I am fully aware that I have posted many threads of late, but because of these forums, we have always had lovely, lovely vacations. I will try to make this my last new post and as always your expertise is valued. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I tend to over schedule, mostly because I believe we will never be back to these places again and our vacation time is brief.
So here goes nothing
May 6- arrive Madrid from US 9:00am
Staying @ Only You boutique Chueca area
We usually try to stay busy so we don’t crash and burn after the flight.
Liria Palace via Gran via. My husband is interested in seeing their first edition Don Quixote. I believe this isn’t too far from Temple Debod( May only view externally) and the rose garden @ Oeste park. Perhaps wander back via Malasaña for some food before getting to bed earlyish.

May 7- el Rastro, Barrio Las Letras .

May8- 3 Hour Prado tour with context 10:15 am. I am hoping context and information will make it more engaging for my husband or self guided meandering.
Retiro park- wander and maybe picnic weather permitting . Can anyone recommend a great place to pick up something to take with us?
Cocktails at Cibeles Palace terrace ,maybe you have a suggestion for views ?
Mercado San Anton in the evening

May 9- Train to Aranjuez for the day or Royal Palace Madrid, cathedral and gardens

May 10- 9am train to Barcelona arrive noonish
Staying @ Casa Sagnier
Hopital Sant Pau 2:30 entry, Sagrada Familia 5:00 with guided tour @ 5:30 ( tickets already purchased) dinner @ Teoric 8:00 reservations. This seems kind of crazy tight, so we may have to miss Sant Pau. If we don’t see the Hospital Sant Pau, is there something you recommend either near the hotel or Sagrada Familia?

May 11- 9:30- 12:30 tour of Gothic Quarter with context, lunch @Llamber 1:30. I will need to change my reservation if I can. I currently have one @ 3:00 .Visit Palau de la Musica last entry 3:30.

May12- Full day food tour (5-6hours) with culinary backstreets or other suggestions welcome, casa Batllo, walk by Casa Mila.

May 13- Barcelona to Hostal sa Rascassa for 2 nights of doing next to nothing except maybe a daytrip into Begur. Also not quite sure how we’re getting here. I looked at bus which we have used on trips to other places, but it seems complicated and I also have a quote for a private transfer. Thoughts?

May 15- Taxi to Girona
staying at a Bravissima property on Placa del Vi
We plan to wander , eat, relax. We do have dinner reservations on the 16th and that’s it. I’ve heard we need to walk the wall. Any other thoughts on nooks and crannies we should visit would be wonderful.

May 17- train to Madrid and fly back to US on the 18th
Staying at the Principal
Ok, there you have it. I do know we are moving a lot ,but we haven’t seen much of the world so this may very well be our last trip to Spain. We had the opportunity of seeing Seville, Cordoba and Granada a few years ago so I’m sure other places will pique our interest next.
Please offer suggestions on how to best rearrange things, what to cut or restaurants in any of the areas we will be in. I know others have offered up the fork for recs which I appreciate. It sounds like a terrific resource, but if you have a favorite, I’d love to hear about it. Nothing is set in stone here except flights, trains and Sagrada tickets.
I think I proofread. If there are errors, please excuse or I can clarify what I think I meant.
Thank you, thank you and safe travels to all.

We loved our stay at The Principal in Madrid, great location. Ask for a room in the back to insure quiet room.
Trying to remember where we ate, recommended by The Principal’s Concierge. It had Mio in its name I think , popular with locals, located in the adjacent Salamanca neighborhood.

Great tip on the room, HappyTrvlr! This hotel got great reviews from people on here and so I thought we would get a good night’s rest before our flight the next afternoon. I’ll definitely ask about a room at the back. Although, I think I requested a quiet room when we booked. I wonder if anyone knows the restaurant you are referring to. I’m sure the concierge would know. Looking to keep our last night pretty low key so thank you.

Well, given the choice you offered, I would "poo poo" the itinerary, though mainly because it strikes me as rather rushed. However, you have already addressed that matter, and appear content with it, so I'll just point out that it seems perfectly feasible, and I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
I'll add a couple of comments, though neither may be terribly practical:
First, I congratulate your husband on wanting to see a first edition of Don Quijote; it's the kind of "sight" I myself like to find when travelling: something of high historic or cultural interest, however humble it may be visually.
Second, unless you have already done so, you may want to listen to Joaquin Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez" (1939), which is said to have been inspired by the palace and garden that you will visit. Much as I love the concerto, I can't see how wordless music can convey palaces and gardens, but you may want to listen and judge for yourself.

Thank you , Faedus. We are rethinking the daytrip to Aranjuez because of being constantly on the go. I suppose we can always decide spur of the moment, right?
We have tweaked everything a little since posting this. My eyes are always to big for my belly so to speak.

While visiting Retiro, please go north of the park to the elegant and upscale part of the city..barrio Salamanca.
Leafy streets, lux. shops, galleries, numerous restaurants..etc…a very different vibe ..

Thank you, danon. We will definitely do that. It’s an excellent reminder that some time wandering should be part of every vacation and this sounds like a lovely area.

There are also some excellent bars (with food) in the Retiro area, to the east of the Park.

There is a restaurant I've wanted visit for quite a few years and I finally got the opportunity 2 weeks ago. I checked and it is about 10 minutes walk from your first hotel and 15 minutes walk from The Principal. The restaurant is very strong on vegetables, as the owner is from Navarra, which is famous throughout Spain for its vegetables. For main course, they offer meats (lamb; beef; suckling pig; offal; and wild fish. You can see the menu (carta) on the link below; it does not show prices but they are very fair considering the quality of the products.



It is a sleek and very calm place with a personalized feel; when I went, the owner made recommendations when I asked, and took my order. As elsewhere in Spain, he actually discouraged me from ordering an extra dish that I wanted to try, saying it would be too much food for me, and I could always place my order if I ate and was still hungry for more. More classic than trendy but not at all stuffy. I felt very relaxed in the main dining room. They are closed Sundays, which limits your chances to go to only 2 evenings during your dates, I think. No e-mail bookings; have your hotel phone for a table. You should book before arrival in the city, if possible.

Also, the centerpieces on every table were simple, but among the most striking I've ever seen.

LA MANDUCA DE AZAGRA

https://lamanducadeazagra.com/

ekscrunchy- It looks lovely. Thank you for the suggestion. The menu sounds wonderful as well. We may be able to make it on our last night. I’ve come to the conclusion that there is way too much delicious food to be had in Spain and too little time to try it all.