Christmas in spain?

... peek Barcelona, Costa Brava and Catalonia tourism board sites for an initial eye-opener, also for some videos here.

This is kind of out of left field, but... have you thought about Portugal instead? Extremely historic, warmish (ripe oranges on the trees in March), and very easy on the budget. How long a trip are you planning?

Thanks for the info and the ideas. We have about 10 days and Portugal is certainly a possibility. We went to Lisbon and Estoril a thousand years ago when we were back packing students but haven't been there since. Any suggestions for places to visit?

My experience is limited to Lisbon, Evora, Coimbra, and Sintra, all great. For you, I'd say Coimbra for sure, for the University. You might want to re-post on the Portugal forum if the idea of going is really taking hold.

Will do thanks.

Portugal is indeed also an excellent idea. I would certainly consider it too. In any case, what I strongly advise is to focus rather than to try to spread out too much to cover the maximum possible number of places to visit. It's true that some visitors prefer 'to get the most out from their dollar' but spending a day here, packing for another city 300 miles away, spending there another day and a half, packing again for yet another long journey and so on, not only is exhausting but it does not allow for a proper soaking into each one of the places you intend to explore. You end up hardly knowing anything of the places you've visited. A bit like "If today is Tuesday this must be Belgium", if you haven't seen this comedy I'd suggest you do :))

So if you choose Portugal, do stick to the region. Fortunately here in Europe you have so many preserved things and places to visit one near the other that you could literally spend the whole vacation in a single city (doing day escapades when appropriate) and not get bored.

Here some ideas:
https://www.visitportugal.com/en
http://www.turismodeportugal.pt
http://www.minube.com/viajes/portugal

My wife and I did Christmas in Barcelona a few years back and had a wonderful time. We waited outside the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia in the Barrio Gotic at a wine bar until it was time for the Misa del Gallo (Mass of the Rooster or Midnight Mass). The service was packed and one could easily imagine it to be taking place during medieval times. The choir sang madrigals and there were even dancers by the altar - pretty remarkable from an American's perspective.
Perhaps the best part was meeting a family of three generations from France at the wine bar. They too were waiting for mass and we shared a few bottles of cava with them.
This year, we are doing Christmas in Lisbon and New Years in Madrid.

I spent the first week in December in Spain one year and the first two weeks in January another year. On both trips I spent time in Madrid, Toledo, Segovia, and Salamanca. I experienced a couple of days of rain on the January trip, and it even tried to snow (just a few fluries, but that was plenty for this Floridian) in Madrid on the December trip. But overall, the weather was very nice and mostly sunny, with high daytime temps in the 50's and lower 60's mostly. You will have to dress for the moderate temps, but if your main reason for being in Madrid was the museums, you should be fine.

Thanks! Meeting new friends and drinking cava in a wine bar waiting for the Mass of the Rooster to begin belongs in your book, Jim. What a delightful memory!

Thanks Enric and Jack for great ideas!

You might find this useful for visiting cafe bookshops in Madrid! Have a great vacay! http://www.madridadventures2015.blogspot.com.es/

If you want a warm Christmas then why are you considering the northern hemisphere.

AUSTRALIA

We would love to visit "down under" but it is just too far and, alas, too expensive to get there! One day I hope.

hahaha, same feeling here mjmh2000.... some family members have just returned from crossing Australia this Sept and their feedback if anything it grew my desire to visit down under someday.... if it wasn't so far!!!

Just do as Dorothy did - close your eyes, click the heels on your ruby red slippers, and in no time you will be in Oz.

Well it is actually getting cheaper to travel here for 2 reasons.
1) More airlines and more competition means lower fares.
American is about to join Qantas, Virgin, Air New Zealand, United, Delta, Air Canada with flights across the Pacific.
2) Our dollar has fallen from US$1.10 to US$0.70 in the last few years.