critique my Itinerary & Accomodations please

Posted by: chants

critique my Itinerary & Accomodations please - 05/06/05 11:14 AM

Hola!
So I'm leaving in 2 weeks for my first Spain Trip. just want to make sure i do it right so please let me know if i'm missing something. If you have any reviews of my accomodations please let me know, as i haven't found any reviews for some of them:
Arrive Toulouse
Drive to Figueres-visit Dali museum
Girona-quick visit
Tossa de Mar -stay L'Hotelet de Tossa
Barcelona 3 days - Pension L'isard
Valencia - Pension Paris
Granada - Hostel Zurita
Seville - Hostel Romero
Toledo - haven't found accomodations?
Bilbao or San Sebastian - not sure which city to stay in?
Toulouse - haven't found yet
I'm on a tight budget and am trying to keep it to 40 euros a night. I'm also visiting Alicante/Ronda/Cordoba/Madrid/Biarritz
just not staying over night.
Any insights would be much appreciated!
Also, i'm giving free Montreal advice if needed!

smile
Posted by: barry

Re: critique my Itinerary & Accomodations please - 05/06/05 01:02 PM

I realise it's your first trip, but you're certainly packing lots in. Be careful you don't spend most of your time viewing Spain through a car window. Catalunya alone would keep you busy for a week if you really want to savour it. If you're really a Dali fan (I'm not) you could squeeze in a few other Dali sights.
Remember, often our most memorable holiday moments are spent just sitting back and soaking up the atmosphere.
That said, I'd maybe cut a night off Barcelona and save it up for somewhere else. Since you've got wheels, you could see Toledo on the way to Madrid and stay a night over or two in our favourite city. Between Bilbao and San Sebastian, I'd opt for the latter.
There's so much to see in each of the places you mentioned, I can imagine your tight schedule will quickly fall apart. That's a good thing. Just enjoy yourself and try not to see everything on one trip. If you pace yourself, you'll enjoy yourself more and you'll be back.
Posted by: chants

Re: critique my Itinerary & Accomodations please - 05/06/05 02:20 PM

Thanks for the advice Barry!
I know it's ambitious, I'm just not sure i'll ever have this opportunity again, but you're right, it'll probably fall apart!
but that will be the fun of it. smile
Posted by: Mongo

Re: critique my Itinerary & Accomodations please - 05/07/05 01:02 AM

My ideal 14 day trip would be this:

Day 1-Arrive at Barajas, check into Hostal Adriano, take a nap and then eat tapas, drink wine, wander, shop and visit The Prado for 14 days. Hopefully GoMadrid, epaulino4 or another Madridman regular I know will be there and/or MadridMan will be having a party there during my stay.

Leading to...

Day 14-Return to Minneapolis with a suitcase full of La Casera, torrefacto coffee, conservas
and Manchego cheese.

Obviously I am kidding...I have already done this many times! Have a great time on your first visit to Spain!
Posted by: ditravelphoto

Re: critique my Itinerary & Accomodations please - 05/07/05 02:10 AM

I'm going to have to agree that you are trying to pack too much into 2 weeks and you may wind up very familiar with the highway and your rental car and not so familiar with Spain. I completely understand the feeling or the pressure to want to see it all, feeling like this may be the only opportunity, but Spain moves slowly and if you want to get to know it, you have to take the time and take it in.

I would recommend focusing on a region or geographic area and see a number of towns in that area so your travel time is greatly reduced. Now which region? confused That's where you'll have trouble deciding, they are all so different, with their own unique flavor. laugh

Good Luck!
Posted by: chants

Re: critique my Itinerary & Accomodations please - 05/07/05 04:00 PM

THANKS everyone for the advice
I think I might re-evaluate my itinerary.
wink