My husband and I will be travelling to Barcelona as part of a business group/trip August 3rd - 9th. We would like to extend our trip for a few days (2-3)to do some independent travelling. I was interested in going to Madrid. I lived there as a very young child for 3 1/2 yrs, but have no real recollections. However, we have heard that August is not a good time to go to Madrid because of the heat. Is it really that bad?We live in South Carolina and are used to the heat - as long as we have air conditioning.

My husband would really prefer to travel elsewhere (out of Spain-Paris, Cannes, Rome, or Venice). He feels if he has been to Barcelona, Madrid won't be that much different. I think he wants to "maximize" his Europe trip.

I always enjoy travelling to new places and have travelled more in Europe than he has.
I'll be happy no matter where we go, but part of me will be sad on the missed opportunity if we don't go to Madrid.

Please help!I would appreciate any suggestions.

Hi chas,
Well, I don't know what to advise you as to whether to go to Madrid or not, but I can comment on the heat. Personally, I find that it is very hot, but not unbearable. I live in Toronto, where humidity is #1 in the summer, so when I go to Spain in August, it's actually a breath of fresh dry air! And the minute I step out of the return plane in Toronto, can I EVER tell the difference in the "thickness" of the air!!!!!! I think Madrid in August is somewhat of a huge no-no on this message board, but to me, it's a bit of an exaggeration, I think. But then, that's just my opinion. I've been in Madrid in the major heat - example: a sunny 47 degrees celsius, and I'm not exaggerating - and I definitely would do it again. In fact, I'm going to be in Spain July 20 to August 27 and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Hope this helps you out a bit!

SusiLaGallega

Most of Spain's coastal (and mountain) resorts will be SRO (Standing room only) for August. That's the month when many industries in Spain (and Europe) 'close down' and require all their employees to use their month's vacation. So if you don't have reservations, forget it!

Virgin Express had some pretty good fares b/t Barcelona & Brussels last year. You may want to consider heading north (Benelux or even Denmark) for a couple of days.

But this is a Spain board. Sorry about that, MM!

We have decided to spend our 3 free days in Spain rather than travelling to another country. Now we need help deciding how to best spend those days! We are planning to depart for home from Madrid.

We have heard that both Marbella and Seville are very nice destinations. We are planning to do all of our travel by air which will save time, but we don't want to be too rushed in any one location.

Option #1
Fly from Barcelona to Seville for 1 night then on to Madrid for 2 nights.

Option #2
Fly from Barcelona to Madrid and spend all 3 nights there.

Option #3
Fly to Seville, spend 3 nights, fly home via Madrid.

Option #4
Barcelona to Marbella (how's the best way to get there?)to spend the entire time or a portion of it and then on to Madrid.

I look forward to hearing from anyone with suggestions! Thanks!

If you are concerned with the temperature in Madrid, don't even think of going to Seville in August, as it is even hotter and more humid than Madrid. I lived in Madrid through the summer of '98 and I would say the climate was similar to Phoenix, AZ, if you have been there in the summer.

It's not all that bad, especially if you have an air conditioned room to hole up in at night, and as someone else mentoned the humidity is pretty low...30 - 35 per cent. Just remember the Spanish description of the Madrid climate:

"Nueve meses invierno, tres meses infierno."

There are some definite advantages to being in Madrid in August, primarily due to the population dropping by maybe 35 per cent, as everyone who is able to bugs out for the beach. The noise is suppressed, the traffic is almost civilized, restaurants are less crowded, as are the Metros, buses, and trains.

On the down side, a fair proportion of establishments and attractions will be shut down for two to four weeks in August so you may not get to see everything you hope to, but there will be plenty for a three day stay.

I recommend going to Madrid, but spending one day in Segovia, as the acueducto, the alcazar, and the catedral there are fantastic attractions, and the higher altitude should prove to be refreshingly cooler (but not guaranteed). It is only a two hour train ride, but be careful not to miss the last train back to Madrid as it leaves around 7:00 or 7:30, I think.

Other higher altitude destinations might be Avila ( great catedral and 12th century wall ) or Salamanca ( a little further away, great university and architecture ).

Hope this helps, and a final caution, stay away from the Costa del Sol ( Marbella ) in August as it is one big traffic jam.

Buen suerte !!

Espanvol, thanks for all the great advice! I enjoyed the photos on your homepage. I remember photos of the aqueduct from my family's trips as a child.

Is there any way to find out in advance what will be open or closed in Madrid during our stay (Aug. 8-11) so that we don't waste valuable time when we get there?

Madrid and Barcelona are quite different cities - Madrid is a huge, bustling, crowded metropolis and Barcelona has a much more relaxed, smaller feel. Like Philadelphia and New York in a way. If you ask residents of BCN and Madrid which one is better you will receive an hour long discourse on the merits of their respective city (and inevitably the football team), however I like both for their own reasons. Both are well worth a visit.