Traveling from Madrid
 

I am visiting Madrid for the first time this April. I am there for 1 week. I rented a car from Monday through Thursday morning. I don't mind driving far distances. I'm 25 and will be there with a friend. Any suggestions??

Your question is not terribly clear, but I assume you are asking for suggestions for day trips.

My top suggestions would be Toledo, El Escorial and Avila, Salamanca. (I am one of the few who did not find Segovia very interesting.)

But, if you're in the least interested in art, do not leave Madrid without visiting the Prado, the Reina Sofia and the Bornemisza-Thyssen (in that order; I find the Thyssen's collection quite uneven).

Or without eating at the restaurants and tapas bars in the area around the Plaza Mayor. For someone of your age, I would think that the Plaza de Santa Ana would offer great fun and people-watching.

Thanks. I was a fine art major in NYC so I am definitely hitting some of the museums! As for driving, I am interested in possibly leaving the area of Madrid and venturing maybe South or East to Barcelona for a couple days. Any suggestions for a "Road Trip"??

i would only suggest a car if you were interested in tiny off the beaten track villages/ national paradores that are more difficult to access with public transport.

all the major points of interest are accessible from madrid without a car.

all the previous suggestions are very good as i am sure you have seen them repeated on other threads.

If you only have one week (which really equals 5 days excluding travel) I would explore Madrid and maybe take a day trip to either Toledo or Segovia. I would NOT rent a car -- take the train. You neither want nor need a car in Madrid as parking is a nightmare and public transportation is excellent.

A week does not give you a great deal of time...

Personally, I loved Andalusia and the Moorish architecture: the Alhambra in Granada, the Mezquita in Cordoba, the Alcazar in Seville, to name the highlights.

But even if you are prepared to drive far distances, I have no idea whether it's doable in three or four days (I don't drive).

Not knowing Barcelona, my advice, given the time available to you, would be to concentrate on Madrid and a few day trips from Madrid.

Hey Erinmeghan -- as a Fine Arts major, you will love Madrid's Golden Triangle (the Prado-Reina Sofia-Thyssen zone). There is a lot to do in Madrid, in my opinion, although you will see a number of people on the board who have a preference for Barcelona. I studied in Madrid in college and lived there for about a year when I was about your age. I think you will find it to be a very vibrant city. Loads of nightlife, and loads of art -- what more could you want for a week!

I would recommend you take a look at the Madrid guide prepared by a frequent Fodor's Forum poster, Maribel. (www.maribelsguides.com) Although I know Madrid pretty well, I found her city guide to be a great help last May when we were in the city for about four days. She has wonderful advice on tapa hopping and food in general and her info is very current in terms of popular bars, nightlife, etc.

You might also want to check out some of the guidebooks specifically geared for "younguns" like yourself. (Let's Go, Time Out, and Hanging Out -- http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...ce&s=books) These guides will also give you ideas of nightlife options.

Not to be nightlife fixated, but a lot of Madrid happens at night. You will want to check out these areas: South of Sol -- Plaza Sta. Ana and nearby Huertas (everyone has to have at least one drink at Viva Madrid or Los Gabrieles at some point), tapas and wine bars around Cava Baja (this is south of the Plaza Mayor); North of Sol -- Malasana and Chueca (Javier Bardem's family owns a little restaurant in Chueca. Meow.)

I second the opinion about the car. You definitely don't want it in the city and you can take trains or buses to any of Eloise's excellent day trip recommendations. Toledo is a must. I like Segovia a lot and find El Escorial austere and a bit depressing, but either one will get you out of the city a bit. If you want to get a bit further away you might enjoy Salamanca -- lovely smaller city with a strong student presence b/c of the University. It's Plaza Mayor is said to be the best in Spain.

A crazy idea: If you got a real bug to get to another "main event" city, you could even take the AVE (high speed train -- www.renfe.es) to Seville for a night -- the trip is only 2.5 hours. I know that will sound ridiculous to some readers, but I remember doing things like that when I was 25 ;-).

Just mind your dates if you decide to do that. The Feria de Abril is a huge deal in Seville and you won't be able to find lodging for a reasonable rate, if at all. Dates for this year can be found, along with lots of other useful info about Seville, here: http://www.exploreseville.com/events/feriadeabril.htm. You can search this forum for hotel ideas in Seville if you decide to go.

Most importantly -- HAVE FUN!!!