For those who have visited Spain; Best way to vacation?

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I always do my own thing, whether in Europe, or North America. I get to go to places that tours don't see. I live in Spain and there are some gems of places here that tours will never go to.

The public transport here in Spain is easy and reasonable. Occasionally it may not run to time, but this is Spain. Just relax and you'll be fine.

As for speaking a little Spanish, that will be great, but keep it simple. Having a conversation with someone from Andalucia could prove difficult. It's not like being in a classroom. They chop their words about, but the locals will enjoy you trying.

Laurita!!!

OMG hola!!!
I live in spain! so I can help you! I guess!
OK, I live in madrid but I am going to give you a route advice or places you must visit haha

Ok I don't know where you want to start of with, but let's say your plane lands in madrid ok!? madrid is awesome, there are a lot of things to do here: I am going to list you things that you might look in the internet if you wish ok?: you can go to the Retiro park, Puerta del Sol(where we do the countdown for the new year), Gran Via(is like our 5th avenue), if you like museums you can go to the Prado, You can take one of those red convertible buses to get a ride in madrid.... I recomend going on july, cause august is really hot, like 40 degrees celsius. you can go to a bar and have some tapas...etc. public in madrid is fabulous: the subway is neat, and I recommend taking the subwaycause it's easier for tourist, you can take taxis too haha. everyone in madrid takes the subway: rich, no poor..it's safe and clean.

I would recomend you going to the noth to ASTURIAS: it's just wonderful! I have been ther 3 times and it's know as the green spain, at summer temepratures are pretty nice, it's not hot. It can be like 25 degrees. good enough! the beaches are nice and incredible nice! the landscapes are just awesome! I strongly recomend you going to Cangas de Onis, Cangas de Narcea, and little towns. I would rent a car if you go here, there is not public transport and there are little towns that are woth it to stop by. You can just pay for a little 3 star hotel next to the beach so that you can see all the green landscape and the beach. it rains often so don't forget an umbrella :D

If you go to the mediterranean I would recommend going to barcelona! AWESOME! a nice city with beach, and with subway as madrid, go to the sagrada family and just take a walk along the Ramblas (an avenue)

I would strongly recomend you going to the south (SEVILLA, CADIZ....) GORGEOUS!! sevilla is really hot at summer but cadiz and sevilla are like an hour by car from each other. if you go to cadiz take the RUTA DE LOS PUEBLOS BLANCOS (route of the withe towns) which are Arcos de la Frontera, Jerez...etc I went there this past september and I love it!!!!!!! In sevilla you can go to La gIRALDA, and more places ( i haven't been in sevilla)

Spain is sooo diverse!!! you you might chose whatever you want, but if you go to the places I said, you'll do a pretty nice travel!!!! MADRID, ASTURIAS, BARCELONA, SEVILLA, CADIZ.... you can also rent a car to go to cordoba or malaga, I haven't been there but I heard is pretty too!

I hope I have helped you...remember public transport only in MAdrid, barcelona and sevilla. Cadiz has taxis and buses but no subaway, Asturas i would rent a car and I would visit little awesome towns.

ADIOS!!!!
FELIZ AÃ‘O NUEVO!!!! HAHA

dart

Public transportation in Spain is a breeze! As it is throughout Western Europe. (I can't speak for Eastern Europe).

Personally, I can't imagine EVER taking a package tour...too restricting...I suppose that I was impressed with that movie...If it's Tuesday, this must be Belgium....and I think of it as being herded around like cows. Just don't think I could do it...certainly not in Europe! (Maybe in Asia, where I'm not as familiar or comfortable).

I did Spain entirely on my own. I have lived there, but then, I would feel almost as comfortable in any of the European countries doing the same thing...getting all the pertinent information over the internet and through guidebooks, and making all the reservations myself.

Trains, and subways (there are only a few cities with subways, but most cities have buses, and some have commuter trains) are clean and quick...simple to use. I would suggest trying it.

Make sure you do your research...know what you want to do in various places, or you'll probably just wander around, and miss all the good stuff.

Need ideas? email me.

dinodino

The best way is to rent a car -- for the flexibility and experience the countryside and get to the places the trains don't go -- if you are willing to research and plan your trip. Spain has very varied terrain and out of the way sites that you won't see traveling by train or on a tour.

If you want to just sit back and have someone else do the driving and all the booking work, there are good tours. Also, a tour can be a good introduction to a country you hae never been to before.

Also, if you are just going to go to the major cities you don't need a car.

Pimplans

hi! live in LA nd have been to spain in summer, spain is a geart country and very developped (one fot he most i saw)... public transport is great nd e.g. madrid has one of the largest subways in world (nd it isnt as big as many other cities). I went 2 barcelona i really fell in love with it... its very very different from the rest of europe... beaches r great nd sunshine stereotype is true... ppl is great. This summer i'll go to ibiza with my college partners bcause my cousin went there nd he enjoyed it... he said ibiza is the world's paradise. i have searched in web information nd photos about it nd i loved it too haha. Besides spain is not as expensive as US or europe...
the only thing i hated was they lunch or dinner too late (2.30pm nd 10pm), nd restaurants were closed when i wanted to have lunch :S

Sarah N

i would go on your own without a tour guide that way you will be able to do what you want and it will be much more enjoyable. The subway systems are very clean and easy to navigate around in. They are a great way to get around the cities. however there are also buses that you can take around the cities that are also very easy to find your way on. I have only been on trains from city to city in spain a few times but my experiences with them were not the best. They seemed quite dirty and very slow. If you are going to be doing a lot of traveling i would reccomend renting a car it would be the most efficient way to travel longer distances!!! Have fun.

Dan

Along with the usually travelled areas from Madrid towards the south, consider spending time in the north as well. You may be surprised at what you'll see. If you go to Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, you'll be in an area that still retains the former Celtic culture that goes back to pre-Roman times, and you'll hear bagpipes and Celtic music instead of flamenco guitars (although you can find that there too if you want). Cantabria has the famous caves in Altamira where Cro-Magnons drew the paintings of bison and other game animals. It is from this northern area of Spain that some of the genetic lineages spread to Ireland and Wales after the Ice Age, and also the Gaelic occupation of Ireland from Galicia around 1000 BC (look up Sons of Mil on the web). In La Coru~a, there is a Tower of Hercules, which is thought to be built on the same site of an older Tower of Brigantia, where Ith, and uncle of Mil the Galician chieftain at that time, spotted Ireland on a very clear day and launched an expedition to explore it.

Try to go to Extremadura, and often forgotten area of Spain. Most big tours sadly skip that area altogether, but www.comtours.com offers a shorter 3 day tour that heads in that direction. Merida is a place in Extremadura that was formerly called Emerita Augusta. The veteran Roman legionnaires who retired often did so there. Extremadura was the birthplace of many of the explorers and conquistadors who went to Latin America like Pizzaro and Cortez. A fair chunk of my ancestry is from there.

Actually www.comtours.com may be a good idea if you like touring companies, because instead of one big tour, they offer shorter 3 day tours that you can assemble in any order you like, coming back to Madrid. There is one that heads to Barcelona, and crosses over to Lourdes in France since it's close. While in Barcelona, check out Montserrat, a famous monastery in the mountains. When the tour returns to Madrid you can go on another one, like the one to Extremadura or Galicia. Or you can decide to rent a car yourself instead, not committed to a single tour that goes on for 12 days.

Also in the north of Spain, the city of Burgos (another ancestral city for me), is the birthplace of El Cid. Near there is a monastery where many CDs have been recorded with Gregorian Chants, called Santo Domingo de Silos.

Nagy

All do you need to know you will find it in this web:
http://www.spain.info/us/tourspain

Therefore, I Can tell you, if you go to the big cites in Spain (Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Valencia) you will find that it is very easy to travel around those cities, the subway( metro in spanish) is very good transport also you will find a lot of people who speak english in that cities.

How ever, if you want to know the Spanish culture you shouldn't miss any Town celebration, every City has one at least once a year. Please check the calendar of the Spanish Fiestas. I highly recommend you "the Tomatina" check this pictures: http://www.spain.info/US/TourSpain/Eventos/Fiestas/K/TW/0/La%20Tomatina.htm?Language=en

Bull fighting (number one I'd say)
Siestas
Flamenco dancing
Sangria
Paella
Sandy beaches

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