We've been back for awhile but being away for 7 weeks, it seems, it takes baout 7 weeks to catch back up. Spain is but a distant dream now

Anyway, posts like this helped me alot before I left and I'd like to give something back. Here is my thoughts, accomodations, recommendations, etc. on our 7 incredible weeks in Spain:

Madrid:
We spent seven days in Madrid and had a great time despite the heat. It was my fourth time in Madrid and I do have to say that everytime I go it has become a bit more crowded, noisier and a bit scummier. I do love the city tremendously but my wife, who was a first time visitor, was not a big fan. Be careful, I witnessed a mugging and talked with several people who had been targeted.
Accomodations: Family apartment (no AC )
Recommendations: Bullfights, Casa de Paco (excellent solomillo), Metro, Aerocity for a ride from the airport.

Alicante:
My wife took two weeks of intensive spanish at a school called the Alahambra-Instituto, which she thoroughly enjoyed.

We absolutely LOVED Alicante! Before we left we had problems finding info on Alicante in ANY of the Spain guides, maybe 2 pages at most, if at all.

I think this has probably saved the town from tourists as we saw VERY few (except for 'Spanish' tourists), in fact, we did not see any other Americans while there.

The city is relatively small and nestled up to the Meditteranean, with a wonderful paseo, an excellent beach, crazy nightlife, great food, reasonable prices and good shopping. Plus, there is ALWAYS an activity, event, regatta, fair, bizarre, festival, etc. going on - in fact we went to a music festival on the beach that STARTED at 11 pm and went til dawn.

We relaxed, we partied, we ate, we got sun, we drank -- Alicante will always be very special to us. I hope it stays a secret.

Accomodations: Melia Alicante (recommended)
Recommendations: If you want to just 'live' the lifestyle for awhile without doing the tourist thing, go to Alicante and hang out in this eclectic, international city. And the paella is unreal!

Calpe:
Not much here but an enormous Rock that juts out and rises up out of the sea. This was a "vacation" from our "vacation". We'd grown tired of restaurant eating ALL the time and hotels and spent a week in a rented house (from Villas Guzman, www.villasguzman.com which was WAY too big for the two of us but was a compound that had it's own pool. We sunned, drank, talked, looked out over the incredible view, barbequed American food and at night we'd sit outside and look at a billion stars. An unforgettable week.

Accomodations: Villas Guzman
Recommendations: This was the "vacation" portion of our trip where we were neither tourists nor students. If you want to get away these houses and this coast fits the bill.

Cordoba:
We loved Cordoba and especially the Mezquita - well worth the visit. This small, charming city was a real joy although at times the 'tourist' factor was a bit much. Thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

Accomodations: NH Amistad ( Highly recommended)
Recommendations: If you're close, devote a day or two to Cordoba and stay at the NH Amistad, it is truly excellent.

Granada:
We only spent a day here and although the Alhambra was well worth it, I have to agree with someone else here who wrote that Granada seems to be overrun by some of the scummiest people in Spain. Again, worth it though, what a site.

Accomodations: Parador
Recommendations: Parador, Alhambra, not much else - somewhat of a disappointment.

Ronda:
You have to go to Ronda to see the gorge, it is breathtaking - you could spend two days just looking at it from all different angles. The old city has some wonderful places to visit and see as well.

Unfortunately, this place has been overrun by tourists and thus loses some of it's appeal and uniqueness. In these types of spots, it is difficult to get a real taste of the culture there because everywhere you look or eat, it is all tourists.

Loved the city and the Parador is exceptional as well - situated on the edge of the gorge, across from the old city.

Accomodations: Parador
Recommendations: The Parador and the city as a whole. 1-2 days is sufficient.

Sevilla:
Ahhhh, Sevilla. Sevilla continues to be one of my favorites. It is a large city that retains it charm and grace without being overly pretentious. We spent four days hanging out with some relatives who took us everywhere from Flamenco shows to museums to restaurants tourists don't even know exist.

It was sooooo hot so try and avoid in July/August if possible - the city clears out anyway. Still, it's one of the great cities of Spain so don't miss it.

Accomodations: Puerta D'Triana - excellent location and low rates but the rooms and beds are VERY small.
Recommendations: All the sites, the food, the shopping, the barrio.

Cadiz:
Our plans for the last two days got screwed up and we had to choose somewhere to go for the last two days from Sevilla. We chose Cadiz because it was close and we were TIRED after 7 weeks, so shoot us Plus it was a pretty cheap place to go and stay.

It's a small city with incredible sunsets, but the city could use some work. If they did some renovations, it would be a wonderful little port city to visit. But, it is falling apart and it doesn't feel all that safe (I noticed two different people following us around).

Regardless, it served its purpose and was worth a visit because it is the city for which my hometown (Old San Juan, PR) was modeled after so it was definitely worth it.

Accomodations: Parador
Recommendations: the sunsets here are truly astounding. And the Parador gives you front row.

In Summary:
It was an amazing trip overall. Seven weeks was probably too long simply because you just get tired of living out of a small suitcase and always eating out. We adored our stay there and I'm trying to work it so we can go back again next summer

Overall recommendations: Go 'preferente' if available on your trains, Alicante, Cordoba, Sevilla, pack light, use Jeremy's Internet Acess Sevice to get hooked up, Paradors (we LOVED Paradors, they are ALL unique and VERY comfortable), all the wines, Solomillo, Meluza, Calamari, Paella, Jamon Cerrano, All the seafood, NH Amistad in Cordoba, the AVE, Bullfights in Madrid, Flamenco in Sevilla (got to find a GOOD local one). I could go on and on so let's just say I recommend you go to Spain right now...

Sorry about the length or if I messed up some details or misspelled something. I hope this helps someone else plan their trip and have a great time.

Thanks to Jeremy for his board and for his Internet Access which kept me connected for 7 weeks without a hitch. Thanks buddy! Sorry we missed eachother in Madrid - maybe next summer?

Peace out,

Hey phelix, sorry you missed me in Madrid but great travel log I must say! Wish more people would come back and do what you have after their trips.

Glad the temporary internet connection came in handy, thanks for the plug

I agree that Madrid is getting more pick pocket ridden but I still think the pros of being here FAR outweigh the cons. Sorry your wife did not fall in love with the city That's gonna make things tougher on you to get back

As for that family apt. with no AC, believe it or not, most do not have.

As you say, while Alicante is a MEGA summertime destination for Spaniards, it is not for foreigners, hence the lack of info online about it.

Granada has loads to do & see! Not just the Alhambra! You needed more time there to dicover it all. I lived there for a month and never got bored. Granada is AMAZING!

Saludos & thanks for the feedback.
jer...

You lucky so-and-so getting seven weeks in Spain. Two is never enough . . .

Don't you think all the beds in Spain are small? They're fine for 5ft-something me, but my 6ft-something husband always grumbles (but then, what's new? ) When we were visiting some ex-pats in Almeria last year, they showed us a bed the Spanish former owners of her home had left and I said: "Oh that's a great size for a single bed." "No," she replied, "The husband and wife slept in it." Cosy . . . bet they still fought over the blankets

My pal also hates Madrid cos her mum had her purse stolen there and then, the next morning, she almost had hers taken. We never noticed anything, but we do live in a big city ourselves and so are "ultra-cautious" all the time. I apologised to my pal when she told me this as I felt awful "my" city had let her down so much - and I don't even live there

Sevilla . . . it sounds like you had the experience I would love to have there. Someone to show you around. We were only there for a day and it was far too short to even experience a tiny little bit of this wonderful city. And boy, I get where you're coming from on the heat!

And yeah, Cadiz is a bit seedy and some parts need a good lick of paint. But we never felt uneasy or unsure about it and I would recommend it to anyone.

You're holiday sounded wonderful and your travel log made great reading - and brought back many memories. When are you planning your next one?

Thanks for the board and your help, Jer. it was a great help.

Hope to be back next summer And hope to see you then.....

Sounds as if yet another has fallen in love with Spain - thanks for a great post - even the parts I disagree with

It's always good to read reports of other peoples' travels and discover recommendations or otherwise.
I was a little surprised that ALICANTE was very off the beaten track, so to speak, as being normally based in England have always heard that this is the 'capital' of the Costa Blanca. To be more accurate, I suppose this is where packaged tourists would fly to for inexpensive holidays to places like Benidorm, a few miles along the coast. Can't say I know either.

And the description of Cadiz was a little bit scary. I can understand that it is a rather 'forbidding' city with all those narrow streets and tall buildings with peeling stucco. And there is graffiti and some winos in the parks, but it does have some real attraction for me. A 'must see' if you have a head for heights, is the Torre Tavira - http://www.torretavira.com/default.htm and the ferry across the bay to El Puerto de Santa Maria is very jolly on a sunny day. And look out for those Cadiz scenes in the new 007 movie "Die another day" coming out soon !

It was very useful to hear that the NH Hotel in CORDOBA was satisfactory - must book that for our visit.www.nh-hoteles.es

And RONDA is not so bad after the 'day trippers' return but I agree, it can be very annoying to find your hotel packed with a bus load. I would recommend a 'bijou' place which is situated in the old part of Ronda (the original town) called LA CASONA www.lacasonadelaciudad.com It's just off the main street and is fairly new having been opened about one year or so.

And you can't beat the area for Flamenco.
Nige