Planning a 17 day whirlwind of Spain. Need to be in Granada on day 1 & 2, Montserrat on day 5. Want to then visit the Basque Region and Madrid. Flying from Madrid to Granada, also flying from Granada to Barcelona. Specific questions: 1. Doing Granada and Alhambra days 1 & 2. What to do days 3 & 4 while in the Granada area? Worth trying to go to Gibraltar? 2. Planning 2 nights (day 5) in Montserrat. Worth it? Need suggestions for the rest of the trip. Fly to San Sebastian? Drive? Number of days in various places? Thanks in advance!
Posted by
Citizen of the World
2581 posts
Have you looked at a couple guidebooks? Which ones?
Posted by
8749 posts
We have been to Spain several times, it is a large country and in a month you couldn't see every key city.
Have never flown with Spain. You waste time waiting for your fight, etc., also, bargain fares frequently have high fees for luggage, etc.
You can likely do Granada and Alhambra in three days. Be sure to spend at least 3 full days in Seville. Also, don't miss Toledo and Segovia on day trips from Madrid.
Love the Basque Region, San Sebastian and Bilbao, need 3 days minimum in that area.
Map out your plan and try to minimize travel. There are some great high speed trains within Spain. I say skip Gibraltar with all you plan to cover.
Granada 3 days
Seville 3 days
Cordoba 1 day
Madrid 2 days and 2 more days day trips to Toledo and Segovia.
Barcelona 4 days
This only gives you 2 more days, consider saving the Basque Region for another trip when you can then also, visit the Bordeaux region of France, just across the border.
Posted by
Cleveland
436 posts
Wow! Sounds like fun! I'd start planning by looking at rick's recommendation (and searching this forum for similar questions.) How many days you spend at place is has a lot to do with your interests and traveling style (and pace.)
I have flown within Spain and found it pretty painless. But the high speed trains are very fast and quite enjoyable. And even where trains don't go, the buses are modern. And of course, there is nothing wrong with renting a car but that would be my last choice -- though getting to hill towns (vs. busing) or touring Galicia it's a good option . (For repositioning to Basque Country, I wouldn't get a car myself. )
Now here are a couple of my personal takes: Seville and Barcelona-- these are two places where I could find more see with extra days. Gibraltar while nice was less captivating to me.
Happy travels!
https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/spain/itinerary
By Rick Steves
So much to see, so little time. How to choose? To help you get started, I've listed my top picks for where to go in Spain, and outlined my plan for your best three-week trip.
Depending on the length of your trip, and taking geographic proximity into account, here are my recommended priorities:
3 days: Madrid and Toledo
6 days, add: Barcelona
10 days, add: Sevilla, Granada
13 days, add: Nerja, Ronda, Tangier (Morocco)
15 days, add: Salamanca, Segovia
17 days, add: Santiago de Compostela
21 days, add: Basque Region (San Sebastián and Bilbao)
25 days, add: Camino de Santiago (by car)
Posted by
8749 posts
Definitely skip going to Tangier
Posted by
East Coast USA
96 posts
Well, I do not really think of 17 days as a whirlwind, but I think the challenge with your trip is that the locations are a bit disjointed in terms of days and geography.
Yes, I have flown, traveled by train, rented a car, cruised, and even hitchhiked around the country to various places.
The issue is what do YOU like to do, what do YOU want to see, and how much energy and money do YOU have to dedicate to creating an interesting and worthwhile trip.
Are you a lover of history, religious sites, hiking, beaches, castles, shopping, dancing, soccer, dining, etc., etc. Spain has everything,--you really need to create an itinerary based on your personal interests.
Gibraltar is interesting for a short visit, although I do not really think of it as a memorable "Spanish" experience since it has belonged to Great Britain for a few centuries.
While in the South I would certainly recommend visits to Sevilla and Córdoba, but I do not know if your time limits would allow that.
Montserrat is such a short distance from Barcelona that you should surely try to visit some of the famous sites of the city created by Gaudí. There are some popular beaches in the area as well.
Since you are really only up to day six or seven, you actually have ten more days to design the rest of your trip, which is a nice number of days. You could divide some of that time up in the Basque area, and then back in Madrid, visit some of the nearby towns of Segovia, Toledo, etc. You could even squeeze in a quick visit to Mallorca if you want to do some more flying.
When we rent a car, it is mainly because we are going to some unique places off the beaten track, especially when we stay in the paradores. Otherwise, train travel in Spain is pretty good for most destinations.
You should review some videos and guidebooks to see what appeals to you.
Have fun planning!