Pudgy

My teen son and my husband and I will go to Spain for two weeks in early June. I have done alot of research, visited book stores, read travel magazines and yet can't make a decision where we should spend our time. I prefer to base myself in one place from where I can take day trips where we drive for no more than two to two and a half hours to visit charming villages/towns. Husband needs to spend some time at beaches where it's fairly remote and you don't see resorts or towering buildings behind. Son would like to see some big cities. Hmmmm. If anyone would like to wade into our debate perhaps with their own experiences, we'd be happy to read all. Thank you.

lincasanova

Javea, Denia, Altea are all nice and more low key. Valencia/Alicante nearby. Castles in the interior.. several within two hours. Interior roads into the hills are gorgeous.

Nice amusement park near Benidorm ( beautiful beach but zillions of high rises, contrary to the other mentioned places.

Benicasim is also quite nice, north of Valencia about an hour.

Easy trains to Barcelona from Valencia and Benicasim

Valencia is great, too, but there are a few tall buildings visible at certain parts of the beach area..

Bedar

I would fly into Madrid and head south asap before it gets too hot. Visit Granada, Cordoba, and Seville and then go to the Costa de la Luz for the beach. When you get back to Madrid, you can have a look around and perhaps do a daytrip to Toledo. You'll enjoy yourselves wherever you go !

tailsock

Fly into Madrid and use that and Barcelona to see other places like Sevilla and Granada.

kimhe

Take a look at Belle Epoque San Sebastián, best food you'll find anywhere, three of the finest city beaches on the continent, and early June is perfect, just a few weeks before the summer visitors flock to town: http://www.euskoguide.com/places-bas...stian-tourism/

Or in the South/Andalucía, El Palo/Pedregalejo just east of Málaga city is small town feel and fine beaches. And 3000 year old Málaga city itself is just a 5-10 minutes bus ride away, the region's "city of culture with its so-called 'mile of art' being compared to Madrid, and its dynamism and fine dining to Barcelona". https://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/andalucia/malaga

"Discover Pedregalejo in Málaga": https://www.spainfoodsherpas.com/thi...egalejo-beach/

About Pedregalejo and other Málaga tips: https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2...rs-restaurants

quiltingmamma

Have you organized your flights yet? Where are you flying in and out from? That may help guide suggestions....even if we don't listen to the 'prefer to stay in one location' part of your request ;-)

Christina

Why not go to the north of Spain, say the Asturias region. Definitely the beaches for your husband, less commercial and busy areas.

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2...ain-food-drink

Oviedo is the capital and may be big city enough for your son. But you could visit Salamanca, Zamora or Valladolid without too much trouble. Or santander but I don't know much about it. Bilbao is only about a 4 hr drive from Oviedo, though.

Pudgy

what exciting helpful comments all! Thank you. We will fly out of Toronto. We can take two weeks or add a few more days if need be. I was ruined in Puglia last Sept. when we stayed in a glorious villa. I will never be able to lay my head in a hum drum hotel again. So...hoping for a little luxury. I'd like to stay put for a few days and then we can take off to the next destination. As long as we are not booking into a new place every second night, I'm satisfied. Finding things for all our tastes is difficult though...we like architecture, shopping, more secluded beaches, hiking, biking etc. None of us have yet been to Spain so this will be our first visit

Egbert

Madrid, Seville and Granada would be my choice. Beach time for a couple days on the Costa de Luz. If it were July, August or early September I would say San Sebastian because the rest of Spain is terribly hot.

OReilly

I have been all over Spain, and 'Green Spain' is my favorite: Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia.

danon

For a first visit I would not go north ( except in the summer).

You may wish to select two or three different regions, stay in a town ( city) for a week or longer (rent an apt ?)
and explore smaller towns and beaches in the region.

danon

Spain Select has a good selection of apts and villas
in Spain. We rented from them 3 times ( in Madrid).

indyhiker

Maybe I'm just heat intolerant, but the average temps in June in Andalucía are still pretty hot and, for me, would make for uncomfortable sightseeing. I realize it gets hotter as the summer progresses, but for some, June might still be too hot.