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A Culture-Steeped Itinerary to Tour Andalusia Comfortably in 10 Days

January 21, 2020October 17, 2024Destinations, Spain Artsy Traveler 3 Comments

Last updated on October 17th, 2024 at 12:50 am

Touring Andalusia in ten days provides enough time to comfortably sample this incredible region. My itinerary starts in Cordoba and ends in Seville, and takes in Ronda, the White Towns, Cadiz, and Granada.

I don’t include the Mediterranean resorts, such as Malaga on the Costa del Sol, because I haven’t visited them. Instead, I suggest a night in lovely Cadiz facing the Atlantic Ocean. The swimming there is awesome!

As an artsy traveler, you’ll find more than enough cultural sites and experiences to delight you when touring Andalusia with my suggested itinerary.

Why Tour Andalusia?

To me, Andalusia is Spain on steroids. It’s the Spain of my imagination with bone-white villages perched on rocky crags, the skull-pounding rhythms and olés of flamenco, and tranquil Moorish courtyards with fountains splashing. I just have to say Andalusia and I feel romantic.

Carol Cram in Grazalema in Andalusia, a stop on a culture-stepped itinerary to tour Andalusia — Me on the road leading to Grazalema, one of the *Pueblos Blancos* (white towns) in Andalusia

To get you in the mood for touring Andalusia, listen to this clip from Concerto for Aranjuez by Joaquín Rodrigo. If your heart swells and your palms get a bit sweaty from an excess of romantic swooning, then you’ll know that touring Andalusia is for you!

Getting Around Andalusia

As one of the largest regions in Spain, Andalusia stretches from the Portuguese border in the west, south to the Mediterranean and the resorts on the Costa del Sol, and east almost as far as Cartagena. Here’s a map of the area:

Trip map courtesy of Wanderlog, a road trip planner on iOS and Android

One way to tour Andalusia is to connect the three principal cities—Cordoba (#1), Granada (#2), and Seville (#5)—by train. The distances are short, and train service is efficient and fast.

On our first trip to the area, we took trains and found the experience easy and relaxing.

If you want to add in Cadiz (#4), the White Towns (Pueblos Blancos), and Ronda (#3) (highly recommended), then consider renting a car. One option is to take the high-speed train from Madrid to Cordoba, enjoy the city for one night, then pick up a car to drive east to Granada for two nights before circling around to the east to visit the White Towns, Ronda, and Cadiz by way of Arcos de la Frontera.

Drop off the car at the airport in Seville, grab a shuttle or a taxi to an apartment in the old town (where I don’t advise driving), and enjoy the final days of your trip in Andalusia.

Suggested Itinerary

For an itinerary for touring Andalusia that combines driving and trains, I suggest:

One night in Cordoba
Two nights in Granada
Three nights in the countryside near Ronda to explore it and the White Towns
One night in Cadiz
Three nights in Seville.

Highlights of your week include visits to the Alhambra in Granada and the Mosque-Cathedral in Cordoba, touring gorgeous Ronda and the White Towns, basking on the beach at Cadiz, and, of course, enjoying flamenco pretty much everywhere, but particularly in Seville.

Day 1: Cordoba

Train from Madrid

We took an early morning train from Madrid to Cordoba, and were glad we were on the train and not driving. The distance is quite vast and the landscape stark and beautiful, but not particularly varied. You’ll pass a lot of olive trees.

On another trip to Spain, we drove from Toledo (just south of Madrid) to Ronda (not far from Cordoba). As we’d discovered when watching the landscape from the train on our first trip, the vast distance didn’t improve when seen from a car. On our next trip to Spain, we plan to take trains more often and rent cars at our destinations.

Arrival in Cordoba

We arrived in Cordoba and moments later were careening through the historic Jewish Quarter in the back seat of a taxi driven by a guy who didn’t know where he was going. As we had all morning, we continued to congratulate ourselves for not driving.

The author with a glass of sherry in the courtyard of a hotel in Cordoba — Relaxing with a glass of sherry after finding our lovely little hotel in old Cordoba

Finally, we arrived at our lovely little hotel on a small square in the maze of tiny streets. We entered a cool courtyard where a fountain tinkled and the friendly proprietor offered us a cold glass of wine. Heaven after a long day of traveling!

For information about where we stayed in Cordoba, see Where to Stay in Spain: My Best Picks.

Exploring Cordoba

Refreshed from our drink and a rest, we ventured out into this lovely old city. One can’t help but love it. The old town is compact, with plenty of twisting medieval streets, and the Mosque-Cathedral and the Roman Bridge are world-class sites.

Touring the Mosque-Cathedral (Mezquita)

Visit the Mosque-Cathedral (a UNESCO World Heritage site) in the late afternoon or early morning. With any luck, the tour groups will have dissipated, leaving you space to enjoy this incredible place in relative solitude.

Wander around to soak up the history and then, if you can, hover at the edges of a guided tour to pick up some information about the history and architecture.

Moorish architecture of the praying hall. The Mezquita is regarded as the most accomplished monument of the Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba. After the Spanish Reconquista, it once again became a Roman Catholic church. — Moorish architecture of the praying hall in the Mosque-Cathedral

Around 900 AD, Cordoba under Moorish rule had 400,000 inhabitants and was one of the most sophisticated cities in Europe. In those days, the mosque was called the Mezquita and was a glorious forest of arches and columns.

In the 15th century, the King built a church in the center of the mosque – a terrible shame, from an architectural standpoint. However, be grateful that they didn’t pull down the mosque itself so we can still see what it looked like in its heyday. What’s left of the mosaics, and the lovely symmetry of the columns and arches, provides an interesting contrast to the overly ornate church bits.

Enjoying Flamenco in Cordoba

In the evening, enjoy tapas in the historic quarter and then catch a flamenco performance at the Tablao El Cardenal. We were entranced for over two hours.

Two guitar players, two male singers, five female dancers, and one male dancer made up the company. Unbelievable!

The male singers did things with their throats that I didn’t think humanly possible, and the flamenco guitarists were breathtaking. And then there were the dancers! Both soloists and ensembles performed what sometimes looked choreographed and at other times improvised, inspired by the singers and guitarists.

Strolling the Roman Bridge

After the show, wander out to view the Roman Bridge dating from the 1st century BC that spans the Guadalquivir River. Walk across and look back to see the floodlit Mosque-Cathedral.

Roman Bridge on Guadalquivir River and Mosque-Cathedral (La Mezquita) illuminated at dusk in the city of Cordoba, Andalusia, Spain.

Cordoba Tours

Days 2 & 3: Granada

Drive about two hours or catch a train to Granada. If you’re driving, take a detour to the las Sierras Subbéticas National Park to enjoy amazing views.

Granada is a thriving town with more going for it than just the Alhambra. Spend your first afternoon and evening walking around the backstreets and barrios of this lovely city. Stop by one of the lively plazas for a drink and tapas and watch the world go by. You might hear a band playing in a nearby park.

Also, stroll up to Sacromonte, the atmospheric gypsy quarter. Peer into cave houses and later in the evening enjoy more flamenco.

Visiting the Alhambra

Buy your tickets for the Alhambra within three months of your visit to Granada. Your ticket is valid all day. However, you need a special time-slot admission ticket to visit the Nasrid Palaces (Palacios Nazaries) at the heart of the Alhambra. If possible, choose a time early in the day to have a fighting chance of beating the crowds.

A beautiful view of Alhambra, Granada, Andalusia, Spain

Take a taxi up to the Alhambra (taxis are not expensive).

The Alhambra complex is huge. You’ll walk a lot, but every few steps you’ll see another new and glorious vista or intriguing detail to admire.

One of the huge towers of the Alcazaba fortress inside the Alhambra, a place to see while visiting Andalusia — One of the huge towers of the Alcazaba fortress inside the Alhambra

Touring the Nasrid Palaces

About thirty minutes before the time noted on your ticket for the Nasrid Palaces (Palacios Nazaries), line up at the entrance. The signs and the line-up are hard to miss!

Even in the morning, the crowds will be large, making the visit through the rooms of the palace a claustrophobic squeeze. Check out the drippy stonework on the ceilings, the incredible tilework, and the serene courtyards.

After visiting the palace, wander over to the Generalife Gardens which are usually not so crowded as the Alhambra and contain many more fountains. Apparently, the fountains are a 19th-century addition, since the Moors preferred standing water to fountains.

Water games and beautiful vegetation in the gardens of the Generalife on the hill of the Alhambra

Spend the rest of the day relaxing after the exertions of the Alhambra, do some shopping, eat more tapas, and chill. End the day with more flamenco!

Options for Touring the Alhambra

Days 4 to 6: Ronda & the White Towns

Take your time enjoying this lovely and rugged region of Spain. The White Towns (Pueblos Blancos) get their name from the white-washing on the walls of most of the houses. Set amidst rocky gorges and jagged cliffs, they gleam in the heat under harsh blue skies. Many of the towns are located within the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park.

I suggest home-basing at a rural property outside of Ronda. We stayed at a wonderful family-run hotel about a twenty-minute drive from Ronda on the road leading to the Caves of Pileta. For more about the Caves, check out Prehistory Sites in Europe: 7 Spine-Tingling Ancient Places.

Relax during the heat of the day, and then tour the towns in the early morning or late afternoon.

Ronda is worth a day of your time. The famous gorge is, well, gorgeous, particularly at sunset. We enjoyed a dinner overlooking the gorge and the bridge spanning it, and then stood at the edge of the bridge to watch the sun set over Andalusia.

Breathtaking! And so romantic!

Carol Cram on the bridge at Ronda, a highlight of touring Andalusia — Enjoying a sun-drenched view on the bridge at Ronda

Walk out onto the bridge and look down. It’s a long, long way down to the gorge.

View looking down from the bridge at Ronda. — Looking straight down from the bridge in Ronda

The tiny roads linking some of the White Towns, such as Zahara de la Sierra and Grazalema, are extremely twisty. Slow down and take your time navigating the hairpin turns while gasping at the spectacular vistas.

Day 7: Cadiz

We wanted a bit of beach time but weren’t keen on making the scene in the coastal resorts of the Costa del Sol near Malaga. So, we headed to Cadiz by way of Arcos de la Frontera—one of the larger but picturesque White Towns.

Instead of trying to navigate the narrow streets of old Cadiz, stay at a hotel along the main drag leading to the city and walk a block to the ocean. The beach stretches for miles, and the swimming is fabulous. Just about everyone on the beach was a local. Cadiz isn’t on the tourist beat.

View of the beach at Cadiz, a great place to chill while touring Andalusia — Enjoy the beach at Cadiz

Again, slow down and enjoy. In the evening, find a place alongside the sea front for a leisurely dinner and watch the sun sink below the horizon.

Days 8 to 10: Seville

And finally, to Seville—the jewel of Andalusia (in my opinion!). I adore Seville and after two visits, I am nowhere near done with it.

Although a substantial city, the core of Seville is easily walkable and oh-so-picturesque. Yes, it can get crowded, particularly around the massive Seville Cathedral, but walk a few blocks and you’ll have the streets to yourself.

The two major attractions are the Seville Cathedral and the Real Alcázar—the Alcázar Palace.

Visiting Seville Cathedral

The cathedral is decorated with much of the gold brought back by the Conquistadors and, although beautiful, is a little over-the-top. But do pop in for a look. A guided tour is a good idea.

Touring Real Alcázar

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Real Alcázar is worth a visit. It’s a palace, still in use by the royal family, that was built by Christians on the site of a Moorish fortress. The Alcázar is considered a preeminent example of the Mudéjar style of architecture characterized by decorative motifs first developed by the Moors.

Line-ups are long, so make sure you get tickets in advance and wear good walking shoes. There’s a lot to see here!

Enjoying More Flamenco

Visit the Flamenco Museum and enjoy a show (or two) of flamenco in one of the many venues. We favor Los Gallos for its intimate setting. Get tickets in advance. Read Flamenco for my take on the flamenco experience in Seville.

Hanging Out in Seville

The real charm of Seville is the city itself—the outdoor cafés, the views along the riverside, the palm-studded parks, the tiny streets often shaded by canopies to keep out the sweltering heat.

Yes, Seville is hot. On our trip there in July 2019, the thermometer grazed 41 degrees C (over 100 degrees F). Make sure you book an apartment or a hotel room with air conditioning, even if the cost is higher.

Spend the mornings sightseeing, return to your cool apartment in the heat of the day for siesta (such a civilized custom!), then venture out around 7 to start your evening. In Seville, the action barely gets going until after 10 pm.

Options for Touring Seville

Where to Stay in Andalusia

For accommodation suggestions in Cordoba, Granada, Cadiz, Ronda, and Seville, see Where to Stay in Spain: My Best Picks.

Exploring the Area

Here are some GetYourGuide tours in Andalusia.

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Conclusion

Have you visited Andalusia? If so, you’ll know that ten days isn’t long enough to see all there is to see. Culture, art, and landscape come together in Andalusia to deliver one of Europe’s best artsy travel experiences.

Here are more posts about Spain on Artsy Traveler:

How to Spend Two Packed & Fabulous Days in Beautiful Barcelona

January 21, 2020December 10, 2024Destinations, Spain Artsy Traveler 1 Comment

Last updated on December 10th, 2024 at 01:47 am

Barcelona has much to offer the artsy traveler. You won’t see all of it in two days, but you will see the highlights and still have time to stroll Las Ramblas and eat great food.

In this post, I share my suggestions for how to spend two full days and three nights in Barcelona.

Arrival Day

Presuming you arrive in Barcelona mid to late afternoon, give yourself time to get settled, then spend your evening exploring your neighborhood. I suggest staying in the Eixample area, where you’ll find good hotels, leafy treed streets, and lots of restaurants.

Aerial straight down on the Eixample Disctrict, Barcelona

On a solo trip to Barcelona a few years ago, I was amazed at the number of restaurants a short distance from the Cram Hotel in the Eixample district where I stayed. Yes, that’s my last name, and no, they didn’t give me a discount, but they did give me a free breakfast! Apparently, I was the first person named Cram to stay there.

Each restaurant I passed in a short walk around the ‘hood had similar high levels of décor, ambiance, and, presumably, food. I opted for steak at an Argentinian restaurant, where the efficient, friendly and English-speaking waiter served the various components of my meal—wine, bread, pepper dip, roasted vegetables, steak, and agua con gaz—with North-American velocity.

I could have lingered longer. A flute player and a guitarist played vaguely- South-American-sounding music in the background. The restaurant flickered with candles against a décor of deep reds and warm browns. It was a lovely restaurant–one of hundreds throughout the city.

It’s remarkable that so many restaurants can be sustained, but Barcelona is hopping.

After dinner, stroll to the Plaça de Catalunya, do some people-watching, then carry on down Los Ramblas, a 1.2-kilometer-long boulevard in the center of Barcelona. Join the throngs of locals and tourists in the pedestrian-only middle section, browse the souvenir stands and shops, get a drink, and watch a few street performers.

Safety in Barcelona

I’ve heard stories about pickpockets and other scams in Barcelona. If someone approaches you and is overly friendly, telling you that you have dirt on your back, or worse, walk smartly away. Forget being polite.

Wear your money belt and stay alert. Barcelona is a big city with a lot of tourists. Don’t be paranoid, but do be aware that thieves are on the lookout for easy marks. Don’t be one of them!

Suggested Itinerary for Barcelona

For your two full days in Barcelona, I suggest you devote Day 1 to Gaudí-related sites, attend a concert at the Palau de la Música in the evening of either Day 1 or Day 2, then spend Day 2 enjoying Barcelona’s art museums, particularly the Picasso Museum and the Miró Foundation.

Day 1: Gaudí Barcelona

Antoni Gaudí was a Catalan architect known for his highly individualized modernista style. You’ll find him everywhere in Barcelona—from the colorful Gaudí-styled mugs in the souvenir shops (and yes, I have one) to modernista apartment blocks to Parc Güell, one of Europe’s most appealing parks, to the soaringly magnificent Sagrada Familia.

The best way to visit the many Gaudí sites in Barcelona is to hop on one of the Hop-on, Hop-off bus tours that prowl the streets of the city.

We did just that at the Playa Catalunya, and although the price was steep, we appreciated being able to watch Barcelona go by from the top deck as we moved from site to site. The subway is another option, but taking either the tour bus or the regular bus is more fun.

Casa Milà

Start at Casa Milà, known locally as La Pedrera, Gaudí’s super-famous apartment block. Get your tickets ahead of time to avoid a long wait. The building is something to see, with its sweeping molded balconies that don’t look real and its ornate interiors. A highlight are the dozens of whimsical chimney pots on the roof, from which you get great views of the city.

The 4,500-square-meter building spread over five floors includes a museum, the reproduction of an early-20th-century apartment, an exhibition of Gaudí’s work, and the rooftop terrace.

Touring Casa Milà will take at least an hour.

Other Gaudí Buildings

Depending on your stamina and your interest in Gaudí, you may want to visit other notable Gaudí buildings. Here are two more.

Casa Batlló

Check out the colorful mosaics made of broken ceramic tiles that decorate the facade. Located at Passeig de Gràcia, 43.

Casa Vicens

Close-up of a strange window of Casa Batllò, a masterpiece by famous architect Antoni Gaudì.

Casa Vicens is one of Gaudí’s first buildings and considered one of the first modernist buildings in the world. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the building is a museum showcasing Gaudí’s work and includes temporary exhibitions. It’s located at Carrer de les Carolines, 20-26.

After all that Gaudí, you’ll be ready for lunch. Find a café and rest your weary feet for a while. Afterward, jump back on the bus and head to the Sagrada Familia.

Sagrada Familia

You must get tickets for the Sagrada Familia well in advance. This ticket lets you skip the line and includes a guided tour and tower visit.

Choose the time you want to go—say, 11 or noon, if you start your day at the Casa Milà.

Arrive at least thirty minutes early. You’ll still queue but not for as long as the people who didn’t plan ahead. In fact, if you don’t get advance tickets, you may end up waiting three hours or longer. When I visited at 3 pm, people were being told that the next entrance time was 6 pm.

Sagrada Familia in Barcelona — Sagrada Familia Temple in Barcelona

I visited on a sweltering August day. While waiting for my appointed time, I jotted down a few notes:

Sticky hot, sweat pooling, most voices are Spanish. Hear the occasional Brit; a family of Italians at the bench across the way is having a spirited argument. Everyone’s face is red and slick. Flies land on scratched skin and settle in until flicked off.

Wearing black jeans with a polyester top in 35-degree heat and what feels like 80% humidity is a misguided fashion choice. The first taste of cold agua con gaz is raw and life-giving–a torrent of bubbles blazing down a desperate throat.

Inside the Sagrada Familia

At your scheduled time, if you’re not taking a tour, join the hordes trudging around the perimeter of the basilica to the entrance for ticket holders, and pick up an audio guide (included in the ticket price and very informative) as you enter.

Stop and gasp.

The interior of the Sagrada Familia, although heaving with tourists snapping photos, is breathtaking. I can’t think of a better word. I’ve visited my share of cathedrals and have a soft spot for stained glass, but I’ve never seen stained glass used with such joyous abandon.

Marvel at the abstract patterns in blues and golds and greens and reds that diffuse the Barcelona sun into fractured splashes of color across faces, walls, t-shirts, and floors. High above, star-shaped openings punch the roof to let the sun stream in like bolts of pure light.

Sink into a pew and just stare. The bustle of people surging around the area cordoned off for sitting and contemplating fades into hushed murmurs. Regardless of your religious convictions, you can’t help but appreciate the magnificence of the architecture as a fitting celebration of spirit. You may never want to leave.

The Sagrada Familia was started in the 1880s and is not yet finished. Cranes arch across the towers, and you’ll hear hammers pounding. After visiting the interior, take a leisurely walk around the building to admire the intricate sculptures encrusting the walls like artsy barnacles.

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Parc Güell

If you’re visiting Barcelona in the summer, consider returning to your hotel to cool off for a while before venturing out to the Parc Güell. The Cram Hotel featured a rooftop pool that I was grateful for after my Sagrada Familia visit.

In the late afternoon, emerge refreshed and hop back on the bus. The Parc Güell features Gaudí’s fabulous mosaics and awesome views. When I visited with Gregg on a Sunday afternoon, we were convinced that half of Europe was in the park. We heard a lot of French, Italian, and Spanish but hardly any English.

Don’t miss the iconic Gaudí salamander, although you’ll be hard-pressed to get a people-free photo of it. Other attractions include the Hypostyle Room, Guard Museum, Gardens of Austria, and Nature Square.

The Dragon Salamander in the Parc Güell in Barcelona, Spain. — Parc Guell in Barcelona, Spain.

Get your tickets in advance to avoid line-ups and to guarantee entry.

Palau de la Música

Before you visit Barcelona, check the website to find out what’s on at the Palau de la Música. If tickets to a performance that interests you are available, get them. Sit up in the balcony to gape at the fabulous ceiling.

Interior of the Palau de la Musica in Barcelona — Interior of the Palau de la Música – take a guided tour

Another option is to visit the Palau de la Música on a guided tour. Whatever way you see this fabulous modernista building, make room for it in your Barcelona itinerary.

Day 2: Artsy Barcelona

Head first to the Barrí Gothic (Gothic Quarter) and get lost in its medieval streets. I love this part of Barcelona in the morning, when crowds are thin and the air is moderately cool.

Picasso Museum

After poking around the area, navigate to the Picasso Museum (Museu Picasso). Skip the line with a ticket you pre-purchased online and enjoy this homage to Picasso. You’ll see lots of work from his early years and get an excellent sense of his progression, from realism to abstraction and just about every 20th century art style in between, over the course of a very long life.

The museum also features special exhibitions that highlight aspects of Picasso’s work and relationships with other artists.

Consider a Picasso Walking Tour and Skip-the-Line ticket.

Barcelona Cathedral

Before you leave the Barrí Gothic, visit the Gothic-style cathedral, also known as La Seu. Notable is its 14th-century cloister full of palm trees and a Gothic portico where, apparently, 13 white geese wander. I didn’t count them.

The History Museum of Barcelona also looks intriguing although I haven’t yet visited.

Miró Foundation

The Fundació Joan Miró is fun to visit, whether or not you’re a Miró fan. The airy, light-filled building is part of its attraction. Designed by architect and city planner Josep Lluís Sert, the building is a leading example of avant-garde school of architecture in Catalonia.

If you’re new to Miró’s work, get the audio guide and learn what he was all about. His work makes me smile!

Where to Stay in Barcelona

For accommodation suggestions in Barcelona, see Where to Stay in Spain: My Best Picks.

Barcelona Tour Options

Here are some other tour options in Barcelona with Tiqets.com:

Barcelona Walking Tours

GuruWalk lists pay-what-you-please walking tours that connect tourists with tour guides all around the world. Check out their tours of Barcelona!

Have you visited Barcelona? Share your recommendations in the Comments below.

Here are some more posts about destinations in Spain:

Traveling in Central Spain: Best Destinations for the Artsy Traveler

January 21, 2020October 20, 2024Destinations, Spain Artsy Traveler 1 Comment

Last updated on October 20th, 2024 at 05:39 pm

Traveling in central Spain is a commitment! Distances are vast and destinations spread out. You will drive and drive and drive–and not see a whole heck of a lot. The journey by car from Zaragoza in the east to Toledo just south of Madrid took us about six hours.

Fortunately, the long drives are rewarded with lots of see in the four cities described in this post: Madrid, Toledo, Zaragoza, and Salamanca.

Here are the four places on a map.

Map created with Wanderlog, for making itineraries on iOS and Android

You’re most likely to visit Zaragoza and Salamanca if you’re driving into or out of Spain from France (Zaragoza) or Portugal (Salamanca).

The fastest way to reach Madrid is to either fly or to take a high-speed train from Barcelona. Once in Madrid, visit Toledo on a day trip with either a tour or on public transit, or stop in on your way south if you’re driving.

I suggest allocating at least three nights for Madrid and one night for each of the other three cities en route to other parts of Spain.

Traveling in Spain: Madrid is the Heart

Madrid is monumental. Large avenues lined with massive buildings give the city a solid but not terribly intimate feel.

Panoramic aerial view over Madrid, Spain.

On one trip we happened to visit on September 29, the national day of protest against proposed government cuts. Thousands of demonstrators in the central Puerta del Sol wore red and chanted “No!”.

We’d heard that the whole city was shut down, but, as tourists, we didn’t experience any inconvenience beyond the taxis taking longer routes to get to the museums and tacking on a €2 surcharge. Considering the fares were around €5, we weren’t bothered!

On another trip, we stayed for two weeks and loved having the time to thoroughly explore Madrid. Check out my post: Exploring Fascinating Madrid–Europe’s: Best-Kept Secret for the Artsy Traveler for more in depth information about exploring Madrid.

Map of Madrid

The map shows the location of the six major sites described in this post.

This map was created with Wanderlog, a trip planner on iOS and Android

Art Museums in Madrid

If you’re an art lover, you’re likely visiting Madrid to tour the Prado, the Reina Sofia, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum of Art—all located in Madrid’s “Golden Triangle of Art.”

The Prado

The Prado is simply wonderful. With over 7,000 paintings in its collection and around 1,500 on display, your artsy heart will be beating wildly. My favorite piece in the Prado is The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch. It’s even more creepy and surreal in real life than in reproductions.

The Garden of Earthly Delights in the Museo del Prado in Madrid,
by Hieronymus Bosch , c. 1495–1505. — *The Garden of Earthly Delights* in the Museo del Prado in Madrid,
by Hieronymus Bosch , c. 1495–1505.

Other notable works in the Prado include Velasquez’s Las Meninas and other fine works, particularly those of the Spanish royal family, and Goya’s 6th of May and Las pinturas negras (The Black Paintings). You’ll also find great works by El Greco, Rubens, Bruegel, Rembrandt, and van Dyck.

Spare some time for the art of Spanish masters, such as Bartolomé Esteban Murillo and José de Ribera, and the stark figures of Francisco de Zurbarán. I’ve become partial to Zurbarán after seeing a major exhibition of his work in New York a few years ago. His figures are incredibly compelling.

Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza

Visit the Thyssen-Bornemisza to see a huge range of art styles and artists spanning the centuries from the Middle Ages to the moderns.

It’s a veritable ‘who’s who’ of western art. Start on the second floor (the top floor) and work your way through the 13th and 14th centuries (my faves), check out the Portrait of King Henry VIII by Holbein the Younger, then stroll past Tintorettos, Titians, Caravaggios, et al.

The Thyssen-Bornemisza also includes masterpieces by van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, Degas, Goya, Gainsborough, and Gauguin, to name a few. And then there are the moderns—Kandinsky, Picasso, Braque, Dali, and Madrid’s own Juan Gris.

Take your time and soak it all in!

Reina Sofia

You’ll probably want to spread your museum-going over two days. Seeing all three museums in the Golden Triangle in one day would be artsy suicide. Pace yourself!

Visit the Reina Sofia to view Picasso’s powerful Guernica, which he painted to protest the bombing of the Basque town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. The painting is displayed in a room of its own. Arrive early or late to view it without the crowds.

The rest of the museum houses an excellent collection of contemporary art, including works by Salvador Dalí and Joan Miró.

Botanical Gardens & Parque del Buen Retiro

I love European gardens, and these two parks adjacent to each other in Madrid are among the best. We spent a lot of time strolling through the botanical gardens to see a glorious display of dahlias (it was September) along with an outdoor exhibition of photographs documenting seminal moments in Spanish history from 1896 to the present.

Some of the shots were just amazing—dead bodies in the streets during the civil war, Franco riding in a car with Nixon, the Beatles wearing matador hats, and on and on—100 photographs. I wish I could have read the commentaries, but my Spanish is just about nil.

The Beatles visit Madrid in Spain — The Beatles visit Madrid!

From the botanical gardens, wander into the main gardens where you’ll come across an artificial lake, exhibition spaces, and monuments, including one to the 191 victims of the 11 March 2004 train bombings in Madrid. You’ll also find lots of trees and shady pathways. The park is a treat!

Plaza Mayor

The grand central square of Madrid is an attractive open space that features imposing architecture and Madrid’s central tourist office. I liked all the archways.

Old Madrid after Dark

Madrid after dark is cooking and intense. Grab a drink and some tapas in an outdoor café and watch the world go by, then wander farther to find another place for dinner. Be careful not to over-order in Madrid! Portions are massive, and much of the food is fried and wrapped in ham. It’s tasty but more than a bit on the stodgy side.

Madrid cuisine, appetizer - hearty food in Spain. — Madrid cuisine can be a bit heavy.

Gregg and I often order one dish to share. The servers don’t mind.

Tour the Royal Palace (Palacio Real)

The Royal Palace in Madrid is the largest palace in western Europe. With 2,800 rooms, it’s almost twice the size of Versailles.

You can tour of the palace to view the only surviving example of a Stradivarius quartet, a portion of the permanent art collection, and the Royal Kitchens (only open to the public since 2017).

Traveling in Spain: Don’t Miss Toledo

Take a day trip from Madrid to explore beautiful Toledo or drive there on your way south.

If you’re driving, head straight for the massive car park at the base of the city. You can’t miss it. Just be sure to note where you parked your car and where you exited. Take pictures of your stall, the floor number, and your exit.

We did not follow this advice and ended up walking miles out of our way late at night.

You can’t help but like Toledo. It’s charming with a capital C.

Perched on a hill, Toledo, the city on a hill, is a World Heritage Site famous for its monuments, its awesome cathedral, and for being the “City of the Three Cultures”, thanks to the cultural influences of Christians, Muslims, and Jews. The city was also the capital of the Visigothic Kingdom from 542 to 725 CE, which is kind of cool.

Here’s Gregg in front of the classic view of Toledo made famous in a painting by El Greco.

In front of the classic view of Toledo, Spain — Gregg Simpson in front of the classic view of Toledo, Spain

Toledo is a popular tour stop, so during the day, you’ll have to dodge busloads of tourists huffing and puffing through the narrow streets in the stifling heat. Scoot around them to get a look inside the stunning cathedral that lives up to the hype.

I was mesmerized by the choir stalls. The carving on each stall is different.

Toledo is the place to buy items made from the famous Toledo steel. Display windows bristle with swords and knives and other sharp things that would never make it through airport security in your carry-on bag. I bought several pairs of sewing scissors as gifts.

Store window display of swords in Toledo — Store window display in Toledo

In the evening, once the tour busses have left, the streets fill with locals. Weave through the streets of the old town in search of tapas and wine. You’ll find plenty!

Traveling in Spain: Visit Off the Beaten Track Zaragoza

You’ll likely visit Zaragoza en route to somewhere else. It makes a convenient stopping point for drivers coming from France through the Pyrenees. You can also break up the drive from Barcelona to Madrid in Zaragoza.

The city is the perfect one-night stop along a desolate stretch of a very large country. And you’ll have a chance to enjoy a virtually tourist-free Spanish city that has a great deal to offer the visitor.

Zaragoza Overview

As the capital of the province of Zaragoza and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Zaragoza is a good size, but the interesting part of the city is compact enough to stroll around with just one inexpensive taxi ride out to the Aljafería Palace.

Here’s a map of the city showing the sights mentioned in this post:

Places mapped by Wanderlog, a trip planner on iOS and Android

The streets and shops are prosperous-looking, clean, and thronged with locals. You’re unlikely to see many tourists, although you’ll find an air-conditioned and well-staffed tourist office on the main plaza, so obviously tourists do go there.

A friendly young man at the tourist office told us where to go for cut-price tapas that evening. Apparently, there’s a street where all the tapas joints charge just €2 for a tapa and a glass of vino. Count me in!

Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar

Zaragoza borders the Ebro River which you’ll probably drive across on your way into town and see again when you visit Zaragoza’s main sight—the Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar (#1 on the map).

Cathedral and Ebro River in Zaragoza. Aragon, Spain — Cathedral and Ebro river in Zaragoza. Aragon, Spain

Built between 1681 and 1872, this massive Baroque cathedral with its fabulously tile-topped cupolas and turrets is worth a look. Wander around the vast aisles and check out the highlight—a roomful of paintings by Goya.

Zaragoza is Goya’s hometown, so across from the cathedral is a museum (#2) dedicated to his work. We didn’t visit it on this trip, instead opting to grab a cab to the Aljafería Palace which reportedly dates from Moorish times.

Aljafería Palace

We were virtually alone as we ambled through the various rooms to admire interesting exhibits and take photos of the attractive—and empty—courtyard complete with reflecting pond, palm trees, and arches. The Aljafería Palace (#3) is no Alhambra, but it’s worth a quick look.

In the evening, stroll through streets comfortably filled with locals to find tapas. We arrived at the place of the €2 tapas at 8 pm, only to find it and most others still closed. This is Spain, where things typically don’t get going until well past 9 or 10.

But persevere and you’ll find that even regular-priced tapas are not expensive. Zaragoza is a bargain for food and drink.

We stayed in the Hotel NH Collection Gran Hotel de Zaragoza (#4) which was comfortable albeit a bit bland. But the location was good and we could walk everywhere.

Traveling in Spain: Don’t Miss Lovely Salamanca

Visit Salamanca on your way to or from Portugal. If your accommodation budget extends to a splurge, book into the Parador de Salamanca, located about a fifteen-minute walk from the town.

Cathedral of Salamanca next to the river in Salamanca, Spain — Cathedral of Salamanca next to the river

Paradors in Spain are special hotels usually located in historic buildings, such as convents and palaces. They have a certain level of luxury with prices to match, although bargains can be had. Check the booking sites!

The parador in Salamanca is one of the few modern paradors in Spain. Its main claim to fame is its location overlooking the skyline of old Salamanca.

Here’s the view from our room:

Salamanca is a great place to visit for its old town, fabulous central plaza, and Casa Lis, a marvelous art nouveau museum. Here’s a map of the highlights mentioned in this post.

Trip map created with Wanderlog, the best trip planner app on iOS and Android

Casa Lis Art Nouveau and Art Deco Museum

If you love art deco, you’ll adore this museum. La Casa Lis itself is an extraordinary building in the art nouveau style with plenty of stained glass. Exhibits of over 2,500 pieces of art deco and art nouveau objets d’art include porcelain figures, gold and ivory statues, enamels, bronze items, toys, and even Fabergé eggs.

The display of Paris fashion dolls from the late 1800s was especially compelling. Spend a couple of hours strolling from room to room in the virtually empty museum.

Plaza Mayor

Wander uphill into Salamanca’s lovely old town. Very little car traffic is allowed, so the streets are clear and easy to walk in. As the sun begins to go down, people flood into the streets to enjoy the evening air.

We arrived in the Plaza Mayor to find it packed with thousands of people waving placards. Just as in Madrid, Spain’s austerity measures were not going over well with the citizens of Salamanca. However, the protest was one of the most good-humored I’ve seen. The crowd consisted mostly of families and middle-aged or older people smiling and laughing as they periodically brandished their signs. The gist of most signs was a large, red “NO”.

If you encounter a protest (unlikely!), wait until it moves off , then snag a table to gaze out over what must be one of the loveliest plazas in Spain.

Enjoying Plaza Mayor

The Plaza Mayor appears to be square, lined on all four sides by uniform facades that date from the 18th century. Bands of young men dressed in medieval garb played Mexican-sounding music. We wondered why the music sounded so Mexican and were told by our server that Salamanca has maintained ties with Mexico and Latin America. Apparently, many of the Spanish people who emigrated to Mexico came from Salamanca, and some of the wealthier ones have returned to make Salamanca so prosperous looking. It’s a beautifully maintained city.

Around 10:30, when the light still hadn’t faded much (it was early July), the lights were turned on, and everyone in the square gasped, much to the amusement of our server who just rolled his eyes. I guess he sees it every night.

Plaza Mayor in Salamanca, Spain at night.

Traveling in Spain: Where to Stay in Central Spain

For accommodation suggestions in Madrid, Toledo, Zaragoza, and Salamanca, see Where to Stay in Spain: My Best Picks.

Conclusion

Have you visited the cities described in this post? Leave your comments below. Here are some more Artsy Traveler posts about Spain:

Where to Stay in Spain: My Best Picks

January 21, 2020December 10, 2024Destinations, Hotel Reviews, Spain, Travel Smart Artsy Traveler 3 Comments

Last updated on December 10th, 2024 at 12:58 am

I’ve had great luck finding marvelous places to stay in Spain. Hotel proprietors are friendly, and almost all of them speak English.

In this post, I provide general tips about accommodations in Spain and then list hotels that I’ve stayed in and can recommend.

Choosing a Room

To Book or Not to Book?

I book almost all the hotels on my itinerary before I leave home so I know I have somewhere to stay in every location. Then, while traveling, I sometimes change bookings to follow a new route or in response to hearing about a cool location I hadn’t known about.

TIP: Stay flexible when you travel. You never know when you might meet someone who recommends a festival or event or exhibition. More than once, I’ve altered an itinerary to attend a special exhibition or visit a new attraction.

Choose a hotel booking site that allows you to book, change, or cancel hotel reservations if your itinerary changes. Most sites offer a no-cancellation option at a lower price. I never choose the no-cancellation price unless I’m 100% sure I’ll be staying at the hotel. For example, I will select the no-cancellation price for hotels I’m staying at in the cities I fly into and depart from, because I know those locations won’t change.

But overall, stay flexible. I’ve learned that sticking to a rigid itinerary with no-cancellation accommodations can end up costing more money than you save.

Breakfasts in Spain

Breakfasts in Spain generally consist of pastries, fresh fruit, dry cereal, cold meats (lots of ham and salamis), cheeses, and coffee. I only eat the hotel breakfast if it’s included in the room rate or if I didn’t get a chance to buy food before checking in.

If hotel breakfasts cost extra (and the cost can be exorbitant), I buy yogurt and fruit at a local grocery store and then go to a bar or café for my morning cappuccino.

Location

In Spain in particular, I stay in the center of a town or city only if I’m not driving. As I’ve mentioned frequently, driving into medieval towns can be a nightmare, and driving into cities like Barcelona is not recommended!

The advantage of traveling in Spain by public transit is that you can choose to stay in picturesque and historic town centers. Grab a taxi from the train station and let your driver negotiate the tiny alleyways. In Cordoba, even our taxi driver had a hard time finding our hotel deep in the Jewish quarter.

Tips for Drivers in Spain

When driving in Spain, I book places on the outskirts of the town or city and then take busses or taxis into the town for sightseeing. In rural areas, such as Andalusia and Asturias, I search out places located in the gorgeous countryside so I can take walks and, if it’s hot, enjoy a dip in the pool.

Paradors

Consider spending at least a few nights of your vacation at one of Spain’s gorgeous paradors (paradores). A parador is a government-run property selected for its historical and artistic merit or for its location in a beautiful landscape. Over 90 paradors are located throughout Spain.

Some of the paradors are converted palaces, medieval castles, or other historic buildings. The parador experience can be pricey, but it’s definitely worthwhile and interesting. Check the official website to view all the properties available. You can book paradors through the website or on booking.com

Parador of Cuenca - a converted monastery on a cliff east of Madrid — Parador de Cuenca in Cuenca, east of Madrid, is located in an ancient monastery.

Star Rating

I favor three- or four-star properties that offer amenities such as elevators, air conditioning, parking, bathtubs, and WIFI.

I also like larger rooms. Check the square meterage of the room. Anything under 15 square meters will be small, with a child-sized shower stall and barely enough room to wedge your suitcase against the wall.

Reviews – Should You Care?

Yes, I pay attention to reviews. If a property’s aggregate review is under 8.0 out of a possible 10, I usually pass. Sometimes the difference between a property with a 9.6 review and one with an 8.2 review is only a few euros, and yet the quality of the higher-rated property makes the extra money worth spending.

You have to take reviews with a grain of salt, however. Just because a property has a score of 9.8 doesn’t meant it’s five-star luxury. Check the star rating, remember that a 9.8 score for a two-star hotel is not the same as a 9.8 for a four-star, and proceed accordingly.

TIP: Read reviews on a few sites, such as booking.com and TripAdvisor. I take my time when booking accommodations in Spain and elsewhere to make sure I’m getting the best value for my travel dollar.

For more tips on finding accommodations, read Six Steps to Making Awesome Accommodation Choices in Europe.

Accommodation Options by Region in Spain

To help you plan your Spain getaway, here are my recommendations. For each destination, I describe properties I’ve stayed in and offer suggestions for alternate properties that look good.

Click the link to the hotel to make a reservation with booking.com.

Barcelona

Barcelona is not a budget town by any stretch. Be prepared to spend more than you might like to; fortunately, in my experience, the quality of the accommodations is high.

I recommend two excellent hotels in Barcelona. Both are centrally located and comfortable. The Hotel Emilia is a bit farther from the center of the action, and the rooms are spacious.

The Cram Hotel in the Eixample district has earned a soft spot in my heart, for obvious reasons. It was a splurge, but the rooftop pool, views over Barcelona, and the convenient location made the extra cost well worth it, particularly because I was traveling solo.

Check the map below for other accommodation options in Barcelona. I favor the upscale Eixample district, but you’ll also find good choices in the Barri Gòtic and other areas.

Booking.com

Northern Spain

Santiago de Compostela

The Hotel Virxe da Cerca by Pousadas de Compostela was a marvelous find in Santiago de Compostela. We stayed almost a week when Gregg has his exhibition at the Granell Museum. The hotel is next to the Plaza de Abastos market and an easy walk to the cathedral in the old town. I loved hanging out on the terrace, sipping wine and enjoying the view. The rooms were traditional, with heavy furniture and lots of space. Highly recommended!

Santiago de Compostela attracts thousands of visitors every year, so you’ll find plenty of accommodation options. Santiago de Compostela also has a parador that looks amazing if you’re in the mood for a splurge.

Have a look at the map below for additional accommodation suggestions.

Booking.com

Llanes

We stayed at the Don Paco Hotel, a three-star property set in a restored convent dating from the 17th century. The high-ceilinged dining room that had once been the convent chapel is magnificent! The hotel is within walking distance of central Llanes and includes free parking (always a bonus!).

Bilbao

We enjoyed staying for one night at the Hotel Meliá, a posh splurge but perfectly located for walking along the river to the Guggenheim Bilbao and easy to get to from the highway. The hotel includes an underground parking lot, stylish rooms with a great view over Bilbao, a soaring lobby, and a riverside terrace where we ate breakfast and lunch.

San Sebastian

The Hotel Mercure Monte Igueldo, high atop Mount Igueldo overlooking enchanting San Sebastian (Donostia), is well worth a few extra euros for the view alone. You’ll need a car to stay here and to go down into San Sebastian.

If you’re traveling without a car, here are other options:

Booking.com

Andalusia

Cordoba

Book a place in the Old Town, even if it means leaving your car in a carpark and walking. You’ll be steps from the Cathedral-Mosque and in the thick of history. We stayed in a boutique hotel with a tranquil inner courtyard.

Check the map below to find properties in the center of Cordoba.

Booking.com

Granada

I heartily recommend Suites Gran Via in Granada. The location is convenient to the center of Granada, and the rooms are large and comfortable. A small kitchen is included, which is handy for making breakfast.

The map below shows more options in and around Granada.

Booking.com

Seville

We’ve had great luck in Seville–once staying at a hotel in the old town and most recently staying in an apartment overlooking the river. I recommend you stay in the old town if you’re not driving. The Hotel Amadeus & La Musica is a wonderful choice right in the heart of Old Seville. There’s a rooftop terrace with a stunning view of Seville Cathedral. Gregg spent quite a bit of time up there drawing.

On our 2019 trip, we were driving, so we booked a hotel across the river from downtown Seville. What a great choice! We parked in a public parking lot about half a block from the apartment and enjoyed a spectacular view of the river and Seville Cathedral in the distance. Check out Betis 7 Luxury Apartments. The cost was surprisingly reasonable for an apartment that included a bedroom, kitchen and living room, a jacuzzi bath, and glorious air conditioning (a necessity in July).

Here are other options in Seville.

Booking.com

Ronda

One of the hippest places to stay in Ronda is the Parador de Ronda, pictured at the top of this page. Its spectacular location at the edge of the Ronda gorge comes at a price–but what a splurge!

On our recent trip in 2019, we opted to stay in the countryside about a 15-minute drive from Ronda, and we’re glad we did. The weather was hot, and we needed a place to chill in. The Hotel Cortijo-las-Piletas perfectly fit the bill. They even provided an excellent dinner served in the courtyard on one of the evenings we were there. The proprietor was exceedingly friendly and accommodating. I can’t recommend this place highly enough.

Here are more options in Ronda.

Booking.com

Central Spain

Following are suggestions for hotels in Madrid, Toledo, Zaragoza, and Salamanca.

Madrid

The Suites Viena are spacious and well located near the Plaza España that featured lots of cool booths filled with jewelry and other gift items.

I also highly recommend the ApartoSuites Jardines de Sabatini located just to the west of the center of Madrid and across the street from the Royal Palace.. It’s located just outside the Limited Access zone on a main road easily accessed from the motorway, and a short walk from the historical center of Madrid.

Here are other options in Madrid:

Booking.com

Toledo

The Abad Toledo at the base of the hill and very convenient to a massive multi-level car park is a great choice for drivers. If you arrive by train, choose a place in the Old Town that you can get to by taxi.

On the map below, choose places on the city side of the river.

Booking.com

Zaragoza

The NH Collection Gran Hotel Zaragoza is a comfortable business hotel in Sangallo Palace that includes balconies, views, and what looks like a lovely ambiance near Perugia.

Salamanca

Treat yourself to the Parador in Salamanca. The rooms are large, the pool inviting, and views over Salamanca breathtaking. The Parador is a great choice for drivers because it’s on the outskirts of the city. You can walk into Salamanca or take a bus or taxi.

Tours & Tickets in Spain

Here are some options to explore through GetYourGuide and Tiqets.com, both companies I’ve booked with several times, and had good experiences.

Powered by GetYourGuide

Do you have accommodation recommendations to share? Please let me know in the Comments section. I’m always on the lookout for new places to stay in Spain.

Here are some more posts about Spain: