downtown

Hi all
And thank you in advance for your help. I have always consulted here on Fodor,s in the respective forums for some European trips and have always received great tips from all of the helpful and welcoming people.
These forums I have found are supported by the most well travelled individuals. This is what makes this a wonderful community, and I and very thankful for it. Now to my questions and trip.

My wife and I both 64 years old and in decent shape would like to experience a little bit of Spain. I have been when I was just out of college and she has never been..
We would be flying direct Newark to Madrid and would like to potentially fly back out of Madrid to save the multi city flight cost but are open to flying out of Barcelona if needed.
I am thinking 3 nights Madrid,3 nights Seville,3 nights Granada and 3 Nights Barcelona early May 2023
These are subject to suggestions and rearranging by forum helpers

We are comfortable driving and taking trains for day trips and understand that parking either overnight or in certain places can be challenging and would like to avoid this when possible. We don,t mind spending 4-6 hours a day on our feet but want to make the trip enjoyable but not exhausting.
Of course we would like to see the highlights and important places of interest wherever we go.
Cathedral's ,museums and churches are all a part of the European experience but we need to see everyone ,just the important ones not to be missed.
Off the beaten path but not isolated experiences are a plus along with maybe aa bullfight somewhere. We would like to avoid tourist restaurants and traps.

We are open to suggestions and rearranging these in and out cities and the stops in between and are excited to begin this planning journey. Thank you for your help.

Don

KarenWoo

Regarding multi-city tickets, it depends on how much extra they cost. You would then have to compare the cost of these tickets to the cost of taking a train back to Madrid and the time involved if you fly in and out of Madrid. You lose precious sightseeing time. Unless the cost is prohibitive, I would fly multi-city into Madrid and out of Barcelona.

Another question to ask yourself is do you think you will return to Spain. If so, I think a more enjoyable trip would be to concentrate on Madrid and Andalucia with your 12 nights. And save Barcelona and surrounding areas for another trip. Otherwise, including Barcelona is a rushed trip.

Regarding transportation in Spain, you are better off taking trains and/or the ALSA buses. You don't want a car in any of these cities. Driving and parking in the cities will be very stressful. There are many pedestrian areas, narrow lanes, etc. The train and bus system within Spain is fantastic.

I notice you don't have Cordoba on your itinerary. I understand you don't need to see every church, cathedral, etc. but the Mezquita is a very important historical site. It's a mosque with a cathedral built in the middle. So beautiful! And Cordoba has other interesting sites, too, such as the Alcazar and its lovely gardens, the Roman Bridge, and Palacio de Viana with its 12 patios. This is an off the beaten track site, at least it was when I was there in 2017. Not crowded at all. Exploring the Juderia is fun with its narrow lanes, white-washed walls, patios and flower pots. Since you are in Andalucia already, it doesn't make sense to skip Cordoba.

So, excluding Barcelona and including Cordoba, a possible itinerary could be:

Madrid - 4 nights - could include a daytrip to Toledo if you are interested. I prefer staying overnight in Toledo but I don't think you have the time. Keep in mind that you will be getting over jetlag the day you arrive in Madrid so you probably won't do a lot of sightseeing on arrival day.
Cordoba - 2 nights
Granada - 2 nights - purchase your Alhambra tickets well in advance
Seville - 4 nights - Seville is a beautiful city with so many important sites. You really need a minimum of 4 nights to do it justice. A hidden gem is the Casa di Pilato.

If the cost is not prohibitive, with the above itinerary, you could fly into Madrid and fly home from Seville.

Here is the link to my trip report from 2017 in case you are interested.
OUR 2-WEEK SPANISH JOURNEY: MADRID, TOLEDO, AND ANDALUCIA!

bilboburgler

great advice above and more or less as I would have proposed

Maribel

What KarenWoo suggests...

downtown

Karen,Bilbo and Maribel..Thank you

Karen I appreciate your time and expert advice here and will definitely take details of your itinerary under consideration. As far us getting back to Spain? that is questionable at the moment. Having been many years ago my wife has not so this will be her taste of Spain. Given this I think Barcelona even though we might be a bit rushed is a must or maybe slightly extended this trip by a day or 2 ?. Let me know your guys thoughts if you can.Thanks
Don

Madam397

If you can extend your trip by a day or two, it would be worthwhile to do so. There is so much to see and do in Barcelona in particular as well as in Madrid especially if you want to include a daytrip to Toledo heading south from Madrid or an excursion to visit El Escorial and Segovia heading north from Madrid.

KarenWoo

If Barcelona is a must, I strongly recommend that you extend your trip by at least 2 or 3 nights. Barcelona is a big city with many, many interesting sites, and interesting neighborhoods to explore. And, unless the cost is prohibitive, I would fly into Madrid and out of Barcelona. Otherwise, you are wasting precious sightseeing time by backtracking to Madrid. And maybe instead of staying overnight in Cordoba, you could visit Cordoba as a daytrip from Seville. I prefer overnighting in Cordoba, but my philosophy is that seeing Cordoba as a daytrip from Seville is better than not seeing it at all.

Are you interested in seeing Toledo? Do you love art museums? I like Madrid a lot but I think its highlights are its outstanding art museums. If you don't plan on spending a lot of time in art museums, you could visit Toledo as a daytrip from Madrid (with 4 nights), or spend 3 nights in Madrid, not 4 like I originally suggested.

So, if you have 14 nights on the ground, a possible itinerary could be: (and this is based on flying into Madrid and flying home from Barcelona)
Madrid - 3 or 4 nights (possible daytrip to Toledo)
Seville - 4 nights with a daytrip to Cordoba
Granada - 2 nights
Barcelona - 4 nights

You could take the trains to all of your destinations. Except I recommend flying from Granada to Barcelona.

Maribel

Please try to extend your time. by 2 nights minimum if you wish to include Barcelona and do it justice. KarenWoo's itinerary makes very much sense to me.
I also recommend flying from Granada to Barcelona. Why?

There is only one direct AVE (high speed rail) train from Granada to Barcelona per day that does not require a train change in Madrid. It departs at 15:30 and doesn't reach Barcelona Sants until 21:49, a ride of 6 hours, 19 minutes.
This train goes around Madrid without stopping, as does one train per day from Sevilla to Barcelona.
The other trains require a change and take from 7 hrs. 45 min. to over 9 hours.

Maribel

Correction: there are two Renfe AVE high speed trains per day from Sevilla Santa Justa (and Córdoba) to Barcelona Sants that don't require a train change in Madrid but instead go around the city via a bypass to the south. One departs at 8:37 and the afternoon train departs at 16:29.
There's one per day from Granada.

michaelpianko

I didn't make time for Barcelona. I flew into and out of Madrid. Because I wrongly believed that I should only buy tickets from a USA based airline and in order to arrive or leave from Seville on a flight bought from American Airlines, coming from or returning to the USA, you have to change planes in Madrid I decided that i wouldn't save time with the extra flight from Madrid to Seville versus a train to Seville. I could have taken TAP Portugal. It would have been 3 flights, Detroit to Boston, Boston to Lisbon, Lisbon to Seville.

I spent 4 nights in Seville, then 2 in Granada, then 2 in Córdoba, then 5 in Madrid, day trip to Toledo. If I go to Spain again I suppose I would include Barcelona. i could have occupied myself with an extra day in Madrid. Writing an approximate day-by-day itinerary listing one to 2 or more sites or activities you wish to do each day, and when you will leave and acrrive in each city, will help you figure out how many nights to reserve in each city.

downtown

Hi all ,after some consideration based on all of your great suggestions ,we have decided to spend 2 weeks in Spain this May. We are looking at flying Newark NJ to Madrid 5/16 returning Barcelona 5/23.In general we are looking for suggestions based on this time frame and centered around 4 nights Madrid,4 nights Seville and 4 nights Barcelona. We are open to suggestions based on this revised time frame .Thank you.

As a refresher from my original post:
"We are comfortable driving and taking trains for day trips and understand that parking either overnight or in certain places can be challenging and would like to avoid this when possible. We don't mind spending 4-6 hours a day on our feet but want to make the trip enjoyable but not exhausting.
Of course we would like to see the highlights and important places of interest wherever we go.
Cathedral's ,museums and churches are all a part of the European experience but we need to see everyone ,just the important ones not to be missed.
Off the beaten path but not isolated experiences are a plus along with maybe aa bullfight somewhere. We would like to avoid tourist restaurants and traps"

Don

Madam397

Good plan as Barcelona is so interesting and different from the other locations. Plus Spain is a very large country and it does take time to get from place to place whether driving or taking the train. In Barcelona, in addition to all of the Gaudi sites and the Cathedral, you have the Picasson Museum and the Miro Museum for starters. You could also do a day trip south to see Montserrat or north to one of the towns on the Costa Brava. It is worthwhile to do a day trip to Toledo from Madrid as well as north to the Escorial and Segovia.

Even with all of this, there are still other areas of Span worth exploring on a different trip - Salamanca, Avila, Merida, Bilbao, San Sebastian and more.

KarenWoo

Hi Don,
I assume you mean you are flying back home on May 30, not May 23. You have 13 nights on the ground, right? Right now you have 12 nights accounted for.

I notice you don't have Granada in your itinerary. Personally, I can't imagine going to Andalucia and not seeing the Alhambra, which for me is one of the most beautiful places I have seen. And you don't have Cordoba and the Mezquita in your itinerary. Are you planning on visiting Cordoba as a daytrip from Seville? While I think you will get more out of your visit to Cordoba by spending a night or two, you certainly can visit Cordoba as a daytrip from Seville especially since you don't have a lot of time. Seeing Cordoba as a daytrip is better than not seeing it at all.

So, a revised itinerary (based on 13 nights on the ground) could be:
Madrid - 4 nights
Seville - 4 nights with a daytrip to Cordoba
Granada - 1 or 2 nights (2 nights is better)
Barcelona - 4 nights

Can you add at least one extra night to your trip so that you can spend 2 nights in Granada? I do think trying to visit the Alhambra with only a one-night stay is tricky. Timing has to be on your side. Such as train schedules from Seville to Granada, and then flight schedules to Barcelona.

I hope this helps.

bilboburgler

Great advice above. The whole north coast of Spain is very different from the cities you are concidering and, much as I love them, I think you have done right to leave them alone, too much travel. I love Seville and Cordoba (plus Malaga) and I feel they have a lot to enjoy. Madrid is a big city and the museums are the big pull here. Barcelona and Granada are very different again.

A few things I would take on board. Spanish days are long. I find eating my main meal during the day, a siesta and then a late evening snack works for me, but, during the hustle and bustle of the busy tourist day you may struggle to get that all organised. But it is worth it. Tapas and all the varients on this theme are worth it and if in doubt, throw yourself on the mercy of the barman. Ask your hotel concierge where to snack etc.

Public transport is pretty safe (pickpockets are a potential issue in many cities but hey, don't take stuff with you you are going to miss), and Barcelona is much expanded if you use the bus system.

With all due deference to all the other writers on this, if Maribel says something is good, it will be good.

downtown

Sorry Karen yes..In general in the month of May we will be spending 2 weeks (ie:leaving on a Thursday return 2 weeks later on a Thursday)..12 days on the ground I guess you could say.
Into Madrid and out of Barcelona is the plan.
Is taking the time for a flight a good use of time?..I really appreciate your input

bilboburgler

I'd not fly internally in Spain, you have to leave some planet for your children.

danon

“So, a revised itinerary (based on 13 nights on the ground) could be:
Madrid - 4 nights
Seville - 4 nights with a daytrip to Cordoba
Granada - 1 or 2 nights (2 nights is better)
Barcelona - 4 nights

looks good to me..just one note…85 + F weather !
Enjoy glorious Spain🇪🇸

KarenWoo

I understand bilboburgler's point of view. But sometimes the traveler has to do what's practical for them time-wise.

It's up to you to decide what is a good use of your time. Iberia and Vueling have non-stop flights from Granada to Barcelona. Takes 1.5 hours. Obviously, you have to factor in how early you have to be at the airport. I think the train is about 7 hours, and you have to change in Madrid.

downtown

Hey guys Thx!.. Looking this all over and will be refining.
In the meantime might I add this.We would enjoy some museum time in Madrid but thing in general would like to be outdoors much as possible checking out plazas, architecture and nice neighborhoods.
Im liking this Karen:
So, a revised itinerary (based on 13 nights on the ground) could be:
Madrid - 4 nights
Seville - 4 nights with a daytrip to Cordoba
Granada - 1 or 2 nights (2 nights is better)
Barcelona - 4 nights

If we had to cut back 1 night to spend 2 nights in Granada..should we cut back Madrid or Barcelona?
Thanks

KarenWoo

I would probably take a night from Madrid to add to Granada. I really, really like Madrid but I think that Barcelona is more interesting with all of the Gaudi and Moderniste architecture and interesting neighborhoods. Of course, this is subjective. Some people might suggest the opposite. When we visited Barcelona in 2010 we did not have to reserve anything in advance. But I've been reading that Barcelona has become extremely crowded and busy and that you do need to make reservations in advance to visit, for example, La Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell, and other Gaudi sites, and the Picasso Museum. So I think you need more time in Barcelona to accommodate these reservations.

The only downside to taking a night away from Madrid is that Madrid is your first destination so you will have jetlag when you arrive. But I don't think it's a good idea to go all the way to Barcelona for only 3 nights. So, I would do 3 nights in Madrid and 4 nights in Barcelona.

Hope this helps. Have you also made a list of what you want to see and do in Madrid and in Barcelona? That would help, too.