AboutVíctor Díaz Expertise I live in Madrid,and travel frequently to Valencia. I have also travelled to many places all over spain, if haven't been there i'd try to help anyway providing my knowledge and links.
I enjoy trekking in the mountains, and know pyrinees, Picos de Europa and mountains in the center.
Expert: Víctor Díaz Date: 7/21/2008 Subject: Travel in spain
Question Senor Diaz: We (family of 5)will be in Spain from Dec 29 2008 till Jan 6th, 2009. We will arrive in Madrid from Dakar on the 29th, and leave Madrid on the 6th for Chicago, our home. With just a week to spend in Spain, what is your advice on what we should see ? We have heard a lot about Granada, Alhambra etc. Should we go to Seville by car from Madrid( to keep costs down) and spend our week making day trips from there to Alhambra, Granada etc. or or we best off staying in Madrid the entire week ?
Answer Hello Chander
Most important tourism destinations are (in no particular order):
Madrid,Barcelona, Sevilla, Granada.
All of these places have many important things to see, you could spend several days in each of these and more if you add daytrips.
From your week in Spain you have to bear in mind the following:
Day 1 is holyday, many things will be closed, use it for travelling or for sighseen some city, parks, squares, streets, public spaces in general.
Day 6 is also holyday in Spain, despite is the day you left and it's not important for your travel.
Whatever route you choose it must end un Madrid, it will be wiser to stay in Madrid the day before of your departure, so it will be easier, faster and not stressful to get to the airport from Madrid, rather than from any other far location.
You get into spain also in Madrid, you may travel to other destiantion as soon as you arrive or travel in the following days, this depends on how tired you may be after travelling from Dakar, or how late you arrive.
Possible destinations:
I would choose Madrid and one of these two: Barcelona or Andalucia (region that includes Sevilla, Granada..)
i think you won't have time to visit Barcelona and Andalucia in just 7 days.
Andalucia is a southern region, it's really warm in summer and i think is better to visit this area in other season, winter is perfect.
You must seek how much would cost hiring a car vs train tickets. Probably being 5, a big car would be cheaper than train tickets.
Take in count the following details:
Currently diesel is about 1,30/liter.
Parking in the center of big cities is impossible, either choose hotels not very centrical or with parking.
From Madrid to Andalucia is all highways and no tolls.
From Madrid to Barcelona is all highways, half of them are tolled.
Use this ViaMichelin site to see the cost and time of your trips. http://www.viamichelin.es/viamichelin/esp/tpl/hme/MaHomePage.htm
You may hire a car leaving MAdrid and return when you comeback.
Some other facts to plan your trip:
Andalucia is warmer than Madrid or Barcelona.
Granada is the exception (higher altitude, nearby mountains)
Granada has Alhambra, most visited monument in Spain.
There are good connections by train and bus between this main cities.
Check the spanish train website, they put the schedules about 62days in advance but you can have an idea of the costs. If you buy in advance you can take some discounts, Web or Star and save a lot of money.
This could be a route
29-arrive Madrid
30-Move to Sevilla in the morning, by car stop at Consuegra to see typical windmills. Visit cathedral, Alcazar
31-Daytrip to Cordoba
1- Sevilla, city sightseen, move to Granada in the afternoon, possible visit to Ronda (if travelling by car)
2-Granada, visit Alhambra
3-Granada, move to Madrid in the afternoon
4-Madrid, royal palace, museums, ....
5-Daytrip to Toledo
6-Leave spain
You could save some time by moving to seville on day 29 directly.
It's not a bad idea to book tickets for Alhambra in advance, it's a must in summer, in january who knows.
Another possible route
29-arrive Madrid
30-Move to Barcelona, stop at Zaragoza if you go by car
31-Barcelona
1- Barcelona sightseen
2-Barcelona daytrip to Girona or Tarragona
3-Move to Madrid
4-Madrid, royal palace, museums, ....
5-Daytrip to Toledo
6-Leave spain
A thir option: full week in Madrid...
i think it's better to visit Andalucia and a bit of Madrid in 7 days, but if you want to stay, there are things to do in Madrid and many daytrips to do in a week.
Possible daytrips from madrid (easy to do with public transport)
El Escorial
Aranjuez
Toledo
Segovia
Avila
Salamanca
...
