MiamiBeachMomma

Hola!!
Wanted feedback on this Spain Itinerary for my family of 4 (boys 12 and) for July/August 2012....

Madrid 3 nights, including day trip via train to Toledo
Madrid Hotel: Hotel Petite Palace Savoy
http://www.hthoteles.com/en/hotel-pe...so-xii-madrid/
Train from Madrid to Cordoba, meet by driver and guide for 1/2 day in Cordoba, then onto
Seville 2 nights
Seville Hotel: Hotel Amadeus
http://www.hotelamadeussevilla.com/en/
Train from Seville to Granada
2 nights Granada
Granada Hotel: Macia Real de la Alhambra
http://www.maciarealhotel.com/
Fly from Granada to Barcelona
4 nights Barcelona
Hotel Barcelona: Condes de Barcelona
http://www.condesdebarcelona.com/en/

I do think we should add time to Madrid - anything else?
Anyone have feedback on the hotels themselves and their locations?

Thanks so much in advance!!

danon

It would be better if you could add a night to Madrid and a night to Seville.
Considering. the hot weather , you might have to limit some outdoor activities
to certain parts of the day.
Hotels in Madrid , Barcelona and Seville are all very central.

godzillalove

I did a similar trip with my teenage son and we loved every moment! my only suggestion is Granada doesn't have anything much but the Alhambra. VERY impressive and definitely worth the see. We stayed one night in Granada and that was plenty. Your boys will love Barcelona it has lots to do for families. Enjoy the street performers there are none in the world like them. I can't wait to go back!

CathyM

The trip is somewhat fast paced as is - especially with 2 children. If it's possible I'd add 1-2 nights to Madrid, and 2 nights to Sevilla. 4 nights would normally work to visit Madrid and do a day trip but if this is your first stop after a transatlantic flight you may need a day to recover from jet lag. 2 nights for Sevilla, which is really just one day since you have a day trip planned to Cordoba is very short. I'd personally budget 3 days just for Sevilla (so 4 including the Cordoba day trip). I doubt you'd be bored and in the off chance you are there are numerous day trip opportunities. I think 2 days/nights in Granada is good - I found much to Granada besides the Alhambra. As others have mentioned it will be very hot particularly in Andalucia. If you wanted to do any day trips from Barcelona you may also want to add time to Barcelona. I generally budget 4 days just for Barcelona.

If it isn't possible to add time to your trip and you will likely return again then you may consider cutting one geography to slow the trip to a moderate pace.

BigRuss

Don't like this at all - too many hops around while dragging two monkeys in your wake. Prefer fewer hubs, more spokes because moving all your stuff and your hobbits takes a lot out of you and them. If you intend to visit again in the future, skip Granada now. Seriously the Alhambra is nice, but it is one of the most overrated tourist sites I've been to - you can go to Spain and even go to Andalucia and not visit the Alhambra and survive with your TRAVELER card intact. Andalucia will be really flipping hot too - think more Texas than Miami.

And see if you can get apartments in Madrid and Barca for your (should be) 4+ night stays because two-bedroom apartments would give you and mr MBM more privacy than hotels. Google APARTUR for Barcelona apartments and click around on the listings that have logos - it is a well-saturated market and that means decent pricing and selection.

The Condes location in Barcelona is pretty good (although my advice for getting an apartment stands) but kind of on the fringe of the best location - you're better off closer to Placa Catalunya (it's more than 5 minutes away). Skip the Bocqueria - it's a ripoff and the quality available there is subpar. On the other hand, DO go to the Mercado San Miguel in Madrid.

Your Madrid hotel is pretty well-located. The Metro will get you wherever else you need to be relatively swiftly too.

cruiseluv

Don't understimate the impact that the heat will have on you. You're going on peak heat time.
I agree with Big Russ, to me the Alhambra was interesting but its not something I would be dying to see again (however, I strongly disagree with his advise not to visit La Boquería market, its extremly colorful). I would eliminate the 2 nights there and give one to Madrid and one to Sevilla. Then do Cordoba as a day trip from there.
And I would take a night from Barcelona and add it to Madrid. That would give you flexibility to do another day trip from there to Segovia (full disclosure here, I'm not a Barcelona lover).

BigRuss

Segovia is small and only somewhat interesting. I'd prioritize a day trip to Toledo far above Segovia. And if you stay in the hotel you mentioned, it's MUCH easier to get to Toledo because you're near Atocha, the train terminal for Toledo. The Cercanias station that serves Segovia is to the north on the outskirts of Madrid and a long Metro ride away.

And the Bocqueria may be colorful, but so is the average flower stand - the goods are middling and the prices are too.

MiamiBeachMomma

Great advice folks!!!
So you all are saying ....
If I keep it to 11 nights - Take out Granada and skip the Alhambra.

Madrid 4 nights, including day trip via train to Toledo
Train from Madrid to Seville
Seville 3 nights, including day trip to Cordoba
Fly from Seville to Barcelona
4 nights Barcelona

What if I add 2 more nights. Would you still take out Granada??
If so where to add to the 2 extra nights?
Thanks!!!!

CathyM

Well, you're really getting a good idea of how each person has their own favorites!

Personally if you had 2 extra nights I'd probably add back in Granada OR add 2 nights to Sevilla. (But for my full disclosure I must admit I'm not a big fan of Madrid or Barcelona and my favorites are Andalucia and the Basque Country)

3 nights for Sevilla with a daytrip to Cordoba is still a little rushed - but it's better than the original plan of only 2 nights.

So many places with limited time - that's always the trade off!

wayfinder45

I'd keep Granada in the mix especially if you add a couple of days to your itinerary.

MiamiBeachMomma

Thanks everyone!! Great info!! I'm torn on Granada!

kja

> So you all are saying .... If I keep it to 11 nights - Take out Granada and skip the Alhambra.

Sorry - I didn't read carefully, but I'm not sure that's the message people are giving. More to the point, it isn't what I would suggest!

Personally, I would (and did) skip Barcelona when I visited central Spain and Andalucia. I definitely want to see Barcelona - I just didn't think I could fit it in to my 25 day trip to central and southern Spain. But I travel solo, and hard, so I really can't comment on what you and your family might want to do.

For context, I spent 4 nights in Madrid, not counting my 2-day (and very full) visit to Toledo. I spent 2 nights and 2 days in Cordoba. I spent 3 nights and 2 days in Granada - both the daytime and evening visits to the Alhambra were among the highlights of my travel experiences - ever. I spent 3 nights in Sevillla, and wish I'd had more.

Hope that helps!

Kwoo

FWIW, I haven't been to the Alhambra yet, but my daughter went several years ago, and she said it's one of the most impressive and beautiful places she has ever seen, & she has done a lot of international travel, including living in & traveleing through Asia & SE Asia. I think you should spend 2 nights in Granada, especially if you can add 2 nights to your trip.

I've been to Barcelona & absolutely love it. You definitely need at least 4 nights there. Whether or not your trip is too fast paced, that really depends on your family. When my daughters were 4 1/2 & 2 1/2, we drove from MA to Disney World & had a blast. My girls did fine. We rested whenever they needed to rest & I never regretted making that trip, even though my friends (who aren't as adventurous or energetic) thought we were nuts. We did return to Disney when they were older, but I don't regret our first trip there at all. You have to make your decision based on your family. Just keep in mind the heat & realize you may not have the energy to see every sight, but that's fine, too.

MiamiBeachMomma

Thanks again. I am working on my airfare with my Amex points. Its always a challenge to get that booked! But I am thinking of leaving Granada and adding the 2 additional nights as mentioned.

On the intense itinerary - its OK. That's how we always roll! We like to cover as much ground as possible. The world is such a big place that we try to always go somewhere new!!

I already told my boys (did I say they were 12 and 9 - and by the trip almost 13 and 10) that they would be responsible for there own bags - packing and unpacking and repacking. Im done!!!