Thread: Europe

I think Spain is really a beautiful country in the world to visit.

Barcelona and Madrid are both great cities. I feel very lucky to have spent a lot of time in Spain. Some other cities to visit: Salamanca, near Portugual, has beautiful architecture. The Basque country, too.San Sebastian is possibly the most beautiful city in the region, but Bilbao is worth visiting for the Guggenheim museum and old town, and the little seaside village of Hondarabbia. Outside Madrid are towns like Segovia, Toledo, and Avila, Toledo is probably the most famous. And Andalucia in the south, Grenada for the Alhambra, and Cordoba is very charming. Seville is very touristic but the old quarter is fantastic and you have to visit the bull ring for a tour!
The Lonely Planet guide books are always an excellent source of info and they tend to be honest, too—some guidebooks manage to find charm everywhere, but LP tells it like it is, so you don't waste time or money. As for taking the train, I found buses to actually be better. They are quite cheap and reasonably comfortable. A friend and I took the bus from Madrid to Grenada, and then travelled by bus all over Andalucia, and it was fine.
Missed the Picasso museum in Barcelona! I spent too much time in the old town... Bilbao.

I think once you're in Spain, you can't miss hotel in tenerife (tenerifeguide.org) and mallorca (mallorcaspain.net). They are all unforgettable places to visit and I'd love to go back for awhile. If you're in Barcelona be sure to check out the Picasso museum as well and I think the best way to get around Spain is by train, and you can see the beautiful scene along the way.
Have a good trip in Spain!

You're very sweet by choosing Portugal as one of the most beautiful places in Europe... but it's a pity that every country is known by its capital only. You're all invited for a cup of "Port wine" and... I forgot a delicious dish: "Bacalhau à Gomes Sá"!
I like Spain and "nuestros hermanos" of course! It is one of the best places where I like to go sometimes