loves2sing

We will arrive in Bilbao at 9:30pm on a Sunday night (May 2012). We will have 4 full days (M-Th), plus Friday to drive (or take a bus) to Santander to fly out to Seville at 3pm. We would like to spend time in San Sebastian, as well as do some wine touring in the Haro/Laguardia area. I would like to at least spend one day wine touring, and then stay somewhere overnight in a small quaint town or countryside for the night, (if not two days/nights). Any ideas on how to best route this? A rental car is an option, but so is public transportation. Also, should we plan to stay overnight in Bilbao on our first night and head out to one of the locations in the morning, or should we just continue on that night by train, if that is even possible? Want to avoid any unnecessary hotel changes if possible. And if so, which location might be better to start with considering we will need to get ourselves to Santander at the end of our trip. Really confused about location logistics...and could use some advice.

kimhe

I would suggest Monday in Bilbao, two days/night in San Sebastián (direct bus in 70 mins), Thursday rent a car and go to close by, small and charming fishing village Getaria, fabulous restaurants in the harbour area. Drive to Santander on Friday.

About fabulous San Sebastián in New York Times recently. Great time of year to go. I can give you tons of tips, my second home town: http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/08/07...tin-spain.html

Perhaps stay here in Getaria?
http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/saia...hotela.en.html

Had the meal of my life so far in one of the restaurants in the harbour in Getaria back in 1996. Was something like this: http://thepauperedchef.com/2007/12/elkano-in-getar.html

loves2sing

I think Bilbao is too much city for us so we'd like to get moving to somewhere else without too much delay. Do you know if trains run in the late evening to either Getaria or San Sebastian? Or maybe just early morning? We really prefer meandering through charming seaside or countryside towns, wine, food, etc., over larger cities...not so much into museums or architecture. My daughter will be graduating Le Cordon Bleu culinary school the morning of our evening departure and we're looking forward to sending home lots of cell phone pics of our food to her

Getaria looks wonderful! But are you suggesting we skip the wine areas and just spend time at the coast? Our other destinations on our trip will be the Andalusia area, Alicante and Valencia. We really want to explore the wine areas, if only for a couple of days, and might even want to take a drive to Palencia. I know it's probably not on the typical list of places to visit, but it is my husbands "original" surname.

Short story: when my husbands ancestors came to America and were rushed through the immigration line, they gave their name as Palencia but the immigration guy heard Valencia and he was pleased just to be in America so he went with it...so for a few generations they have all been Valencia's....which is why we are also spending our last couple of days in Valencia, to stock up on souvenirs to bring back

My husband prefers not to drive at night in places he doesn't know, so the idea of renting a car after we leave San Sebastian would work, and we might even enjoy the drive to Santander if its a nice drive, especially since it's in the morning.

Aduchamp1

That is a lot of moving around for such a trip.

It is also a seven hour drive from Sevilla to Valencia and an 8 hour train ride.

I suggest using some Internet map and looking at the distances. And please note Spain often does not have more than four lanes between some northern cities.

yorkshire

I would go to San Sebastian first because there is a direct bus from the airport--could not be easier! However, I just saw you are arriving at 9:30 pm. The bus should still be running (check schedule at http://www.pesa.net/pesa/public_home/ctrl_home.php), but it depends on if you want to arrive that late. Like all of Spain, dinner is late, but Sundays are more quiet, even in SS.

It will also likely be too late to take a bus to Laguardia. It is not a long drive, but like you I do not feel comfortable driving at night in unfamiliar surroundings after a flight.

The other bus company is http://apli.bizkaia.net/apps/danok/t...html?Idioma=ES.

The train company is http://www.euskotren.es/eu/euskotren (plus some renfe trains, and then when you go west, the train is http://www.feve.es/es/. I know, it's confusing!

It is hard to recommend leaving SS at all with only 5 nights. You can definitely do a day trip to Getaria. It is actually a wine area, but for txakoli, the effervescent white wine you will be drinking in pincho bars.

However, you just don't have time to do it all. If Palencia and Laguardia are your priority, I would consider saving San Sebastian and the Basque coast for a future trip, and do a loop from Bilbao to Laguardia to Palencia to Santander.

loves2sing

I do realize its a lot of moving, and have looked at maps, but we're good with at least (2 days/2 nights) in each area for this leg of the trip. With (4 days/5 nights) in this area we would like to spend a couple nights at the coast, and a couple nights in the wine areas. We enjoy driving around during the day. My question is more about HOW to get from place to place, as in best mode of transportation...bus, train, car, to maximize time.

From there we will be flying down to Seville for 6 nights before flying again to Alicante/Valencia for 5 nights.

From everything I can find, it seems the buses out of Bilbao stop running around 10pm...at least on Sunday, and since our flight gets in at 9:30pm, it looks like we'll have to spend the night in Bilbao (or taxi to somewhere really close by?) and leave in the morning. Oh well, it will have to do unless someone has a better idea?

loves2sing

Thanks for all the links <b>yorkshire</b>! I will check them out.

yorkshire

Your welcome--and good luck! Let us know how you sort it out.
Viamichelin or Google maps may help with looking at driving routes as well.

mikelg

You may want to take a look at my blog as a local on the area, www.blogseitb.us/basquetourism. Bilbao is a very convenient, doable town, and unexpectedly beautiful, I wouldn´t miss it. Nearby, the Hanging Bridge (www.puentecolgante.com), a much unknown Unesco World Heritage Monument, and beautiful Getxo.

Car is the best option...roads are excellent and well signed.

loves2sing

"<i>Car is the best option...roads are excellent and well signed.</i>"

Good to know, thanks Mike!

yorkshire

ugh--You're welcome! Sorry, had to correct myself, was rushing.

loves2sing

Amazing...I didn't even notice it and normally I am the Grammar Gestapo

Guess I was rushing too...

kimhe

The direct bus from Bilbao airport to San Sebastián leaves 9.45, 10.45 and 11.45 on Sunday nights. Takes some 70 minutes. http://www.pesa.net/pesa/documentos/...recto_Loiu.pdf

loves2sing

Really?.......that's great! The only thing I could find was one leaving at 10pm, and then noticed if I looked the next day it showed one leaving at 1:15am, but that would leave us sitting there tired after a flight from California for a few hours waiting. So this is great to know!! Thanks so much!!

kimhe

The bus leaves from right in front of the main exit at the Bilbao airport, you buy tickets on the bus (15.70€). I don't think they take credit cards.

Egbert

I would spend all 5 nights in San Sebastian. Take a day trip to Getaria for a wonderfu lunch or spend a night in Lekeitio on the way to Santander.