Wanted to add, we flew in and out of Madrid for this so you can add that city to our itinerary. |
Agree. Those were my favorites. Check now to see where you need to prebook tickets e.g. the Alhambra in Granada. |
Reina Sofia is a great museum to get a handle on Spanish history in short order. |
| If you do go to Barcelona, check out Tibidabo - the coolest amusement park I’ve ever visited. The kids will love it! |
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Flew in and out of Barcelona.
I found Madrid really dull compared to Barcelona. Gaudi architecture is trippy. Local grocery store food was good. I liked Segovia (Disney castle and Roman aqueduct) and Toledo. We connected everywhere by train. Never had a car. I did not make it to Southern Spain so have to go back. |
| Skip Barcelona |
+2 to this Don't waste time in Barcelona. |
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Madrid-Sevilla is 2 hours and 20 minutes by high speed train. I'd stick to those two locations.
I'd go to Madrid, get over jet lag and enjoy things like El Retiro, El Prado art museum (free hours every evening), Reina Sofia, eat a Cocido Madrileño at El Botín, get churros at San Ginés, stroll around the Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol. Day trips to Segovia for the acueduct, and Toledo for the knights and castles vibe. Then onward to Sevilla (MAKE SURE YOUR HOTEL HAS AC) where you can tour the Real Álcazar (as nice as the Alhambra), Plaza de España (Star wars filming location), have a coffee and kick a soccer ball around the lovely open plaza of the Alameda de Hércules, stroll along the Calle Betis in the Triana neighborhood and enjoy the view of the Guadalquivir River. If you're not scared of heights, wander around the top of the Setas de la Encarnación or take a roof tour of the Catedral de Sevilla. Climb the Giralda. Take a horsedrawn carriage tour of the center of Sevilla. Take a pottery painting class in Triana, learn how to make a paella in the Mercado de Triana, take in a flamenco performance in the Barrio de Santa Cruz. Be sure to take siestas (or rest in your hotel room) so you can go out and enjoy the evening, because when school lets out at the end of june and it's hot, families even with little kids are out and about enjoying the evening until like 1 am. |
| We did Sevilla, Granada, and Malaga. Malaga was a good add if you want a coastal location and modern art feel. Did it all by train in one week with a kid (he was 7 and not a teen). So much fun. Each place was unique and special. |
| We love art, so Madrid and Barcelona. |
I totally agree. Granada is so beautiful. |
I would suggest Andalusia instead. But all of Spain is great so you can’t go wrong with either one. |
We did this too. Loved Malaga! |
But definitely not in the Summer. |
| No love for San Sebastian, Bilbao, or Picos de Europa? |