jjfern

Hello Fodorites!

I'm planning a first trip to Spain in Sept. 2007 for myself and my husband and would like to finalize our itinerary so I can start booking hotels. We would like to see as much of Spain as possible at a pace that allows us to enjoy ourselves but not feel like we are constantly on the run. I've put the itinerary below based on guidebooks and reading the wealth of information on these boards.

What would you change or advise? Any feedback you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Day 1, Thursday - Arrive Madrid in a.m., walk and explore city.
Day 2, Friday - Madrid
Day 3, Saturday - Daytrip to Segovia via express bus (sleep Madrid)
Day 4, Sunday - Madrid
Day 5, Monday - Daytrip to Toledo via AVE train (sleep Madrid) OR (sleep Toledo)
Day 6, Tuesday - Salamanca via express bus (sleep Salamanca)
Day 7, Wednesday - To Cordoba via AVE train connecting in Madrid. (sleep Cordoba)
Day 8, Thursday - Cordoba. See Mezquita. AVE train to Seville (sleep Seville)
Day 9, Friday - Seville
Day 10, Saturday - Seville
Day 11, Sunday - Ronda via bus. (sleep Ronda)
Day 12, Monday - Granada via train. (sleep Granada)
Day 13, Tuesday - Granada. See Alhambra. Night train or late flight to Barcelona
Day 14, Wednesday - Barcelona
Day 15, Thursday - Barcelona
Day 16, Friday - Barcelona
Day 17, Saturday - Depart for Home

Graziella5b

Hi jjfern, Although I have been in Spain many times I find very difficult to help with itineraries. The Madrid Segovia + Toledo part sounds very good. ( On Sunday go to the Prado which is free, in the afternoon if fine), Salamanca is beautiful and certainly worth it,
I always stay in nice hotels or Paradores, whoever in Toledo I know a charming hostal, called Santo Tome.
What I would probably do if I were you is, Madrid ( including Segovia) then Salamanca ( leaving out Toledo), then instead of going back to Madrid, I would come South to Caceres,Trujillo two fascinating cities and from Trujillo go to Seville.( I did all this by car so I do not know how are the communications) from Seville I would indulge myself in Cordoba, Granada.
I would skip Ronda.
I know you said you want to see a lot, I am only leaving out places that although very nice are full of tourists like Toledo and Ronda and replacing them with Caceres-Trujillo which are on your way South.
Should you be interested in Roman history, of course Merida also on the way South is a treasure in this regard.
Also if you would like to replace Segovia by Avila
, Avila is on the way to Salamanca. Same train stops in Avila before reaching Salamanca.
So in summary, I woudl do: Madrid, train to Avila , train to Salamanca two nights there, ....from Salamanca to Caceres-Trujillo two nights there , from there to Seville;Ave to Cordoba, Cordoba to Granada. Train or plane to Barcelona.
The thing with Spain is that has SO MANY fascinating destinations. Buena Suerte.

Graziella5b

...sorry jjfern, I meant however in Toledo I know a very nice hostal,....

ComfyShoes

Hmm.... Jen, It actually looks good to me except, depending on your car rental plans in Madrid (seems like you don't want to since you are taking the bus/trains to Toledo/Segovia), consider switching days 3 and 5. That way, you can buy a 3-day abono transport ticket which will let you go to Toledo but not Segovia, and save a little money.

Graziella advice on focusing on non-touristy towns is a good one, as always. However, I disagree with it slightly because both towns have so much character that, tourists or not, you will enjoy'em a lot. Same goes for Salamanca. In Salamanca, try to find that frog on the unique University building in the Patio de Escuelas. For the life of me, I couldn't find it when I was there although it may indicate my pure state of mind (it symbolizes lust, apparently) Or I needed new glasses

Also, many people may ask you to spend more time in Andalucia given there are so many things to see there. However, if your heart is set on Barcelona, go for it.

There are many good Spain experts here with much advice to offer. You should consider engaging them in figuring out what to do in the towns that you may need help in.

car

IMO
Days 1 to 4 ,fine.
Day 5 , I will suggest to go back to Madrid otherwise your Salamanca trip is going to be too short.As you are goint to need must of day 6 moving from Salamanca to Cordoba.
I will avoid the salamanca move and give some more time to Madrid, Toledo,Segovia.
Day 7 to 17 fine.
Again here I like Ronda but do not find it really a must, I will move directly from Sevilla to Granada and give it more time. Otherwise you may find yourself asking the famous question.
Tuesday this must be Brussels(Ronda)?
Have fun

NEDSIRELAND

Sunday mornings in Madrid el Parque del buen Retiro is nice: Street Performers of every type congregate there and 'do their thing.' It can be a delightful experience, and it's only a few hunded meters from the Museo del Prado.

Enter Retiro Park at the Puerta de Alcala.
BTW
I thought Sunday mornings were when free admittance to the Museo del Prado was available.

Graziella5b

I just want to say that I did not think of leaving out Toledo and Ronda only because they are full of tourists, but because I thought that either the combination Caceres-Trujillo or Merida are much better located if you will be traveling between Salamanca and Seville. Not only they are on the way but in themselves any of them are outstanding destinations.. Probably less tourists and they offer wonderful walking tours organized by the Local Tourist Office only for a few euros.There are Paradores in the three of them an also less expensive options, like hotel VIctoria in Trujillo is one of the best buy I ever encountered in Spain.
Same with replacing Segovia with Avila, in the case of Segovia you have to go and come back from Madrid in the case of Avila it is on your way to Salamanca. I wish you would not dismiss Salamanca which is a jewel, besides it is a very Spanish city.
When I travel I try not to go and back because of course it is a lost of money and above all time.
If you were driving in would be easier to go and come back but in bus or train and I think it is much better to move always forward.

Tashulina

Hello,

Nice itinerary you chose for this trip, especially the 6th day, in Salamanca. it is a nice city, indeed, and it has a lot of places to offer for sightseeing. You can take a look at http://www.gosalamanca.info/index.aspx#intro , a nice informational corner about the city of Salamanca. It has also an entire page dedicated to attractions.

Revulgo

My vote for Salamanca too, it's a town with superb plateresque architecture.
http://www.spain.info/TourSpain/Dest...tm?language=en

jjfern

Thank you all for your wonderful insight! It is so valuable to someone like me who is planning a trip to an unknown place.

Graziella - my deepest appreciation for your detailed comments. I had not previously heard of Caceres and Trujillo so I'm curious to do some research and find out more... If I decided to stop at one of those towns while driving through and not spend the night, would it still be worthwhile? Regarding Toledo, I fear I would regret missing it, even if it is full of tourists, so I am hesitant to remove it. You certainly have me wondering if I would be better off renting a car upon leaving Madrid and driving to Salamanca and then to either Cordoba or Seville, possibly stopping at either Cacares or Trujillo on the way.

Comfy - Great advice on switching Segovia and Toledo to take advantage of the 3-day abono ticket if I do decide to stick with public transport. I'm somewhat on the fence right now as to whether it makes more sense to rent a car when we leave Madrid so we aren't locked into train/bus schedules. Any opinion on that? I love a challenge - so I fully intend on looking for the frog you mentioned. Regarding Barcelona, I already have open jaw plane tickets booked into Madrid and out of Barcelona, so it will have to stay. Besides, I really can't imagine going to Spain and completely missing Barcelona.

car - thanks for your thoughts on Ronda (which I noticed echoed Graziella's). Honestly I was unsure of whether Ronda was worth the moving around and a one night stay, even though it is supposed to be beautiful, so I'm thinking I may drop it. Regarding Granada, it sounds like you are recommending more than the 1.5 days I have planned? I had planned on spending a full day at the Alhambra and a half day visiting other sites. What else would you recommend?

nedsireland - after I get my skeleton itinerary finalized I am going to start filling in the details by day. So thanks for your advance help on that - I think I will take your advice and plan on Retiro Park followed by the Prado for Sunday.

Tashulina and Revulgo - I appreciate your opinions on Salamanca. It is somewhat out of the way, so I was questioning whether to include it, but it seems I would be missing a lot if I dropped it. Thank you for the useful links, I can't wait to spend more time looking at the info. Do you have opinions on whether one night in Salamanca is enough?

If I end up dropping the night in Ronda, where does it make the most sense to add it - maybe Salamanca, to allow more time and reduce the number of one night stays?

Also, would I save time by driving from Salamanca to either Cordoba or Seville rather than taking public transport which would take me back through Madrid?

Graziella5b

Hi Lifern, as I said, I find it difficult to suggest an itinerary to others,it is so personal!, let me tell you that whatever I tell you is what I honestly feel is the best.

I understand you do not wish to miss Toledo, then do it as a day trip from Madrid as you initially suggested. But if I were in your shoes I would leave for next time Avila and Segovia as well as Ronda.
I firmly believe that all of us go to some places because someone had gone there previously , and said it was great, thus a chain is created, a chain that ends up creating often an overrated reputation for a destination .

What can I say?, Avila and Segovia are more than that, but Salamanca for me is ten times more fascinating.
In summary, I would do Toledo and may be the Escorial ( instead of Segovia) as side trips from Madrid; then a train to Salamanca, there I would stay two days and then go by bus to Merida.
Both Caceres and Trujillo are fascinating cities, but neverheless I would leave them too for another time, and sleep in Merida at the Parador for at least one night.From Merida I would go to Seville and from there I would go to Cordoba in the AVE. and then to Granada then to Barcelona. Flying if it is possible.
This way you would have visited Madrid, El Escorial,
Toledo, Salamanca with a little more time, Merida, (which is a totally different destination.
In its day Merida, founded by the Romans in 23BC, became" the Capital of the vast province of Lusitania and was compared, with some exaggeration, to Ahtens." Unfortunatelly during the time of the Moors many of its monuments have been quarried. In spite of this, no place in Spain can offer more in the way of surviving monuments scattered as they are all over the city. On top there is the fascinating Museo nacional de Arte Romano.)
and of course Seville, three days at least, Cordoba and Granada.
I always drive when doing this kind of trip, lately we found out that is most convenient to leave by train from Madrid to a close by place we wish to visit and then pick up the car there the same coming back.
But it will be simple I guess if you do it as you have planned by train/or bus.
To make any sense a car should be rented for at least a week, and of course you have to think of the parking fees.

Graziella5b

Hi just one more thing, do not go on a Monday to Toledo I am afraid everything, or most everything will be closed.

jjfern

Graziella, thanks once again for the information. I will definitely take your suggestions into consideration.

josele

Though I like Ronda very much, I agree it is not a place to spend only one day, and without a car. There are beautiful sights of the city from a distance, and many small towns to visit. I don't mean Grazalema or Zahara only, but others as Juzcar or Benalauria, both with excellent restaurants. Last weekend I ate at Meson La Molienda, in Benalauria, the food and ambiance were excellent, and the drive very pleasant. For Ronda I would recommend 2-3 days, and with car. It's worth it.
Comfy, you really did not spot the frog????

ComfyShoes

No, Josele, embarrassed to say I have never been good at spotting frogs

GetOutThere

Just returned from Barcelona and we all (8 of us) love Barcelona. If you want to do something that is so much fun and a great way to see the city. Do a Segway tour with Spainglides S.L.L.
Contact E-Mail: [email protected]
It was a highlight of our visit!

kenderina

You need long distance glasses , comfy...I know it...we're getting old...

ComfyShoes

Talk about yourself, lady, for I have figured out a way to stop aging.

kenderina

I guess you don't put any candle on your birthday cake...(I don't even buy one)

ComfyShoes

Kend, I am of the opinion that one must never buy one's own cake That is a job best left to others who care about you. Family or friends. Hopefully both.

Jen, Sorry for missing the para addressed to me. Yes, I don't know why would you want to rent a car while IN Madrid. Once you are leaving town, I would rent a car. Madrid to Cordoba is only 5 hours, and the highways are about as good as they can be.

Finding parking in Sevilla can be tricky. However, if you are willing to take a cab from the lot to your hotel, plenty of large parking lots.

Slightly disagreeing with Josele, really recommend visiting Ronda. Even if to get a flavor.

Oh... regarding the challenge, I am told women, generally, spot the frog faster than men. I wonder why that is. When back, tell us if that was the case with your family!