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Planning our route from and back to Barcelona May 9-23

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We are three generations traveling together - my 20 year old son and I are proficient in Spanish but have never been to Spain. My father has been to Spain - specifically Barcelona - several years ago with my mother, who used to be our family travel planner. She recently passed away (is sorely missed but would be so happy to know we're going to do this tripand we are trying to learn the ropes. We fly into Barcelona the 9th of May and fly home from Barcelona the 23rd. My son loves to play and watch soccer, I love flamenco music and dancing (I know that this is not the correct region for this) and we all love food, wine, meeting people, nature & hiking, as well as the amazing architecture and art. I know there is so much to see and do in Barcelona. I'm guessing we'll want between 4 and 6 days there. What are your thoughts on then spending the time to get to another city or cities vs. staying in Catalunya, renting a car and taking it easy along Costa Brava, etc... maybe even heading to Adorra and Pyrenees? If taking it easy by car in Catalunya, what would be a good route for the time we'll be there? And if it's recommended to get to another major city, for example, which one is recommended? Valencia? Madrid? Sevilla? And what route would be suggested? My father has been to Alhambra, and says it's quite stunning. But anything my son and I see will be new and exciting. I guess we're having to choose between a faster pace and covering more ground, or a more relaxed pace and really beginning to get to know one region.

The Costa Brava looks so delightful and quaint. And distances are short. Would we need to book every night along the coast and in the little towns/villages or could we play it by ear as we go for that portion, given that it's not high tourist season?

We are grateful for any tips or thoughts you might have. And we're SO excited to begin exploring this beautiful country, meeting the beautiful people and learning their culture.

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This is always the million-dollar question. A lot comes down to personality. Some people travel like they’re ticking boxes off a bucket list, seen it, done it, next. Others want to go a bit deeper, soak up the vibe, wander the streets, hang where locals actually hang. For some it’s basically a theme park, jumping from one attraction to the next. For others, it’s more of a slow discovery.

Then there’s the whole crossing-the-Atlantic thing. You’ve got limited days, and you want to squeeze everything in. Fair enough, you’re not popping over every other weekend. But try to cram too much, and you end up living that "If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium" life, which is a great satire for a reason. Let’s be honest, in the US it was sold as a light rom-com, but over here in Europe it’s always felt more like a dig at that obsession with rushing through countries just to say you’ve “done” them.

So, my two cents: go for a more relaxed trip. See plenty of different, great stuff each day, but don’t turn it into a marathon. And don’t waste time bouncing between hotels unless there’s a really good reason.

If you are in for this last suggestion and, given you're in Barcelona, you prefer to stick to Catalonia during your holidays, here some sites/info that you might find useful in planning your trip. Note that Catalonia is roughly the size of Maryland, so, from its capital city, Barcelona, you can reach pretty much any corner without needing to stay overnight, although in many cases it’s still worth it.

PS: Just a small note. You might not get to practice your Spanish as much as you expect. Here in Catalonia, the local language is Catalan, even though Spanish is also official. Outside the Barcelona metropolitan area, which is more mixed due to a higher concentration of Spanish-speaking migration, everyday life tends to happen mainly in Catalan, so that’s what you’ll mostly hear. Hey, but even we Catalan-speakers, we do know how to speak Spanish and English (and many also French) since they're studied at the school ;)

Enjoy!

#catalonia #routes #driving #costabrava #heritage

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