While in Spain, you may as well take in some additional Spanish culture before or after you go to Pamplona!
While in Spain, do as the Spaniards and take in the nightlife, eat your big meal at lunch “menu del dia”, take in a flamenco show and visit a few tapas bars at night. Before or after San Fermin, you’ll more than likely stop for a night or two on either end in Madrid or Barcelona since that is where you’ll probably fly into. The flight would be cheaper than flying directly into Pamplona and you’ll get the opportunity to experience Spanish Culture in a large city. Spain is pretty big so you’d need a lot of time to see it all. During this trip, you’ll probably have time to see Madrid and/or Barcelona and possibly San Sebastian just an hour by car or bus just north of Pamplona.
Take note: Spain is HOT in the summer, especially Andalucia (southern Spain). Seville isn’t called “el sarten del mundo” for nothing! Spain is a large country that has some interesting regions to see, but everything’s pretty spread out. If traveling by train you’ll be using Madrid as the hub of the country with legs to the various cities such as: Santiago de Compostela, Toledo, Segovia, Salamanca, La Coruna, Granada, Malaga, Cadiz, Cordoba, Seville, Murcia, Alicante, Valencia, Barcelona, Girona, etc. With budget airlines common these days, you can also hop about the country with a Vueling, Air Europa, Spanair, Iberia or Click Air. Also, remember that things go at a bit slower pace in Spain, so don't expect to see too much. And save enough time for tapas, vino and siestas!If you only have 7-10 days to explore the country and have never been to Spain, then it’s best to stick with Pamplona, Madrid and Barcelona as a start. We also highly recommend San Sebastian, a beautiful beach-side city just an hour from Pamplona, which is perfect for a day trip! Medieval Toledo is only a 1 hour train ride from Madrid so you could try to fit that in as well.
If you’re planning to see other places in Spain before or after San Fermines, keep in mind a few things. Spain is HOT in the summer, especially Andalucia (southern Spain). Spain is a huge country with some great places, so don't plan too much for your visit. On that note, things go at a bit slower pace in Spain, so don't expect to fly through the country like you might do in Disneyworld.
If you've only got 7-10 days to explore the country and have never visited Spain,it’s best to stick with Pamplona, Madrid and Barcelona as a start. We highly recommend San Sebastian, a beautiful beach-side city just an hour from Pamplona (perfect for a day trip!).
BARCELONA
Barcelona is one our favorite places in the whole world. It is a uniquely cosmopolitan city that has a buzzing energy that you'll feel seconds after getting off the plane. The city is Catalan, not Spanish, and you'll want to note that before getting into too deep of a conversation with al local. Catalan is not only it's own unique language, it's an entire culture that goes back further than Spain itself.
We recommend seeing some of the great local art. Some of the greatest artists of the 20th Century spent time in Barcelona, including Dali, Picasso, Joan Miro and of course, Antonio Gaudi, who inspired most of the modern architecture. You have to visit his masterpiece Sagrada Familia while in town...Parc Guell is also worth a visit.
Our favorite neighborhood in Barcelona is the Born, a nice mix of locals, young people and international expats. We recommend staying the Park Hotel or Bany Orientals. A great nearby place to eat is La Paradeta hidden on Plaza Commercial.
While living in Barcelona from 2000-2002, Adam and Jessica Dailey wrote this document fill of tips on what to see during your trip to Barcelona. Check it out by downloading this Barcelona document. We hope to update this soon since Adam and Jessica lived most of 2007 in Barcelona.
MADRID
Upon entering Madrid and exploring the city a bit, you'll find that it's much more Spanish than its Catalan counterpart, Barcelona. Madrid is what you think of when you imagine Spain. Dancing, tapas bars, churros, free-flowing red wine and pig legs hanging from most of the bars.
We recommend 2-3 days in Madrid. One of our favorite bargain hotels in Hostal Acapulco. It's a good location and the price is very fair. If theyr'e sold out (they usually are), you can ask them to give you some of the names of the other hotels in the same building.
There are plenty of international flights between Madrid and the USA, so getting here isn't a huge issue.
While in Spain, do as the Spaniards and take in the nightlife, eat your big meal at lunch “menu del dia”, take in a flamenco show and visit a few tapas bars at night. Before or after San Fermin, you’ll more than likely stop for a night or two on either end in Madrid or Barcelona since that is where you’ll probably fly into. The flight would be cheaper than flying directly into Pamplona and you’ll get the opportunity to experience Spanish Culture in a large city. Spain is pretty big so you’d need a lot of time to see it all. During this trip, you’ll probably have time to see Madrid and/or Barcelona and possibly San Sebastian just an hour by car or bus just north of Pamplona.
Take note: Spain is HOT in the summer, especially Andalucia (southern Spain). Seville isn’t called “el sarten del mundo” for nothing! Spain is a large country that has some interesting regions to see, but everything’s pretty spread out. If traveling by train you’ll be using Madrid as the hub of the country with legs to the various cities such as: Santiago de Compostela, Toledo, Segovia, Salamanca, La Coruna, Granada, Malaga, Cadiz, Cordoba, Seville, Murcia, Alicante, Valencia, Barcelona, Girona, etc. With budget airlines common these days, you can also hop about the country with a Vueling, Air Europa, Spanair, Iberia or Click Air. Also, remember that things go at a bit slower pace in Spain, so don't expect to see too much. And save enough time for tapas, vino and siestas!If you only have 7-10 days to explore the country and have never been to Spain, then it’s best to stick with Pamplona, Madrid and Barcelona as a start. We also highly recommend San Sebastian, a beautiful beach-side city just an hour from Pamplona, which is perfect for a day trip! Medieval Toledo is only a 1 hour train ride from Madrid so you could try to fit that in as well.
If you’re planning to see other places in Spain before or after San Fermines, keep in mind a few things. Spain is HOT in the summer, especially Andalucia (southern Spain). Spain is a huge country with some great places, so don't plan too much for your visit. On that note, things go at a bit slower pace in Spain, so don't expect to fly through the country like you might do in Disneyworld.
If you've only got 7-10 days to explore the country and have never visited Spain,it’s best to stick with Pamplona, Madrid and Barcelona as a start. We highly recommend San Sebastian, a beautiful beach-side city just an hour from Pamplona (perfect for a day trip!).
BARCELONA
Barcelona is one our favorite places in the whole world. It is a uniquely cosmopolitan city that has a buzzing energy that you'll feel seconds after getting off the plane. The city is Catalan, not Spanish, and you'll want to note that before getting into too deep of a conversation with al local. Catalan is not only it's own unique language, it's an entire culture that goes back further than Spain itself.
We recommend seeing some of the great local art. Some of the greatest artists of the 20th Century spent time in Barcelona, including Dali, Picasso, Joan Miro and of course, Antonio Gaudi, who inspired most of the modern architecture. You have to visit his masterpiece Sagrada Familia while in town...Parc Guell is also worth a visit.
Our favorite neighborhood in Barcelona is the Born, a nice mix of locals, young people and international expats. We recommend staying the Park Hotel or Bany Orientals. A great nearby place to eat is La Paradeta hidden on Plaza Commercial.
While living in Barcelona from 2000-2002, Adam and Jessica Dailey wrote this document fill of tips on what to see during your trip to Barcelona. Check it out by downloading this Barcelona document. We hope to update this soon since Adam and Jessica lived most of 2007 in Barcelona.
MADRID
Upon entering Madrid and exploring the city a bit, you'll find that it's much more Spanish than its Catalan counterpart, Barcelona. Madrid is what you think of when you imagine Spain. Dancing, tapas bars, churros, free-flowing red wine and pig legs hanging from most of the bars.
We recommend 2-3 days in Madrid. One of our favorite bargain hotels in Hostal Acapulco. It's a good location and the price is very fair. If theyr'e sold out (they usually are), you can ask them to give you some of the names of the other hotels in the same building.
There are plenty of international flights between Madrid and the USA, so getting here isn't a huge issue.
