ldatt22

The violin on the roof video - very cool. Read some of your previous itinerary! Sounds amazing! Looking forward to reading more of it!


Lynn

Gardyloo

A bit late to this thread but I'll recall a couple of days we spent in Andalusia a few years ago. In our case it was March, but I suspect conditions won't be dissimilar. Anyway, for what it's worth I'll mention that we stayed just outside of Tarifa. Tarifa is technically on the Atlantic coast as it's just west of Gibraltar, and it's typically the warmest and sunniest part of Spain in mid-winter.

We didn't know much about the area when we arrived, but were pleasantly surprised - Roman ruins, terrific sandy beaches, white hill villages all around, and Morocco just across the Strait, with frequent fast ferry service from Tarifa. With the prospect of relaxed border controls between Spain and Gibraltar (following Brexit) a day trip into Gibraltar can be quite enjoyable, for a weird taste of Britain along with tunnels, palm trees and apes.

While Seville, Cordoba and Grenada are certainly splendid places for a day or two, you might consider some time in smaller places as a means of expanding the context for this remarkable part of Spain.

Here are a few pictures to illustrate the variety of the area.

Baelo Claudia Roman ruins near Tarifa



Kiteboarders and wind surfers at Tarifa



Vejer da la Frontera, white hill village inland from Tarifa



Europa Point lighthouse, Gibraltar



Barbary apes, Gibraltar



Jebel Musa, the southern Pillar of Hercules, in Morocco seen from Gibraltar, with a ferry en route.

ldatt22

Gibraltar and Tarifa look really nice! That last pic of Morocco is amazing!

ldatt22

And dont forget Pensiones too. They are more private and a little nicer and cheap too!

frankieblu

Thank you again, all, and Gardyloo, you gave me another area to think about. Those pictures are awesome.
I still have plenty of time to plan, so I'll reread everyone's suggestions and do some research and I really can't wait for this trip!

Thanks,
Frankie

ldatt22

Up to the part of the picasso museum! There are some of picasdo's work at the Moma in NY.

ldatt22

Barcelona was better than madrid. In my opinion... but I did enjoy some cafes and the flemenco dancing in Madrid.

akyd70

My husband and I went to Barcelona February of 2019 and we fell in love! We are taking our son and daughter back with us for my daughter's high school graduation in May 2022 - assuming it's "open". A couple of must sees in my opinion that I also think your daughters will enjoy. We stayed in the Gothic Quarter in the Cathedral Barcelona square area. It is just beautiful and we felt like it wasn't too touristy, but still centrally located.

4 Main Highlights:
1. Do a Gaudi house tour. They are amazing! We did all three, but Batllo was our favorite. They don't take too long - maybe an hour, but you will never see anything like it!

2. Go to Sagrada Familia (get tickets ahead of time as this is probably the most popular attraction in Barcelona). Super awe inspiring. Nothing else like it.

3. After Sagrada Familia walk to Hospital de la Santa Crew i Sant Pau and do the GUIDED tour. It is worth it and not expensive!! This was a surprising gem. Super interesting story your girls will also like. Easily one of my favorite sites in Barcelona. (Another Fodor commenter mentioned this and I am so glad we went).

4. Mercado de La Boqueria - walk around and have lunch or breakfast there. The girls will love it too. We bought a few authentic Spanish spices and brought them home. They lasted a year and I was so sad when I ran out. I can't wait to get more!!

What I liked staying by Cathedral Barcelona is the flexibility to go to church during the open hours and there is an interesting museum right behind it that you and your husband could do on your own if the girls need a break. Also plenty of restaurants right on the square.

Have a great time!

frankieblu

Thank you, akyd70! That's such great info for our time in Barcelona- I'll probably use all these ideas. I have a crazy busy month coming up but am excited to do more planning and booking of hotels/apartments soon!

geetika

We did walking tours of the Gothic quarter and the Park Guell, really enjoyed both. Unfortunately not interiors of the Gaudi buildings, that’s for the next trip.

In Barcelona we stayed at Violeta Boutique Hotel, a small family run hotel minutes away from Plaza Catalunya, extremely convenient if you’re taking the Aerobus from/to the airport. Just off the Paseo de Gracia and very close to the Ramblas, we walked everywhere. They have a family suite with two bedrooms and bathrooms, plus a small balcony overlooking the lovely inner courtyard where we sat in the mornings with tea/coffee and a nightcap at the end of the day. The hotel offers hot drinks and danish in the mornings if you want breakfast on the go, there are also a lot of places for something more substantial nearby.

Violeta Boutique | Hotel Violeta Boutique in Barcelona