!). Is it best to stay all four nights in same CB hotel and use as a base to explore the small villages/beaches in the area? Hotel AguaBlava looks fabulous and is my initial choice to book but also found a nice hotel in Cadaques but this seems farther north and more removed from exploring. So my other main questions are:
I have FOMO by not visiting Madrid-I hear it is a different vibe than Barcelona. Is a trip to Spain not complete without seeing both cities?
The hotels we have picked have pools (ex: W Barcelona)-but are they typically open last week of April/first week of May?
We want to kayak in Costa Brava-rentals don't start still June, but wondering if anyone knows if guided excursions typically run in May?
Departing Barcelona to fly home to Canada at 12:15pm (should we overnight in Barcelona, or will we be able to leave CB area early morning and head direct to airport to drop rental car and have enough time to make our flight. How is traffic mid week travelling between the two areas?)

ekscrunchy

I was in Cadaques in mid May a long while ago and there was not much happening so early in the season. And its location does not make it a great base for exploring.

End of April/early May I would not expect all hotel pools to be open; you ought to write and inquire if swimming is important to you. And even if they are open, keep in mind that very few hotel pools in Spain are heated and without being heated, the water, for me, would be too cold to swim at that time of year.

You can't hope to cover Spain in that one short trip, so if it were me, I would choose either Madrid, with day trips to places like Toledo, Segovia, etc.
OR, combine Barcelona with part of the Costa Brava; weather should be great then, apart from the swimming issue.

Nicolemp

I heard back from the Costa Brava Kayak Company and they do not start rentals/excursions in the area till May 17th which is after our trip.
Hotel pools open but not heated as another poster confirmed.
I still think it will be warm spring weather to do lots of walking and exploring of the small towns and coastline without getting in water.

Traveler_Nick

The coldest winter I've experienced was mid May in Barcelona Okay not quite but don't think you're going to the tropics. Both cities can and likely will be cool. Madrid more so. It's I think 1000metres above sea level. But Barcelona being on the sea will also be coolish.

As mentioned you shouldn't worry about missing out. You're missing Seville, Granada, Valencia and thousands of smaller towns.

Nicolemp

Southern spain will have to be another trip when we combine with portugal!