teach905

We are planning a 2 week trip to Spain. Before I start, I need to see if my set up looks good. I am trying to see a great deal because I have some interests and I am not sure when I will get back. We have bought no tickets, I just am trying to portion it out without too much moving around. I am very interested in the history of the Jewish population of Spain.

We will fly to Madrid the states. We will get there in the early AM so we will have a full day to sightsee. That is what we always do, so I know that day will be fine. We are giving ourselves the next day to stay and see what else we have time to do. Even though there is so much art to see in Madrid, we just can't do it all.

Madrid 2 nights with a stop in Toledo on the way to Seville
Seville 5 nights with 2 day trips to Granada and Cordoba via the train
San Sebastian 3 nights
Barcelona 5 nights with a day trip to Dali's home

I know we are planning to do a lot, but there is so much to see, and I want to do it with some sense of not packing all of the time.

We will take the fast train whenever we can.

What is the best way to get to San Sebastian from Seville? I know that will be a long day of travel. Does the reverse route make more sense?

Thanks so much for taking the time to read and respond.

teach905

danon

Are you driving?
To take a train from Madrid to Seville, you have to return from Toledo to Madrid.
Train from Seville to Granada takes 3 hours...not a day trip
Best way to get to SS from Seville is to fly Vueling to Bilbao and take the bus from the airport
to SS( an hour and half).
Dali's home is about two hours by train from Barcelona. There is a huge exhibit of Dali in Madrid
starting in April....

ribeirasacra

San Sebastian from Seville is far more than a days driving. Best leave the North until another visit.
So Madrid to Andalusia and back to Madrid to go back home.
Travel less see more!

BigRuss

<<What is the best way to get to San Sebastian from Seville?>>

Check for flights - like vueling.com

CathyM

What time of year is this trip?

If it were me I'd save San Sebastian for another trip, especially if you are particularly interested in the Jewish history of Spain.

I'd visit Cordoba en route from Madrid to Sevilla. Leave your bags at the bus station lockers directly across the street from the train station. I'd also not advise for a daytrip to Granada from Sevilla - it's 3 hours by bus or train not including time to get to the stations and city. Way too much for a daytrip. I'd add a couple of days (from San Sebastian) and add to Granada. I'd take the other night and add to Madrid. So you'd have 3 nights in Madrid and could do a daytrip by train to Toledo.

I wouldn't rent a car as public transportation will be quicker and you won't have to navigate unknown cities. Even covering Madrid, Andalucia and Barcelona in 15 days is a fast pace. You really won't have time to explore with a car either.

anneinmanhattan

If you're interested in Jewish history, then Girona is a must visit. It's about mid-way between Barcelona and Figures (the Dali museum). Some call it the Venice of Spain, but it's not. However, the river does run between the old and new areas of town. Rather than give you a discrption of Girona, you should read about it on Google. Issac the Blind lived there and you can still visit the house in which he lived. It's a lovely town in which I spent many many days. Have a good trip. (Girona, Gerona) Oh, and Ryanair flies into the Girona airport--might be an easy way of getting there.

anneinmanhattan

I should add, as others have suggested, that you are attempting far too much. Spain is a very large country and trying to see it all in two weeks is not only impossible you will be shortchanging yourselves. Try to stick to one section of the country: Grenada, Cordoba, Seville, etc. Don't assume you won't get back. Once you've seen it you'll find a way to return.

kja

I also think you would have a much more enjoyable trip if you cut the number of places you are trying to see. Spending a lot of time in transit to have only time enough to skim a few highlights is not my idea of a rewarding experience. Just my opinion....

teach905

Thanks for all of your help. We will be taking the train...the AVE as much as possible.

I do not usually travel this way, but circumstances make it such that we want to see as much as possible in the time we have. If we come back , we will be parking in a city. We just may be reaching a time when we have more limitations.

New schedule:

Madrid 3 nights with a day trip to Toledo
Seville 3 nights Cordoba on the way down
Granada 2 nights
Barcelona 4 nights
Girona 2 nights

We cut out San Sebastian. the trick now is how to do Barcelona and Girona. Any suggestions? We will be flying home via Barcelona.

Should we reverse the itinerary?

Thanks
teach905

danon

GIrona is rather small... only. an hour from Barcelona. One night is more than enoughIMO
I would add a night to Madrid instead.
Vueling g has several flight Granada to Barcelona ( inexpensive) Best way to cover that
part of the trip


http://www.vueling.com/en/

CathyM

As much as I love Girona I'd cut to 1 night or add a day to Barcelona and do as a daytrip. I'm a slow and roaming traveler and 2 nights in Girona was plenty even for me

I'd spend at least 4 nights in Sevilla especially as you'll be arriving late day 1 after the daytrip to Cordoba. 3 nights would only be 2 days which is about a day too short for Sevilla IMHO - it's a gem.

danon

It really depends on your interest...

if you love art, Madrid's museums are world class...
so an extra day would be necessary;
if not, a day more in Seville might be better.

Actually, we came to Girona early in the day and were ready to leave after dinner. A perfectly doable day trip.

teach905

Thanks for all of your help.

New plan

Barcelona 6 nights with a possible day trip each to Girona and Fierres
Granada 1 night Early flight from Barcelona out and a visit to see Alhambra
Seville 4 days with a trip to Cordoba how best to fit that in
Madrid 3 days with a visit to Toledo on the way to Madrid

danon

To visit Toledo you have to get to Madrid and change trains.....it is not on the way from Seville.

CathyM

You can visit Cordoba en route from Sevilla to Madrid. As others have noted you'll need to do a daytrip to Toledo from Madrid as the train line is not on the way from Sevilla to Madrid. Basically it means one day in Madrid as you'd be arriving late on day 1 (after the Cordoba stop en route) and have another day as a daytrip to Toledo. However, if your interests are with the Jewish history of Spain this probably makes sense.

Any reason why you want to visit Dali's home? It's nearly a 3 hour bus ride each way and the schedules I saw on Sarfa wouldn't permit a daytrip if you take the bus from Barcelona. You could get to Figueres and from there go to Cadeques. I'm not an expert on the public transportation from Barcelona to Cadaques but you may want to research this before you decide.

lynda_berlin

Toledo is very important in Spanish Jewish history so do allow enough time for it.
Girona has an interesting Jewish interpretation centre in the medieval Call http://www.girona.cat/call/eng/museu.php
If you want to visit Cadaqués and Dali's house at Port Lligat the best thing is to rent a car. If you are only doing Figueres and Girona it's easieset (and chepaest) by train

anneinmanhattan

Definitely, for Jewish history, go to Girona. But you can easily do Girona in one day if you get there early, have lunch mid-day, and catch the train back to Barcelona late in the day. You'll be tired but you would have had plenty of time of visit the Jewish Ghetto. Hope you have a wonderful trip and decide to visit Spain many times again. I miss it as I write this.

Egbert

It's a much, much better itinerary than your first and second ones. I tend to agree with cathy. The only thing I would do is take a day from Barcelona and add it to Granada. I believe there is a lot of Jewish history there too. I might do Girona as a daytrip or a one nighter (as much as I don't like one nighters).

JanieMac

There is a great little Shepardic Jewish museum in Cordoba and a fantastic restaurant too. I thought the Jewish history in Cordoba was fascinating. But you would need more time than you have indicated. If you want some entertaining reading look for historic novels by Tariq Ali (I forget which one is about Andalucia when it was more a mix of Muslim, Jewish and fewer Christians) but it added to my understanding of what I was seeing in Granada and Seville too.

I loved Cordoba and Granada for the history and beauty. We spent a week in Granada and it was not too long, just right. We had 3 days in Cordoba and it was nearly enough. Seville is great but because it is such a big city, you spend a lot of time trying to get to where you want to go. I suppose as well that for me, being able to imagine how it was in the past is of huge importance and that was much easier to do in Cordoba and Granada where you can wonder through narrow streets for days. Magical!

JanieMac

Oh yeah, the trains are great in Spain! Not just the AVE, some of the slower ones go great routes too. It was a good way to see more scenery with less hassle. Very easy to book, they run on time and are very comfortable. (the buses are good too, be not afraid)