My trip includes Barcelona, Granada, Rondo, Sevilla, Toledo and Madrid. I’ll be in country in mid October for 14 whole days. Travel will be via trains, short auto rental and one flight between Granada and Barcelona. Is there a logical reason to begin in Barcelona and end in Madrid or do the opposite route? Flying in and out of these cities because direct flights from Philly on my preferred airline are offered.
Posted by
Irving
3557 posts
Is there a logical reason to begin in Barcelona and end in Madrid or do the opposite route?
Check airfare in both directions to see if it's cheaper to fly into Barcelona or Madrid and out the other.
Posted by
Washington DC
30503 posts
At that time of year I'd have a slight preference for pushing Sevilla toward the end of the trip (thus starting in Barcelona), because it can sometimes still be quite hot (mid- to upper 80s F) in Sevilla. However, I'd give more weight to whether there's a special event going on somewhere that you'd enjoy (or would prefer to avoid).
You might also take a look at hotel rates on booking.com to see whether there's a massive difference, depending on your itinerary order. That can be a good way to pinpoint dates on which something is significantly inflating hotel rates. I remember someone reporting here, a few years ago, that he was having a nightmarish time finding an affordable hotel room in Madrid, because one of the local sports teams had made the play-offs. He wasn't looking to spend 500 euros per night.
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
8522 posts
Either one to begin would be fine. Acraven’s suggest to check hotel prices and availability in the event of an event going on is a sound one. Back in late September 2019 I paid €80 for a room at the beginning of a trip. The same room was €300 at the end of the trip because a number of conferences were taking place in Madrid. I reversed the order of our May 2022 trip because the hotels were fully booked in one town due to University graduation.
By mid to late October, heat wouldn’t be a major concern for me.