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Well, depends on budget, but since you're 19 I'm going to assume you're on a pretty tight budget. Barcelona without a doubt and from there you could go down the coast to Valencia (4-5 hrs on a bus) then go to Madrid (another 4 hours, but through gorgeous mountains). Those are the 3 biggest cities--Barcelona has beautiful beaches, interesting architectural works by renown architect Antoni Gaudi, EXCELLENT nightlife, but ALOT of tourists. Valencia is smaller and a more developing city, again near the beach and has the magnificent City of Arts and Sciences - google image it, the buildings are art-deco modern and HUGE. Madrid has a more genuine Spanish feel--great food, late nights at great clubs, world famous museums (Prado, Reina Sofia, Thyssen Bornemisa(spell?)), beautiful parks (El Parque de Buen Retiro), and lots of history. Also, Madrid is very central so from here you can take day-trips to Segovia (castle that inspired Disneyworld, huge Cathedral, religious monuments), Toledo (picturesque streets and town), Avila (best medieval walls in Europe), and Salamanca (gorgeous Plaza Mayor, oldest university in Spain, and very vibrant student nightlife).
If you want to do more than 3 cities, then there is also Cordoba and Granada in the south with El Alhambra (fortress/palace in Granada that should be a wonder of the world), and the Mezquita in Cordoba (a Mosque turned Cathedral in Cordoba with hundreds of Mudejar arches).
I just got back from living in Spain for two months and I would definitely go to Barcelona (spend the most time there), try to make it to Madrid by stopping at Valencia on the way (1-2 nights in Valencia only; 2-4 in Madrid depending on what you're into). Then either stay in Madrid and take some day-trips or leave quick and move on the South to cities like Granada, Cordoba, Seville, Malaga (on the Costa Blanca--beautiful beaches and coast), Marbella. The Nerja cave system is down there as well.
I would suggest finding hostels before you go--the ones I stayed in were very clean/inexpensive and offer a great way to meet people along the way. Public transportation is great in Spain and buses/trains will take you to any city. My advice is to avoid the trains as they switched to high speed trains everywhere and are now VERY expensive. If you can afford them, take them, but I took buses the entire time and they were very comfortable (A/C, roomy seats, movies). Enjoy Spain---its phenomenol. |
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