Topic Wiki

Barcelona
Links to Trip Reports: @Yehuda, Yehoshua, CGR
Kosher Restaurants: http://www.restaurantmaccabi.com/en/
Activities: Jewish Tours in Barcelona, http://www.urbancultours.com
http://www.barcelonadreaming.com/package/barcelona-jewish-tour/
Hotels:
Shabbos Tips: Stay at Hotel Condado it is about a 3 minute walk from the shul (local community), bear in mind there is no eruv, so you will need to either leave the room open or make some arrangement with the hotel, they do not offer keys (or have that option at all)
Public Transport options:
Guidebooks:
Other Tips: Jewish Community of Barcelona (Orthodox): http://www.cibonline.org; Go to the local shul and meet Rabbi Daniel Ashkenazi he is wonderful and quite helpful.

Madrid
Links to Trip Reports: @Yehuda, @Yehuda pics, Yehoshua, @zalc (Mini)., CGR
Kosher Restaurants: http://www.restaurantelaescudilla.com  https://www.pinatimadrid.com/  https://www.pizzeriarimmon.com/(teuda)
Activities: Toledo - a day trip from Madrid to see 2 old Shuls. Can hire a tour guide, Rabbi Hanoka (info@jewishtoledotour.com), which is not cheap, or can take a train on your own. 1 of the Shuls (El Transito) is closed on Mondays. @Yehuda went on a day when that Shul was closed, and the other Shul was really just an empty room and seemed like a Christian organization now runs the center. Without a tour guide, it was hard to get anything Jewish out of our trip (other than an antique store that had some Judaica). But, people who have taken the tour (discussed in the thread) have said it was great! Recommended to go with a tour or not go at all (and ensure to go on a day when both are open!). Report in the thread that the sometimes-closed Shul has audio headsets for use, so that would help. If going alone, you can research the Jewish places at the link HERE
Hotels:
Shabbos Tips: Chabad Site
Public Transport options: Uber works well, as does the subway if you speak Spanish.
Guidebooks:
Other Tips: Jewish Community of Madrid (Orthodox), http://www.cjmadrid.org

Malaga
Links to Trip Reports:
CGR
Kosher Restaurants:
Activities:
Hotels:
Shabbos Tips:
Public Transport options:
Guidebooks:
Other Tips: Comunidad Israelita de Malaga (Orthodox), http://www.cimalaga.es

Seville
Links to Trip Reports: @Yehuda, Yehoshua, CGR
Kosher Restaurants:
Activities: Jewish Tours in Sevilla/Cordoba, http://www.jewishsevilla.com
Hotels:
Shabbos Tips:
Public Transport options:
Guidebooks:
Other Tips: Comunidad Judia de Sevilla, synagoguesevilla@gmail.com

Gibraltar
Links to Trip Reports: Yehoshua
Kosher Restaurants: Amar's Bakery and Coffee shop, http://www.amarsbakery.com/
Activities:
Hotels:
Shabbos Tips:
Public Transport options:
Guidebooks:
Other Tips: Jewish Community of Gibraltar, http://www.jewishgibraltar.com

Mallorca
Links to Trip Reports:
CGR
Kosher Restaurants: Their is not - one restaurant serve felafel it's own by an israeli but no hechsher
Activities:
Hotels:
Shabbos Tips: The Shul its open on Friday night
Public Transport options:
Guidebooks:
Other Tips:
 
4500 IB Avios from anywhere to anywhere in the country
Best way to get around anywhere in this country is by scooter. It is safer driving them there since they outnumber cars by great proportions.
« Last edited by cgr on September 04, 2023, 09:01:01 PM »

Author Topic: Spain Master Thread  (Read 272082 times)

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #360 on: November 10, 2014, 01:23:30 AM »
We'll have two nights in BCN (getting in late the first night).

What is better for sightseeing and getting to/from the airport?

1) Staying at Le Meridien in Las Ramblas for 16k/night
2) Staying at 4 Points for 7k/night.

General Question: Is it better to stay closer to "town" in BCN and SVQ or is taking a bus in not really that bad?

When we were in Rome and Venice we stayed at the Westin and found it to be a bit of a walk to the Ghetto but a good location overall.

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #361 on: November 10, 2014, 06:56:23 AM »
We'll have two nights in BCN (getting in late the first night).

What is better for sightseeing and getting to/from the airport?

1) Staying at Le Meridien in Las Ramblas for 16k/night
2) Staying at 4 Points for 7k/night.

General Question: Is it better to stay closer to "town" in BCN and SVQ or is taking a bus in not really that bad?

When we were in Rome and Venice we stayed at the Westin and found it to be a bit of a walk to the Ghetto but a good location overall.
Jewish tour is near La Ramblas, Park Guell is a train ride from either hotel. Shul and (terrible) grocery are really far from 4P (and no good bus/train) but may not be too bad from La Ramblas with a train.

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #362 on: November 10, 2014, 11:18:44 AM »
Jewish tour is near La Ramblas, Park Guell is a train ride from either hotel. Shul and (terrible) grocery are really far from 4P (and no good bus/train) but may not be too bad from La Ramblas with a train.
Thanks. I don't think we'll end up buying anything from the grocery store there. If the shul is a train ride away either way I doubt I'd end up going.  Sounds like it's probably not worth the extra 9k/night for the Le Meridien (even though it's a nicer hotel and technically a better "deal" points wise).  :-\

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #363 on: November 10, 2014, 12:02:30 PM »
Now the question is the 4Points for 7k/night or
Silken Diagonal for AED275 (~$75)/night with the MS deal.

Hmmm.... :-\

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #364 on: November 11, 2014, 01:39:24 PM »
We'll be arriving in BCN on Tue night.

Does it make sense to fly BCN-SVQ on Wed night 9:35-11:25pm or Thu morning 9:15-11:05am? I'm thinking more in terms of ease of getting to the airport in BCN and to the hotel in SVQ. Any suggestions?

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #365 on: November 11, 2014, 02:32:26 PM »
We'll be arriving in BCN on Tue night.

Does it make sense to fly BCN-SVQ on Wed night 9:35-11:25pm or Thu morning 9:15-11:05am? I'm thinking more in terms of ease of getting to the airport in BCN and to the hotel in SVQ. Any suggestions?
Thursday morning will be early, but doable. You're probably going to cab from SVQ-hotel so arriving in the middle of the day shouldn't have too much traffic. Leaving Wednesday night doesn't really give you a full day in BCN, which may be annoying.

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #366 on: November 11, 2014, 02:33:45 PM »
Thursday morning will be early, but doable. You're probably going to cab from SVQ-hotel so arriving in the middle of the day shouldn't have too much traffic. Leaving Wednesday night doesn't really give you a full day in BCN, which may be annoying.
Thanks. I just wanted to make sure it was doable leaving BCN that early. Was the metro hard to the airport from the 4points?

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #367 on: November 11, 2014, 02:35:52 PM »
Thanks. I just wanted to make sure it was doable leaving BCN that early. Was the metro hard to the airport from the 4points?
Was about 15 minute walk which was okay with just the backpack and wheely carryon. I believe (see my TR) that it only goes to 1 terminal, so we had to take a shuttle at the airport to the right terminal, but I thought it was worth saving the taxi money.

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #368 on: November 11, 2014, 02:38:06 PM »
Was about 15 minute walk which was okay with just the backpack and wheely carryon. I believe (see my TR) that it only goes to 1 terminal, so we had to take a shuttle at the airport to the right terminal, but I thought it was worth saving the taxi money.
Right. I remember. It looks like it takes an hour, so if we need to be at the airport 2 hours before it looks like leaving at 6:00am. Yikes!

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #369 on: November 11, 2014, 02:51:08 PM »
Right. I remember. It looks like it takes an hour, so if we need to be at the airport 2 hours before it looks like leaving at 6:00am. Yikes!
Right. Or taxi...

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #370 on: November 11, 2014, 03:14:38 PM »
Right. Or taxi...
Urgh, maybe we'll have to, although I generally don't mind waking up early DW may not be too pleased.

Also, I just noticed UberPop is available in MAD & BCN for €1 base fare, €0.15/min + €0.65/km, min fare €3, making the trip only €16-23, better than a taxi.

Offline SamKey

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #371 on: November 12, 2014, 12:00:08 AM »
I didn't use the metro at all I was scared of getting pick-pocketed my friend had $100 stolen walking down la ramblas

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #372 on: November 12, 2014, 12:02:02 AM »
I didn't use the metro at all I was scared of getting pick-pocketed my friend had $100 stolen walking down la ramblas
What did you do? Walk and taxi? How long ago were you there?

Offline SamKey

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #373 on: November 12, 2014, 09:11:12 AM »
What did you do? Walk and taxi? How long ago were you there?
The best way to get around is definitely scooters. We were there for I believe 4 days only had scooters for one took the bus from the airport walked and taxi-ed the rest. There are tour buses with day passes that you can get on and off at any time and they cover the whole city

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #374 on: November 12, 2014, 09:30:42 AM »
The best way to get around is definitely scooters. We were there for I believe 4 days only had scooters for one took the bus from the airport walked and taxi-ed the rest. There are tour buses with day passes that you can get on and off at any time and they cover the whole city
You can rent a scooter? Seems dangerous.

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #375 on: November 12, 2014, 11:46:00 AM »
You can rent a scooter? Seems dangerous.
It's more dangerous to drive a car than to drive a scooter there. 90% of the vehicles in that city are scooters

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #376 on: November 12, 2014, 11:49:37 AM »
It's more dangerous to drive a car than to drive a scooter there. 90% of the vehicles in that city are scooters
I felt that way in GIB, not in BCN.

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #377 on: November 12, 2014, 12:10:39 PM »
It's more dangerous to drive a car than to drive a scooter there. 90% of the vehicles in that city are scooters
I wouldn't be driving in BCN, just using public transit.

I felt that way in GIB, not in BCN.
I don't really have a choice about driving in GIB. Que será, será.

Offline moish

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #378 on: November 12, 2014, 12:16:55 PM »
it shouldnt be a problem to use public transportation

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Spain Master Thread
« Reply #379 on: November 12, 2014, 12:18:44 PM »
it shouldnt be a problem to use public transportation
But is it safe.

I didn't use the metro at all I was scared of getting pick-pocketed my friend had $100 stolen walking down la ramblas