About This Trip
Eric and I took this trip without the kids in fall of 2019. We found a good deal on a roundtrip out of Madrid, which made our first travel day kind of long. We chose to fly into Madrid, and then immediately hop on a flight on Iberia Airlines right to Barcelona. If you have more time in Spain, you may want to do something else, but this made the most sense for us. Both Madrid and Barcelona were very accessible and welcoming. We had no issue with the language as long as you try to speak a little Spanish and are polite. Both cities are reasonable on price given their big city status and I didn't experience price gouging like you do in NYC or London.
Before you go - practice your Spanish and learn about Gaudi whose influence is felt all over Barcelona in his vision, art, and architecture.
Getting There and Getting Around
We have full time jobs and pets and school, so we have to make the most of our time off. This is definitely an agressive way to do these two cities but if you only have 6 days to work with, this worked for us.
- Day 1 American Airlines - DFW MAD - 4:45-9:05 A.M. (+1 Day)
- Day 2 Iberia Airlines MAD - BCN - 11:30 A.M. - 12:50 PM
- Day 4 AVE Train from BCN to MAD
- Day 6 American Airlines - MAD DFW - 5:20 PM - 8:45 PM
Madrid Airport
The airport is very large. When returning to the U.S., it was easy to get through security which gave us a false sense of how much time we had. Warning though, after that it was another 22 minutes to our gate, and two (thankfully short) lines to show passports. Allow plenty of time in the airport and don't get too comfortable until you are where you are supposed to be. They also started boarding about an hour before the flight.
City Metros
For the metro in Madrid, you will have to buy a red card first for 2 euro and then you can use that to get around. The metros in both cities are excellent. (Barcelona's is a little better).
Barcelona's train station is Barcelona Sants - Madrid's is Atocha (which is stunning and a sight all on its own). The AVE train was a good experience. We bought our train tickets on https://loco2.com/ which may not have been the cheapest, but it was the easiest to understand.
Which Skip the Line Tickets Should I Buy In Advance?
Skip the line tickets for the following attractions were 100 PERCENT worth it - buy them before you go.
Barcelona
Sagrada Familia - Probably saved us an hour and 1/2 in line
Casa Batllo - Very crowded; still fun (audio tour on your phone is very good)
Madrid
Royal Palace - While these skip the line tickets didn't work well for us, I think it was a fluke - I would still recommend buying them. (We arrived at noon and the line for non-ticketed and ticketed were about the same.)
Prado Museum - We just walked past a line of at least 200 people waiting. They swiped our little tickets and we walked right in; no line for security. Highly worth it.
Stay
These AirBnbs were both good; one of them was a room in a shared apartment. We had our own lock on our room and never saw the other tenants though. It was fine. The other one was right in the heart of Madrid, so I worried it would be loud, but it was not – and the location was unbeatable.
Barcelona: https://www.airbnb.com/trips/v1/79c543d0-25b3-4065-89c9-8194c8763115
Itinerary
Day 1 - DAL-MADRID THURSDAY
Day 1 was all about travel—an evening flight out of Dallas and a night spent in the air. Fortunately, some sleep happened along the way.
DAY 2 - ARRIVE MADRID - STRAIGHT TO BARCELONA - FRIDAY
We arrived in Madrid at 9:05 a.m., then caught our Iberia flight to Barcelona. After landing, we grabbed a quick lunch before checking into our AirBnb. Our first stop was the iconic Sagrada Familia, where we skipped the line and made sure to take the audio tour. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants lining the main street around the Sagrada Familia. Yes, they might feel like tourist traps, but the food was good, service was fast, and the views were worth it—plus, the prices weren’t outrageous. Afterward, we wandered around the city and ended up stumbling into a local festival that night. We hopped on a ferris wheel, watched some street dancing, and just enjoyed the lively atmosphere. It was a perfect, relaxing evening in Barcelona.
DAY 3 - BARCELONA - - SATURDAY
We set out to explore Barcelona on foot. Our AirBnB was near Placa de Catalunya, so we started there. We ambled down, Las Ramblas, stopped at the Mercat de la Boquería for snacks and souvenirs, visited Columbus Monument, and then headed to the waterfront area and the Barceloneta. The Barceloneta area was filled with beautfiul sailboats and yachts, ocean views, restaurants, and cafes so we stayed awhile.
Next, we went to Mont Juic, which is an old military fortress, with roots dating back from 1640. The area includes a funicular ride up to Montjuic castle with beautiful views (and a place to hang out and grab a bite to eat). We went without skip the line tickets and lucked out with no line for the funicular. The castle at the top of Mont Juic is very cool and was not crowded at all and was easily one of my very favorite things.
Top of Montjuic CastleDAY 4 - BARCELONA-MADRID - SUNDAY
Once settled, we hit the ground running and knocked out a bunch of Madrid’s must-see sights on a walk around the city. We caught most of them on our first evening out, starting with Puerta del Sol, the heart of the city, with its iconic clock tower and the famous statue of the bear. Next, we visited Plaza Mayor and Mercado de San Miguel, both lively spots full of history and great food. We also walked through Town Hall Plaza de la Villa, Almundena Cathedral, and finished up at the Royal Palace.
If you’re planning to visit the palace and have only a day to see Madrid, be aware there can be long lines to get in. Our skip-the-line tickets didn’t help much, and the staff wasn’t the friendliest. Plus, the signage could definitely be better. We’d rate the attraction itself as 5 stars, but the experience felt more like a 2-star one. If you decide to visit, just know that if you’ve prepaid for audio, you’ll be directed to a different line. And bring your own toilet paper for the restrooms. You can take photos on the grounds, but not inside. Despite these quirks, the palace itself was beautiful. We wrapped up the day at Plaza de Oriente, another stunning spot to take in the views.
DAY 5 - MADRID
Madrid is a city that’s easy to explore on foot, and Gran Vía is a great place to start. It’s the city’s main street, full of theaters, shops, and classic Madrid architecture, making it perfect for wandering and people-watching. If you need a break from the crowds, head to Retiro Park, a huge green space in the middle of the city. The Crystal Palace inside the park is a must-see—it’s all glass and light, and it’s free to enter.
If you’re into art, the The Prado Museum is incredible. Do not skip Las Meninas or The Garden of Earthly Delights, and definitely don’t try to sneak a photo—they’re strict about that.
For a good view of the city, check out Bar Terraza Roof Top near Casa Almudena. Your entry fee covers the elevator ride up and a drink, and once you're in, the prices are pretty reasonable. It’s especially nice at sunset.
DAY 6 - MADRID - DFW - HOME
If there’s anything left on your Madrid list, now’s the time to squeeze it in. We went back to Retiro Park in the morning for one last walk—something about starting the day there just feels right. After that, we had one final meal before heading to the airport. Our flight from Madrid to Dallas was at 5:20 PM, giving us just enough time to soak in the city for a few more hours before saying goodbye.
Comments
Post a Comment