Tommmo

Off to Jerez in a couple of days from Brisbane...We plan to visit Cadiz and some areas around by train before picking up a rental car and heading North for a couple of weeks. We've been to Seville and Madrid previously and plan to skirt these this time and drive via smaller towns - Cadiz,Cordoba,Ubeda,Toledo,Salamanca, Segovia , Zaragoza etc. before returning to Barcelona to depart for home. We have three weeks for this but there are a lot of alternate routes. We prefer non-toll roads and a leisurely pace and most acommodation is booked, so we are looking for some great places to discover along the way if someone knows this route......?.

ribeirasacra

Quote "and most acommodation is booked,"

Maybe be before we give a list of options you could let us know where you have reserved your accommodation and how many nights.
I feel that with out this information we will be giving you ideas that are a long away from your plans so far.

Tommmo

Ok...Cordoba 3 nts. Ubeda 2 nts...Toledo 3 nts...Salamanca 3 nts..Burgos 2 nts...Zaragoza3 nts...3 nts Costa Dourado possibly..finally Barcelona.
Looking forward to driving information threading these together..thanks.

joannyc

While in Toledo, you may want to go see the windmills in Consuegra. Google it to see if it interests you.

I picked up my car rental in Toledo outside the walls. Went to see the windmills then saw a festival in the town and also walked around the town. Funny story about me, a convent, and a Spanish nun there!

Anyway, when I returned to Toledo that evening, I parked in a free public lot by the bus station and took the bus back into town. I would have never found my hotel if I drove in and my GPS probably would have lost satellite reception. The next day, I took a taxi with my luggage back to the lot where my car was parked.

Sounds like a great trip! Enjoy!

ribeirasacra

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...mment-10082944
Your total of days do not add up to the 3 weeks given for this trip.

joannyc

Ribeirasacra, if you add a couple of nights for Barcelona, it works out to 3 weeks. OP said he will end up in Barcelona, just didn't provide the number of nights there.

Tommmo

thanks Joan ...so many questions - so few answers forthcoming ...

joannyc

Sorry that I cannot add any info about driving routes, I just followed what my GPS told me! But you certainly could stay on the non-toll roads instead of the highways, I have done that in different parts of Spain. The GPS eventually catches up! ;-)

Tommmo

Did the GPS come with the car? Assuming it was a rental....was it extra or fitted to the car from new? We take our own but many cars now have them included...
Did it suggest points of interest along the way, speed cameras, parking places etc?

joannyc

I don't recall if it came with a built in GPS as I always bring mine with me. On mine, you can select "Points of Interest" to see what is around you then set one or more as a new "Via" point instead of a new destination.

Bedar

Use the ViaMichelin Route Planner. Very handy.

Michael

By-pass Madrid. Campo de Criptana has the Don Quixote windmills, Cuenca is appealing just by its location.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca...7622975757180/ to the end

Tommmo

We plan to bypass Madrid and Seville , having visited them previously. Michael your photos are wonderful and inspiring...hope not too much has changed. We will try to stick to non-toll roads as we go . Time will dictate how we return to Barcelona - we have 3 days after Zaragosa ..( there for a big festival) , and we haven't planned that leg back to Barcelona yet. Anyone know a way perhaps?

Michael

If you have the time, consider a detour to Taüll, a village in the Pyrenees:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca...7623190654780/ and subsequent pictures.

joannyc

Too funny... I too was going to suggest Taull. I was there a few days ago and stayed the night. Lovely romantiche churches and San Climent does a laser mapping of the original frescoes. Only a 15 min presentation, but extremely well done! And the scenery is just gorgeous!

I will be in Zaragoza next week, and among other things, I plan to see Monesterio de Piedra outside of Zaragoza and the Castillo de Loarre near Huesca.

I will then travel ontoTarragona with a vist to the Monesterio de Santa Maria de Poblet on my way. In Tarragona, the castellers will be building human towers until Oct 5. I have a lot of other sites on my list for in Tarragona itself.

When I leave there, I will stop in Lleida to see the Turo Seu Vella, the Inglesia Sant Llorenc and the Gardeny Castle before my final stop in Sitges for a couple of nights.

Michael

joannyc,

I would recommend San Juan de la Peña which is fairly close to Huesca:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca...7623190654780/ and the subsequent photos

joannyc

Thanks very much, Michael!

I did look into your suggestion while planning my route. Unfortunately, some things have to give.

I will be traveling from Pamplona to Haro then Laguardia then Zaragoza. It is in the opposite direction from Pamplona and seems a bit far to include in my daytrip from Zaragoza..

Maybe I am wrong?

Michael

San Juan de la Peña is about 1.5 hour from Castillo de Loarre.

joannyc

Yes, it may be too much for me to attempt to fit in one day. But, thanks very much!

I know I had looked at visiting it but I guess I decided the timing wasn't going to work out. Too long a day trip to travel and actually see the sites.

Tommmo

Trip going well and we are now in Cordoba...helped by a new BMW series 1 which Herz saw fit to replace our booked Peugeot with.....bless them. Just a bit anxious visiting White Towns like Arcos with very narrow streets, but so far so good.
Three days here will be pleasant , still to see the Mesquite which turned us away at 8.30 am stating a ceremony would be happening. Will try again in the morning but just wandering the lanes has revealed many fascinating sites....