I booked the tapa tour. Reviews looked great and I should learn some stuff too. Thanks

<My interests are art, music and People>

If you stay in Hotel Alcantara in Sevilla, you are ten meters from La Casa del Flamenco, an intimate venue with only top class artists. Both song, guitar and dance: http://www.lacasadelflamencosevilla.com/
Reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...Andalucia.html

Changing artists every night, and brillinat El Junco often dances here. To give you an idea of the level: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sENoCuTQYPs

The Fine Arts museum in Sevilla is one of the best in the country. A great collection from the so called golden age of Spanish painting in the 17th Century: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio..._Arts_Sevilla-
Seville_Province_of_Seville_Andalucia.html

Apart from all the "normal" sights in Sevilla, I will also suggest you go and see the Hospital de la Caridad, it might give you the ultimate Sevilla experience. The 17th century repenting founder Miguel Mañara was - according to himself - "the most evil man that ever lived". All the paintings he commisioned from some of the most famous golden-age arists for the hospital and it's adjoining church dealt with the theme of death and redemption. The hospital, the church, the paintings and Mañara's grave are all in Calle Temprado, 3.
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/seville/sights/411842

Perhaps take a tapas tour with Azahar, she knows the tapas scene in Sevilla better than anyone: http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletapas/

Madrid:

You stay at Hostal Adriano, and then you are two minutes away from Cafe Central, the finest jazz venue in town. Live concerts with top national and international artists every night at 10pm. Changing artists every week: http://www.cafecentralmadrid.com/

...and five minutes away from Casa Patas, the finest tablao de flamenco in the country in recent years: http://www.casapatas.com/

Thanks! I have decided to skip Sevilla, but will keep your suggestion on the list for Madrid!

Perhaps rethink skipping Sevilla, the undisputed queen of the cities in the South.

A world center for a couple of centuries after the 1492 "discovery" of America, and a fairy-tale of a city. Roman, Christian, Jewish, Moslem and Gitano history and culture everwhere and hand in hand with very modern Sevilla. The Spanish philosopher Ortega y Gasset's words from 1927 in his "A theory of Andalucía" is almost as valid today: "In Seville, the visitor might suspect that local people has accepted to play masquerade roles and take part in the display of a magnificent ballett called Sevilla".

Just 2h and 30 mins with the high speed AVE train from Madrid.

Well I had dinner with a friend who just got back from Spain last night and she's lobbying hard for me to make a return to Seville too... So tomorrow I may play around with this again. Everything in Salamanca can easily be cancelled. But if I book Seville then I have to go. (Renfe vs a walk up bus ticket!)

Decisions, decisions.

I spent about 2 weeks in Spain in May - we LOVED Madrid - I realize it is not as popular for some but it really was a fabulous surprise delight for me. We enjoyed mercado de san miguel and I would have been very comfortable there alone - it is a lively fun atmosphere.

I hope that there is a wonderful exhibit at the Prado when we were there "Rubens. The Triumph of the Eucharist" - hope you enjoy your time in Spain as much as we did!

Good information. I just booked the Madrid tapas tour for August 30.

Cadiz. You will not regret it, it's way better and more interesting than any of the coast in Mediterranean Spain. Hardly anyone goes to Cadiz for bulk tourism, which makes it so good. Stay over at Santa Maria.

Also, if in Barcelona, make the time to visit Montserrat. Stay overnight.

I almost forgot...

One of the best sources for up-to-date information on Madrid is the Madrid Man website:

http://www.madridman.com/

They have a great message board with lots of locals that can help you navigate everything from restaurants and sights to construction-related problems and temporary closings and hours-changes.

SS