Spain in a week according to Frommers

The very title of this tour is a misnomer. There is no way you can see Spain in 1 week. But you can have a memorable vacation time in Madrid and see some of the highlights of Old Castile if you budget your time carefully. You can use the following itinerary to make the most out of a week in Spain, but feel free to drop a place or two to give yourself a day to relax. One week provides enough time, although barely, to introduce yourself to such attractions of Madrid as the Prado Museum and Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. After 2 days, you can head for the once-royal city of Toledo, the most historic and evocative of all Spanish cities. You'll have time to take in Segovia with its Alcázar "in the sky" and the austere monastery-fortress of El Escorial, burial place of Spanish kings.

Days 1 & 2: Madrid

Take a flight that arrives in Madrid as early as possible on Day 1. Check into your hotel and hit the nearest cafe for a pick-me-up café au lait and croissant before sightseeing. Take the Metro to Atocha or Banco de España to begin your tour of the Museo del Prado, allowing at least 2 hours for a brief visit. Since you can't see it all, concentrate on the splendid array of works by Velázquez and take in some of the works of Francisco de Goya, including his Clothed Maja and Naked Maja.

Break for lunch at Plaza de Santa Ana, known for its outdoor terrazas. This was the center of an old neighborhood for literati, attracting such Golden Age authors as Lope de Vega and Cervantes. Hemingway drank here in the 1920s.

After lunch, walk west to Puerta del Sol, the very center of Madrid. This is the Times Square of Madrid. Northwest of the square you can visit Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales, Madrid's art-filled convent from the mid-16th century and a true treasure trove.

After perhaps a siesta at your hotel, head for Plaza Mayor, Madrid's most beautiful square and liveliest hub in the early evening. For dinner, patronize Hemingway's favorite restaurant, Sobrino de Botín.

On Day 2, take the Metro to Atocha for a visit to Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, whose main attraction is Picasso's masterpiece, Guernica. Once here, you can also view one of the greatest collections of modern art in Spain, taking at least 2 hours. In the afternoon, view Madrid's third great art museum, Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, absorbing its many treasures. A visit will easily absorb at least 2 hours of your time.

In the early evening, join in that ritual of tasca hopping, going from one bar or tavern to another and sampling hot and cold tapas or small plates of Spanish appetizers, ranging from fresh anchovies to the tail of a bull. You can discover plenty on your own, virtually on every street corner. After all that food and drink, you'll hardly need to order dinner. Stagger back to your hotel or else attend a flamenco show.

Day 3: Day Trip to Toledo

Having survived 2 days in the capital of Spain, bid adios and take a RENFE train to Toledo. These depart frequently from Madrid's Chamartín station (trip time: 1 1/2 hr.).

Much of Spain's history took place behind Toledo's old walls. There is so much to see here that you need 2 days, but on a hurried visit you can visit the fortified palace, the Alcázar, with its army museum; and the crowning glory of the city, the Catedral de Toledo. The masterpiece of El Greco, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, rests in Iglesia de Santo Tomé. If time remains, see Casa y Museo de El Greco, or the House and Museum of El Greco, although the artist didn't actually live here. Toledo is known for its damascene work, so pick up a souvenir before returning to Madrid by train that night.

Day 4: Side Trip to Segovia

While still based in Madrid, begin Day 4 by taking an excursion to Segovia, leaving from Madrid's Chamartín station and arriving 2 hours later. The thrill of visiting the most spectacularly sited city in Spain is to view its Alcázar, rising starkly above the plain like a fairy-tale castle created by Disney. You can also view the Cabildo Catedral de Segovia and the town's architectural marvel, Acueducto Romano. After lunch in Segovia, head 11km (7 miles) southeast to view the Palacio Real de La Granja, the summer palace of the Bourbon kings. Return to Segovia and take the train back to Madrid.

Day 5: Side Trip to El Escorial

Vying with Toledo as the most popular day trip from Madrid, the half monastery/half royal mausoleum of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is about an hour from Madrid's Atocha station. Felipe II constructed this mammoth complex for "God and myself," with its splendid library, palaces, and some of the world's greatest art. You can spend a full day here, breaking only for lunch, as you wander the art galleries and state apartments, including the throne room.

If you have time, make a side trip to El Valle de los Caídos (The Valley of the Fallen), a moving and evocative monument dedicated to the caídos or "fallen" who died in the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s. Return to Madrid in the evening.

Day 6: South to Córdoba

Leave Madrid early in the morning, taking the 419km (260-mile) train ride (AVE or TALGO) to Córdoba in the south, reached in 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Córdoba was once the capital of the Islamic nation in the West. Take 2 hours to visit its Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba, the greatest Islamic masterpiece remaining in the Western world. Its stunning labyrinth of columns and red-and-white-striped arches alone is worth the visit. With remaining time you can visit Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, a stellar example of military architecture where Ferdinand and Isabella once governed.

After lunch, take one of the frequent trains running between Córdoba and Seville. The fastest train, the AVE, takes only 45 minutes to reach Seville, where you can spend the night.

Day 7: Seville, Capital of Andalusia

The next morning, get set to experience the glories of Seville. We like to acclimate ourselves by wandering the narrow streets of Barrio de Santa Cruz, the most evocative district, with its medieval streets, pocket-sized plazas, and flower-filled wrought-iron balconies or tiled courtyards.

After that, head for the Catedral de Sevilla and Giralda Tower. The cathedral is the largest Gothic building in the world and the third largest church in Europe. After spending 1 1/2 hours here, climb La Giralda, an adjacent Moorish tower erected by Islamic architects in the 12th century.

After lunch, head for the Alcázar, the other great architectural monument of Seville, which lies north of the cathedral. This is the oldest royal residence in Europe still in use, dating from the 14th century. Allow 1 1/2 hours for a hurried visit. With time remaining, visit Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes de Sevilla, a converted convent housing some of Andalusia's greatest artwork, including masterpieces by El Greco and Murillo. A standard visit takes 1 1/2 hours.

As the afternoon fades, go for a stroll through Parque María Luisa, which runs south along the Guandalquivir River. In summer you can rent a boat and go for a refreshing sail. After dinner in the Old Town, head for a flamenco show if you still have energy.

The next morning you can take a fast train back to Madrid for your flight home, saving the further wonders of Andalusia for another visit.

London: Day 3

1 - Windsor Castle

In just half an hour, a train from London will deliver you to the royal town of Windsor, site of England's most legendary castle. The first castle here was ordered built by William the Conqueror, and much of English history has unfolded within its walls. If you skipped the Changing of the Guard ceremony in London, you can see an even more exciting pageant here, though it takes place only from April to July Monday to Saturday at 11am (winter hours differ slightly). On a first visit to the castle, don't miss its greatest attraction, St. George's Chapel, where British monarchs are entombed, and try to budget enough time to see the state apartments, including George IV's elegant chambers. No, you can't go into the Queen's present bedchamber. Before leaving the castle precincts, wander the beautifully landscaped Jubilee Garden spread over 8 hectares (2 acres).

Since you'll need 2 hours to explore Windsor Castle, this will put you in the little town for lunch, which, incidentally, is not a gourmet citadel.

Take a Break

2 - House on the Bridge

This charming restaurant lies adjacent to the bridge that links Windsor with the exclusive prep school of Eton. The school itself has turned out some of England's greatest men, including the Duke of Wellington and the poet known as "mad Shelley" to his fellow pupils. In atmospheric surroundings, you can enjoy the restaurant's fixed-price lunch of English and international dishes. In summer, opt for one of the outdoor tables in a garden leading down to the Thames. We'd recommend both the oak-smoked salmon and the grilled Dover sole, rushed here fresh every day from the southern coast. Windsor Bridge tel. 01753/860914.

After lunch, with your precious time fading, we suggest an immediate return to London, arriving at Waterloo or Paddington Station, where you can hook up with the Tube leading to:

3 - Hyde Park

Adjoining Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park (Tube: Marble Arch) was the former deer-hunting ground of Henry VIII. Allow at least 30 minutes for a stroll through the scenic grandeur of London's "green lung." Our favorite oasis in the park is a miniature lake known as the Serpentine, where you can row, sail model boats, or even swim. In the northeast corner of the park, at Speakers Corner, you can hear everything from protesters calling for the overthrow of the monarchy to sex advocates demanding legalization of child prostitution in Britain. Any point of view goes here. You can even make a speech of your own. After taking in the landmark Marble Arch (a gate originally designed as the entrance to Buckingham Palace), stroll east along Upper Brook Street to:

4 - Grosvenor Square

In the heart of Mayfair, and one of the world's most famous squares, this was the grandest of all London addresses for two centuries. In modern times, its former allure has been diminished by Eero Saarinen's outsized and grandiose U.S. Embassy (1956), which led to the demolition of the west side of the square. As you cross the square through the garden, take in William Reid Dick's bronze statue of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who honeymooned with Eleanor at Brown's Hotel in Mayfair.

Time out for some ritzy shopping (or at least window shopping) along:

5 - Oxford Street

From Grosvenor Square (northeast corner), cut north up Duke Street until you reach the junction of Oxford Street, at which point you can head east, moving deeper into the heart of commercial and theatrical London. A shopping mecca since 1908 when the American retail magnate, Gordon Selfridge, opened Selfridge's Department Store, this is the most popular street in London for out-of-town shoppers. It is no longer a "lurking place for cut-throats," as an early-18th-century writer called Oxford Street, although with the present pound-to-dollar ratio, you might indeed consider some of today's merchants highway robbers. Many of the fruit-and-flower vendors you encounter along Oxford Street are the great-grandchildren of former traders, their style of making a living passed on from one generation to the next. When you come to New Bond Street, cut southeast along:

6 - New & Old Bond Streets

London's most luxurious shopping street, consisting of both Old and New Bond streets (Tube: Bond St.), links Piccadilly with Oxford Street. "The Bonds" have both traditional old English shops and outlets for the latest and hottest international designers. In the Georgian era, the beau monde of London promenaded here, window shopping. Young rakes hung out here "looking for virgins." Later, the fun-loving set ranging from the Prince of Wales to the celebrated photographer Cecil Beaton and others, could be seen parading up and down the tiny Old Bond Street, with its deluxe art galleries. Today this dazzling thoroughfare of shops is celebrated for haute everything, from couture to jewelry.

Once you reach the intersection with Piccadilly, continue east, passing on your left the:

7 - Burlington Arcade

The Burlington Arcade (Tube: Piccadilly Circus) closes at 5:30pm, so, of course, try to get there before then. The blueprint for all London arcades, the Burlington Arcade opened back in 1815, and it's been going strong ever since. The glass-roofed, Regency-style passage is lined with exclusive shops and boutiques and lit by wrought-iron lamps. Luxury items such as jewelry and designer cashmeres are sold here. Look for the Beadles, London's representative of Britain's oldest police force.

On the opposite side of Piccadilly, you enter the precincts of the world's most famous food department store:

Take a Break

8 - Fortnum & Mason

Founded in 1707, this deluxe purveyor of fancy foodstuffs is still grocer to the Queen. "Mr. Fortnum" and "Mr. Mason" still present a footman's show on the outside clock every hour. You can enjoy an elegant tea in St. James Restaurant, 181 Piccadilly. tel. 020/7734-8040.

After tea, continue walking east into:

9 - Piccadilly Circus

What Times Square is to New York, Piccadilly Circus is to London. Dating from 1819, the circus (or square) centers on a statue of Eros from 1893. That symbol of love is about the only thing that occasionally brings together the diverse group of people who converge on the circus. This is the traffic hub of London, and you're at the doorway to "theaterland" if you'd like to cap your visit to the West End with a final show.

At the end of 3 days, realize that the time was ridiculously short to take in the allure of London -- and promise yourself some future visit, when you can discover such London neighborhoods as trendy Chelsea or aristocratic Belgravia and take a day trip on a boat sailing down the river to Hampton Court.

London: Day 2

If you've already made your way through "The Best in 1 Day," you'll find your second full-day tour takes in a different part of London. You've seen Royal London. Now visit what might be called "Academic London" by heading to the history-rich district of Bloomsbury, following in the footsteps of Charles Dickens and Virginia Woolf. After lunch, head for "the City," London's financial district, and wander around St. Paul's Cathedral, masterpiece of Sir Christopher Wren. Then have a thrilling afternoon riding the British Airways London Eye and visiting the Tate Modern. Start: Russell Square.

1 - The British Museum

This is the mammoth home of one of the world's greatest treasure troves -- much of it plundered from other parts of the globe when Britannia ruled the waves. The most exciting of these treasures are the Elgin Marbles, stolen from Greece, and the Rosetta Stone, stolen from Egypt. You'll need at least 2 hours for even the most cursory of visits. An easy-to-follow map at the entrance will help you hit all the highlights, including the legendary Black Obelisk, dating from around 860 B.C. and exhibited in the Nimrud Gallery. You can't see everything, so don't even try. But you'll see enough to convince yourself you need to make another visit some time in the future. End your quickie tour in the modern Great Court covering the celebrated Reading Room where Karl Marx wrote Das Kapital.

The museum doesn't open until 10am, but early birds can arrive before and take a brisk morning walk, getting the feel of this famous district. Our favorite square for wandering is Russell Square (you can take the Tube straight there), followed by Bedford Square to the east and Bloomsbury Square to the southeast.

After the British Museum, it's time for lunch. You've already dined in Covent Garden, so it's time to head for "the City," the financial district of London in the East End.

Take a Break

2 - Bow Wine Vaults

No place in the City is more evocative and atmospheric than this venerated choice for lunch. Here you can mingle with the movers and shakers of the City's financial district, enjoying well-prepared, affordable food and a drink in the bar or in the more formal street-level dining room. We always go for the Dover sole or the mixed grill (no one does this dish better than the English). 10 Bow Churchyard, EC4. tel. 020/7248-1121. Tube: St. Paul's.

Fortified for the afternoon, you can begin your descent on yet another monument:

3 - St. Paul's Cathedral

Wren's Cathedral, the fifth to be built on this spot, is not filled with great art and treasures. But it's an adventure nonetheless. The thrill comes in climbing to the dome and taking in the Whispering Gallery (259 steps), the Stone Gallery (530 steps), and especially the panoramic sweep from the Inner Golden Gallery on top of the dome.

4 - Tate Modern

On the south side of the Thames, the relatively new Tate Modern, shelters the greatest collection of international 20th-century art in Britain, ranking with the Pompidou in Paris but not the equal of New York's Museum of Modern Art. You'll see all the Warhols, Picassos, and Pollocks an art devotee could ever dream of. Allow at least 1 1/2 hours for the most cursory of visits.

Head for Westminster Bridge (Tube: Westminster), the embarkation point for the:

5 - British Airways London Eye

The world's largest observation wheel is the fourth-tallest structure in London, with panoramic views that extend on a clear day for 40km (25 miles). Each of the 32 futuristic-looking "pods" carries visitors to a bird's-eye view of London, making a complete rotation every 30 minutes. Currently, it's the most popular ride in London.

6 - Royal National Theatre

For your final night in London (assuming you're skipping Day 3), we'd recommend a night at the Royal National Theatre. On the South Bank of the Thames, this is one of the world's great stage companies -- not just one theater, but a trio of modern auditoriums, each with the latest equipment and great acoustics. Even the Queen attends for one of the new plays, comedies, musicals, or whatever. There is always a major event being presented here, often with the greatest thespians or musicians in the world. You can arrive early for a pretheater meal in one of the cultural complex's dining facilities, such as the main restaurant, the Mezzanine.

London: Day 1

From Frommers:

Touring London in a day seems ridiculous at first, considering that it's a sprawling metropolis filled with treasures, but it can be done if you get an early start and have a certain discipline, plus a lot of stamina. Since Britain is the world's most famous kingdom, this "greatest hits" itinerary focuses on royal London, monumental London, and political London, with some great art thrown in to satisfy the inner soul. After an early morning trip to Westminster Abbey, you'll want to see London's greatest plaza, Trafalgar Square, take a grand "royal stroll," visit the National Gallery, and perhaps poke into Whitehall, seeing 10 Downing St. (home of the prime minister). A pint of lager in a Victorian pub and a night in a West End theater will cap your day very nicely. Start: Tube to Westminster.

1 - Westminster Abbey

This early English Gothic abbey is the shrine of the nation, and most of England's kings and queens have been crowned here -- and many are buried here as well. We always like to get here when it opens at 9:30am before the crowds descend. Architecturally, its two highlights are the fan-vaulted Henry VII's Chapel (one of the loveliest in all of Europe) and the shrine to Edward the Confessor, containing the tombs of five kings and three queens. For a final look, walk over to the Poets' Corner, where everybody from Chaucer to Shelley and Keats are buried.

As you emerge from Westminster Abbey, you confront the virtual symbol of London itself:

2 - The Houses of Parliament and "Big Ben"

Guarded over by "Big Ben" (the world's most famous timepiece), the former royal Palace of Westminster shelters both the House of Lords and the House of Commons and has done so since the 11th century. Gaining admission to the debating chambers requires a long wait and a lot of red tape that the "Day 1 Visitor" will have to forego, but at least you can admire the massive architectural pile from the outside before passing on your way.

If you feel you've missed something, duck into the Jewel Tower across the street, one of only two surviving buildings from the medieval Palace of Westminster. Here you can see an exhibition of the history of Parliament and even use a touch-screen computer that takes you on a virtual tour of both Houses of Parliament.

Continue walking north along Whitehall until you reach:

3 - No. 10 Downing St.

Hang a left and look down Downing Street to number 10, flanked by policemen. Because of security concerns, it is no longer possible to walk down the street -- you can only look down it through the gates on Whitehall. The official residence of the prime minister isn't much of a sight and is rather modest, but it's been the home of everybody from Sir Winston Churchill to Margaret Thatcher. Today Gordon Brown and his family call it home. Although the building is hardly palatial, it's the most famous address in Britain, other than Buckingham Palace, and all visitors seem to want to take a peek.

After that look, continue north to:

4 - Trafalgar Square

The hub of London, this is Britain's most famous square and the scene of many a demonstration. A 44m (144-ft.) granite statue of Horatio Viscount Nelson (1758-1805) dominates the square. As you walk around this square, noting the ferocious pigeons "dive-bombing," you'll know that you're in the very heart of London where thousands amass on New Year's Eve to ring in another year.

Right on this square, you can enter the:

5 - National Gallery

On the north side of Trafalgar Square looms this massive gallery. All the big names, from Leonardo da Vinci to Rembrandt, from van Gogh to Cézanne, strut their stuff here. Displaying some of the most important art ever created, the panoramic galleries cover eight centuries. This is one of the greatest art museums on the planet. On even the most rushed of schedules, you'll want to devote at least 1 1/2 hours to its galleries. Since everybody's taste in art differs, check out our Insider's Tip under the National Gallery preview. A computer makes it easy and convenient for you. Select 10 paintings you'd most like to see, and a computer will design your own map and print it out for you.

Directly north of Trafalgar Square, you enter the precincts of:

6 - Covent Garden

The old fruit-and-vegetable market of Eliza Doolittle fame is long gone, and the market has been recycled into one of the most bustling and exciting sections of London today. Begin with a walk around The Piazza, the center of Covent Garden. When architect Inigo Jones designed it in 1633, it became London's first square. To its south you'll see St. Paul's Church, which Jones called "the handsomest barn in England." Immediately to the southeast of St. Paul's you can enter the Jubilee Market and to its immediate east the London Transport Museum. After wandering around the gardens and after a heavy morning of sightseeing, even with a full English breakfast, you may be ready for lunch. For our pounds sterling, there is no better place for lunch in all of London than Covent Garden.

Take a Break

7 - Porters English Restaurant

We suggest a visit to our dear old friend, the Earl of Bradford, who owns and runs this venerable Covent Garden favorite. Try one of Lady Bradford's old English pies (ever had lamb and apricot?), and finish off with her fabled steamed pudding, made with ginger and banana. 17 Henrietta St., WC2. tel. 020/7836-6466. Tube: Covent Garden or Leicester Sq.

The day is marching on, and you should too if you want to take in more that London has to offer.

At Covent Garden, take the Tube (subway, to Americans) to Charing Cross Station to the south of Covent Garden. After disembarking here, prepare yourself for one of the grandest strolls in all of Britain, walking west along:

8 - The Mall & Buckingham Palace

A stroll along the Mall all the way west to Buckingham Palace is the most aristocratic walk in Britain. Passing King George's IV's glorious Carlton House terrace on your right, you can enjoy the same view Elizabeth II sees when she rides in her gilded "fairy-tale" coach to open Parliament every year.

Whether you can actually go inside Buckingham Palace itself depends on the time of year. We've deliberately skipped the Changing of the Guard ceremony, which isn't held every day and is often difficult to schedule. It's an overrated attraction anyway.

After viewing Buckingham Palace, at least from the outside, walk along Constitution Hill to the Tube stop at Hyde Park Corner. Once there, head east for one big final attraction for the afternoon.

9 - The Tower of London

We prefer to visit this attraction later in the afternoon, when some of the hordes pouring out of tour buses have departed. A first-time visitor to London wouldn't dare miss this old symbol of blood and gore standing on the Thames for 900 years. Many famous Englishmen have lost their heads at the Tower. It's been a palace, a prison, and a royal mint, but mostly it's a living museum of British history. Since you don't have a lot of time, take one of the hour-long guided tours conducted by the much-photographed Beefeaters. They make the history of the Tower come alive with their often humorous and irreverent commentary.

After viewing the Tower, we suggest you head back to your hotel and take a much-needed break before descending on London by night.

We like to begin our evening with a pint in an evocative London pub. Try one of the best and also one of the most famous:

Take a Break

10 - The Salisbury

This Art Nouveau pub is in the heart of the theater district. You can enjoy a drink and a quick pub dinner of home-cooked pies or freshly made salads before heading out to see the show of your choice. 90 St. Martin's Lane, WC2. tel. 020/7836-5863. Tube: Leicester Sq.

11 - A Night at a London Theater

Before purchasing your ticket, read our box on "Ticket Bargains", and you might save a lot of money. Unless you've got your heart set on seeing a big London hit, perhaps a musical, we suggest your one-and-only night in London be spent at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. This is a replica of the Elizabethan original where the Bard premiered many of his plays. The productions, often performed in Elizabethan costume as in Shakespeare's days, are of the highest quality, often showcasing the talents of many of Britain's greatest thespians, both young and old.

Head back to your hotel for a well-earned night of rest and promise yourself you'll come back to London soon.

Paris Itinerary according to Rick

Day 1

Morning: Follow Historic Paris Walk from Rick's Paris guidebook, featuring Ile de la Cité, Notre-Dame, Latin Quarter, and Sainte-Chapelle.

Afternoon: Tour the Louvre.

Evening: Cruise the Seine River, take the "Paris Illumination" nighttime bus tour, or follow the book's "Floodlit Paris Taxi Tour" (in the Nightlife chapter).

Day 2

Morning: Follow the book's Champs-Elysées Walk from the Arc de Triomphe down the grand avenue des Champs-Elysées to Tuileries Garden.

Midday: Cross the pedestrian bridge from the Tuileries Garden, then tour the Orsay Museum.

Afternoon: Tour the Rodin Museum or Napoleon's Tomb, or visit Versailles (take the RER suburban train direct from Orsay).

Evening: Enjoy the Trocadéro scene and a twilight ride up the Eiffel Tower.

Day 3

Morning: Follow the book's Marais Walk.

Afternoon: Stay in the Marais and tour your choice of sights: the Picasso Museum, Carnavalet Museum, Pompidou Center, or Jewish Art and History Museum. (Or visit Versailles, if you haven't already.)

Evening: Take the book's Montmartre Walk, featuring the Sacré-Coeur basilica.

Planning to the "T"

Well, we have resumed the planning process and I feel more overwhelmed than ever. Our original plan had 87 days - way too long for our budget. So now we are deleting and adding cities that may not be as time consuming. So far we have:

London
Bath
Edinburgh
Algarve
Seville
Granada
Madrid
Barcelona
Carcassone
Chamonix
Aosta
Milan
Venice
Croatia
Cionque Terre
Assisi
Rome
Naples
Bari
Athens
Cruise around Ionian Sea
Santorini
Vienna
Salzburg
Munich
Stuttgart
Strasbourg
Paris
Brussels
Krakow
Dortmund
Netherlands

I don't ever remember why Dortmund is on here?! That's why I started this blog. I wanted to share this journey with family and friends and so I can remember everything we've been planning. Hopefully we can cut this trip down to 60, or 70 days. Well, that's my introduction for now...more news later!