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Things to see and do in Madrid, Barcelona, Vienna and Prague

Things to see and do in Madrid, Barcelona, Vienna and Prague

Old May 29th, 2013, 10:28 PM
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Things to see and do in Madrid, Barcelona, Vienna and Prague

Hi all,
My husband and I are planning a 16 day trip to Madrid, Barcelona, Vienna and Prague in June. Since that gives us only about 3-4 days (Barcelona gets 4-5) in each city I would like to know what are the absolute must-see attractions and must-do activities in these cities. I would ideally also like to set some time aside for shopping. Also I have my one year old with me who, unfortunately for me, will not appreciate opera/concerts and the likes! So please help me with some recommendations and suggestions.
Thank you so much. You guys have been instrumental in helping me plan my trip so far.
Cheers.
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Old May 30th, 2013, 12:45 AM
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Remember you going to lose at least 1/2 a day traveling, packing, and chcecking in, etc. every time you move, especially with a one year old.

It is hard to know "musts" if you do not cite your interests. Did you choose these cities based on based on business or where family lives?
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Old May 30th, 2013, 03:33 AM
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The presence of the one year old pretty much throws out the window everything I was going to suggest.

Assuming you're coming from North America, dealing with a jet lagged baby is not going to be fun. Have fun with that.
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Old May 30th, 2013, 06:14 AM
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"The presence of the one year old pretty much throws out the window everything I was going to suggest.

Assuming you're coming from North America, dealing with a jet lagged baby is not going to be fun. Have fun with that."
------

If you really have nothing to suggest, then you should simply remain silent and move on. Mean-spirited and nasty comments like this add absolutely nothing to the conversation on this forum.
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Old May 30th, 2013, 06:23 AM
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Woyzeck, my comment about dealing with a jet lagged baby who doesn't understand what's going on and why it's bright out when it's supposed to be dark however snarky it was, is certainly more helpful than telling me to not post. Kids can be really resilient and maybe even immune when it comes to jet lag because they're excited about the trip and can more or less power through it; babies can't.

OP, in Madrid some great shopping can be had on and around Calle Preciados. I liked summer shopping in Madrid because it was so easy to find summer weight pants and get same day alterations done. I wasn't so keen on the shirts though.

The tradition in Spain is to eat a very late dinner so keep that in mind with the little one.
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Old May 30th, 2013, 06:25 AM
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Oh, I almost forgot: keep an eye out for pick pockets and thieves of opportunity.

Prague is fun, and inexpensive. The market has lots of colorful, inexpensive wooden toys that made great presents for the nieces and nephews. Shopping is ok I guess.
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Old May 30th, 2013, 06:26 AM
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I agree with Big Aleinstein that it would be more helpful knowing more about your interests. The only must-sees and must-dos are what you guys want to see and do. You mention shopping, for instance, but I think you can get more specific advice if you tell us what kind of shopping you are interested in (clothing, antiques...).

As you mention in your opening post, night life is likely to be significantly constrained. So you are basically looking for daytime activities that would be appropriate to bring a 1-year old along. A lot of this depends on your child - if he/she naps a lot during the day and/or is happy in a baby carrier and stroller, then you should be able to do some museums, castles and the like. All of these locations have great indoor cultural sites like that, but also more active outdoor activities (parks, public gardens, etc) as well. Tell us more about the things you like and we should be able to give better advice.
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Old May 30th, 2013, 06:49 AM
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"Woyzeck, my comment about dealing with a jet lagged baby who doesn't understand what's going on and why it's bright out when it's supposed to be dark however snarky it was, is certainly more helpful than telling me to not post."
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I disagree. Reread your comment. These forums are supposed to be "positive and welcoming to a general audience." Your "snarky" comments directed at a mother and young child were unwelcoming, at best. I found them disrespectful and not in the spirit of Fodor's guidelines of participation. I take the time to tell you this so that avee and other families know that they are welcome to come here for travel advice and should not be ashamed of travelling with their children. As this forum's guidelines state, "Sarcasm, no matter its intent, is a tricky thing to interpret online, and may be perceived as a personal attack." If I have misunderstood your humor, I apologize, but you should know how it comes across.
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Old May 30th, 2013, 07:12 AM
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Madrid and Barcelona have changed and there are some places that cater to tourists on a different schedule.

If you have not booked your trip and do not have be in certain places at certain times, I would travel in a smaller area with less flights. A friend, when her children were small, would take cruises to eliminate many issues with the care and transportation of a one-year old.
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Old May 30th, 2013, 09:02 AM
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Spain is extremely child-friendly, kids of all ages at all places at almost all hours (drunk is not popular in Spain). Do as the locals and have your main meal of the day at lunch-time. Most local restaurants serve up a great value three-course lunch (Menú del día) with drinks included for some 8-12€ from about 1.30pm.

Plenty of local feel and great places both in Madrid and Barcelona, but these are two of my favourite lunch places in these cities. Both places will of course be more than happy to welcome your one year old.

Casa Marta in Madrid: http://gastronomyblog.com/2010/07/01/casa-marta-madrid/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...ta-Madrid.html

l'Aribau in Barcelona: On the corner of C/Aribau and Corts Catalanes, just beside the wonderful university from 1450. This is a very typical and local atmosphere place with no fuzz and great Catalan food.

Here businesspeople, academics and all kind of locals drop in for a three course lunch for 8,60€ (before 14, 9,60€ after 14h). Salad or today's soup, grilled meat or fish with poatatoes/vegetables and dessert. Excellent place with lots of local specialities. Had a wonderful local sausage Botifarra with slightly garlicy white beans here last Friday. http://barcelona.salir.com/laribau
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Old May 31st, 2013, 01:24 AM
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I don't think that OP needs to plan too much for shopping as a seperate item on the itinerary.
In most destinations, the major shopping areas will be where also the major tourist sights are. So it will be almost inevitable to combine shopping and sightseeing.

For example:

Barcelona: Modernisme mansions on Passeig de Gràcia, which is also one of the major shopping areas with (more upscale) stores. Old Town/ Cathedral with more quirky shops all over and the big Corte Inglés department store on Pl. Catalunya.

Vienna: Old Town (within the Ringstrasse) with St Stephen's, Kapuzinergruft and so on - and shops/stores all over. From small quirky specialty shops to major upscale stores on Kärtner Str. and Graben. The more "normal" (i.e. less pricey) shopping street is Mariahilfer Str. a bit West of the Old Town, but starts at the MuseumsQuartier - so again you may be in that vicinity anyway.
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Old May 31st, 2013, 09:18 AM
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Thank you so much all of you, that really helps.
Also to elaborate on our interests, we would like to see some historical places of significance, some noteworthy architecture, some museums (baby permitting), and we would like to spend some time walking around to get a feel of the place and eating good food/guzzling beer or wine and as I've already mentioned, shopping.
Thank you so much for all your specific and general recommendations so far. Please keep them coming.
Cheers.
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Old May 31st, 2013, 09:34 AM
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Barcelona is a great walking city. See Parque Guell and Sagrada Familia.

Madrid-Retiro Park and Prado next to one another. And if you are up for it a day trip to Toledo, there are many, many buses and trains that go daily from Madrid.
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Old May 31st, 2013, 10:01 AM
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Just back from a trip that included Barcelona and Prague. Been to BCN several times, none with small children, but I can relate. Parc Guell might be good, but if it's very hot it may be best to go early morning or late in the day. There are some paths, but with a stroller you'd be best sticking around the entrance area.
If you want to go to Sagrada Familia it's best to buy tickets online in advance, as the lines can be very long. http://visit.sagradafamilia.cat/?lang=en.
Parc de la Ciutadella next to El Born is a nice green escape; note that most paths are gravel. There's also a zoo, but a 1 year old might not appreciate that. There are a lot of cafes, tapas bars and neat shops clustered in El Born, and some narrow streets that would be shaded.

In Prague, the tram is a great way to get around, but crowded and noisy. Nearly all streets and sidewalks in the old parts of the city are cobblestone, perhaps making for uncomfortable stroller rides.
Charles Bridge and Old Town Square can be insanely crowded and watch for pickpockets. Wenceslas Square and the streets off it seemed less crowded and there were more locals and regular stores.
The Mala Strana zone, to the west of the river, is a little less crazy and there are a lot of good eating places and shops around Malostranske Namesti. From here you can take the tram up to Prague Castle and walk around as much or as little as you like for free.
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Old May 31st, 2013, 10:59 AM
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Any way to cut one of the stops? Seriously, doing this many places with a toddler in tow will be difficult on you and him. More importantly, you cannot tour as you normally would - a toddler means you'll be able to do about 60-70% of the touring that you normally could achieve.

Must sees are dependent upon your interests. These interests: "some historical places of significance, some noteworthy architecture, some museums (baby permitting)" are very general - Fodors' own pages for each of the four cities you'll go to will provide all the information you need.
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Old Jun 1st, 2013, 04:19 AM
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I would agree with BigRuss. I have a number of friends with small children who live in Germany and make home visits to the US. Without exception, the children under 4 have real difficulty adjusting their routine to a time change like the one between the US and Europe. You may have a more enjoyable vacation if you stay in Spain and take a few days to relax somewhere peaceful.

The comment about Spain being kid-friendly is fairly accurate, but I would draw the line at accommodations. Find a hotel that is listed as being family-friendly if you can. I have found that my fellow travelers can be quite uptight about small children keeping them up at night.

Hope you have a good visit, Spain is really lovely!
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