Off to Spain Next Week!
Sep 11th, 2009, 03:21 PM
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Off to Spain Next Week!
My husband and I are off to Spain in a few days! I'm writing this "pre-trip report" with the thought that it will motivate me to (for once!) write a proper trip report upon our return...
This is a quick trip -- only six nights in total.
Basic Info:
Arrive at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday morning in Madrid.
We're planning to take the subway to Nuevos Ministerios and figure out a way to get to our hotel when we get to that point (walk?, taxi?, new metro line?) I should note that we are super-light packers and luggage won't be much of a problem.
Madrid hotel: We cashed in our Holiday Inn points for the Intercontinental Madrid.
Spending Wednesday and Thursday nights in Madrid.
During our short time in Madrid we plan on focusing on the museums, great food and wine, walking, and relaxing.
On Friday around noon we're taking the train down to Seville.
Seville hotel: Melia Colon
We might take a half-day trip up to Cordoba.
Again, the focus of Seville is food, wine, taking in the sites, and relaxing...
On Monday morning we take the train back to Madrid and we spend the final night at the Intercontinental again.
On Tuesday morning we head to the airport and back home.
We are anticipating some really hot weather in Seville; especially since here in NH we've barely had a summer. We'll see how we survive the heat!
Ok, I guess that's all I can say right now. Hopefully I'll have some good stuff to add within two weeks!
This is a quick trip -- only six nights in total.
Basic Info:
Arrive at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday morning in Madrid.
We're planning to take the subway to Nuevos Ministerios and figure out a way to get to our hotel when we get to that point (walk?, taxi?, new metro line?) I should note that we are super-light packers and luggage won't be much of a problem.
Madrid hotel: We cashed in our Holiday Inn points for the Intercontinental Madrid.
Spending Wednesday and Thursday nights in Madrid.
During our short time in Madrid we plan on focusing on the museums, great food and wine, walking, and relaxing.
On Friday around noon we're taking the train down to Seville.
Seville hotel: Melia Colon
We might take a half-day trip up to Cordoba.
Again, the focus of Seville is food, wine, taking in the sites, and relaxing...
On Monday morning we take the train back to Madrid and we spend the final night at the Intercontinental again.
On Tuesday morning we head to the airport and back home.
We are anticipating some really hot weather in Seville; especially since here in NH we've barely had a summer. We'll see how we survive the heat!
Ok, I guess that's all I can say right now. Hopefully I'll have some good stuff to add within two weeks!
Sep 11th, 2009, 03:54 PM
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You can walk from Nuevos Ministerios to the Intercontinental, it is barely 10 minutes, if you are really a light packer. You could get the metro ( L10, just one stop to Gregorio Marañón, but at that time of the day it will be pretty packed ) or one of the buses going down the Castellana. I wouldn´t bother with a taxi.
Rgds, and have a great trip,
Cova
Rgds, and have a great trip,
Cova
Sep 12th, 2009, 03:50 PM
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Thanks for the information, Cova! That's really helpful. Provided it isn't raining, we'll probably hoof-it to the hotel.
Lol, we had quite an experience arriving at our hotel on a crowded metro train during morning rush hour in Rome a few years ago. How busy will the metro from the airport be at that time in the morning? Will we regret taking the metro to the hotel during rush hour?
Thanks for any advice!
Lol, we had quite an experience arriving at our hotel on a crowded metro train during morning rush hour in Rome a few years ago. How busy will the metro from the airport be at that time in the morning? Will we regret taking the metro to the hotel during rush hour?
Thanks for any advice!
Sep 12th, 2009, 04:44 PM
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The Mezquita in Cordoba is worth the trip! If you have not been to Spain before, the restaurant plata del dia at lunch is a great deal and usually includes the house wine. Have a wonderful time in Spain!
Sep 14th, 2009, 03:21 AM
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A beautiful sight near Hotel Intercontinental: Museo Sorolla
http://www.esmadrid.com/en/portal.do?TR=C&IDR=751
A short stroll and tapas crawl after museum visit.
"La Ardosa" at 70 Santa Engracia St. -- Atmospheric old taberna. Speciality: patatas bravas (fried potato with spicy tomato sauce) and torreznos (chunks of deep fried bacon).
"Fide" at 8 Ponzano St. -- Salt anchovie canapé.
"El Doble" at Ponzano corner to Jose Abascal -- Boiled shrimp and beer on tap.
"Alboran" at 39 Ponzano St. -- Salmorejo (seasoned tomato cream) and excellent deep fried fish --try the marinated bienmesabe--
"Restaurante Sylkar" at 17 Esproceda St. -- Croquetas and the best tortilla de patata in town.
"Los Zuritos" at 58 Ponzano St. -- Recommendation: chapata bread topped with tuna and red pepper.
http://www.esmadrid.com/en/portal.do?TR=C&IDR=751
A short stroll and tapas crawl after museum visit.
"La Ardosa" at 70 Santa Engracia St. -- Atmospheric old taberna. Speciality: patatas bravas (fried potato with spicy tomato sauce) and torreznos (chunks of deep fried bacon).
"Fide" at 8 Ponzano St. -- Salt anchovie canapé.
"El Doble" at Ponzano corner to Jose Abascal -- Boiled shrimp and beer on tap.
"Alboran" at 39 Ponzano St. -- Salmorejo (seasoned tomato cream) and excellent deep fried fish --try the marinated bienmesabe--
"Restaurante Sylkar" at 17 Esproceda St. -- Croquetas and the best tortilla de patata in town.
"Los Zuritos" at 58 Ponzano St. -- Recommendation: chapata bread topped with tuna and red pepper.
Sep 14th, 2009, 05:39 AM
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The Intercontinental is just beautiful inside. They have a great big lovely lounge room it is very elegant. If your breakfast is included it is a big winner, if it is not it is $$$. There is a VIPS ( a cross between a Denny's and a small book store) near there if you get desperate but do walk a bit & find some local breakfast places while there. We walked to a Corte Ingles not too far from there a few long blocks away for shopping of sundries.
Revulgo always has great recs I would go to those for tapas for sure and plaza Santa Ana is a must for you for tapas too for the people watching.
If my memory is correct the on/off double decker bus goes right past the hotel (but does not stop at the hotel rather across the street a ways) DH & I had fun on that when we got tired we just drove around a bit more on the on/off bus it is a great way to see more of the city & get to the other side of town. We bought the 2 day pass since we used that alot.
Revulgo always has great recs I would go to those for tapas for sure and plaza Santa Ana is a must for you for tapas too for the people watching.
If my memory is correct the on/off double decker bus goes right past the hotel (but does not stop at the hotel rather across the street a ways) DH & I had fun on that when we got tired we just drove around a bit more on the on/off bus it is a great way to see more of the city & get to the other side of town. We bought the 2 day pass since we used that alot.
