It's easy to pick up car and drive out of Madrid.

I would do 2 nights in Avila and 1 in Cuenca or 3 nights in Toledo and 1 in Cuenca.

ribeirasacra: Yes we are doing a 12 day tour of Portugal. Before it we will be 3 weeks in Andalusia followed by 4 days in Caceres, Trujillo and Guadalupe.
Thanks for reminding me how EVERYTHING has already been covered on this forum. I would like to think some more current info and experiences are good to look into to complement my 4 guides books and internet research.

kja: I am working Barcelona and Costa Brava around my daughter and grandson - year-round school limits their availability. We will leave the Catalunya and complete our sojourn in "Northern Spain" (?) - Saragoza to Santiago de Compostela, departing from Bilbao possibly. Not to this last part of our planning yet.
My husband loves to drive on small back roads and "let's see where this goes" is his motto. I imagine we won't be driving on trips too much more (that age thing) so will do it for sure this trip. We do try to avoid cars in the major cities.

joannyc: I will definitely consider your suggestions. Thank you.
I am looking into booking places to stay too early? I am getting many "no availability" and I hope that is the reason.

Again,
Thank you all.

"Catalunya and ... "Northern Spain" ... Not to this last part of our planning yet."

You might find some useful information in my recent trip report and several trip planning threads I posted -- just click on my name to find them.

<< Catalunya and Northen Spain..... not planned yet>>

You can take a look at my pics from Northwestern Spain. Play it in slideshow to see captions I've added. Each town/city I visited is noted on the first photo of that location. The first pic is the route that I took and locations I visited:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...n-pictures.cfm

Regarding unavailability of hotels, when is you trip?

kja and joannyc: I haven't had a chance to look at your reports or pictures as we were on a family trip last week and still have kids and grandkids visiting. But I am very much looking forward to doing so.
I seem to be getting tag-a-longs for our trip! So far a sister, another daughter and son-in-law (without the children), and maybe son and his wife!!!
I am thinking more apartments than not if their plans play out.
BTW: I have changed to the 2 nights in Avila and 1 in Cuenca.

joannyc - everyone went to bed and I just had to look at your pictures - beautiful! It all looks so amazing. Thank you for sharing these. I want to ask some questions - but will wait until i get more into that area.

Clarification: the tag-alongs are not all with us for the 90 days! Different ones staying different amount of times, different regions!

Aren't joannyc's pictures inspiring? Isn't it wonderful to know that you, too, will soon see some of those things?

I must admit that I probably would have kept Avila at one night -- I spent the better part of a day exploring Avila, but was ready to go less than 24 hours after arriving. I haven't been to Cuenca yet, so I really can't speak to it. But either way, I'm sure it depends on when, exactly, one expects to arrive and what, exactly, one hopes to do while there and -- in your case, nanael, just exactly how many tag-a-longs will be in tow while there. ;-)

Enjoy!

I appreciate this so much - I did not think of the impact on sightseeing of the siesta!
So this is how I have penciled this portion of our trip so far:

Madrid (5 nights)
Segovia (2) Would it be easier to pick rental car up here rather than Madrid?
Salamanca (3)
Avila (1)
Toledo (2)
Cuenca (2)
Barcelona (12) - daughter and grandchild will be joining us
Costa Brava (4)
__________________________________________________ ______


I do not have much to contribute, but I will try hard:


You definitely do not need a car inside Madrid, especially in the center. Public transportation is very comprehensive in this city. I think it is one of the finest, cleanest, and most convenient ones I have used in Europe.

I have been to both of Toledo and Segovia. Something about Segovia is charming, even though I did not figure out much to do. Perhaps this essence is due to the great company I had there. Just walking around the city and picturing the significance of the classical empire is breathtaking. In Toledo, there is a famous bus company that does tours around the edge of the city with audio guidance and multiple chances to stop the bus to capture images and buy some souvenir. I still prefer Segovia.


Barcelona is a blast with literally tons to do. Expansions of the city tourist attractions continuously take place without jeopardizing the opportunities to see the wonders of the city.


If you prefer to travel with cars, I think it is also a very good option for the privacy and convenience of passengers.

Finally, regarding to renting cars in Segovia, I don't remember seeing lots of car rentals there. I would rent a car from Madrid if I want to travel regionally for the larger options and variety I am left with. In addition, the trip from Madrid to Segovia is a part of the journey itself, if I am not wrong,so one could enjoy it with the car as well.


I hope you all the best of cheerful moments in your trip!

Deyaa1989 - Thanks for the input. I have not had a chance to get back onto forum: 1) 3 1/2 weeks of family visiting, vacationing, working, etc. and, 2) I have been engrossed with planning out the trip (65 days of it) through Barcelona.
About Rental Cars:
I agree having rental cars in the cities is not good idea - I am trying to do a couple of rental pick-up/drop-offs - When leaving from Granada, dropping off in Sevilla (5 nts) , train to Cordoba (3 nts), renting again to head from Cordoba to Caceres and Guadalupe then to Madrid airport where we will fly to Lisbon. Upon returning to Madrid from Portugal we will stay in Madrid 5 nights and then rent a car to do the outskirts (Segovia, Salamanca, Avila, Toledo and Cuenca). What we have not decided on is whether we will drive to Barcelona from Cuenca or take a train.
If anybody has a suggestion on a car rental company to use, I would listen!

I just re-read joannyc's recommendation re Euro-Car! Thank you!
Have changed the order of things around a bit but feeling good.
Now to the trip from Barcelona to the Basque Country, Cantabria ... our final 3 weeks!

Any time, nanael!

Check out Autoeurope.com and Kemwel.com for the car rental. They are consolidators located in the USA and are sister companies. I seem to get the best rates through them.

joannnyc - thank you! Will do.

I've had good experiences with gemut.com

I don't believe gemut has an operation in Spain.

I arranged the rental car for my trip to Spain in May of this year (2015) through gemut. They work with autoeurope, and provide 24/7 English support if needed.

<< I arranged the rental car for my trip to Spain in May of this year (2015) through gemut. They work with autoeurope, and provide 24/7 English support if needed.>>


Autoeurope or Europecar?

Segovia, a World Heritage Site since 1985, has much to offer. My tips in this map:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?m...to&usp=sharing

@ joannyc -- All of my rentals through gemut have come with AutoEurope vouchers. I can't say whether they work with any others.

Hi kja,

Autoeurope is a consolidator who arranges my car rentals with Europocar, Avis, Hertz, etc.

Who is the actual rental car company where you pick up your car?

Thanks!

@ joannyc -- I am aware of that. The specific rental car company that gemut has arranged for me, working through Autoeurope, has varied over the years and destinations. For my May 2015 trip to Spain, the rental was with Avis. I've worked with gemut because I have gotten lower rates than I've found elsewhere -- including lower rates than I've gotten by working directly with Autoeurope.