I'm going to Spain in May (flying into/out of Madrid), and am wondering which cities to focus on for my 8-night trip and recommendations on how to best get there (bus, train, flight). Do I need to make train reservations in advance? I'm considering 2-3 nights each in Madrid, Seville, and Barcelona. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Posted by
Penn Valley, Ca, USA
14 posts
Definately fly...Spainair(sp)has lots of flights.Getting to and from the airports is pretty easy on public trans. I haven't been to Sevilla, just Madrid and Barcelona. Loved Barcelona! Going back tomorrow for 4 days. I have a friend who did her Jr year in Granada and loves that area. You'll have a great time in Spain.
Posted by
Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
324 posts
Personally, I prefer Andalusia, Seville, Cordoba, Granada, Cádiz... I find the people friendlier, life is less stressful and slower paced. That said, Spain in general is an open, friendly country, and you really can't go wrong wherever you chose.
Posted by
Anaheim, CA, USA
1455 posts
Ditto with both posts. You can't go wrong with your choices. One thing I did regret is not getting to spend a night at a paradores. My friend did and loved it!
Barcelona for 3 dayas is perfect. The hop on/hop off bus would be your best bet if you want easy access to the attractions. The bus drops you off in front of, or nearby the attractions, and then you hop back on when you're done.
From Madrid you can also take a day trip to Segovia. That was so pretty and peaceful. If you like Roast Pig, you need to go there for one of the best!
Check out www.maribelsguides.com. She has some excellent tips and could help you more.
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
Frankly, Spain is such a wonderful place that, with only eight nights, you're going to have to pick one region, then plan to go back! I agree with adynata that the Andalucian region is a great place to get a sampling of what Spain is all about. With a week, I would do the southern triangle....Madrid, Sevilla, Granada. In Madrid you have tonnes of activities, including three wonderful museums, plus two good day trips...to Segovia (as mentioned) and to Toledo. Cordoba is on the way, so a day there is great, before hitting Sevilla for a couple of days. Then across to Granada to see the most popular tourist site in Spain, the Alhambra. Fast AVE trains to Segovia, Toledo, Cordoba, and Sevilla. Bus or train Sevilla-Granada-Madrid.
Posted by
OP
Burlington, VT, USA
16 posts
Looking at raileurope.com, it doesn't seem like it's very easy to get to Granada via rail. Are buses the best way?
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
Depends where you're coming from when you're heading to Granada. You can check rail schedules and prices at www.renfe.es, the Spanish rail network. Look for "seleccione su idioma" in the lower left to choose English. You can purchase tickets in advance there, a good idea if you plan to grab a train as soon as you hit the ground in Spain. There are four trains/day Sevilla-Granada, taking about 3 hours and costing about 22 Euro. Madrid-Granada, 2/day at 62 Euro. Personally, I use the bus; modern coaches, more trips to choose from, far cheaper, and the travel time is only a few minutes longer. Madrid-Granada, 17/day at 18 Euro, Sevilla-Granada, 9/day at 20 Euro. Check www.movelia.es for schedules and tickets, including purchases. Remember that, in Spain, intercity coaches have reserved seats, printed on your tickets.