Honeymoon in Spain - Madrid/Costa del Sol/Seville?

Annie_Warbucks

We are looking to honeymoon in Spain, specifically 3-4 days in madrid, and then a week along the Costa del Sol (marbella area) and or Seville. 

I have never been to spain, so am a little overwhelmed with learning the best places to stay and visit. 

If anyone can offer any help it would be much appreciated! 

Specifically: 

1) What area to stay in Madrd. 

2) In the costa del sol area, I have read that Marbella is very quaint and has lots to do in terms of restaurants and shopping. Is this the truth? Or would you recommend another area? 

3) Seville seems beautiful. Is is worth working into our trip, or will Madrid and Marbella cover it? 

caramels03

Definitely take the time to visit Seville!  It is gorgeous (there is a beautiful cathedral there where Christopher Columbus is allegedly laid to rest) and very unique.  I really enjoyed my time there more than in Costa del Sol (which I felt was rather commercialized) and Madrid. 

chicagobride_07

We went a couple years ago to Marbella, Pamplona and Madrid.  When in Marbella, we also took day trips to Granada and Rhonda (beautiful town- you shouldn't miss it).  We ran out of time for Seville, but its on our list for the next trip.

I was not a big fan of the Marbella area.  At the time we went (July) it was overloaded with tourists.  Perhaps we just didn't visit the right areas.

phillychica85

Spain is a gorgeous country and a perfect spot for a romantic honeymoon!

Starting with Madrid, it really is a beautiful and elegant European city. As for neighborhoods to stay in, I would recommend anywhere that is within walking distance of the Prado Museum and Parque del Retiro as they are two true gems of the city. The neighborhood is called Alonso Martinez. There is also a really neat museum called the Thyssen that a lot of people aren't aware of but contains some real gems of some of the "masters." I'm not sure if you guys are into art or not but Madrid truly has some awesome art museums. When my dad came to visit me, we actually stayed at the Westin Palace. It was beyond gorgeous and luxurious. The Westins are part of the Starwood chain, so if you guys have any starwood points, it might be a really good deal. The hotel building dates from the early 1900s and it was such an experience to stay there. It was right across from the Prado and just such a perfect location. It was also within walking distance of the main train station (to other Spanish cities). 

The food in Madrid is really good, and it's quite popular to go on tapas crawl (like in Great Britain you do pub crawls). It's a great way to try as many different food items as possible. 

I didn't get to Marabella when I lived in Spain, although I went to many other cities nearby that were also along the Costa del Sol. I agree with other people that Marabella is hit or miss. Most areas along the Costa del Sol are inundated with tourists (tons of Brits, Germans, some Americans), and it's hard to capture the authentic Spanish experience there. If you guys want sun and fun on your honeymoon, then it's a nice spot. If it came down to choosing between Marabella and Seville, I would totally do Seville. It's so gorgeous and such a romantic spot for couples. Although Sevilla has a ton of tourists too, it still feels 100% Spanish. My suggestion would be to do Madrid and Seville and perhaps devote a daytrip to the coast for some beach time. Seville is very near to Cadiz. 

I think logistically, it would be much easier to do Madrid and Seville as there is the high speed train that runs between the two cities (it's called the AVE). The trip is only about 3 hours (double by bus/car). Marabella there would be train service of course but Spain's train system is not as good or up to speed as some other European countries so you would have to devote a bit more of your day to traveling. 

I could say a ton more on Spain, as I loved living in Seville. Feel free to message me if you have any more questions!

Have fun planning!

Annie_Warbucks

Thanks SO much for all the helpful advice! This is exactly the kind of info I was looking for! 

I did not know that about the high speed train between Madrid and Seville! That sounds so easy and convenient! 

We would really enjoy a beach area to relax at for a few days. If we don't hit up Marbella, is there another good beach area to recommend?

hippie4yahweh

I definitely second the advice to visit Cordoba and Granada (Alhambra is incredible)- also Toledo! The old side of Toledo is ridiculously gorgeous, I absolutely loved it. Really, to do the trip justice, Madrid to Seville should take a couple of days- but Alhambra can not be missed, if you make it a short trip, it's probably my favorite place on earth.

I've never been to Marbella, but I have visited Malaga- very touristy, but there's so much to do! Tons of interesting shopping, restaurants and bars, and the beach is fantastic- there's a boardwalk along the beach that's good for SO much people-watching!

Zenit hotels are super trendy but great-  we stayed at a Zenit in 2 different cities and loved it. And I repectfully disagree with PP about Madrid being just another big city. So many of the buildings are centuries old- which we of course don't see here in the states- there's great shopping, and tons of must-visit attractions. The Prado, Retiro Park & Crystal Palace (boy that was hard to type in English lol), the Royal Palace, I could go on and on and on. A tapas-crawl is a fantastic idea!!

HTH!

pandabear2010

I lived in Spain for a year and I'm going back for my honeymoon this fall. I'm excited to introduce my fiance to Spain. We're going to be in Madrid for the honeymoon and will spend a few days in Malaga, where I  used to live. Madrid has beautiful old buildings, great restaurants and a lot of excellent museums. Parque del Buen Retiro is very scenic. I recommend doing a tapas crawl there.  Another thing I'd request at any restaurant in Spain is to ask if they have a Menu del Dia, kind of a daily special, where you get a salad, entree, and dessert for a cheaper price than the regular menu. Most restuarants do.

If given the choice between Marbella and Seville, I'd choose Seville as it feels less touristy and has lots of wonderful architecture and history. Marbella is a touristy part of the Costa del Sol, and as far as  I know, doesn't have a train station.  but there are lovely areas less touristy areas on the Costa del Sol like the cliffs  of Ronda and  Malaga does have lovely beaches and old buildings. I enjoyed walking along the Paseo del Parque, which is a beautiful boardwalk lined with palm trees and flowers not far from the beach. I also completely agree with the person above who called the Alhambra in Granada one of her favorite places on earth. Really, it's hard to go wrong in Spain. Have fun!