We will be in Spain for 20 days in October and are trying to decide several things.
1. Is Toledo a "must see"? (we would do it as a day trip from Madrid)
2. What is the best way to get from Granada to Barcelona? We're thinking of flying if we can get cheap airfare, but is it better to go by train?
3. We want to rent a car in Seville to drive through the pueblos blancos and then "return" the car in Granada -- can this be done?
Posted by
Chicago/Rural WI
811 posts
1) A tough one to answer for you, given I'm not sure what your "must see" criteria are. But my husband and I were happy we went (and even rode the cheesy tourist train that provides marvelous views of Toledo and surrounding environs), although we spent the night there and felt, upon retrospect, that that wasn't necessary. It's such an easy day trip you could always play it by ear and decide when you got there whether or not to do it...
2) I believe flying is the best way to get from Barcelona to Granada (no direct AVE service). We flew Vueling between the two and were happy as clams with that choice.
3) Yes. In fact, we picked up a car in Granada and dropped it in Seville. We used GoldCar Rentals, but other options are to check CarJet (a consolidator, I believe), AutoEurope (consolidator), and DoYouSpain (also a consolidator?), among others.
FYI, we used the airport pick-up/drop-off locations in both towns, as it was significantly easier for us to get to and from the airports via public transportation than it would have been to navigate the streets inside the towns with the car (trying to find the rental car agency).
Posted by
Chicago/Rural WI
811 posts
PS One quick note about Toledo: there is a cathedral there that is one of the most stunning cathedrals I've ever seen in Europe. I spent most of our visit there quickly trying to retrieve my jaw, as it had fallen on the floor.
Posted by
Chicago, Illinois, USA
586 posts
Angela...you're breaking my heart! The Cathedral in Toledo was closed when we were in town on New Year's Day...and I KNEW we were missing something grand! If it helps at all, Leslie, here's a link to my Report from Spain on a trip we took last year...some detailed itinerary info there, too, on the site:
http://moltogentileitalia.blogspot.com/2009/01/report-from-spain.html
And yes, to me, Toledo is a must, as the former capitol of Spain and such a wonderfully preserved Medieval town. As for travel from Granada to Barcelona, it depends, too, on where you plan to stop on the way. We took a lightning-fast AVE from Madrid to Sevilla and back...no problems. And Toledo is a 30-minute AVE ride from Madrid's Atocha Station. You also meet more locals on the trains than on planes. How much of a hurry are you in? To me, that's a key question.
Posted by
Chicago/Rural WI
811 posts
Sorry, Gio, looks like you'll have to go back! :)
Posted by
Bellevue, WA, USA
359 posts
In early April, we flew via Spanair from Granada to Barcelona. It made more sense than any other mode of transportation, however we were also on a tighter time schedule.
Posted by
Columbus, OH, USA
2086 posts
We spent 3 weeks driving through Spain and I would say that Toledo is about the mustest see must see in all Spain. We also really liked Seville, Segovia, and Salamanca, though the list could go on. Have a great time.
Posted by
Salt Lake City, UT, USA
3 posts
Leslie-
Sounds like you're doing almost exactly the same trip I did this summer!
1. Toledo is a must see! Most amazing cathedral I've ever seen. Definately worth a day trip from Madrid...as is Segovia.
2. We flew from Granada to Barcelona on Spanair relatively cheaply. Trains take too long (about 8 hours) and cost a lot. Fly.
3. We took a high speed train from Madrid to Sevilla and picked up a car at the train station...and then dropped it off at the Granada airport 4 days later after seeing the pueblos blancos (don't miss Ronda btw). There are taxis that will then take you into Granada (about 25-30 euros). A car was very nice to have so we could see all the pueblos blancos on our own time. They were amazing.
Good luck and enjoy Spain!!