I have just under 3 weeks to "do" Spain. Here are my parameters...I must spend one week in a timeshare in Marbella as we have "bought" a week from friends. Otherwise I'm stuck! Do I spend some time in Barcelona, Madrid and Seville? How should I best travel from place to place. I know we'll rent a car for the week in Marbella but otherwise what's my best way of moving around? Should I just pick two of the three above, say Barcelona and Seville for 5 days each and visit a couple of places like Carmona, Sitges from these two locations? I'm trying to just get started here and don't know where to begin!!! Any help would sure be appreciated....thanks.

In spite of not needing it in major cities, I'd keep the car and travel that way, especially if you decide to center on Sevilla and Barcelona. Trains between those two are not nearly as easy as trains between Sevilla and Madrid, for instance. If you decide to just do two of the three biggies, I'd say you're correct in choosing Sevilla and Barcelona. One is old Spain, the other is new Spain--so you'll definitely see the contrast. Both are wonderful (not that Madrid isn't, it's just that if you have to pick, these two seem to me to be the best combination.) With essentially 14 days or so to divide between them, I'd say to allot 4 or 5 days to each (I think you can see a lot of both cities in 4 days each, leaving you more time to explore some other options) and distribute the remainder to travel between and trips to places surrounding them--and I'd actually bite the bullet and stay in the surrounding places like Granada or Cordoba outside Sevilla and Cadaques outside Barcelona rather than do day trips. Hope this helps.

Can't claim to be an expert on Spain but here's my 2 cents' worth: Don't miss Granada or Barcelona. 5 days is a long stay in one city if there are lots of other things you want to see. And the buses in Spain - at least in Andalucia - are terrific. When are you going? Consider that the cities may be hot and you might be grateful for 2x 2 days in the country.

ok. So I fly into Seville via Madrid. Spend 4-5 days in Seville. Drive to my timeshare in Marbella (is there a nice overnight stop on the way?). Then spend the week at the timeshare. Then drive from Marbella to Granada and stay for one or two nights. Then fly from Granada to Barcelona and spend my 4-5 days there and fly home from there? Would that work? So I'd pick up the car as I'm leaving Seville and drop it off in Granada? How's this shaping up? Any additions, deletions, suggestions?

Sounds doable. I don't have a lot of experience with intra European air travel so I can't comment on those parts of your plan.

4 or 5 days in Seville is too much. Especially in the summer-the heat is brutal. How about flying in to Madrid and heading straight to Toledo? Do a night there, a night in Cordoba, then head to Seville, for 2 nights, and then on to Marbella. The rest sounds fine.

I just talked to airline and I have to fly in and out of Barcelona from North Anmerica to use my frequent flyer points. So now I'm thinking I should fly into Barcelona, stay there for my time and then fly into Seville from there (what airlines??), then pick up car and drive to Andalucia. Then after my week at timeshare, drive to Granada, stay there for a couple of days and then hopefully fly frm there straight to Barcelona airport and connect with flight home! Whew, I'm exhausted already!

I'm exhausted too! Iberia Airlines is the national airline in Spain. Have a great time!

Have just returned from Spain..spent time on Costa del Sol and Madrid...am not sure at all that you can fly from Grenada to Barcelona..agree with comment that weather will really be hot!..it's a shame that you can't get to Madrid...lots to see there and good side trips to Toledo, Avila and Segovia.

Use Air Europa, a competitor to Iberia. I had a wonderful experience on that airline. I actually use it to from from NYC to Spain as opposed to an American carrier. <BR><BR>I would spend 3 days in Barcelona to get adjusted. Drive down the coast, stop in some coastal towns along the way, Tarragona, Tortosa, Valencia.... <BR>Spend your week in Costa del Sol, from there you can easily take a day trip to Granada. Then with the 3rd week, you can easily split that between Sevilla and Madrid (if you're looking for cities) as the AVE train between the 2 is very fast... 2.5 hours...If you want to stay outside the cities... Cordoba and Toledo are just outside each. And from Madrid you can get a quick connecting flight back to Barcelona, as they have many a day.<BR><BR>Have fun. I'm actually off to Madrid and Sevilla next week!

It is very doable to drive from Madrid to the south of Spain. We did exactly what you are planning last year. It is an easy drive from Madrid to Malaga especially if you plan on spending a couple of nights in Cordoba and Seville.<BR>y only suggestion... Cannot remember if you are doing this alone. It is more relaxing if there is at least one other driver,but roads are well marked but there are some long stretches where it helps to relieve the boredom. It is a wonderful trip Enjoy!!!