My husband and I are going to Spain in October and want to stay at some of the paradores, which look great on their internet site. Should we rent a car in Madrid and drive to Avila, Salamanca, Zamora, Segovia, and back to Madrid (which create a loop looking at a map, or should we stick to trains or buses? Is one night in each town enough, or should we do fewer towns?

Hi Vicki, Los Paradores are indeed great places to stay ( if you plan to stay several nights, at least 5) try to get a book with 5 coupons and you 'll pay a discounted rate ( there are some limitations ) , not all Paradores participate but it is worth checking.<BR>I think a car is a much better choice than trains for your tour and besides all Paradores have some kind of Parking.<BR>In my opinion Salamanca is such a beautiful city that indeed merits more time than any of the others but in esence you could stay at least two days in each of them.Get a guide such as the Eyewitness that has a lot of pictures +information and you should make the decision. By the way the Parador in<BR>Salamanca is not well situated , in Salamanca is better to stay in an hotel in the old town. BuenA Suerte

Sorry, but what are Paradores? (Sounds like a kind of umbrella)

Lodging establishments - - typically in historic structures, monasteries, castles, etc - - see www.parador.es for more info.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

Arriba!<BR>

You could gain a night by seeing Avila on the way between Segovia and Salamanca. Zamora is by far the least known of these cities but do not allow anybody to persuade you out of going there.

What's the next line after "Arriba!"<BR><BR>and who says it?<BR><BR>amd who sings the song that was the them for this movie?<BR><BR>Hint, so that you can work backwards: his last name begins with "T".<BR>

Sundance, to Butch: "They already got 'em up!"<BR><BR>and B.J. Thomas sang "Raindrops keep falling on my head".<BR><BR>the them(e)?<BR><BR>

Since the consensus was to rent a car, what company has the best deal, picking up and returning to MAdrid?

I would even consider renting a car. Trying to find your way around the narrow, twisting, signless streets is a nightmare.

Vicki, try auto europe at 1.800 223 5555, your best bet, and they have a sale now till April 30.<BR>Then , please, get a good travel book, and make your own choice.<BR>Do not see more than one place by day if possible. It is not how many but how much you can enjoy in each place. Again Salamanca is a beautiful city, spend there a coupe of days and then add a few more places of your liking. In Salamanca again do not stay in the Parador, try for instance Hotel Rector, ok?

Strongly recommend Avis. Their counter is immediately to the left of the exit from customs. Their cars are parked at the airport. Good prices.

Get the car!<BR><BR>My husband and I just returned from a parador/drive-a-thon. Yes, the city streets in Spain are narrow, twisting and signless but parador signs with arrows are on all the main roads as you enter each city.<BR><BR>One night in each parador will get old. Try to stay in at least a few for more than a night or two. Relax and enjoy!

Which paradors would you consider especially good? any to avoid?<BR>

The notion that there are signs clearly making most Paradors is just plain wrong. My experience is that the vast majority of Paradors are not marked and cannot easily be found. If you want avoid a lot of aggrevation, use public transportation.

Thank you Graziella for your advice. We know we shouldn't try to cover too much ground, or we won't enjoy ourselves. I understand you don't recommend the parador at Salamanca (I realize it is a modern box)...but if we want to try and use the 5 day card that gives a discount Sunday through Thursday, would we still be better off in the Hotel Rector? Also you you recommend the food at the paradores? I've read they have local specialities. It is worth the higher price, or should we stick with small local eateries? Thanks for the input.

Vicki, you didn't adress this to me, but definitely, definitely eat at the paradors! Especially lunch, which is the meal they go all out on. We ate at two a few years ago, each meal was one of those "ten course, every course is perfect" types of meals. We obviously weren't very good at figuring the exchange rate in our heads, because we could have just died when we got home and discovered those fabulous meals (with wine) had only cost $40.00 per person. Shoot! We would have eaten there every day if we'd known that was the case (a similar meal in the US would be $100.00 per person easily).

Vicky, please take into consideration that you cannot use the coupons on all Paradores all of the TIme. In the www. parador.es you can check.....some paradores offer the promotion from Sunday to Thursday others on week ends, other s never.<BR><BR>But even without the promotions their rates are great. <BR><BR>Regarding food, I find Breakfast at the Paradores: OUTSTANDING!<BR><BR>Food in the Paradores restaurantes vary , it is a nod more expensive than <BR>most restaurantes . I would recommend to do both things, to eat in the Paradores sometimes but also to try different restaurants elsewhere.<BR>So is life nothing seems black and white.......good luck again.

I am a great fan of Paradores chain but I would probably recommend you to get more feeling of those cities to stay at some other hotels that in those above mentioned cities replace what Paradores usually means in the rest ( perfectly located old buildings renovated into really good hotels as in Ubeda, Cuenca, Caceres, Trujillo, Merida, Santillana del Mar, Leon, Hondarribia, or Leon or also good standard hotels even modern but with a nice location as in Bayona, Ronda or Cadiz ). I would suggest of course having a car since there are some places around that area ( specially Segovia )that would deserve a visit as well. I would stay at Salamanca (Gran Hotel, NH Palacio de Castellanos, Rector) a couple of nights, three in Segovia (Los Linajes is my favourite there) and one in Avila (Palacio de los Velada, Parador, Palacio de Valderrabanos ). From Segovia you can easily reach really The Royal Palace of La Granja and Valsain beautiful pine forests where there are some nice places to eat as Meson Hilario. Also you can visit Pedraza de la Sierra, one of the most beautiful little towns in Spain really well preserved or get to Hoces del Duraton Natural Park, a lone path leads you to an awesome gorge and an old church from where you can experience birdwatching. This is close to Sepulveda one of the best places of this area to eat out in its many restaurants. Turegano with its outstanding castle is also quite picturesque. Then drive back to Madrid. October is a really nice time to visit inland Spain.