Spain Itinerary - 2 weeks RT from Barcelona

What you're missing is that you can't do it. Minimum FULL days for each: Barcelona and Madrid - - three Sevilla - - two The Rest - - one each That's thirteen. Most are a half day apart (door-to-door), that's four more. Seventeen days is more than two weeks. The Costa Brava and Balearics aren't included in the above.

As Ed said, that's probably too ambitious of an itinerary for your time there, and you'll be spending a lot of time on the road or train just trying to get to the next place. If you're going in summer months, you'll need to account for crowds too. For the parts I can speak to (I've not been to N. Spain), I'd recommend: Get the RS Spain guide book for recommendations on restaurants and accommodations (all that I used were spot on). AVE Train between Barcelona/Madrid, and Madrid/Sevilla/Cordoba. Barcelona: The Miro museum in Barcelona is worth the hike up the hill for the view (take the funicular). The Articket museum pass is well worth the price just for the easy access to the sites covered by it. La Boquiera market is heaven on earth, but with food. Make sure to go to Sagrada Familia, the most unique architecture in the city. If you really like medieval, you might consider Toledo instead of some of your northern Spain sites - the whole town is a UNESCO site because of its perfectly preserved medieval structure. The cathedral is a wow in itself.

Thanks for the swift replies. This was the advise I needed. It does appear that my initial wish-list itinerary was too ambitious. Once I arrive in Barcelona, drop off my son, and spend three days there, I will only have nine full days before I have to return to Barcelona to pick him up. Then four full days to spend in a beach location before we fly back to the US from Barcelona. Therefore, it looks as though I need to choose either a northern or southern Spain itinerary for those nine days, plus a four full-day beach itinerary (to the Brava Coast or Balearic Islands) for the five-day period from when we pick up our son in Barcelona until we fly out from Barcelona and return to the US. Does that make sense?

Larry Yes, it does make sense. You are a quick study! Bobbie

I'm really confused about your timing. In your initial post, you say you want to spend 2-3 days in Barcelona before dropping off your son, then two weeks to tour, then four days at a beach. Later you say you will drop off your son THEN spend 2-3 days in Barcelona, then have nine days to tour, then four days at a beach. On your beach post, you say it's a 19 day trip. Exactly how many days do you have on the ground, not counting your arrival day or your departure day? And what month is your trip?

Our Spain itinerary has evolved since my post as a result of the very helpful comments I received. This is my revised itinerary. 6/30 7:30AM Arrive in Barcelona from JFK 7/1 Barcelona - drop son at camp 7/2 Barcelona 7/3 Barcelona - train to Madrid in PM 7/4 Madrid 7/5 Madrid - day trip to Toledo 7/6 Madrid - day trim to Segovia 7/7 Madrid - train to Cordoba. 7/8 Cordoba - train to Sevilla in PM 7/9 Sevilla 7/10 Sevilla - day trip to White Hill towns 7/11 Sevilla - train to Granada in PM 7/12 Granada - Alhambra 7/13 Granada - fly to Barcelona in AM to pick up son, rent car and go to a beach in Costa Brava; Possibly Llafranc, Tamariu, Pals 7/14 same beach 7/15 same beach - day trip to Figueres (Dali Museum) 7/16 same beach, then drive to Sitges 7/17 Sitges
7/18 Sitges then at 7:00AM drive to Barcelona airport for a 10:00AM flight to JFK I think this itinerary is much more realistic. Though still have to figure out which beach is best. Comments? Suggestions?

An excellent guide source and information in general is the Moon Guide To Spain Amazon...well worth the few dollars to purchse. Some personall recommendations: In Sevilla http://www.patiosantacruz.com/es.html - excellent location, and appears to be well run I did not stay there on my last trip but found it and will stay there next time. Madrid Hostal Montecarlo Hostel Phillipe V
Both in the same building on Gran Via in the center of the city. Next to a subway station. Easy walk to The Prado, The Park Retiro, in one direction and to the Palace, Plaza Mayor, Puerda de Sol in the other. At the palace I highly recommend the armory, a separate building from the palace in the court yard there. From Madrid, a day trip to Toledo. Leave from the Atocha Train Station, 28 minutes and you are there. Take the public bus (on the street outside the tran station courtyard) to the Plaza Zodocover - the driver will tell you when you are there. Go to the tourist office just off (well marked) get a map. The Cathederal is well worth the 10 minute walk. Get the tourist handheld guide in English. The Museum de Santa Cruz is excellent, just off the Zodocover square through the keystone arch. If youy spend the night there, Hostal de Manolo is the place!

'at 7:00AM drive to Barcelona airport for a 10:00AM flight' That won't work. The car drop-off place is across from T2B at El Prat. It's going to take you at least an hour to get there from Sitges due to the congestion when you turn off the freeway toward the airport (and the signage sucks). T2A and T2C are a good hike from there. Even if you're using T2B, it's going to take you close to a half hour to get the junk out of your car and get to the check-in desk. If you want to be in the terminal three hours prior to an internation flight, you'd better fire that car up around five.