Suggestions for Spain Itinerary??
Apr 19th, 2009, 12:40 PM
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Suggestions for Spain Itinerary??
We are going to Spain for 2 weeks this September and need suggestions for our second week. Our first week will be at a resort in Marbella (already booked) for some much needed R&R. We plan to do 2 or 3 day trips, possibly to Sevilla and Cordoba. Are these our best choices? Any better suggestions than these 2 cities?
Day 7 through 14 is our biggest challenge as we want to see as much as possible, but also we want to see things at a relaxing pace and not return home totally exhausted.
Any comments and suggestions to the following itinerary would be much appreciated:
Day 7 Fly from Malaga to Barcelona. Is Flying our best choice? Prices are very cheap. Would a train be better?
Day 7 to 10 – Barcelona – is this enough time to see the city well and have time to walk around and discover little out of the way places? Any suggestions for lodging at small, quaint hotels or B&B’s?
Day 11 to 14– this is our biggest challenge and don’t know if we should go to Madrid, or if we would enjoy Figueres, San Sebastian, and I don’t know where else. We need to end up on the last day in either Barcelona or Madrid so that we can fly back to Denver.
Thanks in advance!
Day 7 through 14 is our biggest challenge as we want to see as much as possible, but also we want to see things at a relaxing pace and not return home totally exhausted.
Any comments and suggestions to the following itinerary would be much appreciated:
Day 7 Fly from Malaga to Barcelona. Is Flying our best choice? Prices are very cheap. Would a train be better?
Day 7 to 10 – Barcelona – is this enough time to see the city well and have time to walk around and discover little out of the way places? Any suggestions for lodging at small, quaint hotels or B&B’s?
Day 11 to 14– this is our biggest challenge and don’t know if we should go to Madrid, or if we would enjoy Figueres, San Sebastian, and I don’t know where else. We need to end up on the last day in either Barcelona or Madrid so that we can fly back to Denver.
Thanks in advance!
Apr 20th, 2009, 12:38 AM
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From Malaga, nearest main city to Marbella, you may get high speed train to Cordoba and Sevilla (via Cordoba), so these two daytrips looks reasonable.
You may add Granada, by bus with Alsa: http://www.alsa.es
as connections by train are not direct.
Malaga-Barcelona:
By train, need to change trains in Madrid (same station) but all the travel is with high speed trains. Given the long distance a flight will be faster, but by train you may see the landscape. All depends if you can get a good offer in the renfe website and the time available for the travel.
http://www.renfe.es
Barcelona: 3 days are ok for Barcelona, even adding a daytrip to Figueres, but depend on your preferences. what do you expect to visit in barcelona and if that would take you the whole 3 days or not.
For example i would focus on Gaudi architecture and the old quarter, but not visit any museum there, are don't find them interesting. But that's my preferences and you may find that need a week to visit the city while others find one day is enough.
Madrid also worths the 3 days visit, you may include a daytrip to Toledo or Segovia.
You may add Granada, by bus with Alsa: http://www.alsa.es
as connections by train are not direct.
Malaga-Barcelona:
By train, need to change trains in Madrid (same station) but all the travel is with high speed trains. Given the long distance a flight will be faster, but by train you may see the landscape. All depends if you can get a good offer in the renfe website and the time available for the travel.
http://www.renfe.es
Barcelona: 3 days are ok for Barcelona, even adding a daytrip to Figueres, but depend on your preferences. what do you expect to visit in barcelona and if that would take you the whole 3 days or not.
For example i would focus on Gaudi architecture and the old quarter, but not visit any museum there, are don't find them interesting. But that's my preferences and you may find that need a week to visit the city while others find one day is enough.
Madrid also worths the 3 days visit, you may include a daytrip to Toledo or Segovia.
Apr 20th, 2009, 08:08 AM
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Victor is giving you good advice. I think a flight from Malaga to Barcelona is the best idea. And 3 days in BCN would be fine. I also agree with spending time there seeing Gaudi (and other modernista) architecture (be sure to see the Hospital Santa Creu just up the street from the Sagrada Familia rather than in museums. I love Sevilla and Cordoba and think they would give you a wonderful contrast to Barcelona. Since I love seaside villages, if forced to pick I'd opt for either places on Costa Brava--like Cadaques or Llfranc, or on the other coast at San Sebastian or Hondarribia rather than Madrid. But Madrid is a fine city and depending upon your interests may be the best place to end your trip. A lot also depends upon where you want to fly back home from. You will probably find less expensive flights from Madrid.
Apr 20th, 2009, 08:22 PM
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Thanks -- These are great suggestions - i think what we will do is take a day trip from Marbella to Cordoba, and then at the end of that week, stay a day and a night in Sevilla. Then grab a cheap flight from Seville to Barcelona. Julie, i have sent an email off to Banys Orientals for their rates. Even if that isnt the El Born hotel you remember, it looks great and has a high Michelin rating.
We are tempted to keep our hotel in Barcelona for longer, using it as a base to take day trips from. It kind of makes us nuts to change hotels every 2 or 3 nights. Other posters have said it is possible (if not ideal) to take a train/bus from Barcelona to Cadaques, spend the day, and then back to Barcelona. Any thouhts on that? Someone else suggested taking a train to Girona, then renting a car there and driving to Cadaques. My gut is telling me its best to spend a night in Cadaques. How's the parking there? Are there any hotel suggestions?
9/11-9/18 Marbella
9/14 - full day in Cordoba;
9/18-9/19 Sevilla
9/19 -9/22 Barcelona
9/22 - Montserrat 1/2 day (sleep in BCN)
9/23 - Sitges 1/2 day (sleep in BCN)
9/24 -9/25 Driving trip to Cadaques (stop in Figueres and Roses) spend night in Cadaques
9/25 - return in evening to BCN-spend night at airport
Comments? Thanks!
---Penny P
We are tempted to keep our hotel in Barcelona for longer, using it as a base to take day trips from. It kind of makes us nuts to change hotels every 2 or 3 nights. Other posters have said it is possible (if not ideal) to take a train/bus from Barcelona to Cadaques, spend the day, and then back to Barcelona. Any thouhts on that? Someone else suggested taking a train to Girona, then renting a car there and driving to Cadaques. My gut is telling me its best to spend a night in Cadaques. How's the parking there? Are there any hotel suggestions?
9/11-9/18 Marbella
9/14 - full day in Cordoba;
9/18-9/19 Sevilla
9/19 -9/22 Barcelona
9/22 - Montserrat 1/2 day (sleep in BCN)
9/23 - Sitges 1/2 day (sleep in BCN)
9/24 -9/25 Driving trip to Cadaques (stop in Figueres and Roses) spend night in Cadaques
9/25 - return in evening to BCN-spend night at airport
Comments? Thanks!
---Penny P
Apr 25th, 2009, 02:30 AM
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Unless you are big Dali fans, I would skip Cadaques. It is a wonderful place, no doubt about that, but it is complicated to get to and will just take too much time and have you working too many things around for a brief stay. I don't find Roses that charming by itself. Really it's a stop to get to Cadaques or to El Bulli, so if you really prefer not to change hotels a lot I'd stay the whole time in Barcelona, do Figueres day trip and also a day trip to Girona. Neither is as exciting as Cadaques, but both are easier to get to and would leave you continuing to stay in BCN (with all the wonderful dining that city has to offer)
Alternately if you really must go to Cadaques, see if you can combine Montserrat and Sitges into one day, then rent a car for three days to spend in Cadaques.
I certainly sympathize with your planning problem here. Hope someone else can offer a magic solution.
Alternately if you really must go to Cadaques, see if you can combine Montserrat and Sitges into one day, then rent a car for three days to spend in Cadaques.
I certainly sympathize with your planning problem here. Hope someone else can offer a magic solution.
Apr 25th, 2009, 02:51 AM
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CONGRATS! NOW TO THE SERIOUS BUSINESS OF hONEYMOONING CORRECTLY 
Seville is not a good daytrip from Marbella; it is a long ride and there is so much to see in Seville, you will come back kicking yourself why you didn't overnight there instead.
The first week which you already have booked in the Marbella resort should be the time to day trip to Granada, Ronda and a ride to The Route of the White Villages, maybe as far as Sanlucar de Barrameda. That said, to be in Andalucia and miss Seville is a sin, I would at least spend one overnight there. The way to do this is spend your last couple of days in Seville, From Seville take the AVE train (Alta Velocidad or High Speed train) to Madrid. Spend in Madrid a couple of days, and then fly out to Barcelona from Madrid (El Puente Aereo; Iberia). Spend the balance of your days in Barcelona. On the first day do the Hop On-Hop Off Bus ($30/pp) to get your bearings (three fabulous loops; one of the best HO-HO tours I've been to). Explore at leisure those sights you like the best from the bus tour. A daytrip to Monstserrat definitely worth it; combine with Tarragona (Roman ruins; nice town to explore, beautiful beaches).
Seville is not a good daytrip from Marbella; it is a long ride and there is so much to see in Seville, you will come back kicking yourself why you didn't overnight there instead. The first week which you already have booked in the Marbella resort should be the time to day trip to Granada, Ronda and a ride to The Route of the White Villages, maybe as far as Sanlucar de Barrameda. That said, to be in Andalucia and miss Seville is a sin, I would at least spend one overnight there. The way to do this is spend your last couple of days in Seville, From Seville take the AVE train (Alta Velocidad or High Speed train) to Madrid. Spend in Madrid a couple of days, and then fly out to Barcelona from Madrid (El Puente Aereo; Iberia). Spend the balance of your days in Barcelona. On the first day do the Hop On-Hop Off Bus ($30/pp) to get your bearings (three fabulous loops; one of the best HO-HO tours I've been to). Explore at leisure those sights you like the best from the bus tour. A daytrip to Monstserrat definitely worth it; combine with Tarragona (Roman ruins; nice town to explore, beautiful beaches).
Apr 25th, 2009, 06:25 AM
#8
Hi penny,
I'm with viajero here - what a waste to spend a week in marbella!you could spend the first week gently exploring Andalucia, end up in seville, then fly/train onwards to madrid [not sure I'd bother] and then Barcelona.
and you've missed out Granada - what a crime. THE most beautiful place to visit is the Alhambra, worth visiting both in the day and at night.
this is what I would do, assuming you are flying into Malaga:
Day 1 - rent car, drive to Granada. stay 2 nights.
Day 3 - drive to Cordoba - stay one night.
DAy 4 - drive to Seville, return car, stay 3 nights.
Day 7 - train to Madrid, stay 3 nights
Day 10 - train to Barcelona, stay 4 nights.
of course you can tweek this a bit, stay longer in andalucia, etc.etc.
if you are locked into Marbella, I would still try somehow to get to Granada to see the Alhambra, if only for a day trip. if you decide to do that, then make sure you book your tickets in advance as they get very booked up.
regards, ann
I'm with viajero here - what a waste to spend a week in marbella!you could spend the first week gently exploring Andalucia, end up in seville, then fly/train onwards to madrid [not sure I'd bother] and then Barcelona.
and you've missed out Granada - what a crime. THE most beautiful place to visit is the Alhambra, worth visiting both in the day and at night.
this is what I would do, assuming you are flying into Malaga:
Day 1 - rent car, drive to Granada. stay 2 nights.
Day 3 - drive to Cordoba - stay one night.
DAy 4 - drive to Seville, return car, stay 3 nights.
Day 7 - train to Madrid, stay 3 nights
Day 10 - train to Barcelona, stay 4 nights.
of course you can tweek this a bit, stay longer in andalucia, etc.etc.
if you are locked into Marbella, I would still try somehow to get to Granada to see the Alhambra, if only for a day trip. if you decide to do that, then make sure you book your tickets in advance as they get very booked up.
regards, ann
