I need help with a Spanish itinerary. With Spanair's great fares among Spanish cities I have 13 days to fill in Spain after arriving in Madrid. -Your suggestions, please. The only two must-do's: 2 or 3 days in the rioja wine region and Basque country and the last 2 or 3 days must be spent in Cordoba. Thanks for your help - I really am making plans with your suggestions in mind.

I trust that you will get some good answers here (your questions are outside my areas of expertise) - - but I urge you yo look into posting your question ALSO on the forum(s) available at www.madridman.com - - highly regarded as an excellent source of info for Spain travel questions. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR>

If you go to Cordoba you must watch out for the gypsy women who try to hand you sprigs of rosemary. If you accept it, they will demand payment. When you go to open your wallet they try to stick their hand in, trying to show you what bill to give them. This is when they trick you and get all of your money. BEWARE! Cordoba is a very small town. I don't know if you want to spend 3 days there. I would be soooooooo bored. The only real thing to see is the mosque-church and the garden around it. There are some cute shops, but you can go through all of them in an hour. I had some very good paella in Cordoba....If I were you, I would DEFINITELY go to the Prado in Madrid. I just thought it was magnificent, with all the Velasquez and Goya paintings. There are restaurants around the Plaza Major that are kind of touristy, but it does remind you of San Marco in Venezia. The district of Salmanca is really, really great. This is an upscale residential neighborhood that has great restaurants and shops. I just loved it there. I can't tell you the name of the restaurants I ate in because I never remember things like that, unless of course it is Alain Ducasse...Yes, I agree go to a winery. Get stinking drunk.....Why don't you go to Bilbao to see the Guggenheim Museum? Or you could go to San Sebastian. That would be a treat, although I would drive up the coast more into France and stay in Biarritz. This is really a chic place. But, San Sebastian is no hole either. I don't rant, don't I? Ciao, John G.

I just visited the Bilboa Guggenheim last week. The building is visually stunning and definitely worth seeing if you are in the area. I also spent a couple of days in St. Sebastian. I think it is one of the most beautiful places I've been. I would go back in a heartbeat if I ever get the chance.

A combination among Northern and Southern Spain would be wise to know two faces of this varied country. Spending 4 days among Basque Country ( San Sebastian, Bilbao, Hondarribia ) and La Rioja ( Logroño, Najera, Santo Domingo, Haro )could be fine and then stopping in Madrid not to make uncomfortable the trip ( See some sights there, day trips to Toledo and Segovia ) and then taking Ave or flying into Sevilla from where you can easily reach Cordoba for your last days. ( I would say two nights would be fine or even just one and leaving more nights to stay in Sevilla with possible day trips to Jerez/Cadiz by train and Ronda by bus. So I would probably do 4 nights in the North, then 4 in Madrid area ending up with 5 nights in Sevilla/Cordoba area. That could be balanced.

I went to Spain 2 years ago and here is my advice: <BR>1) only 2 days neede in Madrid. You must go to the Prado because it has the greatest collection of paintings in Europe. <BR>2) In Madrid stay at the Hotel Mora it is across the street from the Prado and near a Ancho(spelling?) Train Station. It is also near a very good restuarant called the Santa Maria. <BR>3) Go to Toledo. You can reach it by train from Madrid. I did not stay there but the Hotel el Pintar (the painter) was in a great location. Toledo is on a hill with streets the size of alleys so watch out for cars. It is so quaint, and favorite city in Spain. Worth at least 2 days. <BR>4) Go to Segovia and see the Roman aquaduct. They were refurbishing the aquaduct when I was there so it is finished by now. Segovia is nearly as quaint as Toledo, and a bit bigger. <BR>

After posting before I felt I owed to express my absolute sympathy with every American citizen involved in the tragedy. We are deeply concerned here in Spain with what has just happened.

Hey, not exactly an itinerary but these are some musts: <BR>Agreeing with some of the others' info - go and see the Guggenheim, pretty special - San Sebastian another must, it is so picturesque! There is the old quarter of Bilbao called the "Casco Viejo" the old quarter, it has fantastic bars with the most amazing food - Basque Cuisine is recognised as the most famed cuisine in Spain and deservedly! I would try and find the time to see Barcelona - Gaudi's Buildings and architecture are amazing - especially the 'Sagrada Familia Cathedral'10/10. <BR>I would then go down to Granada and visit the Alhambra Palace, this is in my opinion not to be missed!! <BR> <BR>Have a wonderful time, we did!

I did Spain by car and plane in 14 days and visited Madrid, Barcelona, Marbella, Ronda,the Andalusia region, Seville, Granada and Ibiza. <BR> <BR>Madrid was a disappointment. Barcelona and the Andalusia region was the highlight. It is truly Spain in heritage and culture.Since you'll end up in Cordoba I suggest you tour the Andalusia region by car. <BR> <BR>I must recommend you the hotel "molino del Santo" near Ronda.Also anationvailable at Karen Brown's website. You won't want to leave the place!

I second Greg, I would add Grenada and the Alhambra with only one day in Cordoba. If you can go further South to Andalusia, don't miss Sevilla and Ronda(takes one day to drive there and tour, though).

Jeff, <BR> <BR>If you are not going to return to Spain, not including Barcelona in your trip would be like going to the U.S. and visiting Washington D.C., Chicago and Los Angeles, but not going to New York. <BR> <BR>I would not miss the Barcelona area for anything . . of course my wife spent several years of her child hood in Sitges just outside Barcelona. <BR> <BR>Have a great time.

I must agree with John G, I would *not* schedule 2-3 days in Cordoba. We honeymooned in Andalucia last year -- Costa del Sol, Seville, Granada, Cordoba. Cordoba was by far our least favorite -- not as much to see and concern of mugging (we live in NYC and aren't nervous nellies -- at least until Tues). Granada was probably our favorite -- lots to see, a great city with great city "energy," wonderful tapas bars, etc. <BR> <BR>If you plan to do Cordoba, why not also include Granada or Seville? Both are beautiful cities. <BR> <BR>Good luck.

Thank you all - it's amazing how much help there is available here. I continue to ammend...