Visiting Spain:Madrid and Costa del Sol

I’m thinking of heading to Spain for vacation this year, mostly in Torremolinos for a week, with a few days in Madrid tacked on at the end. This would be late April to early May.

I’m active on a lot of travel forums and, wow, the Costa del Sol doesn’t get much love at all. However, watching YouTube videos of it makes it seem quite nice. While I’d be based in Torremolinos, I am looking at day trips to Malaga and perhaps Gibraltar (although that also gets quite mixed reviews!)

It looks like it would make sense to fly in and out of Madrid. I’d spend arrival day in Madrid and that night there and then take a train to Malaga and then onward to Torremolinos. This will allow me to get over jet lag in Madrid and not have have to deal with a long layover as there are no reasonable flights from O’Hare to Malaga.

While my trip will include May 1, I can easily spend that day in Torremolinos and so the holiday won’t affect me.

I’ve pretty much ruled on a day trip to Tangier although it would be interesting and I’m not sure I’ll ever make it to Africa. I’ve read that most of the day tours have too much time allocated to shopping stops at places that give a kickback to the tour operator.

For my days in Madrid, they will be focused on the art museums there.

What else do I need to know? I can speak some Spanish and that certainly will help, especially with being able to read things. I’m sure I’ll be fine not being able to conjugate the vosotros form as I can’t imagine needing it.

I wish I could help, but I was 13 years old when we spent a week in Torremolinos in the early 1980’s. Be careful with the sangria. My parents laugh about sharing a carafe one afternoon, and how they spent way too much buying things on the way back to the hotel.

Two other things that can be of interest in Madrid, since you’re into art:

a guided “Madrid de los Austrias” visit, through the historical areas
day trips to Segovia or Toledo. There are commuter trains to both, pretty cheap, and both are very interesting. Segovia has the Aqueduct and one of the most beautiful castles in Spain; Toledo has a ridiculous amount of art and museums in a very small space, including two sinagogues and more Grecos than you ever knew existed. In Segovia, try the asados. Valladolid is also within commuter train distance (National Sculpture museum among others) but further than the other two.

And if you get sick of Torremolinos, give Cádiz a roll. Just don’t expect quick service, I’m convinced waiters make a game of taking as long as possible before taking your order or bringing it out.

Day trips to Segovia and Toledo are certainly on the agenda. And, yes, I’m used to European service in most of Europe, outside of London. I don’t mind waiting for food just make sure I’ve got a beer or a glass of wine in my hand.

I spent a week in Spain many years ago with some fellow students. I believe our itinerary was Madrid-Seville-Grenada-Torremolinos. We had one native Spanish speaker in our group and the rest of us were at different conversational levels. We wanted at least two days at the beach to end the trip, and we did that. We flew from Málaga back to Madrid.

I don’t remember being indoors all that much during that time on the coast, and I don’t recall seeing many Spaniards either, we were mostly seeing people from the UK. In fact I got separated from my group one night, looked up and I was standing in front of an Irish pub. Which I was fine with. :slight_smile:

Madrid was fun, bustling, urban and I remember thinking it had a curious Bostonian vibe to it. Whereas Seville and Grenada were astonishing to me. We had one day in each place to tour and sample the night life, and in hindsight that just wasn’t a good plan. I spent most of time drooling over the architecture. The views were insane. A few us were art students and night owls by nature, fwiw, and it’s a wonder we ever left.

So not much experience here but definitely a lasting appreciation. Have fun.

You are not too far from Ronda. I would stop there, briefly, if you want to see some amazing vistas and cliffs.

You also aren’t too far from Seville. If I were ever to return to Spain, I would spend it all in Seville, especially the old quarter. That was fabulous. But then, I love old stuff.

Try to see some authentic flamenco dancing while you are there. That was the most awesome thing I saw in two weeks in Spain. Well, that and the actual Holy Grail in Valencia, but that’s way off your path.

Excuse me, but speaking as a Northern Spaniard, no you’re not. I’m not talking about the difference between a perky “hi! I’m Janice! I’ll be your server today” followed by multiple instances of “is everything all right?” vs. “may I take your order” followed by eventually raising your hand to ask for the note.

Within Spain there is a gradation on waiter speed, accuracy and juggling ability. Northern Spain (from Mequinenza to Vigo), you may be asked if you want the menu or already know what you want; if you are offered a menu and state that you already know what you want, the waiter will whip out his notebook (which nowadays may even be electronic) and take it down.

As you move south, speed goes down. By the time you surpass Madrid, saying “I already know what I want thank… you…” will be ignored, while the waiter goes back to doing whatever he was doing at the bar (propping it up, apparently). Eventually he’ll decide the bar has been propped up enough and saunter over to take your order.

This gets somewhat neutralized by having a busy house. Waiters in Seville can move almost as fast as those in Bilbao, if the bar is bursting; unlike those in Bilbao they may need to confirm three times what did each person want, but what can one do, not everybody can be from the North we’re humble, too.

In Cádiz… well… what, you in a hurry? Why would you be in a hurry? You’re in the tacita de plata, the Silver Cup, sit down, take your time, the waiter sure will! The one time I tried to have something to eat there, I ended up leaving after consuming my soda, which admittedly had taken less than half an hour to arrive, unlike the waiter who’d said “I’ll be right back for your order”. According to the locals yep, that’s Cádiz for you (people from Cádiz herself, its province and the neighboring provinces of Seville and Huelva). Maybe that’s why the French took so long to leave back in 1812, they were waiting to be served.

Tim, my next job is in Valencia. I’ll say “hi” to the chalice for you :slight_smile:

Can you explain your choice of Torremolinos? You should be aware that’s it’s basically lower paid Brits in the sun, so you’ll find a lot of full english breakfasts and pubs, and not too much Spanish food or people (aside from waiters). There’s much better places to go - are you open to change?

I agree with Ronda as a side trip. Also, Grenada isn’t all that far from Torremolinos and certainly worth seeing, if only for the Alhambra.

There’s a huge European Gay weeklong party that I’m going to in Torremolinos. However, I can’t spend the entire week partying and beach going so I figured it would also be a good base for exploring southern Spain.

If it was me, I’d drive up to Granada, then head west as far as Antequera, then go up to Córdoba and then southwest to Seville. Madrid is nice, but that’s a long way, if you’re going by car.