Last Updated on December 21, 2023 by PowersToTravel
Actually, it’s not a nutshell, it’s a map.
Here is how, when and where we went:
Day 1: Flight from Boston on Iberia Air
Days 2 to 7: Madrid and the surrounding towns for day trips (Cuenca, Avila, Segovia, Toledo)
by train, metro and foot
The logistics were a challenge: it seemed the train from Madrid to each town left from a different Madrid station. That meant choosing the location of our apartment was a priority. I chose an apartment near Atocha Station. Atocha station is a major gateway to many locations south of the city, and has good access to other major Madrid stations.
Guess what happened? The morning we were flying out from Boston we received a call from our host: our chosen apartment had flooded and they would either have to cancel our 6 day visit the day before our arrival with no recompense (even though getting last minute accommodations would be through the roof in cost) or they could move us to another apartment they owned in an entirely different district.
You can be sure we chose the alternate apartment in La Latina. Now, in La Latina we would be on a relatively unpopular metro line. It seemed that we had to travel 40 minutes to get to our train stations, no matter where we were going, and forced to take a taxi with our luggage on our final day. In addition, the apartment had no A/C. Actually the weather was not very hot, but with no A/C that mean there was no ventilation without opening windows and everyone knows opening windows allows in the noise and light. Ah, but I digress.
What about trips to Salamanca and El Escorial? We just ran out of time!
Days 8 and 9: Train to Seville and sightseeing in Seville
by train, then foot
Days 10 and 11: Drive to Antequera and Granada
by rental car and public bus
Day 12 to 15: Drive south to Gibraltar via Nerja, Frigiliana, Malaga, Setenil de las Bodegas and Ronda
by rental car
Day 16 to 18: Córdoba
by rental car and foot
Day 19: Train to Zaragoza
by train and public bus
Day 20 to 21: Barcelona
by train and public bus and metro
Day 22: Day trip to Montserrat from Barcelona
using the Trans-Montserrat ticket: Metro to Commuter Train to cog railway to funicular!
Day 23 – Day trip to Girona from Barcelona
by train and taxi
Day 24 – Day trip to Andorra from Barcelona
I know it is a country of its own, and not Spain! We went driving on a small shared-group day trip with Antonio Falcon via Viator. Long day, but great choice.
Day 25 – Our final day sightseeing in Barcelona, and evening flight home
by public bus and foot
