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Finalizing Plans - Seeking Feedback, Tips, Recommendations

Posted by (Portugal) on

With help from many of you, we have managed to make a plan (of sorts).

Note: Much of this itinerary is not subject to change (plane tickets/train tickets/accommodations, etc.), but hoping for suggestions/tips to fill in a few gaps and especially for recommendations for food and drink or sights along our way.

Sept 13 – Leave California, USA

Sept 14 – Arrive Barcelona 16:21, Aerobus to Placa de Catalunya, check in to Airbnb (between Santa Caterina market and Picasso Museum); no evening plans beyond finding food someplace (ideas?)

Sept 15 – Picasso Museum 09:00, nothing specific rest of day/evening (help?)

Sept 16 – Palau de la Musica 10:00, nothing specific rest of day/evening (ideas?)

Sept 17 – Park Guell 10:30, head to Montjuic find things to do, stay for Magic Fountain (ideas?)

Sept 18 – Sagrada Familia 09:30, Casa Batlo 16:45, rest of the day and evening free (help?)

Sept 19 – AVE train, Barcelona Sants to Madrid Atocha, check in to Airbnb (between Prado and Anton Martin metro), no plans

Sept 20-22 – Plan to visit Prado, Thyssen, Reina Sofia and Palacia Real (suggestions?)

Sept 23 – AVE train to Cordoba, check in to AC Cordoba Marriott (very near train station)

Sept 24 – Visit Mezquita and Alcazar (what else? Recommendations?)

Sept 25 – AVE train to Seville, check in to Airbnb (Santa Cruz neighborhood, very near Alcazar), “free” walking tour, Misterios de Santa Cruz (meets at Puerta Jerez) 19:00

Sept 26-27 – Visit Cathedral and Alcazar, maybe a flamenco show (specific suggestions?) – What else? Where should we eat?

Sept 28 – Pick up rental car (Avis) at Seville train station; drive to Cadiz with a stop on the way at a sherry bodega in Jerez (specific suggestions?) for some education, check in to Airbnb (Plaza Candelaria) – regrettably, we have only whatever time is left this day to see anything of Cadiz, any specific ideas? Restaurant tips/recommendations?

Sept 29 – drive to Ronda (actually Arriate) via Arcos de la Frontera and Grazalema, check in to Arriadh Hotel, dinner at El Muelle in Arriate

Sept 30 – explore area (ideas?), ending in Ronda for dinner at De Locos Tapas

October 1 – Drive to Granada, stop for lunch en route, maybe in Antequera and see dolmens (Google maps says this entire route takes less than 3 hours to drive) check in to AC Palacio de Santa Paula Marriott, Abayzin walk at 16:00, no plans after

Oct 2 – Alhambra (Nasrid entry at 10:30); no plans for rest of day/evening

Oct 3 – Drive to Salobrena, check in to Hotel Miba, no plans

Oct 4 – Drive to Malaga, check in to Tryp Hotel, return rental car at train station, and cab back to hotel

Oct 5 – Cab to airport at obscenely early hour to catch 07:30 flight to Gatwick and connect there to flight home arriving in California at 16:00

Now . . . my fellow travelers and/or those who dwell in Spain, can you help us make this trip better with some recommendations and wisdom?

Posted by
7302 posts

We will be in Spain about the same time as you, and I've been putting in many hours this week finalizing all of the paperwork, reservations, etc. so your plan is very familiar!

Here's some ideas from our plans for locations we're both seeing:

For Madrid, I would recommend taking the RS Puerta Del Sol to Royal Palace Loop Walk when you first arrive. My personal comment is "that's a lot of art museums"! We'll be going to the Prado to thoroughly go through it. Then the Reina Sofia on a Sunday afternoon mainly to see Guernica. Others: International Exhibition of Maurits Cornelis Escher @ Gaviria Palace until Sept. 24, and there's some events for the Plaza Mayor/400 Aniversario you might want to check out. We'll be relaxing Sunday early afternoon at Retiro Park; I want to see some of the sites there besides enjoying the people & Sunday events.

Seville: We're taking a Bike Tour the morning after we arrive (will be there 4 days). We've taken bike tours in the past and love them to see the sites w/ a local and small group. We will also be taking a Market/Cooking class in the Triana neighborhood the last day.

Granada: Several people have told me to be sure to eat at a Carmen with views of the Alhambra.

Malaga: Going up to the Gibralfaro Castle & Alcazaba. Then taking a walk on Calle Larios, just to see it.

Posted by
11294 posts

For your Madrid visit, since you're taking the train from Barcelona, it's very likely you'll arrive in time to have a few hours to start on your museums on your first (half) day. This will allow you to spread the museums over more days. Pick either the Thyssen or the Reina Sofia. If at all possible, save the Prado for last, since everything else will pale in comparison.

As for ideas in Barcelona, some things I enjoyed that aren't already on your list were taking the cable car (teleferic) up to the top of Montjuic, the MNAC, the Fundacio Mares, the Sant Pau Recinta Modernista (former hospital), the view from Tibidabo (you can take the Blue Tram, or for less money take a bus), and walking around the Eixample looking at the architecture. For instance, don't miss the stunning Casa Comalat (like many buildings, interior not visit-able): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Modernista_buildings_in_Barcelona#/media/File:Salvador.Valeri.i.Pupurull.Casa_Comalat.Back.Barcelona.JPG

The MNAC is huge; my first clue as to how much there is to see is that your entry ticket is good for two days!

Posted by
4574 posts

Harold, thanks for your comments on the MNAC (for my November Barcelona visit).
bnelson - Cordoba may feel crowded during the day, so you could consider a day trip to Medina Al-Zahara. It is just out of town and there are 2 buses that leave Cordoba mid - late morning and return mid or late afternoon. It is an active archeological site. http://www.andalucia.com/magazine/english/ed4/madinat.htm (the main building with the most carvings is closed for renovation, however)....and it would be hot during high temperature days. Perfect for me in November.
Palacio de Viana - lots of outdoor garden piazzas. http://www.palaciodeviana.com/
Also, just wandering the streets including the Judaic area.
Seville offers a partial day trip to a Roman Colosseum either by tour or local bus (again, a dig and exposed to the weather). Italica is the name. http://www.andalucia.com/cities/seville/italica.htm
Palacio de las Duenas in Seville. The last Countess was a colourful character and the Alba dynasty goes back to before Ferdinand and Isabella.

Posted by
27135 posts

Jean mentioned an Escher exhibit in Madrid. That's the sort of thing that sometimes attracts long lines. Just a word to the wise.

Posted by
6554 posts

It takes about an hour to drive from Sevilla to Jerez, The two bodegas i used to visit (years ago) were Osborne and Williams & Humbert. Not certain which still have tours. It used to be you just showed up, but that may have changed. No idea if they charge now either, as they used to be free. A little research should answer any questions. A tour used to take an hour. From Jerez to Cadiz is a 30 to 40 minutes drive, but an easy drive. I'm not a huge Cadiz fan and personally don't think there's a lot to do there. It's on a narrow peninsula so it's easy to walk around. The historic center isn't very large. Other than the cathedral, beach, and a park. there's not a whole lot there. To me Cadiz is good for a few hours at most. If the bay is calm, and you wanted a view of Cadiz from the bay, you can always take the ferry over to Rota if you have time.

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