Thoughts on Spain/France Itinerary 2024
Jul 24th, 2023, 12:19 PM
#21
<<Yankygal- Thanks! Las Fallas will fit into the itinerary. I am booking a place and we will be able to catch the first few days. >>
Paqngo - I'm so glad you can fit this in. It's one of the most impressive events I've ever been to and the bonus is that you're in Valencia too. I strongly recommend staying as centrally as possible so that you can get to see as much of it as possible, from the displays, to the processions to the fireworks. Worth every penny! [or dime]
Paqngo - I'm so glad you can fit this in. It's one of the most impressive events I've ever been to and the bonus is that you're in Valencia too. I strongly recommend staying as centrally as possible so that you can get to see as much of it as possible, from the displays, to the processions to the fireworks. Worth every penny! [or dime]
Jul 27th, 2023, 12:35 PM
#27
Absolutely. I always do that in Spain. Also the Fork app is great for finding out where the best /nearest restaurants are and booking them before you get there so you can take advantage of any offers.
Jul 28th, 2023, 04:24 AM
#29
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 744
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We stayed in Rouen for a weekend and loved it. It was a very vibrant town however it was summer. Not sure what it would be like in winter. Had the best food on our trip there.
We also spent two nights in Versailles as we were booked for two seperate events on different days. I liked the town and apart from the Cathedral and palace there wasn’t a lot on offer,
we we’re pretty tired so didn’t look too hard. Think Paris prices for food and drink. There is maintenance being done on the RER so getting back to Paris on the weekend was complicated and as we had all of our luggage with us. Ended up catching a taxi and we were fortunate to get a driver who wanted to practice his English with lots of French words thrown in. We were given a history lesson and his life in France. Fabulous 30 minute drive.
Honfleur is a gorgeous place although I was influenced by all the flowers everywhere and it was a beautiful summers day. Again not sure that there would be much happening in winter
if you are visiting in March the days will be a little longer. Good Luck with the planning. Spain is a fabulous country.
We also spent two nights in Versailles as we were booked for two seperate events on different days. I liked the town and apart from the Cathedral and palace there wasn’t a lot on offer,
we we’re pretty tired so didn’t look too hard. Think Paris prices for food and drink. There is maintenance being done on the RER so getting back to Paris on the weekend was complicated and as we had all of our luggage with us. Ended up catching a taxi and we were fortunate to get a driver who wanted to practice his English with lots of French words thrown in. We were given a history lesson and his life in France. Fabulous 30 minute drive.
Honfleur is a gorgeous place although I was influenced by all the flowers everywhere and it was a beautiful summers day. Again not sure that there would be much happening in winter
if you are visiting in March the days will be a little longer. Good Luck with the planning. Spain is a fabulous country.
Jul 28th, 2023, 10:40 AM
#30
Original Poster
cheska15- Thanks for your thoughts on Spain and France. I probably need to rethink some of my France trip due to the time of year.
I always enjoys your travel reports.
Jul 28th, 2023, 01:29 PM
#31
It certainly used to, but it is about 5 years since I've been to Spain. When I looked at the App just now it's possible to find restaurants with offers but it didn't give any info about a menu del dia which was disappointing. There is a map that comes up showing which restaurants have a menu or discounts but it's not the sort of menu del dia that we are both thinking about. Still there are quite a lot of reasonably priced restaurants offering discounts on the a la carte of 30-50% for tomorrow [a Saturday] and not necessarily always at unpopular times!
Jul 30th, 2023, 07:03 AM
#32
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 216
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have not traveled to France yet. I was in Spain for 13 nights, in March 2022. I took flights from Detroit to Madrid. The same day my flight arrived in Madrid, I took the train to Seville. I took American Airlines. I probably could have taken TAP Portugal. If I had taken TAP Portugal, I could have taken flights to Seville, changing planes in Lisbon. I could have bought flights to Seville, from American Airline, but I still would have had to change planes in Madrid.
I spent 4 nights Seville. But 5 nights would be a good amount of time. After Seville I took the bus to Granada. The train would have worked too. Yes 2 nights would be good for Granada. That is how many nights I was there for. After Granada you could go to Valencia. I didn't make time for Valencia. There are ancient structures ormtombs in Nerja that looked appealing but I didn't make time for them. You might want to make a day-by-day list or itinerary. That would help see how many nights you want for each city. I don't know enough about Valencia yet to know whether it justifies 5 night there. After Granada I spent 2 night in Cordoba. I spent 5 nights in Madrid. 4 nights could be ok too.
While searching for plane tickets you will figure out whether you want to take flights to Seville and then Granada, then Valencia then a plane or train or bus to Madrid and then a plane or train to Paris or somewhere in southern France; or maybe flights to Seville without changing planes in Madrid; or possibly flights to Valencia if and then granada, Seville, Madrid, then France. Just see which tickets are the best combination of price versus length of lovers versus total trip duration, but if a set of flights requires changing planes in Madrid you probably are better off just ending the flights in Madrid and taking the train from there.
I spent 4 nights Seville. But 5 nights would be a good amount of time. After Seville I took the bus to Granada. The train would have worked too. Yes 2 nights would be good for Granada. That is how many nights I was there for. After Granada you could go to Valencia. I didn't make time for Valencia. There are ancient structures ormtombs in Nerja that looked appealing but I didn't make time for them. You might want to make a day-by-day list or itinerary. That would help see how many nights you want for each city. I don't know enough about Valencia yet to know whether it justifies 5 night there. After Granada I spent 2 night in Cordoba. I spent 5 nights in Madrid. 4 nights could be ok too.
While searching for plane tickets you will figure out whether you want to take flights to Seville and then Granada, then Valencia then a plane or train or bus to Madrid and then a plane or train to Paris or somewhere in southern France; or maybe flights to Seville without changing planes in Madrid; or possibly flights to Valencia if and then granada, Seville, Madrid, then France. Just see which tickets are the best combination of price versus length of lovers versus total trip duration, but if a set of flights requires changing planes in Madrid you probably are better off just ending the flights in Madrid and taking the train from there.
Jul 31st, 2023, 11:52 AM
#34
Michael makes some excellent points, Paqngo, though I'm not totally in agreement with the amount of time he allows for the different places. For example, 4 nights would be enough in Seville for me, and 2 nights in Granada not enough as there are plenty of things to enjoy there as well as the Alhambra which will take a day by itself. [NB once you have fixed your Granada dates, however long you stay there, be sure to book your Alhambra tickets, in fact that would be at the top of my list to do next to ensure that tickets are available for the dates you want at the times you want. They probably would be seeing that your visit will be in Feb/March but better to be safe than sorry].
And trains are great in Spain. If you pay a bit extra they will bring a meal and drinks to your carriage One idiosyncrasy is that you have to put your luggage though the scanners wherever you board due to the terrorist attack on the main station in Madrid - Atocha - a few years ago. Atocha station is amazing - so vast it has its own tropical garden. There are several companies running trains now but the RENFE app is very useful.
And trains are great in Spain. If you pay a bit extra they will bring a meal and drinks to your carriage One idiosyncrasy is that you have to put your luggage though the scanners wherever you board due to the terrorist attack on the main station in Madrid - Atocha - a few years ago. Atocha station is amazing - so vast it has its own tropical garden. There are several companies running trains now but the RENFE app is very useful.
Jul 31st, 2023, 05:25 PM
#35
Original Poster
Annhig- Good to know about the trains. I am just now looking at hotels in Granada so I will add a day. We have some flexibility on dates.
Today, we decided to just keep the trip to Spain and cut the France portion. So Spain will be in March for most of the month.
We will probably be adding Barcelona after Valencia.
Today, we decided to just keep the trip to Spain and cut the France portion. So Spain will be in March for most of the month.
We will probably be adding Barcelona after Valencia.
Aug 1st, 2023, 06:25 AM
#36
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 746
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I am working on a trip to Spain now as well. We only have been to Barcelona and Sitges.
In Granada, friends have stayed at Room Mate Leo and Hotel Anacapri and liked. We are going to try this hotel:
https://www.palaciomarianapineda.es/
In Granada, friends have stayed at Room Mate Leo and Hotel Anacapri and liked. We are going to try this hotel:
https://www.palaciomarianapineda.es/
Aug 1st, 2023, 08:52 AM
#38
Join Date: May 2023
Posts: 274
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My husband and I did a Normandy trip several years ago but it was in early October and the weather was ideal other than one day of heavy rain when we left Bayeux for Mont St Michel. I do have a friend who had comp airline tickets to use by the end of March a few years ago and so she and her husband did tour the south of France including Granada and Seville. Granada is in the mountains and so they did experience sleet and nasty windy wet weather. Madrid in March is likely also to be cold and nasty weather.
Our itinerary and we had both traveled in France previously but long ago and not together. We landed in Paris, picked up rental car and drove to Rouen. Spent one night in Rouen and sorry we didn't schedule two nights as more to see than my husband recalled and also a foodie kind of town with nice restaurants. We drove the next morning to E'tratat for a view at the rock structure painted by Monet and then to Honfleur which is quite charming but you don't need more than a full day or at the most two days there. After that we drove to Caen for the outstanding WWII museum and then on to Bayeux where we spent two nights and sorry we didn't spend another night there as it is historic and charming and the base to explore the Normandy beach sites plus the outstanding cathedral and the Bayeux tapestry, plus it is also a foodie town. On to Mont St Michel and then our route back to Paris included a stop at Chartres. We thought too late in the season for a stop at Giverny and returned our rental car upon our arrival in Paris where we spent four nights before returning home.
Our itinerary and we had both traveled in France previously but long ago and not together. We landed in Paris, picked up rental car and drove to Rouen. Spent one night in Rouen and sorry we didn't schedule two nights as more to see than my husband recalled and also a foodie kind of town with nice restaurants. We drove the next morning to E'tratat for a view at the rock structure painted by Monet and then to Honfleur which is quite charming but you don't need more than a full day or at the most two days there. After that we drove to Caen for the outstanding WWII museum and then on to Bayeux where we spent two nights and sorry we didn't spend another night there as it is historic and charming and the base to explore the Normandy beach sites plus the outstanding cathedral and the Bayeux tapestry, plus it is also a foodie town. On to Mont St Michel and then our route back to Paris included a stop at Chartres. We thought too late in the season for a stop at Giverny and returned our rental car upon our arrival in Paris where we spent four nights before returning home.
