Hi! I'm a graduate student, majoring in Urban Planning. (I studied Architecture in undergrad.)
I'm most interested in feeling and experiencing the unique atmosphere of each city in Spain. I plan to stay in Spain for 3 weeks from Dec 19 thru Jan 10.

At the moment, these are the cities I'd like to visit. Would you please let me know whether this would be a reasonal itinerary? Also, let me know if there are any other nice placese you recommend to add to this.

Madrid-El Escorial-Toledo-Sevilla-Ronda-Arcos dela frontera-Granada-Barcelona-Montserat-San Sebastian-Bibao-Salamanca-Segovia-Madrid-Cuenca-Madrid

Thank you in advance!!

Is there anyone who plans to be in Sevilla for Chrismas and wants to hang out with me?? I don't want to be a lonely backpacker on Xmas eve.

It's a bit out of the way from your proposed itinerary (Galicia), but I have heard Vigo, Pontevedra, described as a 'model' of Urban Planning. I have also heard it described as the worst example of modern Urban Planning. So, if you bring your notebook, you might be able to collect enough reference data for a Graduate Paper: When I was doing my Public Administration Graduate work, every course required a major Paper. :p

Madrid might be described as ordered growth followed by 'urban sprawl.' Examples of RCPL in your Andalucia itinerary you can attribute to the 700-yr Moorish occupation of Spain.
P.D.
It could get a bit rough that time of year between Madrid & Bilbao or Madrid & San Sebastian (i.e., mountain passes closed because of heavy snowfall). Stay flexible! It would be temporary. If you do go north, do it as one of the early legs of your trip so you aren't stuck in the snow the day you plan to fly back. If you cut back on your travel plans, those are the destinations you might consider eliminating for this trip, even though several Members on MM's board rave over San Sebastian. I was driving back from San Sebastian once in January and I had a long detour to make it back to Madrid, so this is not just something I heard about. It is from my own personal experience.

[ 12-02-2001: Message edited by: Eddie ]

By my count that's 14 (not counting returns to Madrid) cities in 21 days. I think you'll spend most of your time savouring the "unique atmosphere" of bus and train stations (or motorway services)! I would try and focus a bit, though maybe a little bit of everything is what you want.

I, too, think you should cut back on your itinerary. My husband and I recently (Sept./Oct.) spent three weeks in Spain, basically from Madrid north although we did swing down to Trujillo. We stayed at seven hostales with a minimum of two nights (Hondarribia, Comillas and Toledo) and a maximum of four nights (Turegano, a good base for seeing the surrounding area by car and Madrid, not nearly enough time there). Let me just say that the two night stays were not long enough, even in tiny Comillas.

Thanks for your advice.

Actually, in my itinerary, I was planning El Escorial, Toledo, Arcos dela frontera, Montserat, Segovia and Cuenca as one-day trip places. And plan to stay a couple of nites at Madrid, Sevilla, Granada, Barcelona, and San Sebastian.

Do you still think it's too much for 3 weeks.
What would be the best alternative, then?
Do you recommend to skip the northern part -San Sebastian and Bibao??
I really want to see the museum, but....
I also don't want to scurry from place to place, though.

Thanks!!

Hi 'Whatsin';
I kind of agree with 'Boqueron' and Carole, so my advice is that you shouldn't miss: Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla & San Sebastian.
From those places you can visit maybe Toledo, Segovia or Salamanca(daytrips); Ronda or Granada, and from "Sanse" go to the museum.

saludos.

I know I have said this on the board before, but I would really advise you to cut your itinerary in half along some easily definable geographic line (look at Spain as a square and pick top left, bottom right, or whatever--you'll certainly hit the middle in your visit to Madrid). I have done trips both ways...14 towns in three weeks, and 4 towns in three weeks (with side trips). I strongly recommend the latter, especially if you're going with a purpose (thinking about urban planning issues). If you give yourself a chance to fall in love with Spain (as you undoubtedly will do if you don't spend all your time in transit), you'll want to go back, certainly (to see more places), but you'll learn SO MUCH more about the country and its people.

And I think I have pointed out my "Sevilla problem" before...I was there for ONE DAY in 1990, and have been back to Spain 4 times without returning to see it again. It's not because I didn't like it the first time, but I have that "been there" feeling, and it never seems worth the trouble to get back (regardless of the fact that I don't really know the place at all).

Just my two cents--having done both and regretted the city-hopping type of trip, I can't resist popping into the discussion. I hope your trip, whatever it turns out to be, is lovely!
Tara

Are you driving or using public transportation? Once I know that, I can make some suggestions.

Do not over do it, remember you are on vacation?

After I made my decision to trade my timeshare for a place in Spain, I worked hard to find an itinerary to cover the whole country in 17 days. Well, it cannot be done. I decided to limit my travels to Madrid and Andalusia, thinking I may get another opportunity to come back. Seventeen days in Madrid and Andalusia was not enough time, I felt I could have seen so much more. I would recommend staying in Madrid more than a couple of nights, and make day trips from a home base. The more I strayed off the tourist path, the more I enjoyed my trip. I stayed in Malaga 7 days; I made day trips to Ronda, Grenada, Marabella, and Mijas. Each place I visited I wish I had more time to visit.

When we returned home in September, my wife’s boss asked “How did you like Madrid? Then he told her she would return to Madrid in March 2003 to attend a conference.

I'd suggest that you do just two of the areas mentioned, i.e. Madrid/surroundings then, perhaps, the South (Cordoba, Sevilla, Arcos, Granada) which is still a lot of territory to cover. Or you could do Madrid/environs and then the North (San Sebastian/Bilbao).

Keep in mind that I know almost nothing about using public transportation so, perhaps, this itinerary will have some flaws. If you're a first time traveler to Spain, here's what I would do.

Itinerary 1:
Upon arrival (Madrid, we'll assume), head immediately for Toledo...which is beautiful and small enough to be manageable. Spend 2 nights there. Go south to Granada (2 nights), then to Ronda (2 nights), Arcos (2 nights), Sevilla (3 nights), Cordoba (2 nights). Then stay in either Caceres or Trujillo (2 nights, maybe three if you can work in a trip to Guadalupe), Segovia (2 nights) then FINALLY Madrid (4 nights) with a side trip to El Escorial. (I've also read that Zafra, south of Caceres, is lovely and worth a stop.)

Itinerary 2:
After arriving in Madrid, head directly for Segovia (3 nights), taking side trips to Pedraza and other "castle" towns if you can. Then go north to San Sebastian or Santander (3 or 4 nights...you can go to the Guggenheim as a side trip). Then PLEASE go to Hondarribia for 2 nights. It is beautiful! After that, perhaps Vittoria (2 nights) then to Toledo (2 nights) then to Trujillo/Caceres via Guadalupe (3 nights) then end up in Madrid (5 nights) with side trips to El Escorial and/or Cuenca.

I really suggest ending your trip with Madrid--kind of "building up" to the bustling capital. Plus, there's plenty to do and you can always sleep on the plane on the way home!!

I can't say much about Barcelona because I haven't been there in 24 years(!) but it just seemed like a big European city to me. However, if you're REALLY going as part of your "education," I'm sure you'd want to include it. And, of course, Montserrat merits an overnight, when the hoards of tourists have left it eerily quiet.

Those with knowledge of train/bus transportation, please comment.