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Pls help to plan itinerary from Barcelona to Andalucia
Hello Fodorites!!
After watching the air fares go up and down these past few months I finally got a good deal from Lufthansa airlines round trip-$770/person departing Los Angeles in May 2019 (LAX-BCN-LAX) My husband and I (both in our 50's) have 9 days time off (incl. flying time). It will be our 1st time in Spain ( 2nd time in Europe, went to Italy April 2017). We're interested in food, wine, culture, history, architecture and nice views. I need help in planning our itinerary, how much time to spend on each cities. Appreciate all your suggestions and recommendations!! |
Congratulations!
Now the hard part. ;) With 9 days off, how many nights will you have in Spain? I think it's probably 7 or 8, and if that's the case, I'm not sure that combining Barcelona (which can easily take 4 or 5 full days) with Andalusia (where most travelers spend 10 to 12 days) makes the most sense -- but it's your trip, and really depends on what YOU want to see and experience. I recommend that you get a good guidebook or two (or consult some at your local library) with an eye to your priorities. You could, perhaps, spend the who time in and around Catalunya -- Barcelona, Montserrat, Girona, Figueres, a few nights along the Costa Brava, Tarragona, etc. Or if you like to travel FAST, maybe Barcelona and Valencia.... You have a lot of options! FWIW, you might find some useful information in this trip report, which includes my time in the area toward the end: https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...lunya-1047395/ Hope that helps! |
In 2010 we spent 5 or 6 nights in Barcelona, and then 3 nights on a roadtrip along the Costa Brava, where we stayed in Cadaques and Girona. It sounds like you are flying in and out of Barcelona, right? If so, I don't think it's worth it to go to Andalucia, and then return to Barcelona. We spent 10 nights last year in Cordoba, Granada, Malaga, and Seville. I wouldn't have wanted to spend any less time in these places. So I agree with kja about spending your time in Barcelona and the surrounding area. Barcelona has a lot of amazing sights. I think you really need at least 5 nights there so you won't feel frustrated.
I would save Andalucia for another trip so that you can do it right and not rush through it. |
As above. It doesn't make much sense to visit Barcelona AND Andalucia in only 1 week. If you want to do it nevertheless, try what follows:
Day 1: arrival at BCN and some visits Day 2: some other visits. Leave Barcelona by train 15.50 and arrive at Cordoba at 20.28. Day 3: visit Cordoba and go by bus dp 17.00 to Granada ar 19.45. Day 4: visit Alhambra (at the prebooked time) and the city. Leave Granada by bus at 20.30 and arrive at Sevilla at 23.30. Days 5 and 6: Sevilla. Leave Sevilla at 22.40 by plane (vueling) and arrive at BCN at midnight. Sleep in a airport hotel. Day 7: visit Barcelona (if you have time) or fly home. |
Originally Posted by kja
(Post 16820536)
Congratulations!
Now the hard part. ;) With 9 days off, how many nights will you have in Spain? I think it's probably 7 or 8, and if that's the case, I'm not sure that combining Barcelona (which can easily take 4 or 5 full days) with Andalusia (where most travelers spend 10 to 12 days) makes the most sense -- but it's your trip, and really depends on what YOU want to see and experience. I recommend that you get a good guidebook or two (or consult some at your local library) with an eye to your priorities. You could, perhaps, spend the who time in and around Catalunya -- Barcelona, Montserrat, Girona, Figueres, a few nights along the Costa Brava, Tarragona, etc. Or if you like to travel FAST, maybe Barcelona and Valencia.... You have a lot of options! FWIW, you might find some useful information in this trip report, which includes my time in the area toward the end: https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...lunya-1047395/ Hope that helps! |
Originally Posted by KarenWoo
(Post 16820603)
In 2010 we spent 5 or 6 nights in Barcelona, and then 3 nights on a roadtrip along the Costa Brava, where we stayed in Cadaques and Girona. It sounds like you are flying in and out of Barcelona, right? If so, I don't think it's worth it to go to Andalucia, and then return to Barcelona. We spent 10 nights last year in Cordoba, Granada, Malaga, and Seville. I wouldn't have wanted to spend any less time in these places. So I agree with kja about spending your time in Barcelona and the surrounding area. Barcelona has a lot of amazing sights. I think you really need at least 5 nights there so you won't feel frustrated.
I would save Andalucia for another trip so that you can do it right and not rush through it. |
Originally Posted by neckervd
(Post 16820656)
As above. It doesn't make much sense to visit Barcelona AND Andalucia in only 1 week. If you want to do it nevertheless, try what follows:
Day 1: arrival at BCN and some visits Day 2: some other visits. Leave Barcelona by train 15.50 and arrive at Cordoba at 20.28. Day 3: visit Cordoba and go by bus dp 17.00 to Granada ar 19.45. Day 4: visit Alhambra (at the prebooked time) and the city. Leave Granada by bus at 20.30 and arrive at Sevilla at 23.30. Days 5 and 6: Sevilla. Leave Sevilla at 22.40 by plane (vueling) and arrive at BCN at midnight. Sleep in a airport hotel. Day 7: visit Barcelona (if you have time) or fly home. |
Is there a direct flight from Barcelona to Granada??
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There are about 4 daily fights from BCN to GRX (Granada-Jaen airport). Journey time 90 min.
The train ride from Barcelona Sants to the airport takes about 20 min, trains every 30 min. The bus ride from GRX to the ciy center takes about 45 min, buses about every hr, resp in accordance with flight departures and arrivals. Total from door to door 5-6 hrs. |
Originally Posted by neckervd
(Post 16820843)
There are about 4 daily fights from BCN to GRX (Granada-Jaen airport). Journey time 90 min.
The train ride from Barcelona Sants to the airport takes about 20 min, trains every 30 min. The bus ride from GRX to the ciy center takes about 45 min, buses about every hr, resp in accordance with flight departures and arrivals. Total from door to door 5-6 hrs. |
Total from door to door 5-6 hrs.>
Same as train about so see the lay of the land from the high-speed AVE train, going up to nearly 200 mph. Airplanes can always be late - trains less likely - bring any food or drink aboard and chill. Rent a car once in Andalusia is you love to drive but neckervd's itinerary shows you can do a lot by train and bus. Book train tickets well in advance to nab huge discounts over full fare but those discounted seats are limited so book early. (Also non-changeable from a specific train so be sure of your dates and times.) Easy to book own tickets at Renfe and just have to show up at train station. www.seat61.com has loads on booking own tickets online - general train info and what to expect onboard - www.ricksteves.com and BETS-European Rail Experts. |
As trains are just as fast all told as flying - 5-6 hours from Barcelona to Seville or Cordoba or Granada take the high-speed trains that blast along at speeds of nearly 200 mph - planes can be late - trains less likely. And book your own discounted train tickets at Renfe and do so as soon as possible as those discounted seats do sell out. www.seat61.com has lots of stuff on booking own train tickets online - general info on trains www.ricksteves.com and BETS-European Rail Experts. I like neckervd's itinerary a lot and all by public transport - cars and cities don't mix well and with just 9 days most would say go to Seville, Cordoba and Granada.
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This will sound like a lecture, but I truly mean it to be helpful.
IMHO, even though the price seemed good, you already made one of the big mistakes new traveler's make. They buy a cheap RT ticket to arrive at a place of no interest, then waste huge amounts of precious time and spend tons more money getting to places of interest, and even more time and money returning to the place of no interest to depart for home. Do not compound that mistake by making another, and trying to force an unworkable itinerary into what time you have. Work with what you have! Believe me, having Barcelona is not bad! Yes, Barcelona is cosmopolitan, but it is absolutely nothing, nothing, nothing like Los Angeles!!! It has mind blowing, amazing architecture and unique parks and food and music, the roof top of Casa Mila, Sagrada Familia, Park Guell. Too much to list, OK, I am not usually so blunt. It "might" work just perfectly for you, and this is only personal opinion, but I think that itinerary is complete madness. By the end, I would be too near dead to know where I was or actually remember what I had seen. Those late trips after a day of hard sight seeing, arriving in a new place near mid-night, then getting from the bus or train station to your hotel, are difficult at best. You absolutely must add in time for departing a hotel and getting to the airport, bus or train station, then getting to the next hotel after the base travel time. When would you eat? That is one of the great pleasures of Spain. Sitting eating, taking notice of your surroundings. The more you are rushing and flying around, the less you will see. You will be moving and so will everything else - a blur. It is best not to split time in one city, but depending on your arrival time in Barcelona and travel times to other places, you might have to because you need to be in Barcelona the night before departure. Will give a thought to some possibilities. It will be helpful if you can say what time and day you will arrive in Barcelona and time and day of departure. |
Originally Posted by gemini21
(Post 16820856)
Do you recommend flying (vueling) from BCN to GRX or train ride? Appreciate your quick response @neckervd.
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Originally Posted by PalenQ
(Post 16820951)
As trains are just as fast all told as flying - 5-6 hours from Barcelona to Seville or Cordoba or Granada take the high-speed trains that blast along at speeds of nearly 200 mph - planes can be late - trains less likely. And book your own discounted train tickets at Renfe and do so as soon as possible as those discounted seats do sell out. www.seat61.com has lots of stuff on booking own train tickets online - general info on trains www.ricksteves.com and BETS-European Rail Experts. I like neckervd's itinerary a lot and all by public transport - cars and cities don't mix well and with just 9 days most would say go to Seville, Cordoba and Granada.
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https://help.loco2.com/article/393-granada-to-antequera-engineering-works>
Yes bus does add a bit of time but transfer is seamless and it's a very scenic route between where you get on bus and go to Granada. By May 2019 the rail link, way past scheduled as it seems many Spanish high-speed lines are, may well be up and running by next May. But even if a little longer I'd train and bus it - see some of Spain that lies between Barcelona and Granada and not just airports and tarmacs. To bad the Barcelona-Granada overnight hotel train was withdrawn a few years back as that could really be nice to experience. The line was set to open in May 2018 and thought that everything was ready but some technical glitches with signalling delayed it and a decision was to be made in September 2018 but I can find no updates with a quick online search. But, seems by next May could be up and running with high-speed trains from Madrid/Barcelona and Seville - making trains nicer on that last route. |
Originally Posted by Sassafrass
(Post 16820968)
This will sound like a lecture, but I truly mean it to be helpful.
IMHO, even though the price seemed good, you already made one of the big mistakes new traveler's make. They buy a cheap RT ticket to arrive at a place of no interest, then waste huge amounts of precious time and spend tons more money getting to places of interest, and even more time and money returning to the place of no interest to depart for home. Do not compound that mistake by making another, and trying to force an unworkable itinerary into what time you have. Work with what you have! Believe me, having Barcelona is not bad! Yes, Barcelona is cosmopolitan, but it is absolutely nothing, nothing, nothing like Los Angeles!!! It has mind blowing, amazing architecture and unique parks and food and music, the roof top of Casa Mila, Sagrada Familia, Park Guell. Too much to list, OK, I am not usually so blunt. It "might" work just perfectly for you, and this is only personal opinion, but I think that itinerary is complete madness. By the end, I would be too near dead to know where I was or actually remember what I had seen. Those late trips after a day of hard sight seeing, arriving in a new place near mid-night, then getting from the bus or train station to your hotel, are difficult at best. You absolutely must add in time for departing a hotel and getting to the airport, bus or train station, then getting to the next hotel after the base travel time. When would you eat? That is one of the great pleasures of Spain. Sitting eating, taking notice of your surroundings. The more you are rushing and flying around, the less you will see. You will be moving and so will everything else - a blur. It is best not to split time in one city, but depending on your arrival time in Barcelona and travel times to other places, you might have to because you need to be in Barcelona the night before departure. Will give a thought to some possibilities. It will be helpful if you can say what time and day you will arrive in Barcelona and time and day of departure. |
My itinerary
May 18 Depart LAX @ 7:05PM-Lufthansa airlines May 19 Arrive Barcelona @ 6.30PM Sunday May 20 - Barcelona May 21 Fly to Granada May 22 Granada May 23 Train to Seville May 24 Seville May 25 Seville May 26 Train to Barcelona May 27 Barcelona May 28 - Back to LAX @ 9:05AM :plane::plane: My birthday is May 21:blush: |
Your itinerary is actually very good, plus you have 8 full days, not including travel days, so more than it seemed in the first post. Also, much, much better is the fact that you have two and three night stays until the last night. Excellent! You will have a great trip and a fabulous birthday. Dinner in Granada on your birthday! No good REC's from me on this, but find a place with views of the Alhambra or great music, if you can.
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If your heart leans towards Andalucia, then that is what you should do. Another way to travel from Granada to Seville is by ALSA bus. We took the bus last year from Cordoba to Granada, and then again from Granada to Malaga. The bus is clean, modern, comfortable and air-conditioned. They even gave each passenger a bag with a bottle of water and a cookie!
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