We are a family of four taking a vacation to Spain for a week -- touring Andalucia for several days in February (Seville, Granada, Malaga) and also Barcelona (we depart from Barcelona to come back to the States and also want at least 3 days in Barcelona). I see from Rick Steves' itineraries that he does not recommend any places between Granada and Barcelona. I also see that we can easily fly from Granado to Barcelona for just 100 Euros (total for all 4 of us). Is it worth taking a day and a half to drive from Granada to Barcelona, stopping along the way (and perhaps in Valencia, the 1/2 way point, overnight), or should we take the extra time in Barcelona and simply fly from Granada to Barcelona? There's far too much info out there on the internet and in the tour books, and I'm hoping folks out there have some good reasons why we might want to do one or the other. Thanks!
Posted by
Portland
3620 posts
Use the time for Barcelona. Three days is hardly enough time to do it justice. You need a day, or perhaps 2 half-days, just to do the Gaudi sites. Then there are the works of the other Modernistas. Be sure to take the tour of the Palau de la Musica. There are some important art museums, a city history museum, and a cathedral to visit. The hop-on/hop-off bus tours are a great way to start. You'll want to amble along Las Ramblas, people watching, and make a stop at La Bouqueria. There are also some nice shops featuring hand-made crafts of high quality, especially in the Barri Gotic. My AAA map shows over 10 hours to drive from Granada to Barcelona, an awful waste of your very limited time.
Posted by
OP
Simsbury, CT, USA
6 posts
Thanks so much for your advice. So now I'm wrapping up the Andalucia portion, trying to figure out whether to fly from Granada or Malaga. Have you by any chance visited Cordoba, and is it worth it, if we've already visited on the same trip: Sevilla, Granada, Ronda, and an overnight in old-town Marbella (want to catch a sight of the beautiful Costa del Sol coast line -- not looking to visit a resort or have a beach vacation!). Best regards.
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
IF you have the chance, stop in Cordoba....fabulous old city with lots of history. Frankly, if you zip thru Cordoba, Sevilla, and Granada to spend more time in Barcelona, you'll miss what Spain's all about. Barcelona's a great city to visit....but it's much more "modern" than what you'll see throughout Andalucia. BTW, have you booked your Alhambra tickets yet?