Hello everyone

first and foremost i would like to thank Madridman for running such a great website! it has been very helpful.
and thank all of you guys for participating and inputting all of the responses

Now i would like to ask for your help.
I decided to give myself a graduation college gift and go to Spain with my sister on May 28 - June 9.
We were thinking (let me know if its a good idea) to spend 5 days iN Madrid and the rest in Barcelona...i would like to find a nice hostel with decent looking rooms, preferably not too expensive in both cities. One of the main things is to be in the center of the city, but not to be in the very loud neighborhood.

can you please recommend something?

thanks!

Alexis

Two weeks and only Madrid and Barcelona??! Honey, you're going to miss out on a lot! Sevilla, Granada, San Sebastian, Cádiz, Santander, I mean, there are many lovely cities in Spain and since you're lucky enough to go there for 12-13 days, make the most of it!!! I personally don't think Barcelona deserves so many days, especially in the summer when it's full of tourists.

Hello Silvita

i wish i had more time than that!
i had to fight to get the vacation since i have a full time job and can't take any more days. Thats why i am trying to make the best of what i have...

i have a question, though.
why did you say that Barcelona doesn't deserve that many days? is it boring?

alexis

Oh man, I'm afraid to answer your question. I'm sure a Catalan or Barcelona-lover is going to put me in my place. (Please note that my boyfriend is from L'Hospitalet del Llobregat so this isn't a Madrid/Barcelona rivalry thing!)

Well, everyone is going to have a different opinion. But when I went to Barcelona, it was packed with tourists and I heard almost every language BUT Spanish (yes, I know it's Cataluña). It also has a very different, less warm vibe, which isn't a bad thing, just different.

The Gaudi architecture is amazing, though and the shopping can't be beat. I definitely think you should go, but I think more than 2 or 3 days, and you will be bored. I also think that it's kind of isolated from other cities that would be of interest to a tourist. And the train ride from Barcelona to Madrid is an overnight, nightmarish experience. Think 9 hours, lot of smokers and poor air circulation.

My proposed itinerary for a first-time visitor:

Arrival to Madrid - Stay 3 days
Sevilla - 2 days
Granada - 2 days (overnight stay)
Back to Madrid
Day trips to Toledo, El Escorial on remaining days.

or

Barcelona - Stay 3 days
Overnight train to San Sebastian - 3 days with side trips possible to Pamplona (2 hours from SS)
Overnight trip to Bilbao - 1 day

So I'm not saying don't go to Barcelona. Just don't do Madrid and Barcelona. You'll miss out on the provincial life and deep Spanish culture that you find outside of the big cities.

Alexis

I fully agree with Silvita. She is proposing a great itinerary giving that you only can stay for two weeks. Barcelona for three days and Seville for two is just what you need. Her recommendations are perfect as well for the other places.

Keep the questions coming, we will be happy to help.

Regards

Elvira

I really like Barcelona, but it is very differnet from the rest of Spain. We were there 3 days and that was plenty. If you go there you should fly to save time. If that is too expensive then save it for your next rrip and focus on Madrid and its surrounding areas, Sevilla, and Granada. You only have 10 actual days and you could easily fill them with the Madrid area. Granada and the Alhambra are spectacular and Sevilla and its nearby cities are also great. That would easily pack your days with adventures and great places!! Get the Rick Steves' guidebook about Spain and do what he says. It is a great basic and to the point guide!!

thanks so much to all you for the great info
i will definitely rethink my itinerary now.

question - are there any hostels in particular that you would recommend to stay in in any of the above mentioned cities?
alexis

Seville - You cannot go wrong with Hostal Van Gogh. They also own Hostal Picasso and Hostal Dali. http://www.grupo-piramide.com/ If you pick the Van Gogh, request a room with a bathroom, because the ground floor shared bathroom is so small, I had to put on my jeans whilst standing on the toilet. But the location cannot be beat. From the door, you can see the walls of the Real Alcazar and it's literally 1 minute to the Cathedral and 5 minutes walk from Barrio Santa Cruz.

In Madrid, I personally loved Hostal La Plata ( www.hostal-laplata.com ). They are on the Gran Via, steps from the Metro and about 5 minutes walk from Puerta del Sol, El Corte Ingles and great nightlife. Also, the MadridVision, hop-on-hop-off bus tours stop across the street. Another great feature is that although the frontdesk closes, there's a doorman that lets you into the hostal. Traveling with another 20-something girlfriend, I felt safe walking in and being recognized by the doorman.

In Granada, I recommend the Hostal Nuevas Naciones. Cheap, clean, and close enough to the Gran Via for easy access, but far enough away for a good night's sleep. http://www.granadainfo.com/nuevas/granadahostal.htm

Good luck and have a wonderful time!