Please vote on one of these two Spain itineraries
 

I am hoping the experts on the board can help me out. It's our first trip to Spain.

We are traveling to Spain for 10 days in May, flying in and out of Madrid. We really want to get to Barcelona but I am concerned that I am sacrificing time in Andalucia and short-changing both places as a result.

My husband and I are both in our 30s and in great shape so we don't mind traveling a lot. Please let me know which itinerary you would do. I am sure we will make it to Spain again but probably not for a long time. I would love opinions on which itinerary is better. Thanks in advance for your help!

Option #1:
Day 1 - Arrive Madrid around noon
Day 2 - Madrid
Day 3 - Madrid (potential day trip to Toledo)
Day 4 - Sevilla
Day 5 - Sevilla
Day 6 - Andalucia
Day 7 - Andalucia
Day 8 - Grenada
Day 9 - Barcelona
Day 10 - Barcelona
Day 11 - Fly out from Madrid

Option #2:
Day 1 - Arrive Madrid around noon
Day 2 - Madrid
Day 3 - Madrid
Day 4 - Toledo
Day 5 - Sevilla
Day 6 - Sevilla
Day 7 - Andalucia
Day 8 - Andalucia
Day 9 - Andalucia
Day 10 - Grenada
Day 11 - Fly out from Madrid

Apart from Granada and Seville..what do you mean with Andalucia ? :) I like the first one..but arranged on a different way. Madrid, then going to Barcelona, then fly to Granada, then "andalucia", Sevilla and from Sevilla getting the AVE to Madrid.

#1. I don't like Madrid, preferring Barcelona instead. Barcelona is much more relaxed and has a very stylish Mediterranean feel. Madrid is good for the Prado and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum.

Considering you are young and don't mind traveling, of the options you provide, #1 is better--especially if you can fly out of Barcelona. (A couple years ago we flew into Barcelona and out of Madrid on Delta.)

However, I think you would have more fun if you forget about Barcelona on this trip and concentrate on Andalucia and the Costa del Sol (Marbella and Tarifa) and, possibly Algarve, Portugal.



Skip Gibraltar.

Skip Barcelona? Are you daft? Costa del Sol, especially Marbella is a horrid package-tour trap (think pasty English punters). I'd rather shop at Walmart. Egads!

Is Walmart so bad ? hahahahaha

Hey girls, back off. These kids have only ten nights. If they had a month, or even two weeks, my advice would be different.

While traveling, I've run into people doing Pompeii as a day trip from Rome. I wouldn't recommend that, and I wouldn't promote the idea of doing Option #1, though, as I said, it is the better of the two options offered.

Marbella is one of the most cosmopolitan and international cities in Spain--more so even than Barcelona. Those who prefer Wal-Mart shouldn't go there.

I vote for 1 and half days in Madrid. See the Palace and enjoy walking around the Plaza Mayor and surrounding neighborhood in the evening. Next day do the art museums. Hope thats not a Monday! The 3rd day do a day trip to Toledo and move on to Sevilla the 4th day stopping at Cordoba for the late morning and early afternoon, a (nice half day trip). Spend the evening and day 5 in Sevilla. Rent a car and drive to Granada stopping at Ronda and any other white village you pass on the way. Now you're on day 7 in Granada. I don't think 2 days are enough in Barcelona, so I would keep the car and drive to Costa Del Sol. You can see the caves at Nerja and Frigliana, stop in Malaga or Marbella, very nice resort towns, or go to Mijas. I don't know if there are cheap flights out of Malaga to Madrid, but if there are, thats how I'd get back to Madrid to fly home. Save Barcelona for another time.

happy..Marbella is not a city, by any means. It's a little village promoted to a tourist destination for rich people (both spaniards and international). I don't know what walmart is ...but I'm Spanish and know what is Marbella. Nothing special about it if you are not interested on beach resorts.

If these "kids" only have 10 days, why are you sending them to the Algarve? Two beach-town destinations in the same trip?

I have been to Marbella and it is no Barcelona. In fact, when I was at Dartmouth many of my fellow classmates went to Marbella on Spring Break to party. They certainly didn't go there to look at art or architecture.

PS I am not your girl.

Rimma1O.

Please try to ignore the unpleasant bickering.

Marbella is a city of 200,000 with a beautiful old city.

Some posters seem to think you are traveling to have a good time, others think you want to spend your whole time looking at art and architecture.

You decide.

And, if you figure out why some people are so angry, let us know.

PMS

Hi

I would stick to option 1 if you really wanted to go to Barcelona. Unlike others I fell in love with Madrid and prefer it to Barcelona. I suggest 1 day in Cordoba and an extra day in fabulous Granada. Don't forget to book on line for the Alhambra. Please do include Toledo - it is an easy day trip from Madrid. You will not be disappointed. This itinerary will give you quite a taste of Spain - like me you will be hooked and your body will be wracked with addiction! O-)

Because you're young and willing to move fast, I too would vote for #1. Barcelona really has a "young" feel to it, so I think you would like it, but if you can, try to do an openjaw ticket into Madrid and out of Barcelona. And yes, you could work in a day trip as well--hard to decide between Toledo and Segovia--both great.

As others have pointed out, Marbella is no Walmart (maybe one could make that analogy with Torremolinos, but not Marbella, which is, as others have pointed out, an upscale resort town (but it does have a charming old town center).

With 10 days this will be a "sampling" and I'm sure you'll get lots of ideas for your next trip.

Be sure to make reservations for Alhambra on the Internet before you go.

Was in barcelona for 4 nights in May with friends (all early 30s) and we had an incredible time -- the food and drink are fabulous, energy of the city and people were amazing, art and architecture stunning.

Prior to barcelona we were in Pamplona for 4 nights for a conference. We were really kicking ourselves for not staying at *least* another night in barcelona. If you enjoy food, walking, really unique sightseeing, barcelona is such a vibrant place. We all expected to like it but we had no idea how much. All four of us felt the same way and it's still the best vacation any of us have ever had. I vote for fewer destinations so you can luxuriate and really relax and enjoy a place -- traveling from city to city eats up so much time.

Did you highlight Spain when you posted? Many of the Spain experts only look at threads that pull up under Spain so they'll miss this if you forgot to highlight a country box.

Which itinerary is better might depend on the specific days involved because some things might be closed on some days. For example, some places might be closed on Sundays or Mondays. Also, buses and trains may run on different hours on weekends than weekdays. Good luck with your planning!

I did not equate Marbella with Walmart. I wrote that I would rather shop at Walmart than visit Marbella because it draws package tourists from the UK. However, Marbella may be upmarket to you sweetie darling, but it is no Costa Smerelda or Forte dei Marmi.

Who's angry? I am not angry. I live in the Valley of the Dolls with Edie Sedgwick and Little Edie Beale.

Oy vey. Marginal. Yes.

this is what we did:
fly into Madrid - spend 3 days/2 nights
train to Seville - spend 4 days/4 nts drive to Malaga - spend 3 days, 2 nts fly to Barca - spend 4 days/4 nts
fly home via madrid
you can fly between malaga/barca and barca/madrid on iberia for about 29e/person.

Our first itinerary didn't include Barca; DH was there on business and when he returned, we added 4 days to the trip since it became an absolute must on his list. We were not bowled over by Malaga - seemed to be so similar to miami beach with rows of high rises along the beach and terrible traffic jams!

You can fly from Grenada to Barcelona in about one hour and ten minutes.

I would take the earliest possible flight in order to maximize the time available in Barcelona. If you book on the internet EARLY you can get some great one way fares.

As to flying back to Madrid from BCN...that is if you haven't booked an open jaw ticket..Spanair and Iberia, among others, compete heavily on that route with basically hourly service.

Book early for cheaper fares.