Three extra days in Spain - Recommendations?

[LivingHopeGirl]

We will have 2 full days (3 nights) after we finish the Camino, spend a couple days in Santiago, and take a day trip to Finisterre before we need to be back in Barcelona. Any recommendations for best place to visit in Spain in that amount of time?

 

[Tincatinker]

Madrid

 

[ShoshTrvls]

Madrid is an amazing city, and definitely should be visited. However, if for some reason you don't want to go that far out of your way, about 3-1/2 hours south of Barcelona is Valencia, which I consider to be a "perfect" city (which is saying a lot). It has a lot of history but also some interesting more modern architecture, a beautiful center city and historic district and is entirely walkable. There are several very scenic and quaint towns nearby such as Denia, and while you didn't say what time of the year you will be there, if it is the summer, there are many nice beaches there as well. Plus, it is the home of paella so, really, what more could you want?

 

[roving_rufus]

My question- how are you intending to get from Santiago to Barcelona- as that might shift y answer

 

[LivingHopeGirl]

Madrid is an amazing city, and definitely should be visited. However, if for some reason you don't want to go that far out of your way, about 3-1/2 hours south of Barcelona is Valencia, which I consider to be a "perfect" city (which is saying a lot). It has a lot of history but also some interesting more modern architecture, a beautiful center city and historic district and is entirely walkable. There are several very scenic and quaint towns nearby such as Denia, and while you didn't say what time of the year you will be there, if it is the summer, there are many nice beaches there as well. Plus, it is the home of paella so, really, what more could you want?

Thank you for your thoughtful response. We will finish the Camino in a couple of weeks, so our extra days are in mid October. I like your idea of Valencia. We were thinking about Tarragona because of the Roman ruins, but Valencia sounds like it may have more to offer…

 

[LivingHopeGirl]

Madrid

Thanks.

 

[LivingHopeGirl]

My question- how are you intending to get from Santiago to Barcelona- as that might shift y answer

Train

 

[CTLawGal]

Since you're headed through Barcelona.... I would suggest going there, spending a day at Montserrat - amazing monastery and beautiful hiking trails (there is a Camino that goes through there), or perhaps take a train to Valencia for a few days.

 

[henrythedog]

With two days spare. You probably don’t want to spend too much time in transit, or try to do too much.

Go straight to Barcelona. If you’ve not been there before there is a huge amount of things to see and do.

If you’ve been to Barcelona, but not Montserrat; do that. The logistics take some understanding and I’d advise overnighting so as to attend vespers. Take your own wine (not to vespers).

Otherwise - Madrid. It’s on a super-fast line to Barcelona.

 

[CTLawGal]

You probably don’t want to spend too much time in transit, or try to do too much.

Exactly this - what I was thinking but neglected to articulate.

 

[roving_rufus]

Train

Barcelona plus Montserrat are great if you haven't done them.
If you do the train route via Madrid (rather than the long journey directly) then Madrid is a great stop.

Personally I might like a rest rather than cramming in sightseeing at the end- maybe head to Barcelona and then out of the city to a spot on the coast

 

[KFH]

Since you're headed through Barcelona.... I would suggest going there, spending a day at Montserrat - amazing monastery and beautiful hiking trails (there is a Camino that goes through there), or perhaps take a train to Valencia for a few days.

I second Montserrat. One of the most amazing places we've ever been. Easy train from Barcelona and back. Ride up the cable car. Use the funicular. Walk the trails. Fantastic.

Also-- did you spend enough time in Barcelona on the way in?

Be sure of your actual travel time spent. Santiago to Barcelona is a long way and trying to do too much is a real possibility.

 

[blathercamino]

We spent a couple days in Santiago and one in fisterre and one in Muxia. Then, we spent two in Madrid before flying out. The city was way too much for us after the pace of the Camino. We wish we would have stayed on the coast longer.

 

[Robo]

We will have 2 full days (3 nights) after we finish the Camino, spend a couple days in Santiago, and take a day trip to Finisterre before we need to be back in Barcelona. Any recommendations for best place to visit in Spain in that amount of time?

Just a personal choice......... don't shoot me

Fisterra. Very touristy and busy. Lighthouse is a 3 km trek up beside the road, to see, a lighthouse and a souvenir shop. Some nice places to eat around the Harbour. Longer bus journey from Santiago. 2.5 - 3 Bus hour journey.

Muxia. Quiet, contemplative sitting on the rocks watching the waves. Just 'feels' more like a great place to end. Small village, a few places to eat. Only 90 mins by Bus.

 

[LivingHopeGirl]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I do like the sound of Muxia!

 

[Turga]

I do like the sound of Muxia!

Yes, if you like something quiet, Muxia is a good bet – though going Santiago-Muxia-Barcelona could involve some rather time consuming logistics. Given your time constraints, perhaps it would be better to go straight to Barcelona, a great city where you can easily spend a couple of days exploring. Your choice of course

 

[Robo]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I do like the sound of Muxia!

You could just do a day trip on the Bus from Santiago if you are pressed for time.
Or stay a night and catch the early bus back in the morning.

Let me see if I can find a video..........
Hmm. The video is the last in a 60 day series and has a voice over summary of the journey in total.
So it might be a bit out of context.
But here is a snippet (that I set to start at 12:30), that shows the chapel and rocks at Muxia.

The last dozen photos on this page are of Muxia and the sunset.

Day 60 – Fisterra to Muxia Gallery | In Search of Santiago

robscamino.com

 

[Roland49]

We will have 2 full days (3 nights) after we finish the Camino, spend a couple days in Santiago, and take a day trip to Finisterre before we need to be back in Barcelona. Any recommendations for best place to visit in Spain in that amount of time?

Spain offers so many great places for a few days trip.
Granada, Valencia, Tarragona, Bilbao, Cordoba, Huelva, Toledo, etc.

Choose one of them and you won't be disappointed!

 

[CaminanteKevin]

We will have 2 full days (3 nights) after we finish the Camino, spend a couple days in Santiago, and take a day trip to Finisterre before we need to be back in Barcelona. Any recommendations for best place to visit in Spain in that amount of time?

Are you flying or taking the train? If the latter, then you could break your journey in Bilbao, a city that has been transformed in recent years. It would also mean you had visited the three non-Castilian language groups of Spain. If you’re flying, you could easily spend all your time in Barcelona and only scratch the surface!

 

[Pilgrim9]

We will have 2 full days (3 nights) after we finish the Camino, spend a couple days in Santiago, and take a day trip to Finisterre before we need to be back in Barcelona. Any recommendations for best place to visit in Spain in that amount of time?

There are so many wonderful places to visit, it is difficult to answer.

For what it's worth, Girona, Montserrat, and Tarragona are all interesting and are easily accessible by train from Barcelona (but not the same train!).

Getting to Montserrat will require a transfer from the main train to either the aerial cable car or the rack railway to get up the hill to Montserrat proper. Both transfers are very easy and convenient to the main railway, but the two transfer points are at different railway stations, so one must decide beforehand where to get off. Just study the map before going.

For keeners, there are a variety of alpine-ish hiking trails up on Montserrat.

 

[AidaYYC]

We will have 2 full days (3 nights) after we finish the Camino, spend a couple days in Santiago, and take a day trip to Finisterre before we need to be back in Barcelona. Any recommendations for best place to visit in Spain in that amount of time?

Head to Madrid and explore it to your heart's content. Once there, take a train or bus and head down to either Toledo, Segovia or Avila ... all cities with incredible history

 

[Christine Leneghan]

We will have 2 full days (3 nights) after we finish the Camino, spend a couple days in Santiago, and take a day trip to Finisterre before we need to be back in Barcelona. Any recommendations for best place to visit in Spain in that amount of time?

Sitges.

 

[AidaYYC]

Sitges.

Good suggestion to rest by the Mediterranean

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I also recommend Barcelona and Monserrat. Why waste time making train connections?

Besides the big or famous sites at Monserrat there is also a lovely small art museum up there.

Plenty to see in Barcelona but I'm going to tell you two places not to visit until you have seen more than a couple of days of the other sights.
The first is Palau Güell, a home Gaudí designed for a patron and, in my opinion, the least interesting of his Barcelona works. The second is Gaudí's home located in Parc Güell which doesn't show much of Gaudí's architecture. The park itself is worth a visit though. And both sights I mentioned are worth a trip -- someday.

Whatever you want to see in Barcelona go online and buy advance tickets.

 

[Christine Leneghan]

I also recommend Barcelona and Monserrat. Why waste time making train connections?

Besides the big or famous sites at Monserrat there is also a lovely small art museum up there.

Plenty to see in Barcelona but I'm going to tell you two places not to visit until you have seen more than a couple of days of the other sights.
The first is Palau Güell, a home Gaudí designed for a patron and, in my opinion, the least interesting of his Barcelona works. The second is Gaudí's home located in Parc Güell which doesn't show much of Gaudí's architecture. The park itself is worth a visit though. And both sights I mentioned is worth a trip -- someday.

Whatever you want to see in Barcelona go online and buy advance tickets.

Amen to that!

 

[Philtration]

My vote is for Cuenca. The old town is on spectacular cliffs between two rivers. It's on the way to Barcelona and a short main line train hop to Valencia if you want to taste that as well.

 

[Philtration]

Also, consider just going on to Barcelona. It's a big city, but the Gothic Quarter is one of the biggest and for me, the best old cities for wandering aimlessly through endless alleys and narrow streets. The Mercat de la Bogueria market, Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, lots of cool stuff in you want to do city stuff.