JCarpenter
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Not sure that Ourense is particularly outstanding for either art or food. Enough of both for my lowbrow tastes though. Where it does score highly for me is the thermal bathing. I love hot springs and Ourense gives you a selection to choose from. A great way to relax and unwind.Ourense comes to mind. I haven't been there but lets hope someone who has describes it. It is on the way back to Madrid.
How about Bilbao and San Sebastián?
Segovia and Toledo are both great cities on the way to Madrid. Toledo has some El Greco paintings on display and Segovia has a spectacular aqueduct, a beautiful castle and the famous suckling pig.My husband and I have ended up with four extra days, leaving Santiago on the 11th and with a hotel and then departure in Madrid on the 15th. We would like to go to two places that offer art or nature and good food, with minimal time in transit. We prefer trains, though that is not a requirement. Where would you stop?
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If you are interested in cave paintings, Spain had quite a few very old ones in excellent condition. I visited these two a few years ago. I didn't have a car so had to take an irregular bus and walk a lot, from Santander (this city has an excellent neolithic museum).My husband and I have ended up with four extra days, leaving Santiago on the 11th and with a hotel and then departure in Madrid on the 15th. We would like to go to two places that offer art or nature and good food, with minimal time in transit. We prefer trains, though that is not a requirement. Where would you stop?
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You could easily spend 2 days just on art in Madrid: a day in the Prado, 1/2 day each, at least in the Reina Sofia and the Thyssen-Bornemisza. You can buy a ticket that covers all three of them.Go to Madrid. Have a day in the galleries - largely in El Museo Del Prado. Have a day at El Escorial. Maybe another in Toledo. Spend an evening around Calle Jesus or just west of Sol. Walk to Goya’s tomb. Avoid flamenco - you’re not in Andalucía, avoid paella; you’re not in Valencia. Eat ham by all means.
Rías Baixas, if the weather is nice take the boat from Vigo to Cies IslandMy husband and I have ended up with four extra days, leaving Santiago on the 11th and with a hotel and then departure in Madrid on the 15th. We would like to go to two places that offer art or nature and good food, with minimal time in transit. We prefer trains, though that is not a requirement. Where would you stop?
Moderator, feel free to move to a better section. Thank you!
Thank you for posting this! We have a similar situation in October and were thinking about posing the same question here in the forum. Great stuff!My husband and I have ended up with four extra days, leaving Santiago on the 11th and with a hotel and then departure in Madrid on the 15th. We would like to go to two places that offer art or nature and good food, with minimal time in transit. We prefer trains, though that is not a requirement. Where would you stop?
Moderator, feel free to move to a better section. Thank you!
Avila or Valladolid or Salamanca. All with beautiful plaza majored.My husband and I have ended up with four extra days, leaving Santiago on the 11th and with a hotel and then departure in Madrid on the 15th. We would like to go to two places that offer art or nature and good food, with minimal time in transit. We prefer trains, though that is not a requirement. Where would you stop?
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Just a few miles north of Madrid is the town of Sergovia which has a lot to offer. Many festivals under the large Roman aqueduct.My husband and I have ended up with four extra days, leaving Santiago on the 11th and with a hotel and then departure in Madrid on the 15th. We would like to go to two places that offer art or nature and good food, with minimal time in transit. We prefer trains, though that is not a requirement. Where would you stop?
Moderator, feel free to move to a better section. Thank you!
All sorts of option suggestions here but none beats a few days in Santiago, drinking coffee and watching those pilgrims you haven’t seen for ages arrive in SantiagoMy husband and I have ended up with four extra days, leaving Santiago on the 11th and with a hotel and then departure in Madrid on the 15th. We would like to go to two places that offer art or nature and good food, with minimal time in transit. We prefer trains, though that is not a requirement. Where would you stop?
Moderator, feel free to move to a better section. Thank you!
I spent my extra days in Madrid. It was fantastic. Lots of great art, parks, good food, and Flamenco shows, so I would plan to spend a couple of days there prior to departure. In between, Zamora or Salamanca look interesting as well.
Thanks for sharing these sites - and sights.You could easily spend 2 days just on art in Madrid: a day in the Prado, 1/2 day each, at least in the Reina Sofia and the Thyssen-Bornemisza. You can buy a ticket that covers all three of them.
Artwalk ticket 32 euros. Well worth it.
Prado: classical art
Explore the collection - Museo Nacional del Prado
Check out the 0 Explore the collection of Museo Nacional del Pradowww.museodelprado.es
Reina Sofia: more modern art including Guernica
The History of the Collection | Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
The History of the Collection. Sitio web del Museo Reina Sofía. Información y programación de exposiciones, colección, actividades y proyectos de investigación en red.www.museoreinasofia.es
The three museums are literally blocks apart, and the Prado is surrounded by a beautiful park as well.
Thyssen-Bornemisza: like an art history text, in real life. A bit of everything! Incredible collection.
History of the Collection II
Hans Heinrich (1921−2002): a passion for art Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza, ca...www.museothyssen.org
Aw c’mon! The OP is starting in Santiago and has four days total before departing Madrid. Sevilla is indeed a train ride from Madrid; but it’s 2-40 travelling time (each way) once they’ve spent the best part of a day getting to Madrid from Santiago, travelled to the station in good time and disembarked … that’s a couple of days.A lot of great places to visit above! Personally I would say Sevilla, is a train ride from Madrid. They have nice B&Bs, restaurants, Bullfighting stadium and museum, and beautiful churches and parks. This place was touched by the Moors, lots of History. There’s is also Granada and Malaga close to the coast! Buen Camino
Me too! We spent one day, racing through these 3 museums. Next time, way longer...and for those interested, there's a similar trio in Lisbon as well, though they're not so close together...Thanks for sharing these sites - and sights.
A morning cup of coffee and headphones accompanied me as I joyfully went down the rabbit hole looking at the art available to me next time I'm in Spain.
Caravaggio! Picasso!! Velasquez!!! I can't wait!
Many factors at work here. Distances seem so much smaller in Spain than say Wyoming, Texas, Montana, etc. Also more availability of public transit. In the US you simply "can't get there from here" in many cases without driving for days in a car. I live "close" to Yellowstone National Park and it is still 7-8 hour drive (and it is still in the same state).Aw c’mon! The OP is starting in Santiago and has four days total before departing Madrid. Sevilla is indeed a train ride from Madrid; but it’s 2-40 travelling time (each way) once they’ve spent the best part of a day getting to Madrid from Santiago, travelled to the station in good time and disembarked … that’s a couple of days.
I love Sevilla. The Bodega Santa Cruz is fractionally ahead of Malaga’s Antigua Casa de Guarda as my preferred final resting place - but it’s nowhere near being on a straight line between Santiago and Madrid Barajas.
Perhaps it’s the American inhuman lack of holiday time? Most Europeans, faced with a couple of days at leisure might think a long lunch was called for. Some Americans would consider crossing the country to spend a hurried day hitting the highlights of a city which deserves weeks just to scratch the surface.
I agree with the poster who suggested Zamora-- fabulous town and could get from SDC to Zamora easily enough with train. A suggestion for a second place would be Salamanca, beautiful university town, the oldest in Spain and I believe the 3rd oldest in western Europe. I went between Zamora and Salamanca with bus service, but I know that there is train service from Salamanca to Madrid for your flight back home. Both Z. and S. are on the Via de la Plata so you will see pilgrims in each of these towns.(and both have outstanding albergues-- you should to visit them just to say hi to the hospitaleros serving). Each of these towns has a restaurant-lined Plaza Mayor! I would say that they meet your requirements.My husband and I have ended up with four extra days, leaving Santiago on the 11th and with a hotel and then departure in Madrid on the 15th. We would like to go to two places that offer art or nature and good food, with minimal time in transit. We prefer trains, though that is not a requirement. Where would you stop?
Moderator, feel free to move to a better section. Thank you!
We took a day tour to Finisterre andMy husband and I have ended up with four extra days, leaving Santiago on the 11th and with a hotel and then departure in Madrid on the 15th. We would like to go to two places that offer art or nature and good food, with minimal time in transit. We prefer trains, though that is not a requirement. Where would you stop?
Moderator, feel free to move to a better section. Thank you!
This is an excellent idea, but keep in mind that many of the furanchos are closed by July… as by law their opening hours are limited to a 3 month window.Our winery tour guide told us of traditional houses in the area called Furanchos… these are local homes who provide home cooked meals and their own homemade wines… and people go from furanchos to furanchos!
Barcelona and train to Montserrat.My husband and I have ended up with four extra days, leaving Santiago on the 11th and with a hotel and then departure in Madrid on the 15th. We would like to go to two places that offer art or nature and good food, with minimal time in transit. We prefer trains, though that is not a requirement. Where would you stop?
Moderator, feel free to move to a better section. Thank you!
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