Does anyone have any fabulous tips or recommendations?? Love to hear all about it! We'll be in Granada, Madrid, San Sebastion, Bilbao, Ibiza, Fomentera and Barcelona. <BR> <BR>Ps, does anyone know what the weather will be like in early october?? <BR>thanks! <BR>

Have a great time -- we went last year about this time & weather was great. One of our top trips, even though we were with a tour group, Central Holidays who did an outstanding job. In Granada have dinner at the Paradour (Spelling?) overlooking Alhambra. It was fantastic -- just wish I had asked for a menu to keep or at least written down the descriptions of our meals. In Madrid enjoy "breakfast" in the Square -- fresh orange juice & those Spanish twists dunked in chocolate.

I was in Southern Spain last October and the weather was gorgeous. A little cool in the evening in Madrid, but Seville was perfect. It will probably be a bit cooler in the North. Before my trip, I started checking the weather online to see how much it changed over a few weeks. Have a fantastic time!

I am also leaving on Oct 5 and will be in Madrid on the 12th. I would like to recommend the following places to eat which is one of my favorite things to do in Spain:1 Casa Paco - the best steak in the world as I know it. Otherwise don't order beef in Spain. 2 Botin's (Hemingway's haunt) It is a little touristy but the food is excellent - roast suckling pig, roast baby lamb. It is one of the few good restaurants open on Sunday. 3 La Trucha - very rustic but outstanding food especially fried foods such as chipperones (fried baby squid). You need reservations for 1 and 2. Have fun on your adventure|

From Madrid, take a day trip to see Avila and Segovia. If you can, also visit El Escoral. Segovis has a 2000 year old Roman aquaduct running through the city bringing water from the mountains and still in use. <BR>

You didn't say how you want to travel in Spain. If you are using the train and want to save time, consider taking the night train from Barcelona to Granada. Go to the Alhambra early in the morning. I took the night train from Barcelona to Granada and arrived very early in Granada before the box office at the Alhambra opened. I got a ticket into Alhambra but my friend who arrived at 10.30am at Alhambra didn't manage to get a ticket in. There is a limit to the number of people allowed in each day. <BR> <BR>If you are a non-smoker, avoid taking night bus. For night train, try to get the sleeper. Because a lot of people smoke there irregardless of the "No Smoking" sign on the train. In some buses, non-smoking and smoking sections are a difference of front and back sections of the bus. Some of my non-smoking friends became sick because of the smoke. <BR> <BR>