Fodor's Travel Talk Forums

Fodor's Travel Talk Forums (https://www.fodors.com/community/)

- Europe (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/)

- - trip to Spain (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/trip-to-spain-67480/)

Hi, I am going for 2 weeks in Spain in the middle of May: Madrid, Toledo, Seville, Granada, Costa Del Sol, Barcelona. Looking for the recommedation on accomodations in all cities listed above. Also, in the south, do you need a car or can travel around on local buses. Thank you very much, Maria

Maria, It sounds like you have a very ambitious trip planned for 2 weeks, especially if you don't have a car you might spend more time than you realize traveling between cities/regions. You don't specify a budget amount for hotels but you can do pretty well for around $100 to $125 per night at the following: Madrid: Carlos V Seville: Las Casas de la Juderia Toledo: Hostal del Cardenal Granada: Hotel America If you need something more posh or more budget please just specify and somebody else might be able to help. Good Luck, feel free to write me directly for more ideas or restaurants once you have a more firm itinerary and know how long you will have in each area. Another Maria

I just spent a week in southern Spain and you probably will need to have a car to go from city to city. But once you are there you can pretty much walk everywhere or maybe even rent a Moped, which are very popular there.

Maria I don't know what sort of accomodations that you are looking for, but try the following sites: http://www.madridman.com/ http://www.sol.com/index.htm http://www.spaintour.com/indexe.html http://www.barcelona-on-line.es/Angles/index.htm Re travel in the south of Spain. It really depends on what you are planning to do. If you want to see a lot of small towns etc, then a car is required, otherwise the train or bus is a viable alternative. For train info: http://www.renfe.es/renfe1/homglish.htm The railway station in Seville has a great Hotel availability stall on the concourse but a note of caution re Granada - there is NO tourist information at the Railway Station, only in the Town or on the roads leading into Granada. Have a great trip and enjoy Spain. David

Hi Maria. We took a similar 12 day trip a couple of years ago through Central Holidays, just for the hotels and train passes (excluding Barcelona). It may have cost us a bit more, but we didn't have to hassle with booking hotels and standing in line at the train stations. In Barcelona, we liked the Gran Via, centrally located near Plaza Catalunya and Las Ramblas, I believe its a Best Western hotel and can be booked through their web site. If you'll be in Barcelona at the end of May, get a hotel soon, I've been looking for days and it seems like Barcelona is getting booked up. In the Costa del Sol we stayed at the Riu Bel Playa in Torremolinos on the beach. You could walk to the train line that takes you back into the main part of Torremolinos. The food in Torremolinos was so-so, we just used that area as a base to take day trips. If you need a car depends on how you want to see things. You can take an organized day trip from the Costa del Sol area to Granada if staying in Granada is too much of a hassle. You can also take organized trips to Gibraltar and probably to Ronda. We rented a car to go see Ronda and Gibraltar but it wasn't necessary. You can easily see Toledo on a day trip from Madrid if you don't want to pack up and move, it was about an hour or so by bus. The bus was quicker and more frequent than the train. From Madrid to Seville, there's a high speed AVE train which takes about 2 1/2 hours. In Seville we stayed at the Monte Triana. It was a nice hotel but a bit away from the central part of Seville. Have a great trip!

Thank you everyone for good suggestions and advice. I have decided to rent a car in Seville and drive to Marbella, making it a base for Ronda and other trip. Then, to Granada for 2 days and 1 nigth. I am looking fo accommodations in Marbella under $80 on the beach and have a hard time finding a place. Does anyone have some siggestions?

If you "do" Toledo as a day trip, go independently -- do NOT take an organized bus-tour. You will regret it, for the time wasted captive in gewgaw shops and a horrendous "restaurant" and the whirlwind-hurried visit to the city itself. Do it on your own.