lucho

Hi all, after reading many posts in the last 2 years (when i planned my trips to Italy, Germany and the Czech Republic), I have decided to post for the 1 time.

I'll be traveling to Spain in September and would like to know how many days to allocate to Madrid (including day trips to Segovia and Toledo) and Barcelona. I will have 10 full days to sightsee (excluding travel days). So far, this is my itinerary:

Sep. 1 - Arrive Madrid in the afternoon
2-3 Madrid
4-5 Toledo (1 night)
6-7 Madrid
8 Segovia
9-11 Barcelona (would fly or take the train in the a.m. of the 9th)
12 - Return home from BCN

I am not sure if i can do another day trip to perhaps El Escorial or Alcala de Henares or stay in Madrid. Also, i wonder if I should give Barcelona an extra day given the fact that I'll lose half of a morning traveling from Madrid.

When I travel I enjoy appreciating the architecture, museums, and getting a sense of the city i am visiting. In Madrid, I would like to visit the main 3 art museums, the plaza mayor and historic center attractions, a Real Madrid soccer game, etc.

yk

I'm no expert, but right now you have 2.5 days in Barcelona. I did that back in Feb, and it was fine though I wouldn't mind having an extra day there.

Between Madrid & Barcelona, I like Barcelona more.

Magellan_5

I found that 4 days in Madrid and 4 days in Barcelona were good for me. (That's interesting, yk! - I actually liked Madrid far more than Barcelona!)

Pegontheroad

I liked Madrid, but Barcelona is just something else. The architecture is wonderful, especially the Gaudi buildings.

btfrab

I took a very similar trip in September of 2005. My itinerary was:

Madrid - 4 nights with a day trip to Toledo. (Note: for an absolutely fantasic flamenco dancing show in Madrid go to Las Carboneras (you will need a reservation.)

Barcelona - 4 nights

Drive up the Costa Brava for 2 nights

Barcelona - 1 night

This was a perfect trip.

Vttraveler

I would give an extra day to Barcelona rather than trying to do an extra day trip from Madrid. 1 1/2 days seems too short

kja

Hi, lucho -

Sounds like a great trip! I'd probably switch one day from Madrid (which I love) to Barcelona (which I haven't yet seen), but if you love art, you are unlikely to run out of things to see and do in Madrid if you do stay there the full time.

Enjoy!

artlover

This sounds like a good trip to me. If you were to add an extra day, I'd suggest spending it in Barcelona, but then I'm a big fan.

ComfyShoes

Correct advice from people. Looks good except you should consider adding an extra day in Barcelona.

danon

I agree - more time in Barcelona !

You can visit Toledo in a day , no need to stay over night although some people like to do so - you don't have much time.
i would even skip Segovia if it gave me more time in Barcelona.
We stayed 8 days in Barcelona and 6 in Madrid last fall ,and like both cities very much.
Going back to Barcelona coming Oct !

ReneeInLB

I like your itinerary.
If you need more time in Barcelona- why not fly early on the 9th day. That would give you 3 full days in Barcelona, enough time to see all the amazing architecture. I went in January and the Picasso museum was closed for “art movement” or something. The closure was not posted on their website and it was disappointing. I really enjoyed taking the cable car up the Montjuic, then walking to the Miro museum.

Your choice to spend the night in Toledo is good. I did it as a day trip and was so exhausted. I think I went on a Sunday, and in between lunch and dinner hardly anything was open. I would have welcomed the opportunity to relax a bit in a hotel room and then venture back out. I brought back marzipan and Toledo honey, both a big hit.

As much as I loved Barcelona- I wouldn’t pass on Toledo to spend more time there.

MECindylou

As far as the 3 big art museums, I spent a full day in the Prado, 3 hours or so in the Thyssen, and a couple hours in the Reina Sofia. Honestly, unless you really like fairly obsure modern art, you only need to see Picasso's Guernica, which will take an hour, tops, even if you want to savor your time with that important painting and the preliminary drawings with it. I would have liked more time at the Thyssen. It's very extensive.

When you get to Madrid, consider a walking tour - Plaza del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Palace (exterior). That will keep you awake so you'll get a good night's sleep that night (assuming you've flown overnight the night before), and give you a chance to see something that doesn't take the concentration the art museums do.

I haven't been to Barcelona, so can't comment on that, but I loved Madrid.