Barcelona to Valencia Roadtrip

Hi everyone,

I am planning (actually puchased the plane tickets) a road trip for 7 days starting from Barcelona in July.
So I desperately need help on the following:

- I will hire a car so transportation is not a big problem.
- I want to stay in Barcelona at least 2 days.

Then I want to travel by the coastal line to Valencia.

- I am not very much into tourist action so I would rather stay on the off the beaten path and discover the real beauties of Spain!

Any suggestions regarding the places which I should visit on my vay to Valencia???

Or maybe I should totally forget about Valencia and go some place else??
(Madrid is not an option and I cannot afford any more plane tickets so I have to stick with the car)

Thank you in advance for your suggestions !

hi,
first thing to say that it's hard not to find yourself in tourists place travelling through the Mediterranean coast.
well, I can give you some information of places to go in my area. for example, sitges. you may already know it, yes I know it is a touristic place, but although it is known for it's night life, it is also a small village with lots of charming corners.
then, you can also leave the coast and get to know the vineyard regions of penedès and el priorat.
and in the south of catalonia, you can visit el delta de l'ebre.

and out of your route, I recommend you to visit the city of girona. it is over Barcelona (near the French boarder). all this zone is very beautiful, banyoles, olot, besalú, and the seaside villages (la costa brava).

you can have a look at all this places in the google earth and see the pictures (in the barcelona area there is also google street view) so you see if they are what you are looking for before going!!

anyway, whatever route you choose,Ii'm sure you'll enjoy it!

Post #2# narlie is so spot on. There is a toll road, the AP-7 (Auto Pista 7) and the N-340 (non-toll) that'll take you from Barcelona to Valencia. Leave Barcelona after breakfast (regardless of which of the 2 roads to choose - although, as you'll realise, the N-340 is free and the AP-7 certainly isn't) - and you'll be in Valencia by the afternoon. The N-340 will take you across roundabouts and through a few towns, the AP-7 is motorway, dual carriageway, freeway, highway (whatever you call it) all the way.
Valencia is a big city (population around 900,000). Up to you whether you do it or avoid it. Personally (and just my opinion), I'd look round for 3-4 hours and move on. It's a nightmare for traffic and parking.
To suggest a place to visit on the way down (such a short journey), for me it would have to be Deltebre - between Tarragona (N) and Vinaros (S). Just 10-15 minutes or so off the N-340. It's a lovely little, typically unspoilt, Spanish town on a beautiful river. There are excellent cafes - and an hour's walk round it will be a good insight into what the real Spain is all about.
Have a great trip.

[ Edit: Edited on 09-May-2009, at 11:11 by Redpaddy ]