Hello Everyone ! My first post here !

My first trip to spain, and I'm flying into and out from Madrid in late May.

Could someone advise me on where/how I should spend my 12 nights. I'm travelling with my 1 year old and wife. I was thinking of a max of 3-4 cities/destinations.

I was thinking of equally spending 4 nights each in Madrid, Barcelona and Sevilla but I was wondering if I should include an additional smaller city ? Maybe
Madrid (3 nights)
Barcelona (4 nights)
Sevilla (3 nights)
A smaller TBD city (2 nights)

Thoughts please !
Thanks !

sunil writes: With a 1-year old you won't be doing much in terms of nightlife; but for what it's worth May 15th is San Isidro, Madrid's Patron Saint. There are bullfights, concerts, etc. thru the month of May in Madrid for the fiesta. So it depends on your date of arrival.
You might want to consider continuing on to Sevilla (on AVE) the morning of your arrival. That's how I do it because:
1. I am 'wasted' anyway from the overnight flight and the time change;
2. Unless you have made prior arrangements for 'early check-in,' most hotels won't have your room available until afternoon; and
3. I consider my arrival day to be a 'travel' day to just get where I am going.
Also, The pilgrimage festival of la Virgen del Rocio winds up on Pentecost Sunday which, I believe, is June 1st. The Santuariode la Virgen is near Almonte, just on the other side of the Donaña wildlife refuge. You can watch some of the festivities on the local TVE. The last time I was there for that (Year 2001), all the locals said there were a million participants (Police est. 650,000).

You might consider a couple of days 'on the beach:' Late May's weather will be nice for sitting on the beach or the Promenade. The water's still a bit too cold for swimming. You could either stop on the Costa de la Luz which extends from Cadiz to the rio Guadalquivir and then from MatalasCañas on the western side of the Donaña to the Portuguese border. Or, you could stop on the Mediterranean Coast: Costa Blanca near Alicante (4 hours by train from Madrid) or the Costa Dorada that extends southwest from Barcelona

Hi Eddie,

thank you for the response. I arrive MAD 05/27 at 3:30 PM from a 3 day stop over in London. So I should be in pretty good shape.

Also for my return is it better to return to MAD from Sevilla (AVE train) or BCN (connecting flight ?) . Thanks !

Here's two itinaries I thought off. Please share your thoughts on them (the order,duration and destinations).

Itinary 1
---------
Madrid (3 nights, fly to BCN)
Barcellona (4 nights train overnight train to Valencia, if there is such a service)
Valencia (2 nights, fly to Sevilla)
Sevilla (3 nights Train back to MAD)

Note: If possible pls. offer other possible destinations to Valencia

Itinary 2
---------
4 Nights Madria (Day trips to Toledo & Segovia, Fly to BCN)
4-5 nights Barcelona (Fly to Seviila)
3-4 nights Sevilla (Train back to MAD)

I would suggest you your itinerary 2, and one day stop in Cordoba. It's in the middle of the train way to Madrid. I think Valencia doesn't worth for such a short trip, and if the weather is good you can have a beach day near Barcelona.

I like Eddie's suggestion about traveling on the AVE directly to Sevilla although for you it apparently won't work that way. But we, too, often find that Day 1 is a bit wasted, as are we. Last time we arrived in Madrid from the west coast (U.S.) then drove for several hours to LaGuardia (the little town in La Rioja) and just about fell asleep at the wheel. Eddie, does the AVE stop in Cordoba on its way from Madrid to Sevilla? That would be a nice introduction to the south and a little less overwhelming than beginning with Sevilla? (As you can see, we are thinking about a trip to Andalucia in May and beginning to consider the logistics.)

sunil writes: Sorry, I just assumed you would be arriving in the AM from the U.S. You say: "... I should be in pretty good shape." How about your wife and one-year-old?

I still think you should structure your itinerary around 'what's happening' during the time you are in Spain. With a 1-year-old, your itinerary must be flexible enough to cope with the unexpected or unplanned-for events. The Bus Turistic in Barcelona and the Madrid Vision in Madrid (there's also one like it in Sevilla) will give you a taste of all those places without having to walk too much. Madrid has some beautiful parks: Retiro and the Plaza de Oriente. As I may have mentioned earlier, you may want to go to one of Spain's coastal resorts to just 'kick back' and enjoy for a few days.

It's nice that you have an opportunity to visit Spain. Try to make your visit an enjoyable one for yourself and for your wife and child.
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Carole Chiaro writes: Yes!

Try Salamanca! It is just amazing

Or perhaps Toledo, Córdoba, Granada...

Fernando

To Eddie: About the AVE: Madrid to Cordoba--approximately how long? (I'm sorry but I haven't yet done my home work on "public" transportation.) Then on to Sevilla by AVE??--C

Madrid - Cordoba on AVE (or Talgo 200) 1.5 hours; Cordoba - Sevilla 1-hour. http://www.renfe.es

Thanks, Eddie!! I think it might be nice to "start off" in Cordoba as it is more easily negotiated and we have the time. Then, since we really don't need a car in Sevilla, we can just take the train from Cordoba and rent a car when we're ready to move on.