Spain 2010
Best and worst sights, experiences and destinations:
Best: La Alhambra in Granada
Why: The filigreed arches, reflecting pools, and inlaid wooden ceilings in Los Palacios Nasaries were magestic, yet serene and organically connected to the earth, and the Generalife Gardens were breathtaking. Also, Barcelona's Bus Turistic tour was worth every penny, whereas the bus tour in Sevilla wasn't.
Worst: El Arenal Flamenco show in Sevilla
Why: Except for one male dancer, all the performers here were inferior to those at Los Gallos, and the fact that some patrons had dinner during the show was distracting. If I were you, I'd recommend Los Gallos more enthusiastically and El Arenal less highly.
Nancy Zeilig in Denver, CO USA 11/14/2009
Best: Tangier with Aziz
Why: We took an Aziz Tangier tour last Sept and very much enjoyed the day. I just posted a few details about the tour on www.travelblur.com
Charlie in www.travelblur.com, USA 11/04/2009
Best: P 516 Andalusion Minibus Tour; P 360 Museo del Traje; P 535
Why: Paul McGrath knows the area and is happy to answer questions. He is flexible enough to take a detour if the group agrees. The tour is pretty great, too!
Museo del Traje in Madrid has a great permanent collection and nice special exhibits. The walk from Moncloa Metro isn't really far, but it requires navigating around/through a park.
Museo Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija has an amazing collection of artifacts from nearby Italica. Take the tour of the upstairs to see her personal art collection including works by well-known painters.
Wendy in Washington , DC USA 11/04/2009
Best: Thyssen Museum - Madrid
Why: Amazing collection of art spanning centuries. The depth and breadth were remarkable.
Worst: Sagruda Familia and Barcelona in general
Why: The church is a big zero--hard to see any of the details from where you have to stand and the inside is an empty construction zone. Barcelona itself is way over-hyped, worthy of maybe one day. Disappointing.
Esta in Sarasota, FL USA 11/02/2009
Best: Alahambra, whole(y) Toledo, Chapel in Sevilla
Why: They were astonishing.
Marge Clark in Marion, Oh USA 11/02/2009
Worst: El Escorial
Why: Difficult and expensive to get to and was just not worth the time or money. Definitely not a 3 star attraction, in my opinion.
Barb McKay in Denver, CO USA 11/02/2009
Best: Casa Mila
Why: Amazing architecture as well as views of Passeig de Gracia from the roof. I was in awe.
Jennifer in New York, NY USA 11/01/2009
Best: Hondarribia
Why: Guide book calls it "little-visited" but the Sunday we were there it was hopping and alive with strollers along the harbor and an outdoor market. A nice surprise!
Sharon in Anaheim, CA United States 10/28/2009
Best: Alhambra, Granada
Why: Quite simply the best sight I have ever visited (perhaps two or three others in Europe tie with it) The whole sight is phenomenal but the hospitality, chairs and benches everywhere, water fountains in abundance, lack of commercial pressure once we were inside, the setting, the gardens, the story, the designs, the uses of water...we spent five glorious hours there and will remember it forever. By the way, when we visiteds the Alcazar in Sevilla the next day we expected to be disappointed after the Alhambra experience, but the Alcazar is very, very good by itself.
Worst: None
Why: We enjoyed everything we visted in Spain recommended by RS and could include the Prado, the Sevilla Cathedral and Bullring Museum and the Granada Royal Chapel as outstanding also.
George in Pittsburgh, PA USA 10/10/2009
Best: Ronda, Toledo, Sevilla, Barcelona
Why: These cities were diverse and exciting. The peole were wonderful and the sights were all outstanding. Toledo is special after dark.
Worst: Madrid
Why: The Prado was great as was the Palace. The city its self was kind of boring. I was put off by all the pedestrain walk ways as they were covered in grafitti.
Hank Smalling in Aiken, SC USA 10/09/2009
Best: The walking tour of Seville
Why: I would never have wandered around as much or learned as much as I did with Alfonso. He was articulate, well-versed in Seville and Spain's history plus he has a great sense of humor. It made all of the difference in enjoying Seville.
Worst: I found tapas to be disappointing.
Why: This is certainly no one's fault, I'm just not that into the tapas that I tried. I found that they tended to be more fatty and fried than I like.
Jean Brubeck in Santa Cruz, CA USA 10/06/2009
Best: Toledo
Why: So glad Rick recommends to stay the night. We stayed two and were still sad to leave. Rick recommends wandering at night after the tourists go home - this was the best. We had lots of wine and Estrella, got lost in the little streets and barely saw a soul!
Worst: Las Ramblas, Barcelona
Why: Rick is right: Crazy, crowded, loud, cheap.
Cheryl Collins in Seattle, WA USA 10/04/2009
Best: The Alhambra at night
Why: Stunning. Breathtaking. We were able to get tickets ahead of time using the information in your book. As always, it saved us time and money.
D. Davidson in Long Beach, CA USA 09/28/2009
Best: Stephen Drake-Jones -- Madrid Pub Crawl, p 306.
Why: The man is charming and informative. We learned all about the Habsburgs and enjoyed the best tapas and wine on our trip. His wife, Connie, an expert on the wines of the region put us onto some delicious Rojas. We had fun. He's a brilliant story teller. Our best time in Spain.
Worst: A bad dinner at a Jerez bar
Why: Overdone macaroni in canned tomato sauce--billed as fresh--covered with a semi-melted slice of packaged cheese.
Roy and Barbara Glassberg in Ashland, OR USA 09/21/2009
Best: White Hill Towns
Why: They were amazing. Nice to get out of the touristy areas of the bigger cities. Ronda was my favorite (we visited about 8).
Worst: Sevilla
Why: Hot, loud, touristy, and dirty city. Cathedral and Alcazar are great, but rest of city is boring. I ran out of interesting things to see in about 6 hours. Only spend half a day there and jet over to Cordoba (Mezquita is great) and/or Granada (the Alhambra is to die for).
Sam in Hansen, UT USA 08/23/2009
Best: Tour of Frigiliana with David Riordan
Why: This was an incredible personable experience with a very knowledgeable and fun tour guide who knew the history and was able to relate it to adults, but also a 5- and a 16-year olds... The history of this little white village was coming alive as all the "Frigilianians" seem to know David and stop by. The walls, the plaques, the names of the streets, the little shops and the big ideas--it was all incorporated with very much alive tour of history of Frigiliana.
Mila Felder in Chicago, IL USA 08/20/2009
Best: Mountain Towns
Why: Hiking in Grazalema Park
Worst: Tangiers
Why: Rick tried to warn us, but that amount of harrasment was just unacceptable. Would definitely go further south in Morocco next time (Rabat or Casablanca).
Steve Richards, M.D. in Spokane, WA USA 08/17/2009
Worst: Tangiers
Why: Rick tried to warn us, but that amount of harrasment was just unacceptable. Would definitely go further south in Morocco next time (Rabat or Casablanca).
Steve Richards, M.D. in Spokane, WA USA 08/17/2009
Best: Sevilla
Why: Lots of great history and character to see and explore
Danielle in Houston, TX USA 08/14/2009
Best: Parc Guell
Why: It was better than I expected, and it was the reason I came to Barcelona, so I had very high expectations. So beautiful and fun! (And free!)
Worst: Casa Mila
Why: It was expensive (9.50 euros admission) and not what I love about Modernisme. No color! The roof was nice but not worth the money.
Kyla Gurganus in Ypsilanti, MI USA 08/11/2009
Best: Morocco with Aziz
Why: We made internet reservations with Aziz out of your guide book. He not only paid for our reservations on the ferry and emailed the reservation number, (which we reimbursed after the tour), but he met us at the terminal and took us all over the place, everyone knows him, we didn't get bothered by vendors, we got to see things that were unique to him. The History was fabulous and he was so personable. We recommend him to anyone wanting to see Morocco.
Daphne Weaver in Bremerton, WA USA 08/03/2009
Best: La Mesquita-Cordoba
Why: Absolutely breathtaking...and a refreshment from typical European cathedrals
Worst: Guided Walk by Concepcion-Sevilla
Why: It seemed like she was just reading out of your book by memory. Tell people not to waste their money on her. (And don't ask questions either; she's very rude.)
Bryan in Seattle, WA USA 08/01/2009
Best: The suggested walk from Sol to Palacio
Why: It gave the flavor of the city in an easy walk where you could stray a little into the surrounding streets, and then come back and pick it up again. I came to Madrid spur of the moment on a business task, so had no time to plan ahead. This stroll was simple to follow and not too strenuous for someone who hadn´t "trained" for more. Note that I never found the convent door with the note about them selling sweets. Had planned to purchase some, but not that big a deal to miss it.
Ann Rupley in Woodinville, WA USA 07/23/2009
Best: Tariffia
Why: It is a beautiful town with nice beaches. A stronger sugguestion to stay a day or two. Alborada Hostal was great very nice staff, very clean and helpful.
Worst: Tangier
Why: I would have like more information about the guides\tour groups i.e. do they allow free time to shop and a good varity of shops. I was running the gaunltant of unrelenting street venders it was as trechrous as San Fermin.
Carmen in Los Angeles, CA USA 07/15/2009
Best: Cadeques
Why: What a delightful place! Without your book we would never headed in that direction. Your recommended Hotel Llane Petit was lovely.
William Campbell in Ottawa, ON Canada 07/10/2009
Best: Sevilla Walking Tours with Concepcion and the Andalusion Minibus tours with Paul McGrath
Why: The Sevilla walking tours with Concepcion were worth our time and the fees. We did the city walk, cathedral and Alcazar tours and each helped us get a better understanding of the history of Sevilla. She is a very good tour guide. We also took the Andalusian minibus tour with Paul McGrath and a group of 6 other Americans and it was very enjoyable and beautiful. The White Hill Towns of southern Spain are worth the day's adventure. For a flamenco show- Casa de la Memoria de Al-Andalus put on a very good show. The first show sold out but we were able to get seats for the 10:30 PM seating. There is limited seating and it is first come first serve so get in line early (also no air conditioning). The show was excellent, very talented performers. Also the Santa Cruz is touristy but a very nice place to walk through and find somewhere to eat while the rest of Sevilla is taking the afternoon siesta. These experiences are why I keep using RS guidebooks for my trips to Europe!
We also went ot Santiago de Compostela-a very nice change after the heat of Sevilla! Great place to walk and pilgraim watch. We attended mass 2 times and got to see the swinging botafumeiro! The cathedral is beautiful, it and the setting makes it worth the side trip to this NW part of Spain. Thanks for pointing out the view from the Alameda Park, the produce and fish market and seeing and hearing the nuns at St Pelayo Monastery sing evening vespers- we enjoy doing the freebies that the RS guide books point out!
Monica in Chapel Hill, NC USA 07/03/2009
Best: Casa Mila (La Pedrera) and the Metro system
Why: The audio tour & attic section were excellent. It went into detail about Gaudi's genius so we felt we really appreciated what we saw later which included the Sagrada Familia. Would encourage everyone to do this sight before the church. As for the metro, it is easy to use, inexpensive, and clean. Don't be nervous using it!
Worst: Parc Guell
Why: Maybe we were tired by the time we got there, or maybe the Casa Mila and the Sagrada Familia (which we had done already that day) were just so interesting that we didn't really appreciate this park. It did have a nice view of the city, but that was about it. Plus, don't let your husband talk you into walking there from the Sagrada Familia...it is ALL uphill :) Take a cheap taxi!
Amy Teague in Fishers, IN USA 06/08/2009
Best: Flamenco in Sevilla
Why: Shows at both Los Gallos and Casa de la Memoria were as good as advertised and gave us the best feeling of Spanish culture during the trip. The tapas crawl in Madrid was a close second.
Russ Lorber in Westminster, MD USA 06/06/2009
Best: Aziz Tour to Tangiers
Why: We had a great time and were so well escorted and informed by Aziz. Thank you for giving the infor to set up this tour in your book
Burrows in Albuquerque, NM USA 05/26/2009
Best: Sagrada Familia
Why: We have never seen a cathedral "in process".
Worst: Las Rambals
Why: Just like the book says - very touristy. Does it warrant a 3 star while the Palau Musica gets no mention?
Stephanie in Brinkerhoff, MI USA 05/18/2009
Best: San Sebastian
Why: Great city, and gorgeous views along the ocean.
Worst: La Rambla in Barcelona
Why: After a few walks, I definitely stayed away from La Rambla - very trashy, touristy, junky and too crowded. Avoid that whole road.
spainfan in Washington, DC USA 05/08/2009
Best: Easter week processions in Seville
Why: They provided an interesting cultural comparison of the floats to those used in Fukuoka, Japan's summer festival. "Living" in the Barrio Santa Cruz provided easy access to all the places we wanted to see and all the food we enjoyed.
Worst: Driving in to our hotel in Madrid (from Granada)
Why: Maps and signs proved insufficient to keep us from an hour or so of wasted time on the freeways.
Gerald L. Rose in Iowa City, IA USA 04/30/2009
Best: Toledo Cathedral
Why: Excellent description in the book and we agree "Holy Toledo!"
Bill in Williston, VT USA 04/27/2009
Best: Casa Mila
Why: Wildly interesting and entertaining to anyone with even a modest interest in design or architecture. Great exhibits on Gaudi's life, and the free extended audio tour is terrific.
Worst: Picasso Museum
Why: Why is this museum so popular? It has relatively little of the art of which Picasso is famous for (it's more a chronology of the changes in his painting styles as he matured as an artist). Sure, it's a worthwhile stop, but if I hadn't seen it as part of my artticket, I would have felt completely ripped off.
Dave in Philadelphia, PA USA 03/31/2009
Best: Segovia
Why: The town is not too large and there are lots of photo ops: Snow-capped mountains in the distance, Roman Aquaduct, Medieval Castle with walls, Beautiful Cathedral, and a lovely plaza to loaf in at lunchtime. It is a great daytrip from Madrid. The high speed train from Madrid gets you there quickly too.
Worst: Churros
Why: I can't say that your book actually RECOMMENDS churros and chocolate but they are definitely miss-able.
Cliff Gilbert in Mount Laurel, NJ USA 03/31/2009
Best: Alcazar Seville
Why: If this is two stars then you obviously did not see the garden.
Worst: Mesquita Cordova
Why: Dark, dank and except for the original Mosque center, boring.
Marvin Schwalb in Livingston, NJ USA 03/26/2009
Best: Temple de Debod in Madrid, Santa Cruz museum in Toledo, day-trip to Segovia
Why: Mostly we loved walking around Madrid, but the Temple de Debod was great. The Santa Cruz museum in Toledo finally gave me an appreciation for El Greco's work, plus it was free. All of Segovia was fun! We walked to the end of the aqueduct, and that was a highlight.
Kyla Gurganus in Ypsilanti, MI USA 03/06/2009
Best: Andalusian Minibus Tours
Why: I had a private tour from Paul McGrath, and had a wonderful time. Very friendly and very scenic. Highly recommended!
Rich Ruh in Fort Collins, CO USA 02/22/2009
Best: SEGOVIA
Why: Segovia offers all of the Spain "must sees." Cathedral, castle, museums, lots of pedestrian areas, plazas, wonderful food, PLUS the amazing Roman aqueduct.
Arlyce in Stillwater, MN USA 01/16/2009
Best: Casa de la Memoria de Al-Andalus, Sevilla
Why: RIGHT next to my hotel (Alcantara) and a true flamenco show. I watched flamenco in Madrid and you could definitely tell the difference between the two cities.
Jennifer Chen in Fremont, CA USA 01/03/2009
Best: Cathedral of Santiago
Why: Because we always enjoy seeing it!
Jon Strebler in Chula Vista, CA USA 01/03/2009
Worst: Sagrada Familia
Why: The tour basically looked at scaffolding. We couldn't get close to or even see the stained glass.
C Rathfon in Oakland, CA USA 11/04/2008
Best: Hondarribia (near San Sebastian)
Why: A wonderful town in a great location. We really enjoyed wandering around the new part of town near the harbor - with its colorful buildings and their profusion of flower boxes - and the old part of town up the hill was terrific in its own right with its varied and fascinating architecture. A great combination of history and color in the same town. A real treat. Also, we had a really enjoyable wine and tapas lunch at Ardoka Vinoteca (c/ San Pedro, 32) in the new part of town. The fried calamares were the best we recall ever having - and we really like calamares. And the by-the-glass wine selection was both varied and reasonably priced.
Richard Rowe USA 10/20/2008
Best: VIP Tour with Stephen Drake-Jones
Why: We took a private walking tour of Madrid and a day excersion to Segovia with Steven Drake-Jones. It was exactly what was promised. He was very punctual, entertaining and informative. We felt very safe and relaxed leaving all the travel details up to him.
Jean Boyd Williams in Raleigh, NC USA 10/18/2008
Best: El Escorial
Why: Outside of the grandeur of the palace, to see the mausoleum where the Kings and Queens of Spain are buried is incredibly impressive.
Dave Matsumoto in Tacoma, WA USA 09/10/2008
Best: Alhambra
Why: Had the 8:30 appointment and tour groups had not made it up yet. Early morning was sublime. Reservation holders must go to a machine and swipe the original credit card (cc used tgo purchase tickets online) in the machine. Very convenient and short line. However, we were slightly confused by the "other" reservation lines. (Note - used online reservations, had to cancel/refresh several times before the 8:30 appt time came up).
Worst: San Nicholas Viewpoint
Why: Sunset is scenic. The fellow "tourists" are a bit overwhelming. Wear moneybelt!
Tim English in Atlanta, GA USA 08/12/2008
Best:
Why: 1. Seville-Los Gallos Flamenco. Great show, a very small room so you are right in front of the dancers. There was no problem with the bar being noisy.
2. Morocco!
3. Granada-The Alhambra, of course! Shopping in Alcaiceria. The Arab Baths-the best spent money ever! Amazing relaxing pools, a massage, all for the cost of dinner! Book early in the day and then come back.
4. Sevilla- the most beautiful comfortable city.
Jennifer in Boston, MA USA 08/07/2008
Best: We really loved Sevilla for it's beauty and friendly people.
Why: In Barcelona people seemed in such a hurry. there is much to see but it is a mob scene. Sevilla gave us a chance to share thoughts with the locals, especially since I speak fluent Spanish. In Sevilla, when we asked directions, it was not uncommon for the person to nearly walk us to the destination and to proudly tell us what to see there. People and whole families stroll thru Barrio Santa Cruz in the evening, and don't mind sharing their culture with an American.
Worst: Worst experience was taking the train from Barcelona to Tarragona, about 90 minutes below Barcelona.
Why: It was difficult to get our suitcases onto the train as it barely stops. there was no place to stow the cases and my husband had to stand over them. Then he was pickpocketed by a slick foreigner. His wallet was in a zippered front travel vest pocket.
Patti Hine in Yucca Valley, CA USA 08/05/2008
Best: Sevilla
Why: walkable, comfortable, well-maintained downtown; interesting things to see (Cathedral; Alcazar, and more); great walking tours (Concepcion Delgado), convenient accommodation (Hotel Amadeus), and great food (La Taberna del Alabardero downstairs for the lunch-time fixed menu - outstanding 3 courses for 15 Euros).
Bob Lata in Paso Robles, CA USA 07/25/2008
Best: Aziz in Moroco
Why: We contacted Aziz via email and he was available for the full day 35 euro tour, what a deal! Aziz was great, we were greeted by lots of locals whe were friends. Great fun, great memories and felt like we certainly got the most for our money
Lynn Cowhig in Snellville, GA USA 07/15/2008
Best: Hostal Residencia Neutral
Why: Great location! However, I'd cut the cute talk in the listing ("Lino works the night shift.") Lino works various shifts and that cutesy attitude encourages the superfically friendly attitude you encourage American tourists to keep a bit in check.
Sheila in Albuquerque, NM USA 07/14/2008
Best: Barcelona
Why: We used the Bus Turistic. This was an excellent way to see the city. They had clearly marked busstops and well-organized routes. The breeze in our faces on the top of the double-decker was great.
Worst: Atocha Station in Madrid
Why: We bought tickets early in the morning from a very indifferent clerk and then were herded onto a train to Segovia at 8 o'clock. So many people pushing and being pushed by train attendants squeezing people on the trains.
Linda Cramb in Jaffrey, NH USA 07/08/2008
Best: Spain - Tour Guides
Why: My wife and I and another couple travelled to Spain this past June. We had the most marvelous tour guides while there. Two of them were recommended by RS and one should definitely be added to your list.
Antonio Doblas-Guia Turistico Oficial [adoblasg@terra.es]; Hernan Amaya Satt [info@madrid-museum-tours.org]; and Paul McGrath [the-other-spain@hotmail.com].
The first guide (Antonio) is not listed in RS but should be. We have used guides throughout Europe and he was wonderful. He was easy to contact and very very knowledgeable. We did a bike tour including the Tower of Gold - Torre del Oro, Guadalquivir River, Maestranza Bullring, Opera House, Triana Bridge, Maria Luisa Park with the squares of Spain and America, Hotel Alfonso XIII, Saint Telmo´s Palace and it was amazing.
The second guide (Hernan) whom is listed in RS brought the Prada to life for us. Of all of the guides we have ever used I would say that Hernan was the top! He is a gracious gentleman and his knowledge of Madrid was magnificent.
The third was Paul who show us through the White Hill towns. Your recommendation of him was right on target and really made for a wonderful experience.
Chris Seger in Indianapolis, IN USA 07/07/2008
Best: Toledo
Why: It was just as it was described in the guide. The cathedral has to be one of the best we visted-having visted many of the German, Austrian and Italian churches in the past.
Mitch Heinemann in Frisco, TX USA 06/28/2008
Best: Ronda
Why: Very small, but very scenic. Easy to walk around. Neat bridge!
Worst: Reina Sofia Museum
Why: Other than Guernica, it's just a load of modern-art "junk" IMHO. Not even a very good collection of Piacasso's or Dali's. A waste of time. Spend the time at the Prado instead.
David Truman in Langley, BC Canada 06/21/2008
Best: The Fountains/Cascades at Placa d' Espanya (Thurs-Sun nights)
Why: The only fountains on in town! Fun and festive feeling and free with beautiful views to Tibadabo (Sacred Heart Church) and the Catalan Art Museum (MNAC)-we went several times!
Worst: Las Ramblas NOT top of the chart as Rick has it!
Why: Just a super touristy street- nothing special at all. I enjoyed the area off to the sides much more and could have easily missed the tackiness of this stretch.
Sally Hirschheim in Baton Rouge, LA USA 06/13/2008
Best: The Alcazar, Seville
Why: Rick gives it two stars. Can't speak for winter, but in May the gardens alone are worth the highest rating possible. They go on and on, with each area more beautiful than the last. Incredible flowering trees. The building is worthwhile, too, and the current exhibit of Turkish calligraphy is fascinating.
Bob and Suzanne in Wilder, KY USA 06/10/2008
Best: The Alhambra
Why: It shows the Moorish civilization in all its splendor. Thank you for the reservation hints in your book, they were followed successfully.
Worst: None
Why: Every place in Spain was beautiful.
Marcia, Jaime, and Two Children in Rochester, NY USA 06/07/2008
Worst: White Villages Tour by Paul McGrath, Sevilla
Why: Paul unilaterally cancelled tour less than an hour before the starting time because some others cancelled at the last minute. We had booked 2 months in advance and he should have behaved professioally. It ruined our day as he cancelled at the 11th hour.
Ashwin Honkan in Pune, India 06/05/2008
Best: All of Andalucia is recommended.
Why: We enjoyed Granada, Cordoba, Sevilla, Ronda and Tarifa the most. Lots to see and do in each of them.
Worst: Arcos
Why: If you want to see a hill town, stick to Ronda. There is just more to see and do in Ronda if you are pressed for time. It truly is a jewel.
Dan NJ USA 05/18/2008
Best: Toledo and Ronda.
Why: Two very beautiful towns with lots to do and lots to see.
Dale Peterson in Stillwater, MN USA 05/10/2008
Worst: Costa del Sol
Why: Everything you said it was, and worse. But Nerja was lovely and Ayo's was great.
Ellen Canada 05/09/2008
Best: Alcazar, in Seville
Why: Stunningly beautiful, even more attractive than the Alhambra.
J.King in Berkeley, CA USA 05/04/2008
Best: The Thyseen-Bornemisza Museum
Why: Impressive collection, fewer crowds and a more manageable size than the Prado.
Worst: The food
Why: The strength of the Euro made it difficult to find good food at reasonable prices. I was grateful that picnic lunches and dinners were an option for me. Pan & Co, while I did not get to eat there, did indeed look good. Food tended to be fried and indoor tapas was nearly impossible for me due to all the smokers. The trips to the supermarkets were a great deal of fun and made my trip very interesting.
Lisa in White Plains, NY USA 05/04/2008
Best: Prado Museum: Salvador Dali's house in Cadaques
Why: Prado is a treat - beautiful works in fabulous condition. Salvador Dali's house in Cadaques is unique.
F. & C. Weiss in Victoria, BC Canada 05/03/2008
Best: The Mirador San Nicolas, Granada
Why: What a breathtaking view from this lookout point in the Albayzin! The Alhambra, the entire city, and the snow-capped Sierra Nevadas will forever be etched in my memory.
Robert in Arlington, VA USA 04/18/2008
Best: Madrid/Toledo
Why: Elegant city and easily explored by foot and subway. Loved the Prado. Arranged for a city tour with Jennifer at Le Tango (recommended in the book) which was very good. They also arranged for a guide in Toledo, but due to a wildcat strike on the AVE train, we got there late so even though our guide there was also very good, we didn't get the full tour since he already had another group after ours.
Karen Nagata in Redmond, WA USA 04/17/2008
Best: Nerja
Why: This is what the Costa Del Sol was like back in the days before the high rises (when Torremolinos was a baby and Marbella was a sleepy town). We stayed at the Hotel Balcon de Europa in a Jr. Suite with a balcony overlooking the beach and the ocean...the hotel was a little pricy but worth it for the ambiance and amenities. If you stay anywhere on the South coast of Spain, this should be your stop (its only a short drive from Grenada)
Bill Young in San Leandro , CA USA 04/03/2008
Best: Across the board good recommendations
Why: Accurate in giving the pros and cons but not being judgmental Allows the traveler to have the right mind set and make choices
Worst: Reconstruction projects and lack of posted signs
Why: At the Alhambra it was most noticed. The attendants were not helpful or friendly. A few TI places were not friendly and gave little. Mostly the average person went out of there way as did some of the TI staff.
Sommer in Santa Rosa, CA USA 03/26/2008
Best: Palm Sunday in Seville
Why: Nobody does Palm Sunday quite like Seville, from the mass in the cathedral celbrated by the Cardinal Archbishop of Seville to the processions through the town that bring out the entire citizenry, yound and old alike, all dressed in their finest. Palm Sunday is just the first day of what turns out to be a week long celebration. Not to be missed.
Tony Ambrose in louisville, ky USA 03/25/2008
Best: Casa de la Memoria de Al-Andalus flamenco
Why: Wow! How can their feet move so fast? Absolutely wonderful intimate setting - no hype, just amazing performances.
Gregg Maxwell in Grapevine, TX USA 03/21/2008
Best: Toledo, Palacio Real, Prado Museum, Parque Retiro
Why: The Cathedral in Toledo was a life-changing experience for me. And the funny thing is your book was a big hit in Toledo! I had people easing up to me and eavesdropping because they wanted to listen to the descriptions as I read them aloud. I was a definite hit in the cathedral and at the St Tomas, Greco, burial painting. I felt like a mini tour guide! We still laugh about it. Palacio Real is gorgeous, but crowded. The cathedral next door is worth a quick look, too. The Prado is unbelievable for all the reasons you stated. The artwork and the building itself are beautiful.
Worst: The Prado
Why: The museum is magnificent but some of the staff were very rude. Hard to believe since we were treated wonderfully by all in Spain. Parque Retiro: my friends sat at the restaurant patio tables by the boats while I went to the bathroom. They were verbally attacked by a waiter who worked in the restaurant (he wanted them to order something). Once was ok even though no sign said we could not sit there, but he came back because we did not leave fast enough and I thought he was going to hit my friend. Waiter has an anger problem. There is no way he should have been that angry.
Mary Spangenberg in PHOENIX, Ar USA 03/19/2008
Best: Zarzuela
Why: The Zarzuela opera is highly recommended. We could understand what was going on even though we don't speak Spanish (there's an English summary in the program and the acting is hammy). Few tourists, lovely theatre and lovely music.
Matti in Chicago, IL USA 03/19/2008
Best: the Alhambra
Why: The magic of light through the arches and columns
Dick and Marjy in Fiddler, WA USA 03/08/2008
Best: Gaudi's Cathedral
Why: Never have I stayed and marveled at a building for so long. Strange at first, I begin to love it and the centuries of humanity involved in its making.
Tan Milang in Nashville, TN USA 02/22/2008
Best: The site of Africa from Tarifa and the Aziz Tour
Why: I was in a group of 7 great people for the Aziz tour. He was wonderful! He's a very warm & knowledgable - a real goodwill ambassador for his country. I loved the Market place with the colofully costumed women selling cheese. Tangier's suburbs reminds me of California flora. I saw the Alcazar first in Seville and it took the edge off of the Alhambra. Don't miss Nerja. I happenned to be there when they were celebrating St. John's Day. What fun! The Mirasal was a great place to stay. I had 2 balconies in my room @ 30 or 35 Euro. Don't miss Ronda. Barcelona is like another country. I hate modern art but fell in love with Gaudi and Picasso. I'm going back this year. Vueling airlines is great(R.S. tip). At the prices they charge, I thought we might have to get out & push.
Worst:
Why: The Gibraltar Apes were nasty. 3 people were rendered first aid in the Cafeteria after being attacked by the apes.
Liz in Boerne, TX USA 02/19/2008
Best: Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, and Palacio Real and, of course, the Prado, in Madrid
Why: All three were excellent. The modern art collection at Reina Sofia gave us a whole new understanding of modern art. The Palacio - major thanks, Rick, for the clear guide. It was greatly appreciated, as the on-site signage was minimal, and all in Spanish, too. and, of course, the Prado was magnificent. Your book really helped us to get around it, and appreciate many of the things we saw.
Worst: That noisy, bumpy little tourist train in Toledo -
Why: We couldn't hear a word of the recorded spiel due to the rattling noise of the train cars, and bone-jarring bumping on the cobblestoned roads of Toledo. A bus ride on a regular bus would have been far superior (and cheaper)
Lorne in Calgary, Al Canada 02/10/2008
Best: Alhambra in Granada
Why: We LOVED Granada. The Alhambra was very special. We also loved the Generalife Gardens although Rick doesn't highly recommend them.
Michele in Portland, OR USA 01/18/2008
Best: Ciudad Rodrigo
Why: Book suggested stopping here on our way to Portugal from Salamanca (which we loved). Met friendly people in Rodrigo and went to El Sanatorio for tapas-locals were so nice
Joan in JACKSONVILLE, FL USA 01/17/2008
Best: Barcelona
Why: The book really provided all the information that you would need to see the city. Rick Steve's did not leave anything out. As a college student studying abroad and trying to travel on a low budget, the book on Spain was perfect!
Worst: NONE!
Why: Anywhere that I went that was recommended in the book was great! And all of the recommendations were accurate. Rick Steves does not lead you astray!
Mary in Willow, AK USA 01/13/2008
Best: Casa Mila & Maritime Museum
Why: We loved looking through Casa Mila and the view from the roof. The Maritime Museum is something we did to kill time before our flight, but it ended up being very interesting.
Worst: Las Ramblas
Why: There wasn't much to see, granted we visted on December 23-24, so perhaps it's a slow time of year.
Karis in Cross Plains, WI USA 01/04/2008
Best: L'Alhambra
Why: just an incredible place but don't get the english audio guide. It reads from Washington Irving's Tales of L'Alhambra which spends way too much time describing what you're seeing (as a books should) rather than telling the history of the Alhambra.
Robert Perry in Hingham, MA USA 01/01/2008
Best: Salamanca and Madrid and Sevilla
Why: Salamanca is beautiful and clean and just the right scale for walking around. My son studied Spanish there for almost three months in a program, so he knew alot of people. The Convento de las Duenas had a beautiful courtyard and great little bakery. Madrid had beautiful, wide, clean avenues and The Prado--great Velasquez exhibit. The Thyssen was good, too. Sevilla had a fantastic, state of the art Flamenco museum and, of course, unforgettable Flamenco dancing. Concepcion Delgado gave us a thorough and entertaining tour of the cathedral and the Alcazar.
Worst: Sevilla
Why: Noisy, crowded, lots of construction. Lots of dog poop on the sidewalks.
Marie Lavendier in Unionville, Ct USA 12/14/2007
Best: Casa Toni
Why: You can't go wrong with all the big sights, Alhambra etc. But the sauteed mushrooms at this little out of the way place were fantastic. The tapas crawl was a ton of fun!
Worst: None
Why: We did rate the Royal Palace in Madrid as a '3 star' where the book had 2. We liked it better than the Prado (sorry, we're not great ART lovers plus we hit the Prado on free Sunday so it was quite crowded).
larry in richmond, va USA 11/05/2007
Best: Hotel Enfrente Arte, Ronda Spain
Why: Unique, quiet, relaxing hotel that provides ample opportunities for friendly gatherings playing pool, socializing over cold beer/wine (included with room), or "hiding out" on various terraces. Full breakfast includes omelet cooked as ordered. Ronda sights are several blocks away and uphill, but worth the walk.
Renee Jones in Clinton, Wa USA 10/18/2007
Best: Santiago
Why: A great walking town with lots of places within easy walking distance in which to eat, shop, visit. We were also lucky to see the Botafumeiro swung during a service. We took a delightful day trip to Cape Finisterre, and enjoyed a beautiful drive along scenic rugged coastline.
Worst: Yemas in Avila
Why: I thought they were gross.
Rebecca W. Sheppard in Fort Worth, Tx USA 10/15/2007
Best: Toledo
Why: Great old buildings and shops
Worst: Salamanca
Why: Not much to see
Donald Rosier in Arvada, CO USA 10/08/2007
Best: Self guided walk through the Barrio Santa Cruz
Why: It was very easy to follow and we found the area to be very beautiful and probably would not have found all of these lovely plazas and parks on our own.
We also thought the Flamenco dancing experiences in Seville extraordinary and paseos in the evening a delight!
Deborah Foley in New York, NY USA 10/05/2007
Best: Azziz Begdouri, guide of Tangers, Morocco
Why: Personable & knowledgeable, he gave us a great tour - out to the coast, in town, navigating the Kasbah, it could not have been better. He's worth every Euro!
Worst: Bus system
Why: Needs to be more strongly worded in the book, bus system not very reliable or convenient. Busses ran late, connections difficult due to numerous bus lines, bus stations confusing (where there is a station) Rent a car, you'll be better off!
Nick Warner in Palo Alto, CA USA 10/03/2007
Best: Concepcion Delgado's tours in Seville
Why: We took all three of her tours and they were all wonderful. She is an entertaining guide and we learned so much about Seville and the sights that we would never have known without her. She was wonderful and I would recommend her to anyone. She even helped us with reservations to a Flamenco show
Worst: The Alhambra in Granada
Why: I was just underwhelmed by it after all the other amazing sights we saw in Spain. The Alhambra just looked like it was falling apart. Even though the view of the city was amazing, the whole thing was sort of a letdown. We mainly went to Granada just to see it and were not very impressed.
Bethany in richmond, va USA 10/02/2007
Best: Aziz; tour of Tangier
Why: Aziz was wonderful! He made all of the reservtions for the boat and the day was seamless. He is loved by the locals and they welcome him. WE were exposed to so many aspects of the culture and he even took us for a typical meal at a friends house! WE cannot say enough about him- very friendly and thoughtful. If you are going to Tangier, give him a call..we are so glad we did.
Tiffany Harris in Birmingham, MI USA 09/25/2007
Best: Food in Barcelona!
Why: I was afraid that Barcelona would have nothing to offer but ham and meals served super late. Not true! Food, and good food, is available everywhere at any time of day! Tapas, quick sandwich shops, to go food--you can eat well and not too expensively at any time. I loved it! Vegetarians beware--ask many questions. There is meat and fish in everything.
Worst: The Ramblas in Barcelona
Why: Seedy, overly touristy and the only place I felt I might deal with pickpockets (which btw never materialized although we are very careful). Do a quick walk down most of the Ramblas, make a turn into the Gothic Quarter by Placa de Reial (skipping the last and grubby part of the Ramblas near the water) and spend your time there or strolling the Passage de Gracia. Beautiful.
Grace in Seattle, WA USA 09/24/2007
Best: Alcazar in Seville
Why: Your guidebook tour was right on the money. I would have liked to have read more about the gardens but the tour was great.
Neil Worden in Alexandria, VA USA 09/05/2007
Best: Fundacio Joan Miro
Why: I'm not sure it was the "best" but it was a delightful surprise. I didn't know much about Miro and I enjoyed the museum and the wonderful view of Barcelona.
Worst: Museo du Jambon
Why: Again, not really the worst but I decided to live like Rick in his show and try the ham before heading out to dinner. I tried Serrano, a middle-priced ham. It was so salty and dry that it literally ruined my appetite for dinner later. It was more like ham jerky than ham. But beer was relatively inexpensive and it is an experience to be there with ham hanging all around.
Lynn R in Morgantown , WV USA 08/12/2007
Best: Madrid Plaza Mayor location for all
Why: Stayed at Petiet Palace -Posada del Piene, loved the RS guides for all the main museums & palace, double decker bus tours
LYNN BURGIN in DALLAS, TX USA 08/05/2007
Best: Figueres and Cadaquez
Why: The Dali Museum and his home site were awesome, but I would state that the walk from the bus station to Port Lligat is about 4 km, NOT 1km! There is a mini-train that you can catch from Cadaquez that moves people about in this area...and we opted to hire a boat from Port Lligat to get back to Cadaquez, rather than walk back the 4km in the Spanish heat.
bj Kukawka in Agoura Hills, Ca USA 07/26/2007
Best: Toledo tour with JuanJo Espadas
Why: Wonderfully informative; information shared with great enthusiasm and obvious love for his city and country. Scheduled us on one day's notice for an afternoon tour, which he avoids in summer -- heat of the day. Said he couldn't turn down our request when we mentioned Rick Steves. At his leisurely pace, constantly seeking shade and cool buildings, we didn't even mind the heat.
Marcy Nicklas in Frederick, MD USA 07/23/2007
Best: Nerja
Why: It was the most relaxing and enjoyable part of our trip. Beautiful, friendly and a great value.
Worst: Granada
Why: Traffic was bad and finding anything was far more difficult than any other place we visited. The gypsies at the cathedral were totally obnoxious.
James in Baton Rouge, LA USA 07/16/2007
Best: day trips to Toledo and Segovia
Why: small medieval towns;nice to walk through;impressive churches;fast train to Toledo makes it so easy
ANDREW FORSTER in CORAL GABLES, FL USA 07/16/2007
Best: Recommended Guides: Concepcion in Seville, Margarita in Granada, Juanjoe in Toledo
Why: We used the guides that you recommended in your Spain guidebook. Concepcion in Seville & Margarita for a tour of the Alhambra in Granada were wonderful. Juanjoe in Toledo sent a "substitute guide" that was wonderful & we had a great tour of Toledo.
Karen Reeder in Dallas, TX USA 07/05/2007
Best: Day on Morocco
Why: We made a reservation for a private tour for our family with Aziz Begdouri as suggested in your Tangier, Morocco section of Spain book. After MANY, MANY confirmations for our "private tour", we rode the ferry to Tangier & were met by Aziz who informed us that another group would be joining us for our "private tour". As politely as we could, we explained that we had made arrangements for a "private tour" for our family not a group tour. I have all of our confirmations in writing where Aziz assures us that he only does "private tours". After our discussion, he reveals that he has made arrangements for the other family to go with another of his tour guides. This day ended up being our favorite day of our 2 week trip to Spain, Portugal & Morocco but it certainly ruffled our feathers. I guess you can't blame someone for trying to make a few extra dollars but it was certainly handled very unprofessionally in the way Aziz tried to make it seem that these were the arrangements that we had confirmed for many months. Fortunately I had printed out the confirmation emails from Aziz and had them with me, although in the end, I did not need to use them as proof of our "private tour" arrangement.
I would still recommend Aziz as a wonderful tour guide in Tangier but just be sure that Aziz understands the "private tour" arrangement if that is what your arrangement is.
Karen Reeder in Dallas, TX USA 07/05/2007
Best: The Alhambra
Why: spectacular views, gorgeous buildings and gardens. Though be very careful of the treacherous cobblestones on the hilly terrain! Bring bottled water as there are few places to purchase.
Wanda Mazurek in Oak Brook, Il USA 06/21/2007
Best: Toledo
Why: A beautiful city and good information on getting to the Hostal Cardenal, also good information on getting around the city
Marlene in Jupiter, Fl USA 06/17/2007
Best: The Barcelona Beach
Why: Our family thoroughly enjoyed the beach in Barcelona - very relaxing, great restaurants line up along waterfront - walk east of the beach to the big fish (strange looking design jutting out) I wouldn't have guessed to be a fish!). Less pricey restaurants than beach/seafood restaurants (our kids won't eat fish). Be warned if it bothers you: some young ladies do take off their tops at the beach so you or your kids will get an eyefull - hey we didn't care.
Worst: Las Ramblas
Why: Expected more. Just a big boulevard with lots of people and hustle/bustle. Interesting street performers by night and artists by day but just restaurants/bar/ice cream shops lining up and down street. Didn't get it! The top of the street is the place to go to people watch near the fountain - more relaxing w/someplace to sit down and enjoy the action.
Sandra Potter in Arlington, TX USA 06/16/2007
Worst: Tour of Alhambra -granada spain with CICERONE. Maria Angustias G. Valdecasas
Why: Our guide recommended by Rick Steves was disinterested and gave very boring private tour.we felt we were not important to her
Bernard Nash in Dix Hills, NY USA 06/12/2007
Best: Sagrada Familia in Barcelona; The Alhambra and Maria de La Canastera flamenco show in Granada; Alcazar, the Museo Flamenco and Los Gallos flamenco in Seville
Why: The Sagrada Familia is simply breathtaking. The audioguide is worth every Euro. The Alhambra was as wonderful as I had expected. The zambra flamenco at Maria de La Canastera was intimate and powerful. Seville in itself was the epitome of Spanish ambiance and culture. The Alcazar was almost as beautiful as the Alhambra...the gardens were lovely. Los Gallos gave me goosebumps and the Museo Flamenco was a pleasant surprise...very modern and fun.
Worst: The Prado in Madrid
Why: The Goya and Rembrandt sections were closed. The rest of the museum bored me...too much religious art. And after two weeks of visiting religious museums and cathedrals in Spain, I was over it.
Melissa in Glendale, CA USA 06/11/2007
Best: Seville: Concepción Delgado, Casa para la Memoria de Alandalus (Flamenco). Madrid: Prado. Barcelona: Gaudi, old town. Granada: Alhambra
Why: Tours by Concepcion are so good, makes you wish there was one in every town. You must see a flamnco show (take it from a guy whos hates any kind of dance) - the show in Casa para la Memoria de Alandalus is great, lasts about an hour, and features both music and dance. Prado itself is worth the trip to Spain - see Rick's "Mona winks" for details. Gaudi is one of the top architects ever - do not miss his Casa Mila and the block of Discord. Alhambra - take time to sit in one of the lovely courtyards of the Palace, and enjoy the water flowing peacefully from a little fountain.
Worst: Tangier tour
Why: You get about 45 minutes by bus, after that it is on foot. First half hour or so it resembles a tour, then you get a lunch (nothing to write home about unless you are crazy about cous-cous), and from then on, the next 3 hours is one sales pitch after another.
John Petrovic in Portage, MI USA 06/06/2007
Best: Tangier
Why: Because we had a wonderful tour guide named Aziz Begdouri! To be truthful, I didn't want to go to Tangier. But I'm so glad we did. We took Rick's advice and arranged a private tour using Aziz Begdouri or Aziz Tour. He was totally awesome! I contacted him before leaving home and he emailed me immediately with our itinerary for the "Grand Tour" which included the catamaran from Tarifa.
We were staying at the Marrriott Playa Andaluza and allowed ourselves an hour and forty five minutes to get there for a 9am departure. What we didn't expect was the traffic jam! We got to the ferry at 9:10 am and to our good fortune it hadn't left yet! Aziz gave me a confirmation # to give the ticket agent and then we had a nice 35 minute ride to Tangier. Aziz was waiting for us holding up a sign with our name on it just as we were getting off the pier. His driver had a van was waiting for us and then we were off on our adventure!
Aziz was born and raised in Tangier and has a wealth of information to share about his city. We toured the city for a little while in his van and stopped at various points of interest. My daughter and her friend rode the camels. We then went on a walking tour. Aziz definitely knows a lot of people. We'd always hear people saying their hellos to him. We felt safe and comfortable walking in the Medina and the Kasbah. Everyone was so nice. We saw so many thing all the while Aziz was answering our questions of which we had many, and telling us about the areas that we were in.
We were there celebrating our daughter's birthday and Aziz took us to a wonderful Moroccan restaurant. It had a 5 guys playing music a belly dancer and great food. The staff was extemely nice. My daughter, friend and I even got to play in the band! It was so much fun! Aziz surprised my daughter with a birthday cake that he had his wife order and bring to the restaurant. This is something that she will never forget. That was so thoughtful of him. After they sang happy birthday to her in Arabic we were off on some more sightseeing. When we decided that we should probably be getting back, Aziz waited with us at the ferry until we got on.
We did a lot of sightseeing and walking and were totally exhausted but we left with some wonderful memories of Tangier thanks to Aziz!
Linda in Healdsburg, ca USA 05/25/2007
Best: Self guided walking tour layout
Why: A good helpful progression past interesting sites and very helpful for getting familiar with the city.
Yvette in Silver Spring, MD USA 05/22/2007
Best: Alhambra, Grenada, Spain
Why: We made a reseravtion online and went straight to the head of the line to get our tickets. Thanks to Rick's guidebook, we knew exactly when to arrive and spent 5 hours touring this fabulous site. The audio guide is worth purchasing (3 euros). It was excellent.
Sue McCauley in Portland, OR USA 05/04/2007
Best: the tacky tourist tram in Toledo!
Why: This tram allowed us to get a look at Toledo in a fun and novel manner. We found the recorded historical information to be fascinating--so much so, that we rode the tram twice!
Worst: Julia Travel Tour to El Escorial
Why: This tour was very light on historical information, and we were rushed through both El Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen without much time to explore.
Melissa in Hart, OR USA 05/01/2007
Best: Alhambra, Granada
Why: It's even more spectacular that you imagine. Buy your tickets online ahead of time and bring your print-out confirmation with you - it's worth it to plan ahead for this one.
Worst: Plaza Mayor, Madrid
Why: Lovely in the morning, but absolutely horrible in the afternoon. I have never been so aggressively solicited to eat at a restaurant before; it went beyond uncomfortable to very upsetting. If you want to actually enjoy the plaza, go in the morning and have a cup of coffee with some locals.
Katie in Belmont, MA USA 04/24/2007
Best: Toledo
Why: An amazing old city with so much to see! Plan to spend at least 2 nights there at the Hotel Santa Isabelle. And the little "train ride" leaving Plaza Zocodover that circles around the city isn't really "cheesey" but more relaxing and informative with very hard benches. And it doesn 't stop for photos. Click fast.
Worst: Catalun Museum of Modern Art, Barcelona
Why: Architect Richard Meier (Getty Center, LA fame) designed a magnificent architectural gem which has been filled with exhibits of "modern garbage piles". It was so horrible, I was so resentful after leaving the Museum and so very disappointed. What a waste of a great museum space! I'm sure there are those who will disagree violently with me and thus they have a special museum all to themselves.
Dan Stoddard in San Diego, CA USA 04/23/2007
Best: Seville- Tour with Concepcion Delgado
Why: She gave a perfect introduction to the city and it's history. At the end of the tour she invited anyone of us to call her (anytime..) if we had any questions, got lost, or had any problems while we were in Seville. Now if that isn't a great tour guide I don't know who is (A bonus- She's very beautiful! though unfortunately happily married: )
Mark in Shoreline, WA USA 04/18/2007
Best: Centro de Arte Reine Sofia
Why: Outstanding comtemporary art collection.
Tony Ambrose in Louisville, KY USA 04/07/2007
Best: The Thyssen
Why: Fantastic collection - I prefered it to the Prado
Worst: The TI's in both Barcelona and Madrid
Why: They offered contradictory info depending on to whom you spoke and which day you asked. Also, absolutely no room finding help.
BW in Federal Way, WA USA 03/31/2007
Best: It is all good.
Why: If someone is going really soon, like April, I'm not sure is the Prado is going to be back to normal. When I was there the whole middle was taken up with a special exhibition and many of the side rooms leading off from there were closed for renovation. Somehow the Prado was a bit of a disappointment to me, I don't think because of the closed off parts. I am not really sure why, maybe just to much of the same type of painting, and nothing else, lets say compared to the Met in NYC, or Philadelphia, etc. museums. Maybe I just expected too much since always hearing how fabulous it is, I don't know.
LL in Levittown, pa USA 03/29/2007
Best: Alhambra, Seville Bullfight museum, Ronda
Why: The Alhambra is just amazing - it's truly a wonder of the world. The Seville Bullfight museum that consisted of a 30 minute tour was interesting, short, and fun.
Ronda was beautiful. The paramor was nice and had great food (we stopped by). But Ronda is NOT an easy day trip between Seville and Granada. You need to take a bus to/from Seville. And the latest train from Ronda to Granada is at 5:15 pm - so you don't get a whole lot of time there for a day trip.
Jennifer in Philadelphia, PA USA 03/12/2007
Best: barcelona shopping tip
Why: I really liked the TI Picasso walking tour which included admission to the Picasso Museum. In the Picasso Museum gift shop I found my favorite souviner of the trip. On a low shelf they have a small box containing necklaces. They are a ceramic disk, about the size of a half dollar, on which a bull fighter and a bull are painted in rich colors. Each disk was a little bit different.They are on a wire necklace. Cost of this very cool necklace was a little over 5 Euros.
jmw USA 03/05/2007
Best: Nerja, Spain in February
Why: It is a lovely, small, quaint, relaxing town. It was a vacation from our vacation of sight seeing. We had an outstanding hotel (Tobosoapar-turis for a low internet price and dined at a reasonably priced excellent restaurant, Meson de Antonio. The Balcony of Europe was refreshing.
Jan Wishau in Columbia, MO USA 02/23/2007
Best: The concert hall in Barcelona
Why: It was so beautiful and unique. I would have loved to go to a concert there.
Julie in Los Alamos, NM USA 02/22/2007
Best: Tangier Morocco and Mr. Aziz
Why: Mr. Aziz was a wonderful guide. He took care of our family showing us the full spectrum of Tangier. Yes he was pricey but worth every euro!
Stephen in Lausanne, VD Switzerland 01/12/2007
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