u/friendlycatgal

Hello again! I posted yesterday seeking feedback for my 2-month long itinerary which begins June 3rd with Primavera Sound in Barcelona and ends with me meeting friends in Portugal the first week of August. Well, I got a couple notes about potentially doing Southern Spain first due to the heat/peak tourism later in the summer. As of yesterday, this was my projected route:

Current rough route:

Barcelona → Valencia → Madrid (planning to do some day trips within this region such as Toledo, Segovia, etc.) → Córdoba → Granada → Málaga → Ronda → Seville → Portugal

However, since I essentially have full flexibility, I now am considering completely reversing the orders of my cities and going down south first, and then making my way back.

Would this route (along with some added cities, leaving room for day trips) be a wiser decision?

Potential new route:
Barcelona → Valencia → Seville → Cádiz → Ronda → Málaga → Granada → Córdoba → Madrid (Toledo + Segovia) → Portugal  

Thank you so much for your feedback, and for your patience with this new traveler who is learning as she goes 😄

Hello friends! I am very excited (and nervous) to say that I am about one month out from my 8-week (ish) solo trip through Spain that will be ending in Portugal around the first week of August. This is my first solo trip and I would love all of the help/feedback/suggestions that I can get!

Here is some context:

• I’ll be starting my trip at Primavera Sound in Barcelona on June 3^(rd)
• I am a 27-year old solo female traveler who is... (sorry) American
• Need to be as budget-conscious as possible (hostels, trains/buses, meals)
• I am trying to avoid renting a car if possible; give me all the train/bus travel tips you have!
• I love nature of all kinds: mountains, beaches, forests, etc. and would love to see the best sights this beautiful country has to offer. Even though I know the heat will be brutal.
• I’m trying to balance a blend of culture + social (enjoy bars/clubs but hesitant about going alone) + nature
• I speak conversational Spanish (though mostly stemming from Mexico/Latin America) and can read a decent amount but this will be a big test for my actual abilities
• I strained my ACL a couple months ago (horrible timing) and am actively rehabbing it but it potentially could limit some walking (hopefully not too much)
• I have 1 carry-on and 1 personal item (backpack) (bonus if you have any packing tips)

Current rough route:

Barcelona → Valencia → Madrid (planning to do some day trips within this region such as Toledo, Segovia, etc.) → Córdoba → Granada → Málaga → Ronda → Seville → Portugal

A few specific questions:

1. Pacing.
   • I am planning on spending 3-7 days in most of these cities on my route depending on their size, but I’m very flexible. Is this a good pace to set for myself or are there certain areas where I should be more/less structured?
2. Are there any must-see stops I’m missing that fit naturally into this route? Within that, determining day trips vs overnight stays?
   • For places like Ronda, Toledo, and Segovia — are any of these significantly better as overnight stays rather than day trips?
3. Favorite experiences?
   • neighborhoods
   • viewpoints
   • food spots
   • local experiences
4. How much should be booked ahead of time, and what is acceptable to be more flexible on?
   • For example, I know certain attractions like the Sagrada Familia and the Alhambra require bookings much further in advance.
   • I will likely have some hostels pre-booked so I can have *some* structure to my trip, but I also don’t want to be too rigid and miss out on places I might just stumble upon.
5. Any tips for how to respectfully and responsibly be a tourist, anything I should know about general cultural norms

Thank you so much for taking the time and having the patience to read my post, and thank you SO much for any advice/suggestions you have for me. This trip has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember 😊

Hello friends! I am very excited (and nervous) to say that I am about one month out from my 8-week (ish) solo trip through Spain that will be ending in Portugal around the first week of August. This is my first solo trip and I would love all of the help/feedback/suggestions that I can get!

Here is some context:

• I’ll be starting my trip at Primavera Sound in Barcelona on June 3^(rd)
• I am a 27-year old solo female traveler who is... (sorry) American
• Need to be as budget-conscious as possible (hostels, trains/buses, meals)
• I am trying to avoid renting a car if possible; give me all the train/bus travel tips you have!
• I love nature of all kinds: mountains, beaches, forests, etc. and would love to see the best sights this beautiful country has to offer. Even though I know the heat will be brutal.
• I’m trying to balance a blend of culture + social (enjoy bars/clubs but hesitant about going alone) + nature
• I speak conversational Spanish (though mostly stemming from Mexico/Latin America) and can read a decent amount but this will be a big test for my actual abilities
• I strained my ACL a couple months ago (horrible timing) and am actively rehabbing it but it potentially could limit some walking (hopefully not too much)
• I have 1 carry-on and 1 personal item (backpack) (bonus if you have any packing tips)

Current rough route:

Barcelona → Valencia → Madrid (planning to do some day trips within this region such as Toledo, Segovia, etc.) → Córdoba → Granada → Málaga → Ronda → Seville → Portugal

A few specific questions:

1. Pacing.
   • I am planning on spending 3-7 days in most of these cities on my route depending on their size, but I’m very flexible. Is this a good pace to set for myself or are there certain areas where I should be more/less structured?
2. Are there any must-see stops I’m missing that fit naturally into this route? Within that, determining day trips vs overnight stays?
   • For places like Ronda, Toledo, and Segovia — are any of these significantly better as overnight stays rather than day trips?
3. Favorite experiences?
   • neighborhoods
   • viewpoints
   • food spots
   • local experiences
4. How much should be booked ahead of time, and what is acceptable to be more flexible on?
   • For example, I know certain attractions like the Sagrada Familia and the Alhambra require bookings much further in advance.
   • I will likely have some hostels pre-booked so I can have *some* structure to my trip, but I also don’t want to be too rigid and miss out on places I might just stumble upon.
5. Any tips for how to respectfully and responsibly be a tourist, anything I should know about general cultural norms

Thank you so much for taking the time and having the patience to read my post, and thank you SO much for any advice/suggestions you have for me. This trip has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember 😊