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Holiday - Madrid or Barcelona

skippybangkok

By skippybangkok
in Thailand Travel Forum

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tolsti Gold Member

tolsti

Posted
Posted

Portugal all the way... Don't take the southern route though... Enter in the middle of the country or If possible the North..different cuisines, different prices and serious hospitality.

nidieunimaitre Gold Member

nidieunimaitre

Posted
Posted (edited)

Barcelona is a wonderful city: old buildings, Gaudi park, Sagrada Familia cathedral, food.

Just walk around in the old city (around Placa Reial), walk on the Rambla.

Crazy traffic, but excellent metro.

Be very alert for pick pockets - Barcelona is infamous for them.

If you have the time: take a train (cheap) to the Pyrenees. It is not far, but slow train, 3 hours or so.

Train info from RENFE.

You can easily spend a few days on this trip; many cheap and expensive hotels.

Destination of the train is Puigcerda (nice), can get off in La Molina (high mountains), Vic (medieval city) or Ribes de Freser (small city, eat at Cacadores).

Oh, and don't tell a local that you like Spain. You are in CATALUNA, big difference (to them).

The people there speak "Catalan" (half Spanish, half French), and actually they refer to "Spanish" language as "Castiliano".

Funny story from years ago:

A man starts talking to me, I do not understand him, and I say in my best (?) Spanish: "I do not speak Spanish".

His reply - in perfect French: "Me too I do not speak Spanish, I speak Catalan!"

Edited by nidieunimaitre
Ace of Pop Platinum Member

Ace of Pop

Posted
Posted

After visiting El Corte Englaise the best store in Barco , we sat in the Ramblas wondering what to do next , all a bit tripperish realy. So we went to the Ferry and caught the Evening Ferry to Mahon in Minorca. Arived next morn, clueless... Best spontaneous idea for years. Rented a Car from up by the Cathedral and toured for a week.thumbsup.gif

skippybangkok Platinum Member

skippybangkok

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Barcelona is a wonderful city: old buildings, Gaudi park, Sagrada Familia cathedral, food.

Just walk around in the old city (around Placa Reial), walk on the Rambla.

Crazy traffic, but excellent metro.

Be very alert for pick pockets - Barcelona is infamous for them.

If you have the time: take a train (cheap) to the Pyrenees. It is not far, but slow train, 3 hours or so.

Train info from RENFE.

You can easily spend a few days on this trip; many cheap and expensive hotels.

Destination of the train is Puigcerda (nice), can get off in La Molina (high mountains), Vic (medieval city) or Ribes de Freser (small city, eat at Cacadores).

Oh, and don't tell a local that you like Spain. You are in CATALUNA, big difference (to them).

The people there speak "Catalan" (half Spanish, half French), and actually they refer to "Spanish" language as "Castiliano".

Funny story from years ago:

A man starts talking to me, I do not understand him, and I say in my best (?) Spanish: "I do not speak Spanish".

His reply - in perfect French: "Me too I do not speak Spanish, I speak Catalan!"

Thanks - seems u and Tolstoi are saying stay clear of south route - assume cause the southern coast is the tourist destination of Europe ? Kinda makes sense.

I guess you need to stay clear of the Pyrinees as it will most likely be snowing?

nidieunimaitre Gold Member

nidieunimaitre

Posted
Posted

As for snow in the Pyrinees:

Yes it snows there (December - February), but much less on the Spanish side than on the French side. The Spanish side is far more dry winter and summer. Could be a nice 1 or 2 day trip.

As for Barca OR Lisbon: You might be able to buy an "open jaw" ticket, and combine the 2.

Both countries have a lot to offer, especially if you stay far from the beaches & beach tourists.

And if you go to Lisbon, consider a side trip to Madeira (Funchal).

Easyjet flies there cheaply.

My wife - Thai - loves it there, because of the "Thai" vegetables, fruits, flowers, that grow there. Rather inexpensive too.

If you would go there, you are welcome to PM me for more info.

roamer Platinum Member

roamer

Posted
Posted

I prefer Madrid, but then I'm a fan of the Basque region anyway. Far less touristy, even places like Pamplona tend to be more for the locals outside of the bull running times.Good food.

nidieunimaitre Gold Member

nidieunimaitre

Posted
Posted

As for snow in the Pyrinees:

Yes it snows there (December - February), but much less on the Spanish side than on the French side. The Spanish side is far more dry winter and summer. Could be a nice 1 or 2 day trip.

As for Barca OR Lisbon: You might be able to buy an "open jaw" ticket, and combine the 2.

Both countries have a lot to offer, especially if you stay far from the beaches & beach tourists.

And if you go to Lisbon, consider a side trip to Madeira (Funchal).

Easyjet flies there cheaply.

My wife - Thai - loves it there, because of the "Thai" vegetables, fruits, flowers, that grow there. Rather inexpensive too.

If you would go there, you are welcome to PM me for more info.

Too late to edit....

I misread.

The open jaw is not possible for Lisbon and Barcelona, it would be for Madrid and Barcelona.

beau thai Gold Member

beau thai

Posted
Posted

I prefer Barcelona but if you want to go to Portugal Madrid seems more practical.

And if Madrid, worth trying to take in Segovia while you are there. And or Salamanca on the way to Portugal.

craigt3365 Star Member

craigt3365

Posted
Posted

How long is your trip? When is it?

I think there is more to see in Barcelona, but then I'm a massive fan of Gaudi. If you like architecture, then Barcelona is for you! As mentioned, lots of pickpockets. Be careful.

I also like Madrid. Very interesting City.

I've only been to Lisbon and south, but we liked Lisbon. Even though wifey got her purse stolen there. She's been to over 50 countries, so she knows how to travel. But they got us....

I could spend 2 months exploring that area! 555555

melvinmelvin Gold Member

melvinmelvin

Posted
Posted

Both cities have a lot on offer.

Re architecture Madrid has A LOT.

Also, around Madrid a lot of interesting places to visit, from skiing resorts to laid back country sites.

One place I have visited 2-3 times (about an hours drive from Madrid in NW direction) is the grave of General Franco,

very close to the small city of Guadarama.

It made a profound impression on me.

One things is that the whole area is rather nice.

Now, the crypt where the general enjoys his retirement is inside a relatively large cathedral type "housing".

The weird thing is that this "cathedral" is chiselled out inside a mountain,

and this chisseling was done by political prisoners from the late 1950s to the early 1970s.

Ie in my/our/your time. Quite astonishing

Not far away you have Escorial, another monumental build done in some kind of craze, but back in medieval times.

shaurene Gold Member

shaurene

Posted
Posted

Went last year but flew into Ukhad few days there and flew to Madrid on Easy Jet. I hired a car (pre booked it on the Internet very cheap) I drove up to Galiciai spent few days in Madrid it was nice no were as good as Barcelona where I spent a lot of time previouse. Good trip out of Barcelona is on the ferry overnight to Mallorca.

melvinmelvin Gold Member

melvinmelvin

Posted
Posted

all deperds which time of the year you wil be on holiday. portugal can be really fun.

Yes.

December and January can offer ice cold winds and snow in Madrid.

Shiver Advanced Member

Shiver

Posted
Posted

Never seen Madrid, but been to Barcelona a couple of times as a tourist and really enjoyed it (get your camera ready for the Ramblas/Gaudi as you'll enjoy those pics in years to come). Rented a car and travelled around some of Portugal for a while which was fun also (but again, as a tourist - and behaving like one too).

I think you'd likely enjoy any of the above, though I only have superficial experience of the areas I've seen.

Perhaps have a look-see with all of them as they are not that far apart in relative terms. If you're not too indoctrinated in Asia then I think you would like all of your areas of interest.

  • 1 month later...
skippybangkok Platinum Member

skippybangkok

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

I see that your original op was in August but just in case you're not aware TG no longer have any Spanish destinations since axing Madrid last month.

Yeh - bummer

Had a free upgrade and a 50% biz class option

Seems TG is also axing Los Angeles too

Will still go

Edited by skippybangkok

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