Best of Spain?

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SwampFox

Man, only a week? That's tough.

By default, I'd stay in Madrid, because it's so centrally located that you can see more. Madrid, although not nearly as nice (in my opinion) as Barcelona, is worth a day or two by itself. From Madrid, you can easily reach Toledo, Segovia, El Escorial, Avila and Salamanca by train. As others have noted, each of these have their attractions and are worth seeing (Salamanca for its history and the largest Plaza Mayor in Spain and not much else, unless you can locate where Lazarillo came from along the Tormes).

Barcelona and the environs are also worth a week. Barcelona could take up half your time, with the rest divided between the Costa Brava, Girona, and Montserrat.

But if I had my druthers, I'd spend the week in AndalucÃa. First and foremost, I'd go to Granada and La Alhambra. To me, it is the most beautiful place on earth. That said, beware the crowds. I'd also make sure to go to CÃ³rdoba and see the Mezquita and the JuderÃa. Many people like Sevilla a lot more than I do. The Catedral and the Giralda are very interesting, as is the Torre de Oro. I admittedly didn't get out to see much of the town on the two occasions I was there, so my opinion on Sevilla has to be taken with a huge grain of salt. Nerja, along the coast to the east from MÃ¡laga, is also worth a day.

The problem, for me at least, is trying to cram anything in Spain to simply one week. I love that country and can't see trying to limit myself to a week.

As for things to avoid, in the year that I lived there, I never once went to a bullfight and don't think I missed anything. I'm not a PETA zealot, I just had no interest. I also never saw a flamenco performance. To Americans, those are probably two of the biggest stereotypes about the country, yet I felt that I knew Spain pretty well when I left despite never having experienced either.

dinodino

With one week I would visit Madrid, Cordoba (Mesquita), Seville (+ Italica is you like Rome ruins), Granada (La Alhambra) if you have a full seven days. Toledo is a short trip from Madrid but that might be pushing it. Use the AVE high speed train between Madrid, Cordoba and Seville. Try to spend a Saturday Night in Madrid for the nightlife.

If you want to stay around Madrid, Avila, Segovia and Toledo are all fairly close.

uva guy

The Roman aqueduct in Segovia. Be sure to eat at Meson de Candido in its shadow. The King supposedly has.

The walled city of Avila.

El Escorial.

Tapas bars along the Plaza Mayor in Madrid at night.

Have Churros y chocolate - hot chocolate like you never dreamed of it here.

There are more castles and cathedrals than you can count.

I was there before Spain joined the EU, everything was still cheap. Don't know it is now. But you make me want to go back!

JosÃ© Ferreira

Women!!!!

Lizanne

In Madrid, you should go to the Prado Museum (if you like rennisaince & baroque art) or the Reina Sofia Museum (if you prefer picasso & dali) Madrid itself has a great nightlife, and there are tons of student bars along the Gran Via. There is also a large beautiful Basilica in the city by the train station that I highly reccomend. I would spend at least two days there.
If you want to go to Valencia, the week of March 15 is the city-wide festival of Fallas (google it, trust me its amazing) and even if you miss that, there is the Cuidad de Artes y Ciencias that is gorgeous. The church in the center houses one of the 3 holy grails in existence, and is gorgeous. There's also a beautiful beach! A good place for clubs would be the Blasco IbaÃ±ez area, or in the center, an area called La Carmen. Both very cool, with fun clubs and bars. I would say at least two days there too.
Barcelona is a beautiful city as well. I havent personally spent too much time there, but everytime i pass through I am awestruck at the architecture.
Another reccomendation would be Granada to the south. It was the last Moorish stronghold in Spain, and therefore has gorgeous mosques and beautiful architecture.
Every major city you visit will have a "plaza de toros" and a bull ring, which are always beautiful.

SUE

Just go to Sevilla. Biggest church in Spain (the cathedral: largest gothic church in the world, third largest church in the world), Lots of really great architecture, some of the best art museums in the country, and tons of history. (also, outside of town is ItÃ¡lica, a perfect day trip, the Miami Beach of Ancient Rome - it was a retirement community). Daytrips would include CÃ³rdoba (more churches and history), The White towns trail (Grazalema National Park), with stops anywhere you like along the way, lots of cute little whitewashed towns, as the name implies. Jerez de la Frontera for a day at the Sherry Bodegas, and you can even make it to Gibraltar, for all sorts of geological and historical interests.

Sevilla is a University town, and there is tons to do for the younger set, as well, just hang out at the coffee shops across the street from the University, and find out where the younger set hangs.

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