Two Months Until Spain!

Two months from today I will be in Spain! Viva España!I had only been home from my Budapest, Vienna, Prague trip this fall for a few weeks before I got the urge to start planning another big overseas trip.  I decided on Spain because I have never been to the country and it was one of the few places on my long bucket list that my mom also wanted to visit as we are going on a girls trip. Taking a look at our schedules we decided to take nine days and split them between Barcelona and Madrid. 

My flights and hotels are booked so now it is time to buckle down and decide what we are going to do in each of these Spanish cities. I found with my Eastern Europe trip reservations and tours only open 90 days before the scheduled date but now that we are within that window I can really make some progress. Before I do though, I wanted to get all of your opinions on our tentative Spain itinerary: 

The first stop on our trip will be Barcelona where we will be spending the majority of our vacation in Spain. I have heard from friends and family it is one of the prettiest cities in the country and you could easily spend a few weeks there with all it has to offer.  Bearing this is mind our plans are: 

Barcelona

• Basílica de Santa Maria del Mar 
• Barcelona city bike tour
• Barcelona Modernism Walking Tour
• Casa Batlló (Gaudi Museum)
• Font Magica (Magic Fountain)
• Güell Palace
• La Sagrada Familia / Gaudi Church church (shown above)
• Las Ramblas
• Museu Picasso
• A performance at Palau de la Musica Orfeo Catalana 
• Park Güell

Montserrat (Day Trip from Barcelona) 

• Montserrat Monastery
• Montserrat Boy’s Choir
• Sant Jeroni
• Sant Joan Funicular Railway

After five and a half days in Barcelona, including our Montserrat day trip, we will be heading the Spanish capital, Madrid. This flight is one of the only things I definitely do have booked – we will be in the capital for dinner.  In pencil, we are planning on: 

Madrid 

• Chocolatería San Ginés
• El Retiro Park (Parque del Retiro)
• Jardín del Príncipe de Anglona
• Las Carboneras Flamenco Show
• Mercado San Miguel
• Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
• Museo Nacional del Prado
• The Royal Palace, Palacio Real
• San Francisco el Grande Basilica 

Toledo (Day trip from Madrid)

• New Gate of Bisagra
• Mirador Del Valle
• Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes, Toledo
• San Martin’s Bridge
• Santa Iglesia Catedral Primada de Toledo

I have started to book tickets but before I go ahead and schedule the majority of our days I want to ask what are your thoughts on our Spain itinerary? Have you been to any of these Spanish cities?  What should we definitely not miss?