Spain trip plan

[Letseetheworld]

Sawadee
Hi, I am from Thailand
I plan to travel to Spain next April
Yeah... It's quite long time to go
but It is my first time in Spain so
Please suggest me on my travel plan...

By the way, I heard about Semana Santa festival in April
Would it make any different for traveling to Spain in other period?
Is it hard to get budget accom during that long holiday?
Would all shops be closed down in clouding attractions or Museum?

Any comment or advice are welcome and will be very much appreciated
Thank you in advance

Plan A : Plan A Barcelona - Granada - Ronda - Sevilla -Cordoba -Madrid
April 6 London STD -Barcelona ( Fly)
April 7 Barcelona
April 8 Barcelona or Tarragona or Mont Serrat * day trip from Barcelona
April 9 Barcelona > Granada ( Fly)
April 10 Granada > Ronda
April 11 Ronda > Sevilla
April 12 Sevilla > Cordoba
April 13 Cordoba > Madrid
April 14 Madrid
April 15 Madrid or Toledo or Segovia or El Escorial * day trip from Madrid
April 16 Madrid > London STD ( Fly)

[gary]

:) wow - thats a heck of an itinerary!!

Welcome to the forums

[Pippa]

In Granada you need a day to see the Alhambra. Unless you are just going late in the evening to Ronda, I would take off Ronda from your very busy schedule.
Easter is very popular and it is difficult to find budget accomodation at that time as it is considered high season, and I believe Seville would be the most difficult unless you do it with plenty of time in advance.

[Realaficionada21]

Hello! I hope that you will have an amazing trip to Spain!

I saw your itinerary and thought I would comment.

I had a roommate from Girona (near Barcelona) and heard some good stuff about it. Never been there myself, but it could be something to look into.

For day trips from Madrid I have been to all three and I enjoyed all of them. To be honest I can´t remember a whole lot of details from the Toledo trip because it was a tour with my school. But I went to Segovia twice and the aqueduct is amazing and so is the Alcazar. And obviously the monastery at El Escorial is great so all theree are excellent choices. I have no specific bits of advice, but I thought I would give you some moral support :) Hopefully someone can be more helpful!!

It is a pity that your trip doesn't include Salamanca. I studied abroad there for a year and it has some great history too. (Where is Spain doesn't, right?)

;D

[Perro Callejero]

In Granada you need a day to see the Alhambra. Unless you are just going late in the evening to Ronda, I would take off Ronda from your very busy schedule.

Agreed; the Alhambra is a must.

[greytop]

You could maybe substitute Cordóba for Ronda. It's closer to Granada and the mosque/cathedral is fairly unique plus the city has much of interest.
One of my first trips to southern Spain was a coach tour that included Granada/Alhambra, Cordóba, Seville. We then went south - but those first days were definitely the highlight of the tour.
I've since revisited the Alhambra as it is probably one of Spain's, if not the world's, greats. Be advised that it gets very busy and you need to book a time to get in, and probably a guided tour is best as it is a big site.
Where are you going after that trip for a rest? ;)

[Juanjo]

You could maybe substitute Cordóba for Ronda. It's closer to Granada and the mosque/cathedral is fairly unique plus the city has much of interest.

Where are you going after that trip for a rest? ;)

I agree with Greytop having done the route several times over the years. The itinerary sounds far, far too packed for comfort ("It Thursday so this must be Sevilla!";)).

Drop Ronda off the list (even though I love Ronda!) and then you can just blast down the A-92 Autovia to Sevilla in a couple of hours ( you will need at least two days to appreciate Sevilla!). Remember roads and accommodation will be packed due to Semana Santa.

If you have any spare time :D spend it visiting ruins of the major palace of Al-Andalus at Medina Azahara (5km outside Córdoba).

(How are you getting from Córdoba to Madrid-AVE or flying from Sevilla?)

[Legazpi]

Sawasdee Khop

During Semana Santa it will be hard to get accommodation in southern cities like Seville, Granada and Cordoba. The problem is made worse by the fact that it is also a national holiday, so all the other tourist attractions are closed. Personally I would try to avoid those places during Semana Santa as I find the processions tedious anyway.

Also, as others have commented, your itinerary involves far too much travelling. You will spend a third of your time waiting in airports and trying to get your bearings: you will not have a chance to appreciate anything, or relax. In the 10 days you have I would either split them between Madrid and Barcelona, doing day excursions from each city, or I would spend it in the south and split the time between Seville, Granada, Cordoba and Rhonda.

It looks like you are/will be based in London. If so, then don't forget you can do weekend breaks to the main Spanish cities (Madrid, Barcelona, Seville) from London any time you like. So it might be worth using those 10 days to go to places less directly accessible such as Granada, Cordoba and Rhonda. However you might want to avoid them during Semana Santa.

Finally, be careful if you are flying London STD to Barcelona with Ryanair, you might end up in Girona, which is an hour north of Barcelona.

[Letseetheworld]

Thank you for all your comments and suggestion I now realize how I should plan my trip and this is what I modify based on all your suggestion above.

April 6 London STD 18.05 Pm >>>>> Barcelona 21.20 Pm
April 7 Barcelona
April Wed 8 Barcelona 20:45 Pm >>>>> Sevilla 22:20 Pm (Fly)
April Thu 9 Sevilla
April Fri 10 Sevilla
April Sat 11 Sevilla 8:00 Am >>>>>> Granada 11:00 Am (Bus)
April Sun 12 Granada
April 13 Granada >>>>>>> Madrid (bus)
April 14 Madrid
April 15 Madrid
April 16 Madrid 17.00 Pm >>>>>>>London STD 18.30 Pm


Please feel free to share your thought … I am really appreciated all your comment,
By the way, I now try to be in Sevilla during Semana Santa But I am thinking about your comments that all shops and the other tourist attractions are closed so what should I do?
Should I change to other period or do you think it is worth to be there during that Holy week?
Please help me analyze the Pros and Cons since I am from different culture and I do not know about this event…

[Letseetheworld]

In Granada you need a day to see the Alhambra. Unless you are just going late in the evening to Ronda, I would take off Ronda from your very busy schedule.
Easter is very popular and it is difficult to find budget accomodation at that time as it is considered high season, and I believe Seville would be the most difficult unless you do it with plenty of time in advance.

Thank you for your advice I will start searching for room after finalizing the plan

[Letseetheworld]

Hello! I hope that you will have an amazing trip to Spain!

I saw your itinerary and thought I would comment.

I had a roommate from Girona (near Barcelona) and heard some good stuff about it. Never been there myself, but it could be something to look into.

For day trips from Madrid I have been to all three and I enjoyed all of them. To be honest I can´t remember a whole lot of details from the Toledo trip because it was a tour with my school. But I went to Segovia twice and the aqueduct is amazing and so is the Alcazar. And obviously the monastery at El Escorial is great so all theree are excellent choices. I have no specific bits of advice, but I thought I would give you some moral support :) Hopefully someone can be more helpful!!

It is a pity that your trip doesn't include Salamanca. I studied abroad there for a year and it has some great history too. (Where is Spain doesn't, right?)

;D

It is my first time in Spain and if I have to choose between these three
Toledo .....Segovia.......El Escorial
what would be the answer? considering the rest of my plan, which one of these 3 will give me different experiences...

Thank you

[Letseetheworld]

Agreed; the Alhambra is a must.

Thank you for your reply.
I will make sure that I have enough time to visit Alhambra ...
Should I book ticket in advance and during April Easter would it be closed?

[Letseetheworld]

You could maybe substitute Cordóba for Ronda. It's closer to Granada and the mosque/cathedral is fairly unique plus the city has much of interest.
One of my first trips to southern Spain was a coach tour that included Granada/Alhambra, Cordóba, Seville. We then went south - but those first days were definitely the highlight of the tour.
I've since revisited the Alhambra as it is probably one of Spain's, if not the world's, greats. Be advised that it gets very busy and you need to book a time to get in, and probably a guided tour is best as it is a big site.
Where are you going after that trip for a rest? ;)

Thank you for your advice,... Based on my new plan...I might visit Cordóba for day trip on Friday April 10 and retun for Semana Santa in the evening in Seville... what do you think?

[Letseetheworld]

I agree with Greytop having done the route several times over the years. The itinerary sounds far, far too packed for comfort ("It Thursday so this must be Sevilla!";)).

Drop Ronda off the list (even though I love Ronda!) and then you can just blast down the A-92 Autovia to Sevilla in a couple of hours ( you will need at least two days to appreciate Sevilla!). Remember roads and accommodation will be packed due to Semana Santa.

If you have any spare time :D spend it visiting ruins of the major palace of Al-Andalus at Medina Azahara (5km outside Córdoba).

(How are you getting from Córdoba to Madrid-AVE or flying from Sevilla?)


Thank you for your in put, I am really appreciated that
I have changed to the new plan and I will go to Barcelona (fly) Sevilla (bus) Granada (night bus) Madrid
What do you think?

Is 2 days in Barcelona too short?
Is 3 days in Madrid enough ?

[irishluke]

I would go to see the Semana Santa if I were you...

[Letseetheworld]

Sawasdee Khop

During Semana Santa it will be hard to get accommodation in southern cities like Seville, Granada and Cordoba. The problem is made worse by the fact that it is also a national holiday, so all the other tourist attractions are closed. Personally I would try to avoid those places during Semana Santa as I find the processions tedious anyway.

Also, as others have commented, your itinerary involves far too much travelling. You will spend a third of your time waiting in airports and trying to get your bearings: you will not have a chance to appreciate anything, or relax. In the 10 days you have I would either split them between Madrid and Barcelona, doing day excursions from each city, or I would spend it in the south and split the time between Seville, Granada, Cordoba and Rhonda.

It looks like you are/will be based in London. If so, then don't forget you can do weekend breaks to the main Spanish cities (Madrid, Barcelona, Seville) from London any time you like. So it might be worth using those 10 days to go to places less directly accessible such as Granada, Cordoba and Rhonda. However you might want to avoid them during Semana Santa.

Finally, be careful if you are flying London STD to Barcelona with Ryanair, you might end up in Girona, which is an hour north of Barcelona.

Kob Khun krup, that is Thank you in Thai.
I now change my plan as I posted on above topic.
But now I have concerns on your point that during Semana Santa is also the national holiday and it will be sad if I could not visit any attraction while I am in Seville, Granada, Cordoba.
Could you give me more information about this?
I have not plan the detail of each cities yet so I am not sure how many attration that will be closed during that Holy week?
I really someone advice on this and I hope you or people here can help me.

Oh thank you also for your note regard Barcelona Airport, I will take Easy jet to Barcelona
Thank you very much in advance

[irishluke]

By the way, a flight to Girona near Barcelona could be 27 GBP...while they provide on the hour bus services to Barcelona every hour, which is 16 euro...which is 43 euro total.

For the sake of an extra hour, and if it's cheaper than Easyjet, I'd go with Ryanair.

[Legazpi]

Kob Khun krup, that is Thank you in Thai.
I now change my plan as I posted on above topic.
But now I have concerns on your point that during Semana Santa is also the national holiday and it will be sad if I could not visit any attraction while I am in Seville, Granada, Cordoba.
Could you give me more information about this?
I have not plan the detail of each cities yet so I am not sure how many attration that will be closed during that Holy week?
I really someone advice on this and I hope you or people here can help me.

Oh thank you also for your note regard Barcelona Airport, I will take Easy jet to Barcelona
Thank you very much in advance

Kob Khun Ma krup (thank you very much - I think? - I have just spent 3 weeks in your country so it is good to try to remember a bit of the language)

I have not spent Semana Santa in Seville, or any of the southern cities, so I cannot give too much advice. My comments are based on my experiences of Semana Santa in other Spanish cities such as Toledo. Hopefully somebody else on this forum might know more, though you can read a bit about it here:

http://www.sevillaonline.es/english/seville-city-centre/semana-santa_holy-week.htm

I usually escape to northern Spain (Barcelona, San Sebastian, etc) where at least there aren't any Semana Santa processions, although I think the museums might also be closed for Good Friday.

I should clarify my previous comment that although Semana Santa refers to the entire week, the holiday is just the Thur, Fri, Sat & Sun in most of Spain (Fri, Sat, Sun & Mon in Barcelona) so the tourist attractions are not shut for the entire week. They will probably all be shut on the Friday, and maybe on the Saturday and Sunday, depending on which city you are in. I'm sorry I can't be more specific. However, I think you'll find that on the Friday everything is shut in Europe, so there is no escaping it anyway.

[Urgellenk]

Most attractions (museums, monuments) in Spain are closed on Mondays, but open on holidays. It might be that some important cathedrals are reserved to liturgic uses during the most important moments of the Holy Week, but that is something you can easily check out on-line.

Most of the stores will be closed, except the ones that catter mainly to tourists. Restaurants, theaters, bars will all be open (and very crowded).

Semana Santa means there are four days off in a row = Crowds and crowds everywhere; almost impossible to find accomodation if you have not reserved well in advance and fully booked trains and planes. Large cities like Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia, which don't have significant procession traditions, are very quiet in that period as many of the residents flock to the beach, the countryside or abroad.

Sevilla, Málaga and all the Andalusian cities have some of the most celebrated Semana Santa traditions in Spain. Sevilla is definitely the best known and it will be the most crowded of all. The processions are something unique but not for every body. If not ready to negotiate the crowds and the processions, you'd better choose different travel dates.

Have a nice trip!

[Letseetheworld]

Kob Khun Ma krup (thank you very much - I think? - I have just spent 3 weeks in your country so it is good to try to remember a bit of the language)

I have not spent Semana Santa in Seville, or any of the southern cities, so I cannot give too much advice. My comments are based on my experiences of Semana Santa in other Spanish cities such as Toledo. Hopefully somebody else on this forum might know more, though you can read a bit about it here:

http://www.sevillaonline.es/english/seville-city-centre/semana-santa_holy-week.htm

I usually escape to northern Spain (Barcelona, San Sebastian, etc) where at least there aren't any Semana Santa processions, although I think the museums might also be closed for Good Friday.

I should clarify my previous comment that although Semana Santa refers to the entire week, the holiday is just the Thur, Fri, Sat & Sun in most of Spain (Fri, Sat, Sun & Mon in Barcelona) so the tourist attractions are not shut for the entire week. They will probably all be shut on the Friday, and maybe on the Saturday and Sunday, depending on which city you are in. I'm sorry I can't be more specific. However, I think you'll find that on the Friday everything is shut in Europe, so there is no escaping it anyway.

:):):) :thumbs-up::thumbs-up::thumbs-up:
Thank you so much Legazpi for your advice
I am very appreciated that
It is good to hear that your have been to my country and I hope you had a good memory from here.
You advice is very helpful especially the web link that you gave me
I went to see it already and found that it is very interesting.

I also heard from the Hostel staff in Sevilla that all Sevilla’s people will be on the street for that festival so sometimes during the day can be difficult to move around the city, due to the religious parades and the crowd and many shops will closed down…

So what should I decide. I visit London from April 4 – 18 but I have been in London & Uk for a year so this time I want to go somewhere nearby UK.
I have been to many in Western Eu but not Spain, so that why I am thinking I should go to Spain,

Frankly, I now 50/50 about going to Spain during that Easter but on one hand I believe that it’s something very spectacular and I should be there to witness….

But on the other hand, I am quite worry about difficulty for traveling especially the transportation, accommodation, so on…

Also it will be a pity if I miss to visit highlight attraction in Spain during my first time visit.

I know no one can really decide that for me… but please let me know if you have any opinion on this.

I would love to hear from you all.

Thank you :thumbs-up::thumbs-up:

[Letseetheworld]

Most attractions (museums, monuments) in Spain are closed on Mondays, but open on holidays. It might be that some important cathedrals are reserved to liturgic uses during the most important moments of the Holy Week, but that is something you can easily check out on-line.

Most of the stores will be closed, except the ones that catter mainly to tourists. Restaurants, theaters, bars will all be open (and very crowded).

Semana Santa means there are four days off in a row = Crowds and crowds everywhere; almost impossible to find accomodation if you have not reserved well in advance and fully booked trains and planes. Large cities like Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia, which don't have significant procession traditions, are very quiet in that period as many of the residents flock to the beach, the countryside or abroad.

Sevilla, Málaga and all the Andalusian cities have some of the most celebrated Semana Santa traditions in Spain. Sevilla is definitely the best known and it will be the most crowded of all. The processions are something unique but not for every body. If not ready to negotiate the crowds and the processions, you'd better choose different travel dates.

Have a nice trip!

Urgellenk... Thank you for your advice.
It is very clear and precise to my question.
Of the main festival organize during Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday that means it only has an effect on my plan during 5 – 6 day in Andalucia…
And the rest like Barcelona and Madrid will be as usual time of the year.

What do you think?
As Legazpi mentioned Easter is everywhere is Europe and I can not move my plan away from April 4-18 I will fly to London and like to go some where in Europe..

Anyway, I will check the attraction website (museum / Cathedral / Castle) and see if I can visit during Holy week…

Thank once again…
I found this community is very warm and friendly.

I love Spain
Muchísimas gracias
Me has ayudado mucho.

[gary]

By the way, a flight to Girona near Barcelona could be 27 GBP...while they provide on the hour bus services to Barcelona every hour, which is 16 euro...which is 43 euro total.

For the sake of an extra hour, and if it's cheaper than Easyjet, I'd go with Ryanair.

As of today 43 Euros is £37 - you can usually fly to BCN for this money or less including the train to the centre.

[Urgellenk]

Hi again,

The holidays around Easter vary according to the region. In Andalucia, the official holidays are Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, but in Catalonia (Barcelona and region) holidays are Good Friday and Easter Monday.

Actually, there are processions and religious events all throughout the Holy Week. Friday of Grieves sets the tone and Palm Sunday will be the official start in most places.

Even if I am not a religious person, I find the processions touching and impressive. The traditions may be quite different across the regions, but they are all very solemn and unique. Beyond the religious fervor and the sense of tradition, I have always experienced an overpowering atmosphere which is difficult to describe. Of course, many people I know find them rather tedious, as one of the previous posters; Others find the crowds really overwhelming in the most popular places like Seville. I would still highly recommend the experience to anybody with an interest in European culture.

If, on the other hand, more classical attractions like the Alhambra in Granada or the Mezquita in Córdoba will be your highlights, then they will much more enjoyable out of the holidays, when all the crowds are gone. In that case, I suggest that you arrange your itinerary so that you spend the busy days in Madrid or Barcelona and the rest of the time in Andalucia.

As I said, you do not have to worry about attractions being closed, as almost everything will be open (except on Mondays), only very crowded, particularly in the places that you intend to visit, as they are very popular.

Since your itinerary seems to be rather tied up, you can start to secure your flights, train tickets and accomodations with plenty of time.