Flying to Barcelona in mid-July. We rented an apartment in city for one week. We are 4 people and plan on renting a car afterwards to spend a week driving possibly to Granada and then return to Madrid or Barcelona to return car and fly back to USA. One issue right now is: should we book round trip to barcelona or make our way to Madrid AP to fly home. How can we make the most of our week?
On the other hand, should we fly to Granada and rent a car there?
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
There's not much to see on the Barcelona to Granada drive, no matter what your imagination tries to tell you.
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
I can't tell you what to do, but I know what I would do, I would spend a week driving along the beautiful Costa Brava coast and visit all the little towns along the way.. its a nice change from the big city Barcelona half of your trip.
Posted by
OP
merrick, ny
3 posts
Thanks, we are going to fly to Granada. Any suggestions on the trip from Granada to Madrid? I've been reading that it would be good to rent a car in Granada and return it before we get to Madrid. . . Toledo (?) Could driving in Madrid be worse than driving in NYC?
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
The Costa Brava is north of Barcelona. Granada's the other way.
Posted by
OP
merrick, ny
3 posts
Change in plans already! I think Granada is going to be too hot in July. So probably driving a little north and across is a good idea. New plan: rent a car in Barcelona on Sunday, drive towards San Sebastian (with stops), and then Madrid. Maybe drop off the car before we stay in Madrid hotel (preferably with a pool) and fly back home (the following) Sunday. Would we be able to drive along coast or is that out of way? Any suggestions?
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
You've opened a new jar of pickles. Now Pat's idea has a lot of merit. The French border is four hours away if you hug the coast. There's a lot to see. If you go south it's nothing but a mess. If you go up the Costa Brava, there's no roads to get to San Sebastian without doubling back to a little past Barcleona - - that would only take a couple hours on the freeway. The route to San Sebastian would then be via Zaragoza and Pamplona, both of which are good. An alternative would be to press on into France and make the westward swing though Narbonne, Carcassone, Toulouse, and Bayonne, before reentering Spain at Irun. From Barcelona to San Sebastian it's about five hours in the haul-butt mode. It's about four more from San Sebastian to Madrid, with Burgos (also worthwhile) at the midpoint. My drutheres would be to do what Pat said, then head toward Madrid through Zaragoza. Save the Basque Provinces for when you have a few weeks to run the whole north coast out to Coruna. When you've seen the whole stretch, you'll wonder why you even bothered with San Sebastian.