We will be traveling to Barcelona in late October for and traveling for a total of 7 days.
We are looking for an itinerary that will allow us to visit different areas of Spain, maybe even spending a night or two outside of Barcelona finally ending back at Barcelona. Hopefully by rail.
All ideas are welcome.
Thank you
Jeff
Zaragoza, the capital of Aragon, is less than two hours away by train; Girona is less than one hour away; Sitges is less than one hour away.
I check them out and they look great. How long would you stay at each location?
To me, Sitges is more of a day-trip destination unless you want to relax on the beach. Not sure what that would be like in October, and with such a short trip, beach time wouldn't be a priority for me. (Actually, beach time doesn't interest me in Europe at all, since it's something available in the US. YMMV.)
With just a week to work with, I would stay overnight in Zaragoza and two nights in Girona. That leaves you with four for Barcelona.
As acraven says, Sitges can be seen on a daytrip from Barcelona if you need to escape the heat in Barcelona.
Thank you all for the great suggestions
Thought of one more question. Any suggestions for lodging in Zaragoza and Girona?
Jeff
Here are some posts with a few hotel names in Zargosa from people who went there. The first hand advice might be good too (I looked because it sounds interesting and I am alway out to find new places to visit):
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/spain-reviews/zaragoza-and-valencia
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/spain/hotel-recommendations-in-zaragoza-and-madrid
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/spain/barcelona-to-pyrenees-in-spain-and-france
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/spain/3-nights-near-madrid
In 2022 we stayed at what is now B&B HOTEL Zaragoza Centro. It used to be an Ibis Styles hotel that is a budget friendly, minimal frills chain. It’s in a great location and we enjoyed it. I have no idea what it’s like now or how far it is from the train station. We had a rental car.
The Zaragoza train station is a significant walk from the historic center. As of 2016, the area was a food desert, so I wouldn't stay out there. There's a business-class Eurostars hotel right in the same building as the train station (Zaragoza Delicias), but it's just not a good location for a tourist.
I think you'll be OK in October, but Zaragiza can be surprisingly hot. To be safe, make sure your lodgings are air conditiobed; I assume that's standard in Zatagoza, but check reviews about the quality of the a/c. Wikipedia gives a record high temperature of 93F for October.
We're doing a slightly longer trip in October and will spend an overnight in Sitges at the end, before flying out. That way we can see something new rather than returning to Barcelona at the end. We're also spending time in Girona, with a daytrip to Besalu.
This is great so many places, and things to look up.
I found this festival happening in Girona during end of October.
https://www.amexessentials.com/tips-girona-fires-de-sant-narcis/
Thank you for all the suggestions
Jeff
