spain iten. ~ Aragon? Girona?
 

I'm in the early stages of trip planning for a trip to Spain in Oct. for two weeks or so. This is our first trip to Spain.

Thus far Aragon seems to interest me. We are interested in little villages, history, and scenery. Which to me sounds like Aragon. We want to do an American style roadtrip. I have searched these message boards and have found little praise for this area. So was wondering if I could get some feedback on this area from people who have been there.

I have also always wanted to see Madrid. (Though we won't be staying overnight this time) So I am thinking of flying into Barcelona and driving to Madrid and spending time between the two cities exploring Aragon.

I am trying to decide on Northern Aragon and exploring towns like Huesca, torla, Alquezar.

Or Southern Aragon towns like Alcaniz, Doroca, Albarrcin. If we see tour the southern towns of Aragon then we probably will want to spend time in Cuenca in central spain.

So the plan is shaking up to look this this:

Fly into Barcelona
Drive to Girona stay 3 night.
Possible day trips to Cadaques, Basula, Barcelona? (Using public trasport)

Stay in Aragon, two differnt small villages 2 nights each. 4 nights total.

Or stay in one city in lower Aragon, and then two nights in Cuenca. 4 nights total

End the trip with a stay in city outside of Madrid either Avilia or Sogovia for 3 nights. Use as a base to see madrid, and other villages.
Fly out of Madrid.

Questions
1. Is cuenca worth the detour?

2. Is it a mistake to stay in or near Girona for so many nights rather then Barcelona? My reasoning is that I am interested in seeing the smaller towns outside of Gerona in Catalan, and we don't want to do a big city trip, yet the first day or so off the plane I like haveing a larger city to explore to keep me awake after being jetlegged.

3. Girona is another city that sounds interesting to me, yet I see little talk of this town. Could somebody who has been there give me there impressions, please?

3. Does the general arrangement of the trip make sense and seem doable?

Also I have 3 or 4 nights left over to add another city to stay in or lengthen a stay elsewhere.

cheriann,

I haven't visited the town of Girona itself (I've only been through the airport) but from what I've heard it sounds as though it would be worth a visit.

I do feel, however, that it would be a real shame not to spend more time in Barcelona. It's a fantastic city & I think it would be a mistake to cut it out of your itinerary altogether. If you like history the Barrio Gotico has it in spades & I'm sure you would enjoy exploring.

By bringing this message back up to the top, hopefully one of our Spanish experts will be able to give you more of the information you are looking for.

Jim

ttt

Thanks so much for your help Jim.
We just bought our tickets, and we've been reworking our plan.

We've been thinking about dropping the Madrid portion altogether, and instead spending some time in Girona, and then possibly flying south to spend some time near Granada. We still haven't decided about Aragon, would like any feedback about this area.

It is so hard to chose destinations, with so many alluring choices.

Also, I may have to start another thread for this, but which airlines fly cheaply within spain?

if you really want to do an american style road trip.. a car is an absolute necessity.
i,too, love the small towns of spain, so, if you are ready to drive.. then someone will be able to help you better.

most unique small towns will be far more accessible by car, allowing you to REALLY explore.

i would check out the www.paradores.es sight first for interesting village paradors that will most likely have great offers in october.

they are usually located in historic villages.

there are interesting towns in every province.
yes, cuenca is one of them. near there, the parador at alarcon.. then castle at belmonte , windmills and castle at consuegra, working your way horizontally across the central part of spain.

when you are more certain your top areas to visit, come back and we can try to define some nice small towns..

Good morning cheriann,
First of all, I must apologize for my english- I know I have to improve it.-
I'm a girl from Spain. I was born in Aragon and I live there with my husband. You won't probably find much information about my beautiful land in your country -I suposse you to be american, aren't you?- Because It's not a very turistic nora very crowded land...in fact, Only a million and three hundred people live here, though its very big extension (One of the largest in Spain...) But oh, it'so beautiful, so amzing. Don't forget these places: Pirineos Mountains, in Huesca -Go to Ordesa National Park and Añisclo Canyon-, and Castle of Loarre-The place where Ridley Scott filmed King of Heaven.- And the towns you said: Alquézar, Torla, Albarracín, but don't forget to visit Ainsa, in Huesca, and the towns in Matarraña and Maestrazgo, very beautiful zones with typical mediterranean landscape in the South ("Province" or "County" of Teruel). A Comunidad Autónoma is like a State in U.S, and a Provincia is like a County in a State.
Most beautiful towns in the South of Aragon: Rubielos de Mora y Mora de Rubielos, Albarracín, Mirambel, Calaceite, La Fresneda, Morella, Valderrobles.(Albarracín will be propably the most beautiful middle-age town you have ever seen...)
I hope to have given useful information. I COMPLAIN MY BAD ENGLISH. Please, don't have any doubt about ask me any question you need.

I loved Cuenca. We stayed in a hotel which was an old convent that had rooms over the gorge (casas colgantes). Absolutely amazing. In my opinion it is more than worth the detour.