I'll be in Spain backpacking around by myself from June 11-29 (18 days) and I'd like to know what ya'll think of my plans:

Madrid: 4 days (bus to Toledo - 60 miles)
Toledo: 2 days (bus to Seville - 300)
---1/2 day to travel
Seville: 2 days
1 day flying to Santiago de Compostela
S. de Compostela: 2 days (bus to Bilboa - 390 miles)
---1/2 day to travel
Bilbao: 2 days (bus to Barcelona - 380 miles)
---1/2 day to travel
Barcelona: 4 days

1) Do you think these plans would be enjoyable?
2) Should I spend more/less time at any place?
3) Is this too much traveling on off days?
4) Any recomendations for festivals I should consider going to while there?

Feel free to email me if you'd like to help.

Thanks,
StudentRebel79
schmobbs@hotmail.com

StudentRebel, why spending 2 days in Bilbao? I would visit many other cities or Natural Parks before going there.... Leon, Burgos, Picos de Europa National Park, Granada, anywhere in the Pirineos mountains, any of the castilian cities close to Madrid, Avila or Segovia... Other than that it sounds like a nice trip.

A day and 1/2 in Sevilla? I think the way you planned your trip, you will be spending too much time traveling to your next destination instead of having them time to enjoy your them.

I spend 17 days my first trip to Spain in February - March of this year. Five Days in Sevilla, three days in Granada and eight days in Madrid. I spend less time traveling to my next destination and enjoy the places I stay at. Before the trip I had a very hard time making the decision not to go to Barcelona. In the end I decided for my next trip to Spain, I will visit Barcelona for a week. Looking back on my how fun and exciting first trip to Spain was, I made the right decision.

But it is your trip. If you feel you have to see it all you are certainly going to. Only I think you will see not much.

Bill

I agree with Bill,

I'd lop off the trip to Bilbao and Barcelona if this is you first trip to Spain. And any more than a day is Toledo, is best spent in Sevilla. You're schedule makes it quite the bag-drag.

A very well planned trip. You'll get a complete picture of Spain, both North and South, East and West.
With 18 days to spend, it's very well planned.
And I don't agree, you can keep 2 days in Bilbao. The city can be explored in just a day, but the Basque area is very beautiful and unique, you can make a short daytrip to San Sebastian.

Hi StudentRebel79.

You have an interesting itinerary. I don't think anyone can answer your questions except for you. Different people travel for different reasons. Some to take in the art and cultural events, some to take in the gastronomic events, others to take in the "way the locals live" while others try for a bit of everything.

I am in the process of planning a relative's trip here with his family. He has made it clear that they are not interested in the museum and arts circuit. They will be coming to absorb Spanish life the way that I absorb it. He doesn't "do" the art museums in the States, so why should he "do" them in Spain. So, you should ask yourself the following questions which I pose in response to yours:

1) (do you think these plans would be enjoyable?) What kind of traveler are you? Do you know what you enjoy doing when you travel?
2) (Should I spend more/less time at any one place?) Do you know what you want to see in each place? I tend to disagree when people say that you should spend xxx number of days in "Y" city and xxx number of days in "Z" city. It all depends on your specific objectives. If you want to visit all of the art museums in Madrid, for example, you will need more than four days. If you want to see just the tourist highlights of Seville, that could be done in a day.
3) (Is this too much traveling on off days?) How will you use your travel time? If you use this travel time wisely ... to send postcards, write in journal, rest, plan your next destination, etc. No. Especially if you plan your long bus journeys on overnight busses.
4) (Any recommendations for festivals). What kind of festivals are you looking for? Spain is varied in its festivals, from religious celebrations, bull festivals, neighborhood block parties (verbenas), food festivals, etc. Check out Fiestas Atope . There are lots of dates there that should help you orient your trip.

Have a great one!

I think you are very seriously underestimating the amount of time it will take to get from Point-A to Point-B (i.e., Santiago-Bilbao will be pretty much an all day trip just as will Bilbao-Barcelona (which I took last year: dep. Bilbao 09:30, arr. Barcelona 17:30)). Of course he flight Sevilla-Santiago will not take a full day.

From Toledo, consider coming back to Madrid and catching an overnight bus (Socibus/Secorbus) to Sevilla. It leaves Madrid around midnight and puts you at Sevilla's Plaza de Armas Bus Terminal around 06:00.

You will be in Madrid for San Antonio (13 June??) There will be some festival-like happenings along the rio Manzanares near San Antonio Church.

Santiago is out of your way on this trip, especially given that 2005 is not a Jubilee year and it looks like you're not planning to be there on a Holy Day or even a Saturday or Sunday (i.e., no Botafumeiro).

Hi Fellow Student,

I landed in Bilbao from LA, CA. via Paris on March 12, 2005 and began a 9 day journey of my life. I took the Alsa bus to Santiago de Compostela the following morning and reached Plaza Roja around 5pm and partied all night--including a visit to a karaoke bar. I spent the whole day around the chapel on March 14 and decided to go to Sevilla 9:30 at night using a slow train, an 8 hour travel to Madrid and a bullet train, a 2.5 hour from Madrid to Sevilla. I have a full outrageously 2 nights in Sevilla. Then followed by two even more outrageous nights in Madrid. I went back again to Bilbao for one more night before my trip back home. Hmm, what can I do for 18 days?

Just do your homeworks before going there and I'm sure you'll enjoy Spain.

Topic moved here from the "Hostels & Other Lodgings" forum.