Code on the Road: How to rent an Apartment in Spain (if you're a clueless American and don't speak Spanish!)

Code on the Road: How to rent an Apartment in Spain (if you're a clueless American and don't speak Spanish!)
I am researching Europe and in particular Italy, Spain, Greece, Norway, sweden and Denmark for a visit in June - August 2008. My grandson is graduating from high school and with his AA degree in June. He will be entering a 4-year institution of higher lerning and traveling will come to a halt as work will begin then, marriage, family, etc. He speaks a little Spanish and wants to visit Spain, Italy etc. and I have never been to those countries either. Our heritage is Norweigan and Swedish so would like to visit those countries during this 3-month period.

We will travel only by train pass. We would like to avoid hotels and stay with families, in apartments, bed and breadfast, etc.

So... Questions arise with train travel. The pass is straight forward but it appears reservations are required on trains in Spain? Accomodations have so far illuded me. We would like to keep costs to very reasonable so we can stay and see the counties over the full 3 months as a slow relaxed pace. We do not want to have to make reservations at accommodations nor trains. Is this possible??

Thank you for all who add their knowlege to our small packet at the moment.

Planning Stage

I am researching Europe and in particular Italy, Spain, Greece, Norway, sweden and Denmark for a visit in June - August 2008. My grandson is graduating from high school and with his AA degree in June. He will be entering a 4-year institution of higher lerning and traveling will come to a halt as work will begin then, marriage, family, etc. He speaks a little Spanish and wants to visit Spain, Italy etc. and I have never been to those countries either. Our heritage is Norweigan and Swedish so would like to visit those countries during this 3-month period.

We will travel only by train pass. We would like to avoid hotels and stay with families, in apartments, bed and breadfast, etc.

So... Questions arise with train travel. The pass is straight forward but it appears reservations are required on trains in Spain? Accomodations have so far illuded me. We would like to keep costs to very reasonable so we can stay and see the counties over the full 3 months as a slow relaxed pace. We do not want to have to make reservations at accommodations nor trains. Is this possible??

Thank you for all who add their knowlege to our small packet at the moment.