How to divide my time while in Spain?

Hi Chantal,

I think three days in both Madrid and Barcelona are good.  I would do two days in Sevilla, a day trip in Cordoba (the mezquita is incredible and really worth a visit), two days in Granada (it's one of my favorite cities) and then a day/night in Valencia.  I would save Gibraltar for another time.  Malaga-Marbella is a nice area and if you need a break from the heat and want to go to the beach then it might be a good option, but if you're focused on seeing a lot then I would probably skip it.  I would choose between Malaga and Valencia.  It might be a lot to do both given the time you have and all the places you want to see.

I would do the trip somewhat in the order that I mentioned above.  If you fly into Madrid from there I would go to Sevilla.  You mentioned a road trip--will you have a car?  If not, you could take the bus or train from Madrid to Sevilla.  I would recommend the AVE (high speed train) from Madrid to Sevilla because it will help cut down on travel time.  It's a little pricey though.  If not, a bus will be fine and I find the buses in Spain to be very comfortable.  From Sevilla, you can easily get to Cordoba and just pop in for the day to see the Mezquita and try some salmorejo (similar to gazpacho).  From Cordoba (Spain), I would then head to Granada and from there you can work your way up to Valencia (if you choose to do a night there) and then to Barcelona before you head back home.  The only drawback would be going from Granada to Valencia because that's a really long journey and the train options are limited.  You might have better luck leaving from Malaga to go to Valencia.  That's your call.

These sites might be helpful for you to get an idea of transportation costs: renfe.com (the trains) and alsa.es (buses). They are sometimes funky about taking foreign cards so it might be best to wait and pay there in person for your tickets.

If you have any more questions, let me know.  Spain is awesome and the cities you're interested in are all great for different reasons.

!Buen viaje!

Taylor

A well located hotel in Madrid is BEST WESTERN Hotel Los Condes, good service, clean, affordable rate and pretty close to Gran Vía. Must see places in Madrid are: Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, Museo del Prado, Palacio de Cristal, Parque del Retiro, Templo de Debod, Cibeles Palace, Mercado de Antón Martín, Mercado de San Miguel, Tablao Villa Rosa among many other interesting places. Outstanding restaurants are: Taberna Los Huevos de Lucio, Lateral, Taberna Alhambra (exquisite sangria!), Mercado de la Reina, 100 Montaditos,etc. In Barcelona I would recommend to stay in a hotel close to La Rambla. We stayed at Hostal BCN Ramblas, kind of a boutique/hostal, very clean and pretty centric. Places to visit? take the Barcelona City Tour,it will take you to main attractions at a very affordable price. Don't miss La Pedrera, Sagrada Família, Parc Güell, Port de Barcelona, Maremagnum , Tibidaboand Casa Batlló. If you have time (before you go to Sevilla), try to make it to Toledo, amazing city!  We took the Madrid Atocha Railway Station and made the trip in 1 day. It was enough to walk the city and be delighted by beautiful monuments and museums. The Alcázar de Toledo is a beauty! So interesting city!

I know Sevilla and Granada are amazing cities, full of life and places to visit. Río Guadalquivir, La Giralda IV and the Plaza de España  plus museums, convents and churches, make of this city a unforgettable place. I don't have lodging recommendations as we stayed at a friends place.

I am sure you will enjoy the ride as Spain is one of my fav cities in the world!!

Ole!!

Hi Chantal! Sounds like a busy itinerary however it is worth it. To start the trip spending three days in Madrid is fine. I think it will be enough to cover the must see places . Two in Barcelona and 1 in Valencia, sounds great. I would suggest to proceed the trip visiting Sevilla, Granada and probably Gibraltar.

Let me know if you need recommendations on specific places to visit.

Saludos!!