Personal opinion: stay in as few hotels as possible. Packing and changing hotels takes time. Day trips would be easier.

Anonymous wrote:Thurs - Arrive to Madrid, stay in hotel there
Fri - Take train to Barcelona, stay there
Sat - Still in Barcelona
Sun - Take train to Sitges - stay there
Mon - Still in Sitges
Tues - Still in Sitges
Wed - Still in Sitges
Thurs - Take train back to Madrid, stay there
Fri - Still in Madrid
Sat - Still in Madrid
Sun - Fly back

2 kids, well traveled, one of them a toddler.

Not too much. Just be aware that Sitges is only beach worthy late May to early September

If it was me I would do the train the first day-- seems like a pretty easy thing to do the first day, or else get a cheap flight from Madrid to Barcelona.

Ok, what about:
Thurs - Arrive to Madrid, stay in hotel there
Fri - Take train to Barcelona, stay there
Sat - Still in Barcelona
Sun - Still in Barcelona
Mon - Take train to Sitges, stay there
Tues - Still in Sitges
Wed - Still in Sitges
Thurs - Take train back to Madrid, stay there
Fri - Still in Madrid
Sat - Still in Madrid
Sun - Fly back

2 kids, well traveled, one of them a toddler.

My well traveled 4 y/o would have no trouble with what you described above. If you and your spouse can handle it they should be fine. I do agree if you can cut out the night in Barcelona and just do 2 day trips that would be better, it's already going to be a lot of packing/unpacking within a week.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it's only 3, doesn't seem too much to me. But Barcelona is only about 30 mins from Sitges so maybe just stay in Sitges all the time that you're not in Madrid and day trip into Barcelona as needed.

It's only three cities, but 4 different hotels. You don't think that's too much with kids?

Not sure, but I don't think it makes that much difference - hotels are hotels. You probably won't spend much time in the hotels other than sleeping so it's not like they'll get really used to the hotel and feel uprooted. I haven't done a trip like this with my kids - we tend to do AirBnBs or whatever because I find it easier than being in hotels, but we travelled a lot like this as kids, in different hotels, and I loved it, it was fun exploring each new hotel.

Too many travel days. I would skip the hotel stays in Barcelona. Just go to Sitges and day trip to Barcelona.

Anonymous wrote:it's only 3, doesn't seem too much to me. But Barcelona is only about 30 mins from Sitges so maybe just stay in Sitges all the time that you're not in Madrid and day trip into Barcelona as needed.

It's only three cities, but 4 different hotels. You don't think that's too much with kids?

I think it is fine, but personally, I would just stay in Barcelona - love that city. But I have never heard of this beach city you are going to - if it is near and you can take day trips to Barcelona, it seems like a good option.

it's only 3, doesn't seem too much to me. But Barcelona is only about 30 mins from Sitges so maybe just stay in Sitges all the time that you're not in Madrid and day trip into Barcelona as needed.

OP. Thanks for the feedback! Let me clarify, I have to be in Madrid for work. We have to be there the last leg of the trip for a conference. We're staying the first night there because it's a red eye and to allow the kids a bit of rest time versus herding them into a train after flying all night.

We're meeting the in laws and they want to stay at the beach so we though Sitges may be a good option so we can still day trip to Barcelona or wherever if we're so inclined.

I'm just not sure if the sheer number of places to stay is too much I guess.

No. Why would it be too ambitious? I mean, I would probably stay in Madrid for three nights on the front end and then go to Barcelona and Sitges, just because the kids will be jetlagged and need some recovery time.

Are you going to Sitges for the beach? It seems strange to me to spend only 1 day in Barcelona and 3/4 days in Sitges. I guess it would help to understand a bit more about what you want from your trip?

Why are you spending the first night in Madrid instead of going right to Barcelona?

Thurs - Arrive to Madrid, stay in hotel there
Fri - Take train to Barcelona, stay there
Sat - Still in Barcelona
Sun - Take train to Sitges - stay there
Mon - Still in Sitges
Tues - Still in Sitges
Wed - Still in Sitges
Thurs - Take train back to Madrid, stay there
Fri - Still in Madrid
Sat - Still in Madrid
Sun - Fly back

2 kids, well traveled, one of them a toddler.