Is this doable?

[kicia]

We have eight days between Madrid and Barcelona and we have a car rented for that time. How feasible is it to drive from Madrid to Seville, take a ferry to Morrocco for one night, drive to Malaga and Valencia before ending up in Barcelona? Are we trying to do too much? How are the roads along this route?

 

Thank you!

[cruiseluv]

Yes, you're doing way too much . Are you planning to spend any time in Madrid, and Barcelona outside of those eight days? If not, you should , they are both great cities. Sevilla is also very interesting and from there you could do a day trip to Cordoba.

[Hlitner]

I had fun with your itinerary. We have driven extensively in Spain and really enjoy the country. In the case of your specific itinerary most of the drive would be on excellent 4 lane motorways. I put yor itinerary into Via Michelin (its like a European Google maps program) and used Tarifa as the port for your ferry over to North Africa (they have lots of ferries from that port). The entire route comes out to 2157 Kilometers (1340 miles). Since most of the route is on the higher speed highways you are talking about a little more then 20 hours of driving (not counting any local sightseeing). Given the excellent roads and your 8 days your plan is certainly doable but its a lot of road time.

 

Hank

[John Bull]

We have eight days between Madrid and Barcelona and we have a car rented for that time. How feasible is it to drive from Madrid to Seville, take a ferry to Morrocco for one night, drive to Malaga and Valencia before ending up in Barcelona? Are we trying to do too much? How are the roads along this route?

 

Thank you!

 

Main roads in Spain are excellent, mainly un-congested, some are toll roads. Fuel is cheaper than in the UK, but will probably make your eyes water.

Distance by shortest route & excluding Morocco is 1200 miles, about 20 hours driving time. Doesn't sound much in 8 days, but doubtless for several days you'll be driving nowhere.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Madrid,+Spain&daddr=37.41345,-6.0032+to:36.14506,-5.71596+to:36.64972,-4.51326+to:36.75541,-4.11198+to:Barcelona,+Spain&geocode=FbO1aAIdh4nH_ynJZjc4fShCDTF9mVDtwJxGrQ%3BFUriOgIdAGak_yk32qs57WsSDTHxf_J2_WMEEw%3BFaSHJwIdCMio_ymbGIa6Q_UMDTGxuqVv_WMEEw%3BFfg6LwIdFCK7_ymPAKSFVfpyDTEBKU6JeNIDEw%3BFdLXMAIdlEHB_ylbZ6fZfEZyDTFxWxCIeNIDEw%3BFY2HdwIdPxwhACn1KO0mcZikEjEwA6Qh4PoABA&hl=en&mra=dpe&mrsp=4&sz=6&via=1,2,3,4&doflg=ptm&sll=39.232253,-3.339844&sspn=6.992826,13.469238&ie=UTF8&z=6

 

Car hire in Spain is usually unlimited mileage - but you'd better make sure ;)

Nothing wrong with your plan, but try to get off the main super-slab from time to time or all you'll see are the towns of your choice and a very very long ribbon of tarmac.

I only know Andalucia, but try to include Jerez de la Frontiera, Tarifa, Ronda, Nerja, the Alhambra at Granada (but don't waste your time with the rest of the city) and the troglodyte village of Gaudix.

Don't waste too much time in Madrid. And since you're visiting several cities anyway, you could drive straight thro' Malaga

 

The only big flaw is the ferry to Morocco. I'd rate it a very unwise move to take a car to Morocco - and either it will be vetoed by a hire company or subject to onerous terms and charges. But you'd enjoy hopping over to Morocco as a foot-passenger on either the regular ferry from Algeciras - a grubby oil town near Gibraltar, or a fast-jet ferry from Tarifa - one of my favourite places in Spain, a walled moorish town. Ferry takes 1 hour plus, fast-jet 40 minutes plus, both go to Tangier (Tangiers). Tangier's town centre, casbah, etc is only a ten minute walk from the port. You can see plenty on a day-trip, no need to overnite there.

.

Prospects are that as you depart the ferry you'll be inundated with young adults seeking to be your guide - pick a good 'un who speaks decent english. He/she'll cost you peanuts (they make their money on commissions from shops, taxis etc) and will keep you safe & unmolested.

Alternatively, you can get a day-tour ticket for about the same money as the ferry fare, it includes:

Fast-jet return ticket

Coach travel around Tangier

An english-speaking guide (not multi-languages)

A decent Moroccan lunch

There are also a number of tour operators offering small-group travel & 1/2/3 day trips from either Algeciras or Tarifa.

Don't fancy touring in a group or with a guide? Round the casbah especially, you'll be glad you did :D

 

Lots to research, but I envy you :cool:

John Bull

 

Edit: Ooops, I missed Gibraltar!! Better make that nine days!!

Park at the border on the Spanish side (stax of street/underground parking) & walk across the border - saves silly-long lines.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I have spoken to two sets of very seasoned adventureous travelers in the past year who visited Morocco a place that I have been wanting to visit. Both said don't bother.

[John Bull]

I have spoken to two sets of very seasoned adventureous travelers in the past year who visited Morocco a place that I have been wanting to visit. Both said don't bother.

 

 

Hi, Rebecca-Louise (again)

I know exactly where they're coming from :D

Its all part of my suggestion of making it a day-trip from Spain. ;)

But I say "go" - not cos it's fun, but cos its an experience, helps build a picture of the world, helps understand places like Libya & Egypt. And so easy to build into a tour of Spain

Regards,

JB :)

[kicia]

Thank you very much for all of your help. I think we're going to try and do this.

 

The eight days does not include the time in Madrid and Barcelona, just the time in between. We were not planning on taking the car to Morocco but thought about spending the night. Now maybe we'll just make it a day trip. We've always wanted to go to Morocco and since we'll be so close we'd really like to do this.

 

The car has unlimited mileage and we've had car rentals in Europe before so we know about the difference in gas prices.

 

Again, thank you very much!

 

Linda

[kicia]

Sorry!

[John Bull]

On my last visit to Tangier, this was the fast-jet day-excursion that I used. €60 per person. I think the ferry fare by itself is only a couple of euros less!!

http://www.frs.es/en/excursions.html

The tour was more than adequate to see Tangier (my partner hadn't been before) but for time to visit the sea caves & other places, & mebbe a trial ride on a camel, you'd need a longer day - not available on the ferry company's inclusive package, but offered by other tour operators, or doing your own thing.

 

Overniting in Tangier isn't a problem if you use an international hotel, lots of Brits go for a week or more of cheap sunshine. But you'll not want to venture out alone in the evening, and you'll see all that's worth seeing in one day

JB