Please help with Spain itinerary
 

My friend and I are going to Madrid this September. We have a total of 8 nights. We have
been to Andalucia and Barcelona last year and are planning to close to Madrid. We do not plan to rent a car. We will use buses and trains
Here is our temporary itinerary:

2 nights in Madrid
2 nights in Salamanca
2 nights in Toledo
2 nights in Madrid with a daytrip to Segovia

Please comment on this itinerary. Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks.

My only suggestion would be to try to put the four nights in Madrid together. What time do you arrive in Madrid? We're arriving very early in the morning and planning on going straight on to Salamanca since our hotel or apartment in Madrid wouldn't be available so early anyway. We're also sticking to trains or busses.

We just did a similar trip in May and this sounds wonderful, but I have a few suggestions:

Check out parador.es and consider buying a pass. I would recommend stopping in at Avila on the way to Salamanca and staying in the Paradors in both places. Maybe even cut a night in Madrid to do this. Also, I would suggest staying overnight in the Parador in Segovia and spending more time there--it's a wonderful place. Also, this way you could go to one of my favorite restaurants from last trip--Narizotas at Plaza Medina del Campo.

While I like Madrid, with the exception of the Prado and Sofia, I really enjoyed my time in the other places much more.

All this is very doable by bus and trains. There's lots of information here on transportation and also I suggest you check out maribelsguides.com--a wealth of information.

Patrick, I'll definitely consider you option one less packing and unpacking. How do you go from Barajas to Salamanca?

Artlove, if we stop in Avila is there any storage for luggage at the train/bus station? We'll see what we can do to spend
a night in Segovia.

Thanks for you suggestions.

topping

Good question--I don't know--we stayed overnight at the Parador (which was lovely, especially the garden). The garden at the Parador is so restful and amazing, but I can see where you might want to spend your first 2 nights at the same place. Anyone out there know?

Artlover,
I was reading Rick steves' book last night and he mentioned that the train station doesn't have luggage storage but the bus station does. I'll look at the website of the Parador and it could be a good option to stay for 1 or 2 nights. I do have Maribel's guides , very helpful, indeed.