Can anyone suggest an itinerary for a 10 to 14 day trip to Spain in mid October?

Question

It's our first time there and we'd like to have a miss of the city sightseeing and the outlying area (day trips). We're not into too much arts or religious sites, some are ok. We love food. The main cities we can think of are Barcelona and Madrid. Are there any must see cities?

Answer 1

I have been to Spain once and will visit again this summer. I have never been to Barcelona, so I can't tell you much about there. Madrid is worth a visit. You would most likely want to take 6 days in Madrid.

The Prado museum is a must see. It really takes at least a half day to enjoy properly. Easily accessible by Metro.

The Palacio Real as well is worth a visit. Also easily accessible by Metro.

El Escorial is just outside the city, will require a little more of a reach to get there. Beautiful monastery highlighted by the tomb in which many of the Spanish monarchs are buried.

Day trips to consider: From Madrid you can see the cities of Toledo and Segovia, both of which i would highly recommend.

Sevilla, likewise is worth a visit. In the south of spain, sevilla  was very very hot when i visited in summer. The cathedral in Sevilla was personally the finest i've seen in Europe. You will not need as many days in Sevilla but still you should set aside at least 5, especially if you plan to take a day trip.

Day trips:

Granada: Excellent look into the influence of Islam on Spanish art, architecture, etc. The Alhambra palace highlights any trip to Granada. This trip would take the longest out of any

Cordoba: Similar to Granada, highlighted by the Mezquita, where you can see the Islamic architecture.

Hope this helped. Enjoy!

Answer 2

I'd recommend Toledo, but it doesn't sound like your cup of tea. I think there are 4 must see cities: Barcelona, Madrid, Sevilla and Valencia. They all offer a little something different in terms of sites, sounds, architecture and of course the people. I think you will like Barca the best, it's the most modern. Madrid is the center of the country, there's lots of people there, as well as great art museums. Seville is in southern spain, and is closely associated with Flamenco, and it's probably the hottest place in the country. Wherever you go make sure you have paella and some tapas, you'll be able to find that everywhere.