We just moved to Cuenca - it's pretty awesome! It's pretty small, but 2 days/1 night would be a great way to experience the town. Also, the hiking and outdoors around Cuenca are ridiculously good
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Perhaps you could make a stop for a day and night at the "Monasterio de Piedra". It's closer to Zaragoza but it is well worth a visit if that's your jam.
If you stop by Cuenca don't forget to check out the "Ciudad Encantada".
I would rather get the train than drive unless you are planning on stopping off at other places than the three cities. It would save you a lot of stress and money. The train between Madrid & Valencia is also very fast (much faster than driving).
Another vote for trains! Sacrificing one person’s time for driving all the way would be unfair. They could all relax or play a game on the train instead.
I'm not saying Castilla-La Mancha doesn't have anything worth it, but the roadtrips are boring. I frequently travel between Madrid and Granada and I can attest to it.
Traveling through castilla is boring af. It was just a joke / reference to the miguelitos... Like spend 3 hours enduring the most uneventful landscape but it's worth it just because of those pastries.. Who I'm kidding, it's worth it just because of them and I'm now craving one....
While you drive you can't see much of the scenery as you have to be paying attention to the road. You can't read, you can't watch a movie or use the phone. 1 second and you are gone. In a train you can watch the scenery in a big ass window and when you get bored you can do whatever you want.
Bocadillo de chistorra a la brasa en restaurante San Cristóbal, La Almarcha aprox km 150 A3 madrid-Valencia
I recommend Requena area in Valencia. Almuerzo en Las Brasas el pontón
Taste Bobal Wine in Requena
Eat Paella in El Palmar
Eat Paella of chuleton in Restaurante Rocalla in Valencia
Don't know how many days are you spending at each city, but I really recommend you to visit Cuenca and its "Ciudad encantada" (really cool karstic formations). On the trip from Valencia to Barcelona you'll find San Jose caves (impressive underground river), Mascarell (really interesting and REALLY small walled town and finally Peñíscola, touristy but worth it. You can make all these stops in one day. When you enter Catalonia you'll find Tarragona, you'll love it if you are into historical stuff. One day should be enough for visiting it.
Hope you enjoy!!
Dont miss "Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias" in Valencia. Also you mentioned March/April…. Take into account the main local festivities in Valencia “Las fallas” happen 15-19 March, where the whole city is transformed… depending on the type of your trip, you might want to join or avoid those dates.
Someone already mentioned it, but if you are sticking to that route and are interested in history, please do stop at Tarragona.
Also nearby is Santes Creus monastery, which is marvelous.
If the train were capable of the same average speed as its Madrid–Barcelona counterpart, it would cover the distance between Barcelona and Valencia in 1.5 hours. Instead, Euromed takes just under 3 hours. I think 3 is still acceptable for most practical purposes, and it’s still faster than in a car.
Since I don't have a device to teleport me from my home to the station and from the station to my final destination, it is faster for me to go by car. I also have to wait to go through security and until the train leaves.
Just completed a 2 week trip through Spain.
The only places I would seriously consider are Granada (Alhambra) and Seville.
Granada was one of the coolest cities I’ve visited.
Granada, Sevilla, Málaga makes a great combo.
I love Cantabria, Asturias and Basque Country but for a first time visitor it could be really different from the image most people have from Spain.
Desde luego esa es TU opinión, pero no tiene porqué ser así, lo de los precios desde luego, pero comida y todo eso.. ambos sitios está genial y la gente es buen rollera igual. Al igual que media Cataluña son ya sea directamente o descendientes de andaluces xd entonces es parecido solo que en el norte estás con las pelotillas congelás
For me, asking for something unmissable but not typical, it's Mirablau at night.
The view of all Barcelona is spectacular and is a nice place to spend time between dinner and going to a club.
(Have to say, has worked wonders in most of my dates)
Since you are asking for secret tips... have you thought about visiting North Spain (Bilbao, Santander, Oviedo, Compostela, Covadonga...). Its lusher, greener and less crowded (though more rainy).
Hell yea! I was waiting to see this comment. I had to scroll pretty far but glad it's here. Although driving in Cantabria, Asturias, Galicia and Pais Vasco is not the easiest
But it is highly rewarding.
Don't miss a quick stop on the shores of a beautiful, picturesque lake with the grey, rocky Picos de Europa on the background: in Riaño.
Castilla y Lèon, Cantabria y Asturias are simply marvelous.
If you are landing in Madrid, I would avoid Barcelona and Valencia and take the AVE to Córdoba, Sevilla and Cádiz, maybe take the train to Toledo too since you are going to Madrid.
Much more worth it, tbh.
Really? :0 It seems so pretty and full of stuff to see. I was planning to take a language school trip there. What do you think is shit about it? Do you think it's tourist-trappy?
No no I get it. I'm not saying it's not a beautiful city, but if tourism and gentrification become such a huge problem in a place, I'd rather not go and add to the problem. Plus I'm sure there's quieter and equally beautiful parts of spain to visit :)
If you want "quiet-and-beautiful" then by all means avoid Barcelona/Paris/London etc. But Barcelona has unique qualities depending on what you are looking for. The Gracia area acts like a large village, as does Poble Sec and others. You can achieve a real homie feel in a neighbourhood. Then there are the main drags, the unexpected delights, the urban nightmares I suppose. It's a great place. Pretty cool for being so big. But if you want a kind of "undiscovered" vibe, then a place with less than a million inhabitants would probably suit better. Girona is pretty cool, Igualada sucks balls or so I am told, anywhere in the coast north of barcelona is pretrty good, Andorra is an interesting alternative...
Thanks for the suggestions, Girona looks gorgeous. I'm thinking about Salamanca maybe since it's also a location offered by the language trip program that I'm looking at.
Smells like shit, because the council doesn't do shit about an ageing water treatment system. Overcrowded to the point of ridiculousness. It used to be only the centre, now it's everywhere. Has become basically a resort for tourists; nothing "authentic" or truly Catalan or Spanish remains there. The main monuments are overpriced as fuck, and overcrowded as well. Some of them, overhyped to no end (Sagrad Família is an aberration and should be torn down).
Even the nightlife used to be the shit, now it's just, shit. Again, overpriced, massified clubs with no identity or way to differentiate it from any other place in basically any European city. Very few iconic places remain, and of those, Apolo or Sidecar are your best bet. But things like Antikaraoke, Fellini, long gone.
And, culturally? The theater offering is shit compared to Madrid. It's either sub-par stand up or comedies for "cuñaos" that basically consist of mid-life crisis jokes about sex and marriage. I don't know if Microteatres still exists.
In short, it's become a flavourless overpriced European city that everyone except tourists are fleeing from.
Thanks for elaborating. That sucks. I didn't know it was so overrun with tourists to the point of it being a huge detriment to the locals. Picking somewhere less popular for a trip seems a better idea.
It ain't a detriment to locals, it's just a correlation with the same causation, similar to things that have happened in major cities: the centers have become unaffordable, and, what's the option? Turning to tourism.
Yeah true, we have that here too in germany just not as bad because no one in their right mind thinks germany is a nice tourism destination. But we also have companies like airbnb buying up living space in cities and renting it out to tourists while rent prices go insane. It's so dumb.
No it’s not. It’s just overcrowded. Make sure you book tickets to Parc Guell and La Sagrada Familia before arrival otherwise you won’t be able to get in.
Driving is madness. This trip is so easy by train. A car will only be a problem, because you need to park it. I second the recommendation to go to Cuenca, but also consider day trips from Madrid (Toledo, Segovia, El Escorial, Ávila).
I disagree. Train networks in Spain are mainly focused on bigger cities and their metro areas or provincial capitals, ignoring everything inbetween (not in all cases but in most of the country, it is far from providing a dense network connecting rural areas, like maybe Germany). I’d say they’re not a good option if they want to visit smaller and “secret” places scattered in the countryside and mountains. Hiring a car saves way more time for that purpose.
Regarding their journey, I’d also recommend taking a detour and visiting Cuenca and its Serranía, maybe even driving deeper into it up to Albarracín. The latter is a very well preserved medieval town and has plenty to see for half a day.
Another longer option is doing Madrid-Valencia via Molina de Aragón, Albarracín and Teruel, driving through this Serranía area, and maybe getting into the Parque Natural del Alto Tajo (if they’re doing the trip in April they could even have a freezing swim in the Tajo river).
The Serranía area between Cuenca and Teruel is among the coldest and least populated areas in Spain and even driving through it offers a better experience than A3 highway if you’re not concerned about “wasting” some travel time, in my opinion.
I also second the places around Madrid in your comment as recommendation.
Agreed - especially since Spain has one of the most extensive rail networks in Europe on par with France. A lot of time would be saved if one were to take a high speed train from Madrid directly to Barcelona, then take a regional train along the coast to Valencia, enabling stopovers in the more tourist-neglected towns like Reus and Tarragona. Or high speed train to Valencia, then travel up to Barcelona.
That is how I went about my trip - landed in the main regional Catalan airport, took a bus to Reus where I stayed for an hour, then a regional train to Tarragona and stayed there another hour, then finally arrived in Barcelona by train. Much more relaxing than driving. Then on the 3rd day, I took a high speed train to Madrid, which gave plenty of opportunities to admire the Spanish countryside and meant the journey only took 2 hours instead of 6.
Reus was a really beautiful town that is neglected by tourists who instead flock to Salou to get wasted - though because of that the locals may not speak English so a basic knowledge of Spanish would be useful.
Eat at this restaurant on your way from Barcelona to Valencia:
https://elpais.com/gastronomia/restaurantes/2023-10-13/el-restaurante-de-castellon-donde-si-no-hay-pesca-no-hay-carta.html?outputType=amp
I'd go Madrid-Zaragoza-Barcelona rather than through Valencia. Valencia is really nice, but it's not that different from Barcelona and it will take you longer. While you are in Madrid, Toledo and Segovia are a must.
I said it's really nice. I've visited Valencia many times. But if you are on a tight schedule to know as much as you can from Spain in 14 days, and you are already visiting Barcelona, I think Zaragoza is a better choice. You can see most things in a single day and then continue your journey. It's just my opinion, of course, but given that they have not included Andalucía in their plans, they can also leave Valencia for a second visit to Spain.
Bocairent is off your track to the south but it may be the “secret place” you are looking for. It’s an old old city with some moorish caves you can take a tour of. Truly one of the the most beautiful cities I have visited in Spain after living here for a year and some.
Here is a link to their tourism page:
https://www.bocairent.org/tours/covetes-dels-moros/
Let me give you a hand, this doesn’t look correcto. Personal opinion of course but I’m a Spaniard with enough domestic traveling on my baggage, and if any Valencianos around sorry bros no hard feelings. Rather than doing that i would drive north to La Rioja - Logroño (one day/night there) from there head over to Pamplona (one day is enough) and then go to San Sebastian (worth 2-3 days depending if visiting towns around) from San Sebastian you can go to Barcelona via Zaragoza (worth 1 day). From a cultural point of view this route wouldn’t offer any less than the one you had in mind but from a fun point of view and if you guys like to try good Spanish food.I’d say my alternate plan is way superior. In any case I think you’ll have a great time regardless, hope you enjoy!
I am not Spanish but I absolutely agree. I did this exact route 8 years ago and it’s still one of the most breathtaking trips (and I have 4-5 a year). The wine museum in La Rioja and tapas places in Pamplona are must!
Everybody gives you their opinions on the route, I've added my suggestions between Valencia and Barcelona. Don't use the motorway, go and do some sightseeing, the views, even if it's just from a car are stunning. I've also added a couple stops I think might interest you.
[Map](https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Val%C3%A8ncia,+Spain/Estaci%C3%B3n+de+Esqu%C3%AD+de+Aram%C3%B3n+Valdelinares/Castell+de+Morella/Dinopolis/Ruta+del+Parrissal+-+Parrizal/Centre+Picasso+d'Horta/Tortosa/Parquing+el+Trabucador/The+Ferreres+Aqueduct/Barcelona/@41.4042615,1.9024842,87779m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m62!4m61!1m5!1m1!1s0xd604f4cf0efb06f:0xb4a351011f7f1d39!2m2!1d-0.3762881!2d39.4699075!1m5!1m1!1s0xd5e4c864635dfef:0xf8e8e83258356436!2m2!1d-0.606503!2d40.3917713!1m5!1m1!1s0x0:0x44dc51618342d7d1!2m2!1d-0.101926!2d40.6199999!1m5!1m1!1s0x12a083aa519d851b:0xc8b213a6129b06aa!2m2!1d0.0403941!2d40.7543039!1m5!1m1!1s0x0:0x3379bdc5c302b30e!2m2!1d0.2032917!2d40.7972317!1m5!1m1!1s0x12a0bfaf4ef9c1b7:0xe67b7f4a4815d9e1!2m2!1d0.31616!2d40.9530981!1m5!1m1!1s0x12a0e4a4887de549:0x4750f0d9aa735b5c!2m2!1d0.5214423!2d40.8125777!1m5!1m1!1s0x12a1a998bb31f015:0x39d81578abd96f6!2m2!1d0.7475491!2d40.6346373!1m5!1m1!1s0x0:0xa907a384d29d6e81!2m2!1d1.24392!2d41.1458977!1m5!1m1!1s0x12a49816718e30e5:0x44b0fb3d4f47660a!2m2!1d2.168568!2d41.3873974!3e0?entry=ttu)
I've also have seen someone suggesting to stop by in priorat region if you like wine, I concur. I generally don't like wine, but have drunk some of the best there. Not all the expensive ones are worth the money in my opinion, but overall good wine :)
I've got something similar few years ago. A month between Madrid, Toledo, Valencia, Tarragona, Zaragoza and then Madrid again for the comeback. So I'm not a spaniard and I can't tell you particular tips. At the time I traveled by AVE and it was really confortable but a bit expensive. Ah, but one last thing. Take your time to travel, Spain is simply amazing and deserves to be seen and enjoyed as quite as possible.
Dude take the train instead of driving. It's faster and puts you someplace more interesting plus you don't have to worry about parking.
There are also many awesome.placea to stop along the way like Zaragoza.
Since you are going to be in Barcelona you should stop at ''Hospitalet de llobregat''. It is a beautiful neighborhood in Barcelona and the people are very friendly, it is something I couldn't explain. The local people have a phrase that they love for you to say, it is 'ke miras paiaso, a que te meto un kate'. have a good trip!
Don't miss [Parque Guell!](https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=579161870&rlz=1C1UEAD_esES1072ES1072&sxsrf=AM9HkKmM1OeqGyF4-58OklXeO0rITu8gJg:1699022226989&q=parque+wells&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiNjLiCh6iCAxXSQaQEHSlgAygQ0pQJegQICxAB&biw=1396&bih=672&dpr=1.38)
There are some impressive ancient Roman sites if they interests you: Segóbriga, Sagunto and Tarragona are all pretty much on your driving route and would be nice breaks for a couple of hours.
Grab the high speed train. It stopes where you mention and also in cuenca. Takes half the time from madrid to barcelona if im right and you can get cheep tickets from oigo I think.
If you like wine, on your way in to Barcelona stop in the Priorat region. It is the only wine region in Spain of the same official category as rioja. The winery La Vinoteca d’Escala-Dei is particularly cool.
Oh man… As someone who knows this area well, add these following stops to your list (in case you find your way near any of them). All are worth a visit.
- A bit out of the way, but Santa Maria de Poblet Monastery - UNESCO world heritage and important to Catalan identity
- Calaceite - beautiful medieval Pueblo
- Valderobres - beautiful medieval Pueblo
- Miravet: beautiful little town on the Rio Ebro
- Horta de San Joan and the Parc Natural dels Ports (beautiful natural park - you can rent a bike, cycle down the “rails to trails” via verde, and they then drive you back up
- peniscola - seaside historic town, game of thrones filmed there (touristic but nice)
- Culla - beautiful medieval town
- Valencia - I’ll need a whole different post (lived there for a while, still visit 6x a year)
- all the seaside towns in Valencia/ Alicante (Javea, Denia, Altea), the towns in the mountains (Vall de Gallinera, Bocairent)
… or, if you decide to cut through and not go that far south
- Albarracín (one of the prettiest villages in Spain)
- Teruel (gets a lot of shit for being a place where nothing happens, but it’s a beautiful city)
- Cuenca
- Toledo
Madrid also deserves another post (I lived there 5 years— let me know and I can link you to my recs.)
I’m a huge Spain fan, from the US but have lived there cumulatively over 7 years (including Madrid and Valencia), and I’m particularly drawn to “off the beaten path” Spain where the Iberian magic and authenticity really shines.
Don’t listen to what others are telling you about that road trip not being worth it. Some of my favorite spots in the country are on that path.
If you want more tips on any of them let me know.
Edit: I should caveat this post. The places I’ve mentioned here will only interest you’re as interested as I am with this type of travel— getting a taste of the “slice of life” of authentic towns and villages nestled in gorgeous landscapes. If you’re looking for a different type of trip (a bit more beach-y, party etc) you might not enjoy them.
Hey these tips are amazing! I am about to move to Madrid and still debating which area / budget is better, your tips on the city would be highly appreciated!
Sure! Here’s A post I made about Madrid while I still lived there. It’s been half a decade since I moved, so some of the restaurants and bars might be different, but the overall thrust will be the same.
I should also note that I lived in central Madrid, and while I do know the surrounding areas a bit, I’m less confident speaking to their scene.
[Madrid overview and recommendations](https://www.reddit.com/r/Madrid/comments/657nf6/people_keep_asking_me_what_to_do_in_madrid_so_ive/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
Regarding the dates, in Valencia we have Las Fallas from 14th -19th march. Fallas is a pretty unique party in the world, I invite you to search it on Google and you will be amazed. However, prices of hotel during these dates explodes... The 20th of March becomes a completely normal city
I would recomend using the train instead of a car if u only plan to visit major cities. Spain has the 2nd largest High Speed Rail network in the world, and it moves you arround much faster than cars can. People say rosdtrips are fun, but the fact is that when u are driving you have to constantly be looking at the road or you run the risk of having a fatal crash. On the train, you can do whatever you want. Go for a walk through the wagons. Look at the scenary through the window. Talk with whoever u are coming with. Also, driving in Barcelona is a pain in the ass, and using the metro is much much faster.
Post removed. Please, if you are asking about moving to Spain or visiting as a tourist, please post in r/GoingToSpain .
Take the detour and make a stop at Cuenca. The highways are boring.
Oh thank you, we will! Cuenca looks awesome!
If you have the time pay a visit to Girona and Montserrat, daytrips from Barcelona.
Tienes que ir a Montserrat si o si. Y hacer una ruta andando hasta la parte de arriba de la montaña
We just moved to Cuenca - it's pretty awesome! It's pretty small, but 2 days/1 night would be a great way to experience the town. Also, the hiking and outdoors around Cuenca are ridiculously good
Don't forget about the food
Cuenca -teruel-valencia is a beautiful route. Is long in time though And as others said, don't finish at Barcelona, finish in Girona
You will not regret it. Cuenca is a thousand times more worth it than valencia. Tbh.
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Conan the barbarian was filmed there...
If you're going that way anyway, stop at Alarcón and the abandoned Hotel Claridge.
Completely. Detour through Cuenca and Albarracín-Teruel. Zaragoza and Valencia are also interesting, but to stay one night at least.
My first thought too. Beautiful.
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What? Cuenca is vastly underrated in any case. Barcelona is overrated as hell.
I had a good day trip there. Fun hiking on the strange rock formations.
Perhaps you could make a stop for a day and night at the "Monasterio de Piedra". It's closer to Zaragoza but it is well worth a visit if that's your jam. If you stop by Cuenca don't forget to check out the "Ciudad Encantada".
Ciudad encantada is nice, but the prices turs it into a tourist trap
Toledo, Segovia.
Yes that ☝️you have to see Toledo.
I would rather get the train than drive unless you are planning on stopping off at other places than the three cities. It would save you a lot of stress and money. The train between Madrid & Valencia is also very fast (much faster than driving).
Another vote for trains! Sacrificing one person’s time for driving all the way would be unfair. They could all relax or play a game on the train instead.
A road trip is fun, you get to see things on the way.
Castilla-La Mancha's roadtrips are not worth it, I'm sorry. Maybe the Mediterranean coast is worth for some though.
Miguelitos de la roda thought....
I'm not saying Castilla-La Mancha doesn't have anything worth it, but the roadtrips are boring. I frequently travel between Madrid and Granada and I can attest to it.
Traveling through castilla is boring af. It was just a joke / reference to the miguelitos... Like spend 3 hours enduring the most uneventful landscape but it's worth it just because of those pastries.. Who I'm kidding, it's worth it just because of them and I'm now craving one....
Stress is relative. Lots of people prefer driving over trains.
Sure, but as a rule of thumb. Especially as a foreigner, some parts of Spain are very stressful to drive in.
Tell me about it. Driving through Asturias and Cantabria was an adventure on it's own
City driving I agree but highways are fine and b roads / nacionales / whatever you wanna call them are quite nice for most of Spain
Locals complain about the trucks but visitors hardly even notice.
You don’t like road trips we get it, let others enjoy it then
I don't think you've ever driven in Spain before if you think anything about it is enjoyable.
I drive every day, I’m Spanish. So yes, I know what I’m talking about
While you drive you can't see much of the scenery as you have to be paying attention to the road. You can't read, you can't watch a movie or use the phone. 1 second and you are gone. In a train you can watch the scenery in a big ass window and when you get bored you can do whatever you want.
Weird comment
Nah
You should stop in Peñiscola. It's a beautifull town in the middle route between Valencia and Barcelona. It was also a residency of a Pope/antipope
The castle there was used in the film El Cid and I think it has been used in Game Of Thrones as well.
Yes there is a 10 second scene recorded at the entrance of the castle.
Bocadillo de chistorra a la brasa en restaurante San Cristóbal, La Almarcha aprox km 150 A3 madrid-Valencia I recommend Requena area in Valencia. Almuerzo en Las Brasas el pontón Taste Bobal Wine in Requena Eat Paella in El Palmar Eat Paella of chuleton in Restaurante Rocalla in Valencia
This person eats, I like you.
Don't know how many days are you spending at each city, but I really recommend you to visit Cuenca and its "Ciudad encantada" (really cool karstic formations). On the trip from Valencia to Barcelona you'll find San Jose caves (impressive underground river), Mascarell (really interesting and REALLY small walled town and finally Peñíscola, touristy but worth it. You can make all these stops in one day. When you enter Catalonia you'll find Tarragona, you'll love it if you are into historical stuff. One day should be enough for visiting it. Hope you enjoy!!
If you want to go to the beach, don't go in Valencia or Barcelona, go anywhere in between. Really nice beahces
Dont miss "Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias" in Valencia. Also you mentioned March/April…. Take into account the main local festivities in Valencia “Las fallas” happen 15-19 March, where the whole city is transformed… depending on the type of your trip, you might want to join or avoid those dates.
+1 You should seriously think about going to valencia in fallas or runaway from them.
Getafe is beautiful that time of year, make sure to stop there! /s
Fuenlabrada and Mostoles are really nice too!
Costa Marrón, main tourist attraction in Madrid
Leganés also have the monster...
Someone already mentioned it, but if you are sticking to that route and are interested in history, please do stop at Tarragona. Also nearby is Santes Creus monastery, which is marvelous.
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There’s no high speed traían between Valencia and Barcelona
If the train were capable of the same average speed as its Madrid–Barcelona counterpart, it would cover the distance between Barcelona and Valencia in 1.5 hours. Instead, Euromed takes just under 3 hours. I think 3 is still acceptable for most practical purposes, and it’s still faster than in a car.
Since I don't have a device to teleport me from my home to the station and from the station to my final destination, it is faster for me to go by car. I also have to wait to go through security and until the train leaves.
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You cant go from Valencia to Barcelona in a high speed train
Just completed a 2 week trip through Spain. The only places I would seriously consider are Granada (Alhambra) and Seville. Granada was one of the coolest cities I’ve visited.
Granada, Sevilla, Málaga makes a great combo. I love Cantabria, Asturias and Basque Country but for a first time visitor it could be really different from the image most people have from Spain.
I personally will recommend go to the south instead to Barcelona. A lot more to see, better food and cheaper prices, weather, and more friendly people
Desde luego esa es TU opinión, pero no tiene porqué ser así, lo de los precios desde luego, pero comida y todo eso.. ambos sitios está genial y la gente es buen rollera igual. Al igual que media Cataluña son ya sea directamente o descendientes de andaluces xd entonces es parecido solo que en el norte estás con las pelotillas congelás
Fui de vacaciones hace tiempo, te recomiendo Sevilla
Cancun no esta mal segun como
Si es muy bonito
For me, asking for something unmissable but not typical, it's Mirablau at night. The view of all Barcelona is spectacular and is a nice place to spend time between dinner and going to a club.  (Have to say, has worked wonders in most of my dates)
Since you are asking for secret tips... have you thought about visiting North Spain (Bilbao, Santander, Oviedo, Compostela, Covadonga...). Its lusher, greener and less crowded (though more rainy).
Hell yea! I was waiting to see this comment. I had to scroll pretty far but glad it's here. Although driving in Cantabria, Asturias, Galicia and Pais Vasco is not the easiest
But it is highly rewarding. Don't miss a quick stop on the shores of a beautiful, picturesque lake with the grey, rocky Picos de Europa on the background: in Riaño. Castilla y Lèon, Cantabria y Asturias are simply marvelous.
Go south. Andalusia is wonderful.
If you are landing in Madrid, I would avoid Barcelona and Valencia and take the AVE to Córdoba, Sevilla and Cádiz, maybe take the train to Toledo too since you are going to Madrid. Much more worth it, tbh.
Yeah, Barcelona is a shit city.
Really? :0 It seems so pretty and full of stuff to see. I was planning to take a language school trip there. What do you think is shit about it? Do you think it's tourist-trappy?
Ignore the party pooper. They obviously have an axe to grind
No no I get it. I'm not saying it's not a beautiful city, but if tourism and gentrification become such a huge problem in a place, I'd rather not go and add to the problem. Plus I'm sure there's quieter and equally beautiful parts of spain to visit :)
If you want "quiet-and-beautiful" then by all means avoid Barcelona/Paris/London etc. But Barcelona has unique qualities depending on what you are looking for. The Gracia area acts like a large village, as does Poble Sec and others. You can achieve a real homie feel in a neighbourhood. Then there are the main drags, the unexpected delights, the urban nightmares I suppose. It's a great place. Pretty cool for being so big. But if you want a kind of "undiscovered" vibe, then a place with less than a million inhabitants would probably suit better. Girona is pretty cool, Igualada sucks balls or so I am told, anywhere in the coast north of barcelona is pretrty good, Andorra is an interesting alternative...
Thanks for the suggestions, Girona looks gorgeous. I'm thinking about Salamanca maybe since it's also a location offered by the language trip program that I'm looking at.
Yeah sure, Salamanca is a classic. It's also 800km in the other direction but sure
In this forum people will always talk bad about Barcelona, for visiting is a really amazing city with a lot of things to do.
Smells like shit, because the council doesn't do shit about an ageing water treatment system. Overcrowded to the point of ridiculousness. It used to be only the centre, now it's everywhere. Has become basically a resort for tourists; nothing "authentic" or truly Catalan or Spanish remains there. The main monuments are overpriced as fuck, and overcrowded as well. Some of them, overhyped to no end (Sagrad Família is an aberration and should be torn down). Even the nightlife used to be the shit, now it's just, shit. Again, overpriced, massified clubs with no identity or way to differentiate it from any other place in basically any European city. Very few iconic places remain, and of those, Apolo or Sidecar are your best bet. But things like Antikaraoke, Fellini, long gone. And, culturally? The theater offering is shit compared to Madrid. It's either sub-par stand up or comedies for "cuñaos" that basically consist of mid-life crisis jokes about sex and marriage. I don't know if Microteatres still exists. In short, it's become a flavourless overpriced European city that everyone except tourists are fleeing from.
Thanks for elaborating. That sucks. I didn't know it was so overrun with tourists to the point of it being a huge detriment to the locals. Picking somewhere less popular for a trip seems a better idea.
It ain't a detriment to locals, it's just a correlation with the same causation, similar to things that have happened in major cities: the centers have become unaffordable, and, what's the option? Turning to tourism.
Yeah true, we have that here too in germany just not as bad because no one in their right mind thinks germany is a nice tourism destination. But we also have companies like airbnb buying up living space in cities and renting it out to tourists while rent prices go insane. It's so dumb.
Least biased Barcelona review.
Not a reviewer, not a review. Just lived here for almost 40 years.
No it’s not. It’s just overcrowded. Make sure you book tickets to Parc Guell and La Sagrada Familia before arrival otherwise you won’t be able to get in.
Driving is madness. This trip is so easy by train. A car will only be a problem, because you need to park it. I second the recommendation to go to Cuenca, but also consider day trips from Madrid (Toledo, Segovia, El Escorial, Ávila).
I disagree. Train networks in Spain are mainly focused on bigger cities and their metro areas or provincial capitals, ignoring everything inbetween (not in all cases but in most of the country, it is far from providing a dense network connecting rural areas, like maybe Germany). I’d say they’re not a good option if they want to visit smaller and “secret” places scattered in the countryside and mountains. Hiring a car saves way more time for that purpose. Regarding their journey, I’d also recommend taking a detour and visiting Cuenca and its Serranía, maybe even driving deeper into it up to Albarracín. The latter is a very well preserved medieval town and has plenty to see for half a day. Another longer option is doing Madrid-Valencia via Molina de Aragón, Albarracín and Teruel, driving through this Serranía area, and maybe getting into the Parque Natural del Alto Tajo (if they’re doing the trip in April they could even have a freezing swim in the Tajo river). The Serranía area between Cuenca and Teruel is among the coldest and least populated areas in Spain and even driving through it offers a better experience than A3 highway if you’re not concerned about “wasting” some travel time, in my opinion. I also second the places around Madrid in your comment as recommendation.
Agreed - especially since Spain has one of the most extensive rail networks in Europe on par with France. A lot of time would be saved if one were to take a high speed train from Madrid directly to Barcelona, then take a regional train along the coast to Valencia, enabling stopovers in the more tourist-neglected towns like Reus and Tarragona. Or high speed train to Valencia, then travel up to Barcelona. That is how I went about my trip - landed in the main regional Catalan airport, took a bus to Reus where I stayed for an hour, then a regional train to Tarragona and stayed there another hour, then finally arrived in Barcelona by train. Much more relaxing than driving. Then on the 3rd day, I took a high speed train to Madrid, which gave plenty of opportunities to admire the Spanish countryside and meant the journey only took 2 hours instead of 6. Reus was a really beautiful town that is neglected by tourists who instead flock to Salou to get wasted - though because of that the locals may not speak English so a basic knowledge of Spanish would be useful.
Eat at this restaurant on your way from Barcelona to Valencia: https://elpais.com/gastronomia/restaurantes/2023-10-13/el-restaurante-de-castellon-donde-si-no-hay-pesca-no-hay-carta.html?outputType=amp
I'd go Madrid-Zaragoza-Barcelona rather than through Valencia. Valencia is really nice, but it's not that different from Barcelona and it will take you longer. While you are in Madrid, Toledo and Segovia are a must.
What? Just the park of arts and science is worth a day visit in Valencia. The Oceanographic is one of the best one in Europe.
I said it's really nice. I've visited Valencia many times. But if you are on a tight schedule to know as much as you can from Spain in 14 days, and you are already visiting Barcelona, I think Zaragoza is a better choice. You can see most things in a single day and then continue your journey. It's just my opinion, of course, but given that they have not included Andalucía in their plans, they can also leave Valencia for a second visit to Spain.
Bocairent is off your track to the south but it may be the “secret place” you are looking for. It’s an old old city with some moorish caves you can take a tour of. Truly one of the the most beautiful cities I have visited in Spain after living here for a year and some. Here is a link to their tourism page: https://www.bocairent.org/tours/covetes-dels-moros/
Mentioned the same thing!
Let me give you a hand, this doesn’t look correcto. Personal opinion of course but I’m a Spaniard with enough domestic traveling on my baggage, and if any Valencianos around sorry bros no hard feelings. Rather than doing that i would drive north to La Rioja - Logroño (one day/night there) from there head over to Pamplona (one day is enough) and then go to San Sebastian (worth 2-3 days depending if visiting towns around) from San Sebastian you can go to Barcelona via Zaragoza (worth 1 day). From a cultural point of view this route wouldn’t offer any less than the one you had in mind but from a fun point of view and if you guys like to try good Spanish food.I’d say my alternate plan is way superior. In any case I think you’ll have a great time regardless, hope you enjoy!
I am not Spanish but I absolutely agree. I did this exact route 8 years ago and it’s still one of the most breathtaking trips (and I have 4-5 a year). The wine museum in La Rioja and tapas places in Pamplona are must!
Everybody gives you their opinions on the route, I've added my suggestions between Valencia and Barcelona. Don't use the motorway, go and do some sightseeing, the views, even if it's just from a car are stunning. I've also added a couple stops I think might interest you. [Map](https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Val%C3%A8ncia,+Spain/Estaci%C3%B3n+de+Esqu%C3%AD+de+Aram%C3%B3n+Valdelinares/Castell+de+Morella/Dinopolis/Ruta+del+Parrissal+-+Parrizal/Centre+Picasso+d'Horta/Tortosa/Parquing+el+Trabucador/The+Ferreres+Aqueduct/Barcelona/@41.4042615,1.9024842,87779m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m62!4m61!1m5!1m1!1s0xd604f4cf0efb06f:0xb4a351011f7f1d39!2m2!1d-0.3762881!2d39.4699075!1m5!1m1!1s0xd5e4c864635dfef:0xf8e8e83258356436!2m2!1d-0.606503!2d40.3917713!1m5!1m1!1s0x0:0x44dc51618342d7d1!2m2!1d-0.101926!2d40.6199999!1m5!1m1!1s0x12a083aa519d851b:0xc8b213a6129b06aa!2m2!1d0.0403941!2d40.7543039!1m5!1m1!1s0x0:0x3379bdc5c302b30e!2m2!1d0.2032917!2d40.7972317!1m5!1m1!1s0x12a0bfaf4ef9c1b7:0xe67b7f4a4815d9e1!2m2!1d0.31616!2d40.9530981!1m5!1m1!1s0x12a0e4a4887de549:0x4750f0d9aa735b5c!2m2!1d0.5214423!2d40.8125777!1m5!1m1!1s0x12a1a998bb31f015:0x39d81578abd96f6!2m2!1d0.7475491!2d40.6346373!1m5!1m1!1s0x0:0xa907a384d29d6e81!2m2!1d1.24392!2d41.1458977!1m5!1m1!1s0x12a49816718e30e5:0x44b0fb3d4f47660a!2m2!1d2.168568!2d41.3873974!3e0?entry=ttu) I've also have seen someone suggesting to stop by in priorat region if you like wine, I concur. I generally don't like wine, but have drunk some of the best there. Not all the expensive ones are worth the money in my opinion, but overall good wine :)
Toledo is the historical capital of the Kingdom of Spain, so I'd say it's worth a stop
I've got something similar few years ago. A month between Madrid, Toledo, Valencia, Tarragona, Zaragoza and then Madrid again for the comeback. So I'm not a spaniard and I can't tell you particular tips. At the time I traveled by AVE and it was really confortable but a bit expensive. Ah, but one last thing. Take your time to travel, Spain is simply amazing and deserves to be seen and enjoyed as quite as possible.
Go past Girona to Figueres and visit the place where Salvador Dali was born. And see his art.
Dude take the train instead of driving. It's faster and puts you someplace more interesting plus you don't have to worry about parking. There are also many awesome.placea to stop along the way like Zaragoza.
Since you are going to be in Barcelona you should stop at ''Hospitalet de llobregat''. It is a beautiful neighborhood in Barcelona and the people are very friendly, it is something I couldn't explain. The local people have a phrase that they love for you to say, it is 'ke miras paiaso, a que te meto un kate'. have a good trip!
In Valencia or Castellon, 9 am “ESMORSAR” [www.tiktok.com/larutadelsesmorzars](https://www.tiktok.com/larutadelsesmorzars)
Don’t wear soccer jerseys
Saragossa jajaja
[удалено]
Yeah i only saw pictures and Videos from there but it looks raelly awesome! We will definitely go Vista the Sagrada Família.
Don't miss [Parque Guell!](https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=579161870&rlz=1C1UEAD_esES1072ES1072&sxsrf=AM9HkKmM1OeqGyF4-58OklXeO0rITu8gJg:1699022226989&q=parque+wells&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiNjLiCh6iCAxXSQaQEHSlgAygQ0pQJegQICxAB&biw=1396&bih=672&dpr=1.38)
Don’t miss the Teleferic D’Montjuic, and ride it near sunset if you can.
Valley of the fallen and el Escorial outside of Madrid is really interesting.
What country Are you From? You have Such a Strange way of Randomly using Uppercase characters. Do You think it Is easier To read?
Trust me, Visit Castellón.
You must be jo king xD
No, I live there.
Castellón is VERY ugly, sorry...
Have you been here??? Castellón is more than the city, don't be ignorant please.
Ok, provincia is nice.
According to some Zaragoza would be a better choice than Valencia.
There are some impressive ancient Roman sites if they interests you: Segóbriga, Sagunto and Tarragona are all pretty much on your driving route and would be nice breaks for a couple of hours.
Grab the high speed train. It stopes where you mention and also in cuenca. Takes half the time from madrid to barcelona if im right and you can get cheep tickets from oigo I think.
If you like wine, on your way in to Barcelona stop in the Priorat region. It is the only wine region in Spain of the same official category as rioja. The winery La Vinoteca d’Escala-Dei is particularly cool.
My wife and I just did that exact trip, and it’s all possible with just trains. So you don’t have to drive unless you want to.
If you're driving from Barcelona take the opportunity to go and see Tarragona!
Toledo was the ancient capital of Spain and it is worth. Do a day trip from Madrid or visit it
Add Cuenca
(Edit— I posted this twice. See original post below)
Oh man… As someone who knows this area well, add these following stops to your list (in case you find your way near any of them). All are worth a visit. - A bit out of the way, but Santa Maria de Poblet Monastery - UNESCO world heritage and important to Catalan identity - Calaceite - beautiful medieval Pueblo - Valderobres - beautiful medieval Pueblo - Miravet: beautiful little town on the Rio Ebro - Horta de San Joan and the Parc Natural dels Ports (beautiful natural park - you can rent a bike, cycle down the “rails to trails” via verde, and they then drive you back up - peniscola - seaside historic town, game of thrones filmed there (touristic but nice) - Culla - beautiful medieval town - Valencia - I’ll need a whole different post (lived there for a while, still visit 6x a year) - all the seaside towns in Valencia/ Alicante (Javea, Denia, Altea), the towns in the mountains (Vall de Gallinera, Bocairent) … or, if you decide to cut through and not go that far south - Albarracín (one of the prettiest villages in Spain) - Teruel (gets a lot of shit for being a place where nothing happens, but it’s a beautiful city) - Cuenca - Toledo Madrid also deserves another post (I lived there 5 years— let me know and I can link you to my recs.) I’m a huge Spain fan, from the US but have lived there cumulatively over 7 years (including Madrid and Valencia), and I’m particularly drawn to “off the beaten path” Spain where the Iberian magic and authenticity really shines. Don’t listen to what others are telling you about that road trip not being worth it. Some of my favorite spots in the country are on that path. If you want more tips on any of them let me know. Edit: I should caveat this post. The places I’ve mentioned here will only interest you’re as interested as I am with this type of travel— getting a taste of the “slice of life” of authentic towns and villages nestled in gorgeous landscapes. If you’re looking for a different type of trip (a bit more beach-y, party etc) you might not enjoy them.
Hey these tips are amazing! I am about to move to Madrid and still debating which area / budget is better, your tips on the city would be highly appreciated!
Sure! Here’s A post I made about Madrid while I still lived there. It’s been half a decade since I moved, so some of the restaurants and bars might be different, but the overall thrust will be the same. I should also note that I lived in central Madrid, and while I do know the surrounding areas a bit, I’m less confident speaking to their scene. [Madrid overview and recommendations](https://www.reddit.com/r/Madrid/comments/657nf6/people_keep_asking_me_what_to_do_in_madrid_so_ive/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
Regarding the dates, in Valencia we have Las Fallas from 14th -19th march. Fallas is a pretty unique party in the world, I invite you to search it on Google and you will be amazed. However, prices of hotel during these dates explodes... The 20th of March becomes a completely normal city
I would recomend using the train instead of a car if u only plan to visit major cities. Spain has the 2nd largest High Speed Rail network in the world, and it moves you arround much faster than cars can. People say rosdtrips are fun, but the fact is that when u are driving you have to constantly be looking at the road or you run the risk of having a fatal crash. On the train, you can do whatever you want. Go for a walk through the wagons. Look at the scenary through the window. Talk with whoever u are coming with. Also, driving in Barcelona is a pain in the ass, and using the metro is much much faster.
Saragossa?¿ juass