Hi All
Have booked flights from Sydney to Barcelona arriving 7am Friday’s 26 th june
flying with daughter and possibly son (adults) to meet husband in Seville on 7 th July to continue our trip through southern Spain and Portugal
The first 11 days we have to spend as we like and I’m tending towards the north to take advantage of slightly cooler weather hopefully while we don’t have a car ( husband has booked a rental car from Lagos ....very pricey compared to other parts of Europe unfortunately but that’s where he’s sailing in to)
So...
im thinking :
Day 1 Friday 26 th June : Barcelona.. via Singapore ...arriving 7 am...hoping to get to our hotel and store luggage and do some sightseeing til jet lag takes its toll...not planning much
Day 2 ,3 , 4 27 th June-30 june : Barcelona ...maybe a day trip to costa brava?
Day 5 Tuesday 30th June : travel to San Sebastián by train, bus or plane ( prefer train but have read online bookings are problematic so am hoping to book in person as soon as we arrive in Barcelona - too risky?)
arrive sN Sebastián hopefully in the afternoon if we can get the fast train in the morning
Day 6, 7 8 July 1st - July 4 th: in San Sebastián ..maybe daytrip to st Biarritz?
Day 9 July 4 th: travel to Madrid (hopefully on fast train...about 5 1/2 hrs)
Day 10 and 11 July 5 th and 6 th: Madrid ... maybe visit Toledo ...
Day 12 July 7 th travel to Seville meet husband ...new driving itinerary begins
Or do we bite the bullet and battle the possibly hellish heat and follow the coast to Valencia etc to Seville and include Granada?
We will be staying in Lagos in Portugal eventually so beaches aren’t a huge priority in this early part of our trip ...unless it’s the only way to stay cooler and I’m sure the kids will want to take a dip from time to time
We are interested in photography, scenery, history but will not be visiting too many museums or art galleries unless the heat is unbearable
It is unfortunate that we have to travel in July, but my daughter’s work commitments do not allow her to take any other time
My husband is sailing from Germany so we are basically following his schedule, as well
Looking for accommodation recommendations, too, please
Aiming to book family or triple rooms close to the old town location, if possible
Am considering the Gothic Quarter in Barcelona ...close to train station so we can get to San Sebastián
haven’t looked at San seb accommodation or Madrid yet ...have to firm up this itinerary, first I think
thanks in advance for any suggestions 🙂
Have booked flights from Sydney to Barcelona arriving 7am Friday’s 26 th june
flying with daughter and possibly son (adults) to meet husband in Seville on 7 th July to continue our trip through southern Spain and Portugal
The first 11 days we have to spend as we like and I’m tending towards the north to take advantage of slightly cooler weather hopefully while we don’t have a car ( husband has booked a rental car from Lagos ....very pricey compared to other parts of Europe unfortunately but that’s where he’s sailing in to)
So...
im thinking :
Day 1 Friday 26 th June : Barcelona.. via Singapore ...arriving 7 am...hoping to get to our hotel and store luggage and do some sightseeing til jet lag takes its toll...not planning much
Day 2 ,3 , 4 27 th June-30 june : Barcelona ...maybe a day trip to costa brava?
Day 5 Tuesday 30th June : travel to San Sebastián by train, bus or plane ( prefer train but have read online bookings are problematic so am hoping to book in person as soon as we arrive in Barcelona - too risky?)
arrive sN Sebastián hopefully in the afternoon if we can get the fast train in the morning
Day 6, 7 8 July 1st - July 4 th: in San Sebastián ..maybe daytrip to st Biarritz?
Day 9 July 4 th: travel to Madrid (hopefully on fast train...about 5 1/2 hrs)
Day 10 and 11 July 5 th and 6 th: Madrid ... maybe visit Toledo ...
Day 12 July 7 th travel to Seville meet husband ...new driving itinerary begins
Or do we bite the bullet and battle the possibly hellish heat and follow the coast to Valencia etc to Seville and include Granada?
We will be staying in Lagos in Portugal eventually so beaches aren’t a huge priority in this early part of our trip ...unless it’s the only way to stay cooler and I’m sure the kids will want to take a dip from time to time
We are interested in photography, scenery, history but will not be visiting too many museums or art galleries unless the heat is unbearable
It is unfortunate that we have to travel in July, but my daughter’s work commitments do not allow her to take any other time
My husband is sailing from Germany so we are basically following his schedule, as well
Looking for accommodation recommendations, too, please
Aiming to book family or triple rooms close to the old town location, if possible
Am considering the Gothic Quarter in Barcelona ...close to train station so we can get to San Sebastián
haven’t looked at San seb accommodation or Madrid yet ...have to firm up this itinerary, first I think
thanks in advance for any suggestions 🙂
This plan could work, but it's much faster paced than I would prefer. I had 5 full days for Barcelona, not counting day trips, and felt a bit rushed. I spent several more days on the Costa Brava. 3 days is probably reasonable for San Sebastian, though I must admit that I preferred Bilbao. I had 4 full days for Madrid, and I easily filled 2 full additional days in Toledo. Granada is a gem, and is a bit cooler than other areas; only you can decide whether to include it. Personally, I didn't want a car for Andalusia and you certainly don't need one for Sevilla.
If you haven't seen it, you might find some useful information about Barcelona, San Sebastian, and surrounds in my trip report:
Four Awesome Weeks in the North of Spain and Catalunya
If you haven't seen it, you might find some useful information about Barcelona, San Sebastian, and surrounds in my trip report:
Four Awesome Weeks in the North of Spain and Catalunya
Vueling has cheap flights to SS or Bilbao from Barcelona
we flew to Bilbao and took a bus at the airport to SS( about an hour) easy
The GQ in Barcelona is not close to the train station .
the trains to and from SS are not fast AVE trains......
we flew to Bilbao and took a bus at the airport to SS( about an hour) easy
The GQ in Barcelona is not close to the train station .
the trains to and from SS are not fast AVE trains......
Not sure why you're finding the car rental in Lagos to be pricey - shouldn't be any more so than anywhere else in Europe (unless you're planning to drop it off in another country.)
It's a long way from Barcelona to San Sebastián. I'd probably take a cheap flight. Online train reservations are easy, though - not sure what your problems with them are. We spent a week in SS in September of 2017 and never ran out of things to do (took buses to Bilbao and other places - ALSA buses were cheap and efficient).
It's Biarritz, not St-Biarritz, and I wouldn't bother. If you want to foray into France, go to St-Jean-de-Luz or Bayonne.
It's a long way from Barcelona to San Sebastián. I'd probably take a cheap flight. Online train reservations are easy, though - not sure what your problems with them are. We spent a week in SS in September of 2017 and never ran out of things to do (took buses to Bilbao and other places - ALSA buses were cheap and efficient).
It's Biarritz, not St-Biarritz, and I wouldn't bother. If you want to foray into France, go to St-Jean-de-Luz or Bayonne.
Thanks kja...I have over two months for this Spain and Portugal trip but the kids can’t take that time off work, of course so we are just trying to see as much as possible in different areas of Spain
I’ll read your trip report...thanks for that !
I’ll read your trip report...thanks for that !
Yes, I’m rethinking the Gothic QUArter....bit hard for taxis in some places and I’d probably prefer a place with a lift
Yes, my husband was surprised at the cost. He will get the car in Lagos and drop off in Lisbon
Its almost double for what we paid in Germany a few weeks ago but that was a Frankfurt pick up and return
Its almost double for what we paid in Germany a few weeks ago but that was a Frankfurt pick up and return
I haven’t tried booking train travel yet but have read that the main website is really difficult ...crashes , declines credit card, switches to Spanish text
might have to go through a third party site ?
might have to go through a third party site ?
I recently booked tickets within Spain and found the Renfe site to be largely in Spanish (even with the English option). I ended up booking using Loco2, which was dead easy and same price as Renfe for the tickets I needed. Have yet to travel but I don't expect any problems with the tickets.
fwiw, it's such a long flight from Australia, that once in Europe I avoid flying if at all possible. Trains take you from the centre of town to the centre of town, are easy, relaxing and better for the environment than flying.
fwiw, it's such a long flight from Australia, that once in Europe I avoid flying if at all possible. Trains take you from the centre of town to the centre of town, are easy, relaxing and better for the environment than flying.
Quote:
Day 9 July 4 th: travel to Madrid (hopefully on fast train...about 5 1/2 hrs)
Day 10 and 11 July 5 th and 6 th: Madrid ... maybe visit Toledo ...
Day 12 July 7 th travel to Seville meet husband ...new driving itinerary begins
Or do we bite the bullet and battle the possibly hellish heat and follow the coast to Valencia etc to Seville and include Granada?
Madrid is most likely going to be hotter than the coast. So will Seville. But weather is never a sure thing. Originally Posted by lanejohann
Day 9 July 4 th: travel to Madrid (hopefully on fast train...about 5 1/2 hrs)
Day 10 and 11 July 5 th and 6 th: Madrid ... maybe visit Toledo ...
Day 12 July 7 th travel to Seville meet husband ...new driving itinerary begins
Or do we bite the bullet and battle the possibly hellish heat and follow the coast to Valencia etc to Seville and include Granada?
Oh yes I’m aware that the weather may be unbearable during the day ...I’m not a fan of the Mediterranean during summer
Athens was awful with 38 degrees at 11am! ....and an acropolis visit scheduled! ��
Athens was awful with 38 degrees at 11am! ....and an acropolis visit scheduled! ��
Yes dreamon....I prefer trains to flying
dont like overnight trains...never really sleep anyway
i heard loco2 is a third party and yes easier to use than the Renfe site
dont like overnight trains...never really sleep anyway
i heard loco2 is a third party and yes easier to use than the Renfe site
Thanx st Cirq...I actually turned to my husband and asked if it were st Biarritz ....he didn’t know and I forgot to check! Biarritz it is...but I’ll check out ur suggestions ...appreciate that!
