lizzyp

We have several questions? Most advise no car but than how do you do day trip from Barcelona and later into Cordoba? We planned to drive from Barcelona after a four day stay and visit at least three or four more areas. We would like to swim in the ocean at least twice as we travel along the coast. So which beaches are best?
Next after recommending cities and beaches what hotels would you recommend in each city for a couple age 62? We can afford a medium price range hotel.
Finally, we both love history sooooooo?

Lizzyp

danon

Spain has a very good rail system.
Several day trips are possible from Barcelona...like Girona and Trragona .
From Seville to Cordoba the train takes 45 min.
If you are driving from Barcelona and are looking for beaches , Valencia sure has
beautiful beaches and lots of history.
Or you could go north to San Sebastian and the Basque country
Perhaps, you could do some more research on you own to find out what areas of Spain interest you.

iris1745

You could fly, Barcelona to Granada. Then rent a car. Not all that farmilar with beaches.

When are you going?

This is a good site for reviews on hotels. www.booking.com/spain Plus to make hotel make reservations.

Just make sure you have free cancellation and it will be clearly defined. Once you have a price, it's always recommended to then go to the hotels web site and see if they offer the same or better price. Then decide what site to make your reservation.

But we need more information. Here are a few sites to review. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/spain and www.maribelsguides.com

Keep tuned as you will get much good info for your trip.

dwdvagamundo

I would rent a car and drive down the coast from Barcelona: Valencia, Malaga, then visit Sevilla (note there are massive Roman ruins just outside Sevilla), Cordoba and Granada. Should have time also to drive to Madrid and Toledo (or perhaps drop the car in Madrid and train to Toledo as parking is very difficult in both those cities. Roads in Spain are very good.

I use Tripadvisor to narrow down hotels and then booking.com to book, as prices are as good as anywhere, there is no fee, and you can book fully cancellable rooms.

As to history--my spouse and I love it too, and Spain has lots and lots. Unless you know what you want to see and where it is, I'd buy the latest Fodor's Guidebook to Spain (or Lonely Planet) as by reading it you can find out what's where. You've got time to see a lot.

lizzyp

Thank you all - great advise. My husband is researching places to see on lonely planet and I will get the Fodor guide. More questions to follow.

lizzyp

Added 3 days. Decided on 3 days in Madrid , train to Toledo for day trip. Train to Seville (4 nights) day trips to Cadiz and Grenada? Question as to either Matabella or Nerja (4 nights), possibly a day to Morocco or do Grenada and Ronda for a day. Than drive to Denia on thr coast for 2 nights. Train to Barcelona with 1 night in San Sebastion. .

kja

> Decided on 3 days in Madrid , train to Toledo for day trip

Depending on what you want to see and experience, this timing could be a bit rushed. Many people visit Toledo as a day trip, but I was glad to spend 2 days/2 nights there, and I also found it much more enjoyable in the evening after day-trippers had left. And I was very glad to have 4 days in Madrid, but I can spend hours and hours in museums (and Madrid has several wonderful ones!); not everyone enjoys that.

> day trips to... Grenada? ... possibly a day to ... Ronda for a day

I thought Granada and Ronda both worth visiting, but again, was glad I didn't try to see them as day trips. The Alhambra in Granada really warrants visits during the day and evening IMO.

Hope that helps!

kimhe

Wide and updated info about Nerja: http://www.nerjatoday.com/

Some 50 km east of Málaga city and has retained much of its Andalusian charm. Population 20 000, nine beaches in all sizes. Very nice old town. Lots of great tapas bars/restaurants. Free tapas to choose with every glass of wine/beer or whatever for some 1-1.50€ in almost all places.

I can recommend bustling La Marina or La Puntilla to get a feel of the local flavour. Especially La Marina in Plaza la Marina is in my opinion as good as you get a seafood freiduria in all of Andalucía. http://www.guideofnerja.com/pages/gu.../marina_en.htm
http://www.nerjatoday.com/barsandres...s/la-puntilla/

Top tapas grilled on the spot (conchas finas, mussels, clams, prawns, monkfish, whitebait, baby-squid, sausages, pinchos morunos, mini-burgers etc.) and great atmosphere at El Pulguilla in C/Cristo, just off Balcón de Europa. Free tapas to choose with every drink in the bar area (as in most bars and restaurants in Nerja).
http://www.nerjatoday.com/barsandres.../el-pulguilla/

Photo of Nerja: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2622/...de6a8146_o.jpg

Old town street in Nerja:
http://www.minube.com/fotos/rincon/131879/629455

The spectacular prehistoric caves just outside Nerja: http://www.nerjatoday.com/nerja/nerja-caves/

lizzyp

Great Help - Thank you. More questions, Marabella or Nerja? My husband wants to relax on a beach for a few days and still visit Grenada and possibly Morocco. We plan to drive up the coast and stay a night in Denia. Next question, after dropping the car off in Valencia should we fly to San Sebastian and than fly to Barcelona or take the train?

BarbaraMH

I'd opt for Nerja, but am partial to the town since we stayed there as our base and became more familiar with it compared to the others. Went to the beach with our kids and it was relaxing and not crowded at all. This was late May, early June.

We flew rather than taking the train because it was actually cheaper. We used Vueling. No problems at all. Flew from Barcelona to Granada.

lizzyp

Thank you Barbara.

CathyM

Unless you like to travel at a rapid fire pace you're mentioning way too may places to try to visit in 17 days. I think you need to realistically write down all the places you want to visit and then determine the minimum amount of time in each place. This will give you an idea of how may places to eliminate

lizzyp

20 days now. 3 days -Madrid
4 nights Seville
4 days Nerja
1 day Morocco
1 night in Grenada
fly. To Barcelona

Train to San Sebastián

2 days San Sebastián
Back to Barcelona for the remainder of our trip (5 nights in Barcelona ). How does this sound?

danon

Train to SS takes almost 6 hours...Vueling has flights to SS and Bilbao ( bus to SS)

CathyM

It sounds way too rushed at least for me. 1 night in Granada is one too short. I'd skip the daytrip to tangiers and add the day to Granada. Given you only have 2 nights for the Basque country I'd save for another trip and spend more time in Madrid to recover from jetlag and to also do Daytrips - Toledo and Segovia. Or skip Barcelona and spend this time in the Basque Country. 2 days is really only one day when you consider the travel time to get to San Sebastian. And it won't give you anytime to see the countryside or do Daytrips - and barely visit San Sebastian.

kja

I agree - WAY too rushed! But it's your trip....

lincasanova

If you decide to drive, try to do a circle trip. No car until you leave Barcelona/MAdrid and then return the car after finishing visiting Toledo/Tarragona as you enter Madrid/Barcelona where you do not need or want a car.

Since we live here we drive everywhere, and I understand the reluctance for many to get a car, but not having a car deprives you of visiting the unique villages scattered all over between the cities. Of course, if you are not going to try to visit these smaller places then the excellent train service will suffice.

Barcelona is too far from the North coast for this trip., unless you fly at some point.

I also agree to skip Tangiers and add to Granada area/ JAen/Baeza/Ubeda

lizzyp

OK. - how about this?

3. Days in Madrid Train to Seville
4 days in Seville Pick up car for 7 days
4 days in Nerja .?... 1 of those nights in Ronda
2. Days in Granada Drop car off. - fly to San Sebastián
3 days in San Sebastián
4 days in Barcelona

CathyM

Well, it's your trip - as kja has noted. This is better but for me it's still trying to cover way too much area. I'd personally drop Madrid, San Sebastian or Barcelona for more quality time in the places you do visit.

For example, assuming you're arriving in Madrid after a long flight you'll likely be jetlagged at least your first day. So 3 days in Madrid will be enough for Madrid but you likely won't have time to visit Toledo or Segovia, wonderful and easy daytrips. 4 days in Barcelona will give you time to visit Barcelona but likely no time for daytrips - Montserrat, Girona, Tarragona, the beaches along the coast, etc....4 days is good for Sevilla but if you had more time in Andalucia prior to Nerja you could visit the sherry triangle towns or Cadiz before moving to Nerja/Ronda, etc....3 days is good for San Sebastian but it would be great to have more time to explore the coastal and mountain villages along with Bilbao.

This is definately doable - it's all just a tradeoff of pace versus being able to visit the sights of your primary interests.

Also - I'd definately stop en route from Madrid to Sevilla in Cordoba for a daytrip. You can put your luggage in storage lockers at the bus station just across the street from the train station (very easy).

danon

I am not fond of too many day trips , so 3 days in Madrid or 4 in Barcelona would be fine with me.

Not sure if there is a direct flight from Granada to SS...check that one,
If you can fly to Bilbao direct from Granada, there is a bus from Bilbao airport to SS ( about 70 min.)

To really explore such a big country one would have to spend a longer time in each region.
This way, at least, you will have a "taste" of different areas.
Go or it.