Minooka1145

We are going to be driving down the coast. Any suggestions for a stopping point between Barcelona and Granada to spend 1/2 day and the night? Any hotel recommendations for the area?

TIA!

cigalechanta

ttt

Suelynne

I've only passed through them by train, but my daughter loved Valencia on a weekend trip, and a friend loves Alicante. Valencia did look nice from the train. I did stay in Tarragona many years ago and that's nice if you don't stay near the station. However it's rather too close to Barcelona to be 'between' B. and G.

lincasanova

if you are driving.. be sure to get off at peñiscola for a short detour , seee the castle,( this is where EL CID was filmed.. fabulous beaches and photo ops. if the "birds of prey" exhibit is on, take it in. ( probably will not be on.. but look for it on the grounds)

then continue onto valencia.
spend the night. besides seeing the science center and new opera house by santiago calatrava, take a walk down by the america's cup bases in the port.

beach property design "hotel Neptuno" is nice.
but there are many pleasant hotels.. even a new 5 star spa in the same area, or stay IN town.
Hotel Astoria Palace, Hotel Vinnci Lys, are upscale and very nice.
Clean, budget hotel, Hotel Valencia.

Do walk the old section..cathedral, basilica, central market, la lonja, and barrio del carmen.. and stop at BAR el PILAR, or BAR el KIOSKO for some authentic tasty tapas.

there is much more to see, if you are coming anywhere near may 10th til june.. not going to be easy to get a hotel because of the CUP.

A word of precaution for ANYone drivng with luggage in the car.
Keep doors locked at all times while driving in cities where you would be stopping at lights and corners. Purse snatchers work from motorcycles, stake you out and then wait for you to stop at next light.
One opens the door next to purse, snatches it and off the two go on a mo-ped not to be caught.

Do not leave ANYthing visible on seats when abandoning your vehicle.

DO NOT open the trunk at ANY stop to put things into the car and then go off touring. Store whatever in the trunk at a PREVIOUS stop. Hide MAPS.

Pay the extra for underground parking.
Protect yourself. Especially at open air parking areas. Potential thieves are hovering everywhere just waiting for you to show them what you have. (There have been BANDS at tollway restaurant stops).

i am not trying to FRIGHTEN you. This is reality. All of us who live here know all this and it is important you are AWARE of an increasing problem. At least you are forewarned and can take the best precautions necessary.

Friends visiting just now, listened to my precautionary speech before they went into town on the train.. and they thwarted what they are sure was a group of three men waiting for them off the metro to follow them to rob them.

If you are AWARE of the people around you, you will be able to NOTICE unusual behaviour. (p.s. Been here 36 years and never been robbed.. but 30%of my clients have, and about half of my exchange students have). so now i am a real drag with my "speeches"!

enjoy your trip.

There are several nice places on way to granada, but i don't know how much time you will have.
I like orihuela for a samll town with a lot of history and nice buildings. the archbisophry used to be there.

Lorca is also just off highway i believe and quite manageable.

alicante is a port/beach town but i think it will be very busy and eat up quite a lot of time maneuvering in and out of town.

You MUST stop at guadix to see the cave houses just before you get to granada. Very curious.

laclaire

personally, if I were going between Barcelona and Granada, I would take the 1/2 day and night to see a pueblo. . . something small and rural. Castilla La Mancha is really hot in the summer, but if you are going coastal, the province of Alicante offers a lot of beautiful stuff. In fact, in Elche there is a hotel called La Huerta del Cura that is absolutely beautiful. The city has a lovely, palmtree filled park, and a nice central area. Also, it is only 1/2 an hour from Alicante city. So, you could drop things in Elche and stay there, or hit Alicante, then Elche.

Minooka1145

Thanks laclaire.

We ended up staying in Elche and loved it. We got a late start out of Barcelona and then got stopped because of a fatal accident just ahead of us so we got to Elche around 7. We had a great inexpensive Italian dinner and then called it a night so we could get up the next day and get to Granada.

I'd really recommend it as a stopping point.

laclaire

Minooka- I am so happy to hear that you went to Elche! Where did you guys stay? To which Italian restaurant did you go?

Welcome back!

Minooka1145

We stayed at the Hotel Huerto Del Cura. As for the restaurant, don't really remember the name of it. It was good food but not one that I'd specifically remember and go back to. The front desk could direct you to the nearby italian restaurant though.