last minute plan to go to Spain. Usually we travel in September to avoid the tourist, get better price and weather is still good so don't have to pack warm cloths to add to the weight. Need as many feed back to make it worth. if we start in Barcelona. Can we take side day trips to visit other areas? I know there r few. how many days we need? From there we will be going south. I know the places but I want expert to advise. is it worth stopping for 2 days in Valencia on the way south. Once touring Andalucia can we visit national park (is it worth). We want to take a ferry to go to Morroco. if it is too much for the itinerary can skip it. there some beautiful villages can we visit one of them or we should make another trip to see the national parks and all villages? Suggest the best way to travel from Barcelona down. is it worth renting a car drive down thru valencia to Grenada? Most imp. is the automatic easily available to rent and how expensive? appreciate reasonable and decent places to stay. we r willing to try Air bnb or home stay which ever is better in Spain. From Seville thinking of going to Madrid to take flight back and stay 2 days but if I rather see places in south I can skip Madrid. I was there for a week 10 yrs back. if I can skip it then which place to take the flight back to Newyork? Pl. suggest where should I travel by bus and where by train? I know I have asked too much but may be it is cumbersome, hopefully I made some points so u can understand what exactly I want and how many days in each area. thanks for being patient.
Posted by
Port St Joe Florida
513 posts
Whenever I travel in Spain, especially in the southern areas, I prefer to go in October - the crowds are way, way down and the weather is simply awesome! I always travel around Spain by train. (The one exception is between San Sebastian and Bilbao where I take the bus.)
Valencia is well worth 2 days of your trip, as you could easily spend one of them at the various venues of the City of Arts and Sciences. I personally would drop the trip to Africa as there is more than enough to occupy you for several weeks in Andalucia alone - Granada, Seville, Cordoba, Malaga, Cadiz, Jerez, Ronda (or other White Hill towns). etc.
Posted by
Laval, Québec, Canada
336 posts
We were in Barcelona for a week in october last year(6th-13th), weather was perfect. 70-75 farenheit
We stayed a week there. 5 full days in Barcelona, one side trip to Montserrat Monastery and rent a car for one day to do northern part of costa brava.
If you never seen Roman ruins, Tarragona is an hour south of Barcelona. If you visited Italy, I wouldn't stop and concentrate elsewhere
How many days really depends on how many total you have, what you like, etc. I'd say if you're a average traveller in pace, 4 full days in Barcelona and you'll do the majority of major sites: Gaudi palaces, Sagrada familia, Old neighborhoods, La rambla, etc, etc, etc
If you like monasteries, Montserrat is worth the day trip(easy metro/train ride all include ticket). The site is spectacular
I didn't do Valencia yet.
We did a lot of Andalucia in 2014 and also some of the surrondings of Madrid that are absolutly worth doing: Toledo(a favorite, went 2 times) Segovia with the roman aqueduc, El escurial Palace.
In Andalucia we drove thru the Sierra de Cazorla park. Gorgeous. Go on top of Segura de la sierra old castle for fantastic views, Stop in Hornos for a spectacular view of the Guadalquivir. Cazorla is pretty(nice castle on top) Baeza and Ubeda are Unesco cities worth seeing.
As far as villages, do the classic White villages road. So from Ronda(a must) to Grazamela, Zahara de la sierra to Arcos de la frontera. Many more but these are the favourites.
Didn't go to Morroco. If you have a month, you can go, but if it's 2-3 weeks, I wouldn't. So much to see in Spain.
Sevilla is worth 3 days(one of my favorite city)
Granada, is worth 2 days(book the Alhambra ahead)
Cordoba one day(you can do it from sevilla by train. (Easy)
You need more? :-)
Jerez de la Frontera if you like horses
Cadix in the southern part of Andalucia
Etc etc.
So, some food for thoughts.
Claude