Hello,
We are flying into and out from Madrid. Staying for a total of 10 nights. What are the must go-see and for how long around Madrid? Does it make sense to flight to Paris at the end for 2 nights and back to Madrid to get the flight back home?
Thank you!!!
You would lose about a half day each way flying to and from Paris (transit to Madrid airport, security, flight, transit to hotel in Paris, etc.). Not to mention the added potential for glitches (e.g., what if your flight from Paris to Madrid is canceled or delayed, you could miss your return flight home). There is plenty to do in Spain for 10 nights. For ideas:
https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/spain
https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/spain/itinerary
I agree with CL
If you haven't bought your flights yet, you could do a multi-city (open jaw) trip into one city and out the other, but Spain has lots to offer and I would stick with that.
Consider staying in Madrid, Cordoba and Sevilla. Perhaps 4 in Sevilla, 2 in Cordoba and 3 in Madrid. You could go to Sevilla immediately upon arrival to Spain, then Cordoba and end in Madrid. Many, many possible day trip options from Madrid including Toledo and Segovia.
I do love France and Paris, but I also love Spain, and with your amount of time, I'd just stay in Spain.
With a little research you can quickly find the popular tourist sites in Madrid. Then you can decide which sites are of interest to you. Go to places you want to visit, not those that some will say are “must see” that you have no interest in.
I was only in Madrid two days, three nights. For me, the must-sees are a bullfight at Las Ventas Stadium, the Prado Museum (half-day minimum), La Reina Sofia (half-day minimum), and a walking tour of the city (one or two days). Rick has several suggested walks for Madrid in his guide book and points out what you're seeing. Maybe schedule a food tour? Though I like to eat when I travel, I'm not a foodie, yet, in Madrid, I noticed how good the food is. Rick will have suggestions in his guidebook.
I would recommend against flying to Paris and then flying back to Madrid to catch a flight home unless you're dead set on it. It's nothing against Paris, as I've visited the City of Light three times. The reason is you'll lose a half-day going there and a half-day going back. Why not stay in Spain? A superb second choice to visit is to go to Sevilla. Another good idea is to visit Toledo, the ancient capital of Spain.
Thank you so much. This all makes sense. I did more planning.
I will start booking stays and transportation this week! Leaving March 6th :)
Land in Madrid and go straight to Seville (3 nights)
Day trip to Cordoba
Sightseeing - still researching
Seville to Granada (2 nights)
The Alhambra
Royal Chapel
Cathedral
Granada to Madrid (5 nights)
Segovia - day trip
Toledo- day trip
Bullfight
Padro Museum
La reina Sofia
You do not have enough time for Sevilla especially if you want to day trip to Cordoba from there.
You might add a day from Madrid to Sevilla, or you can easily stop in Cordoba en route.
Ok I will move 1 day from Madrid to Sevilla :).
As much as I think Cordoba deserves at least one night, the suggestion to stop on the way back to Madrid makes a lot of sense. You will eliminate that backtracking and save some time. I believe the Cordoba train station has luggage lockers. If not, take a look at Bounce or similar.
We used Bounce in Ireland to store our luggage for the day after we landed early morning and went sightseeing prior to checking in to our Airbnb. Worked out well. On a prior trip to Munich the plan to use the luggage lockers at the train station didn't work out as either the lockers were broken or all in use.
STAY in Spain there is much to see, do Paris on another trip.
Consider staying in Madrid and then Seville. Between the two visit Cordoba.
While in Madrid, do day trips to Toledo (A MUST) and Segovia.
If you are flying both in and out of Madrid, I would go to Sevilla at the beginning and end in Madrid. It will eliminate a hotel switch and you would want to be in Madrid the night before flying home.
Hi there, you're getting some excellent advice, I see you've adjusted the itinerary to just Madrid and Andalusia. I've travelled by bike from Cordoba to Granada, to Malaga and back to Seville. Personally, I found the tiny walkways in Cordoba to be enchanting, as well as the utterly unique Mezquita, which I still recall FORTY years later. Note you will need advanced reservations for the Mezquita and the Alhambra in Granada, I would try to get those as soon as you know your flight details. (No info on how far out to book, others will know.)
CWSocial was there recently, here's her excellent trip report - https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/november-getaway-in-andalusia.
