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Day Trips from Donostia-San Sebastian and Barcelona

Day Trips from Donostia-San Sebastian and Barcelona

Old Mar 30th, 2016, 07:56 PM
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Day Trips from Donostia-San Sebastian and Barcelona

I'm looking for some suggestions on day trips around Donostia-San Sebastian and Barcelona in July. We will be spending about 5 days in each of those cities but would like to venture in some other directions (and maybe see a little bit of southern France?). We will have a car (I know, parking is a nightmare in those cities but we already have that arranged) and wouldn't mind driving around 2 hours either way from those two locations. We would rather see small cities or rural villages as we will be staying in larger metropolitan areas during most of our trip this summer. I've looked through some guidebooks, and also some online resources but I would love to get opinions from others on this forum. (On the Barcelona side, we've been thinking about Carcassone. But would also like to know about some great little places on the Costa Brava. But we are sort of stumped on the Donostia-San Sebastian side.) Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
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Old Mar 30th, 2016, 09:19 PM
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First and foremost, I encourage you to spend some time with the Michelin Green Guide to the area -- invaluable info!

Beyond that, it really depends on YOUR interests. For comparison, as you can learn from my recent trip report (just click on my screen name to find it) -- I thought 5 days a minimum for Barcelona itself (not counting day trips) and found 2 days in San Sebastian as much time as I was willing to spend there (not counting time in surrounding towns). I enjoyed both -- its just that the opportunities to see and do things that interested ME were dramatically different in these two locations. Seriously, it REALLY depends on what YOU want to see and do!

Good luck!
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Old Mar 31st, 2016, 12:08 AM
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Beattoes:

I will suggest:

From Barcelona one day trip is Gerona and Figueres, Figueres has an important Dali Museum, with an adjacent museum of jewelry designed dy Dali.

Another option is Montserrat, beautiful church placed in outstanding geography.

And Barcelona itself deserves at least four full days.

From San Sebastian, a lovely day trip is Bilbao, with its Guggenheim Museum, wich includes The Spider and The Puppy, to open air sculptures that will charm you.

I agree with Kja, to me 2 days are enough in San Sebastian.

Enjoy!
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Old Mar 31st, 2016, 09:30 AM
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Thank you kja and jlopez33 so much for getting back to me. We are traveling with our 4 children, all under 12 years old, and so we tend to get to a place and then stay there for 4 or 5 days and also only do about one museum or other similar visit a day. The rest of the time we just settle in to the place we are staying and enjoy where we are. So the Donostia-San Sebastian stay might seem a bit long for others, but I think it will work well for us.

So for the Donostia-San Sebastian time, we had planned to go into Bilbao for a day, and we plan to spend some time on La Concha, we have also thought about Pamplona, as we will be there during the time of their most famous festival, but we would love to drive somewhere in France (again, around a 2 hour-drive max) and maybe explore a little village around there. I'm not sure if anyone has any suggestions?

While in Barcelona we will also just do one touristy visit a day, and then just enjoy the living in Barcelona for that week. We had planned to go to Montserrat and the Dali museum in Figures. We are really looking forward to both of those. Does anyone have any recommendations for a beautiful little beach on that coast? We would like to spend a day at a beach, but not the one there in Barcelona. Any other little towns or villages in the surrounding areas also would be something that we would be interested in.

Kja, I read over your trip report and it sounds like you had a wonderful time! We, of course, won't quite be able to keep the pace you did with kids, but it was a lovely report.

Thanks again
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Old Mar 31st, 2016, 12:06 PM
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Have you read Maribl's Guide to the País Vasco? It should help with planning your day-trips in the Basque Country.

Two days in Donostia-San Sebastián are never enough!
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Old Mar 31st, 2016, 06:28 PM
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Ah, NOW I understand your planned time in Donostia! I'm sure your children will enjoy the beach there.

Thanks for the kind words about my trip report -- I did, indeed, have a truly wonderful time -- but as you say, my itinerary was not one that would suit you and your family. ;-)

Although I didn't spend any time on it's beach, the beach at Tossa del Mar looked very pleasant to me, and it should be within your 2 hour time frame.
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Old Mar 31st, 2016, 08:36 PM
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I loved Donostia, my kids 18 and 12 at that time and I stayed by the beach for 5 days. It's a busy town and if you stay close to the beach where the clubs are you won't be able to sleep well as the clubs are open up to 6 am, so basically the youngsters are making noise all night long. There is lots to do La Concha, the Fort, etc, lots of walking. Day trips as mentioned Bilbao, France - Biarritz. I wished we could go back. Barcelona there is tons to do.
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Old Mar 31st, 2016, 11:32 PM
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Plenty of day trip options to "small cities or rural villages" from fabulous San Sebastian, five days in July will fly. And by the way, there are loads of underground parking houses all around town, a bit expensive but very convenient and effective.

I use to walk along the coast to small and pictoresque Donibane/Pasajes San Juan, just over the Monte Ulia hill in the eastern part of town. Also includes a two minutes boat ride (runs every five mins or so). Takes you some 1,5 hours to walk, and frequent buses from/to San Sebastian. You drive here in 10-15 minutes. Several nice waterfront restaurants, Perfect for a lunch trip, walk there and take the bus home: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...e_Country.html
https://www.euroresidentes.com/euror...s/san-juan.htm

Coastal villages Getaria and Hondarribia are within some 30 mins drive and well worth a visit for numerous reasons. Have had fantastic lunches here, especially in Getaria, fish and seafood heaven:
Getaria: http://www.euskoguide.com/places-bas...taria-tourism/
Hondarribia: http://www.euskoguide.com/places-bas...ribia-tourism/

Go some 15 miles inland to the old, heavy and beautiful capital Tolosa. Perhaps visit the Saturday market: http://www.euskoguide.com/places-bas...olosa-tourism/

Perhaps also visit the witches in Zugarramurdi?: http://www.guiarepsol.com/en/tourism.../zugarramurdi/

I could go on and on about many more great day trip options, but here are some general info about the Basque country and the area around San Sebastian: http://tourism.euskadi.eus/en/

And Belle Epoque Donostia/San Sebastian is of course the main attraction in itself. The beaches, the food, the culture. July is full of events, and San Sebastian is also European Capital of Culture this year. http://www.euskoguide.com/places-bas...stian-tourism/

Perfect for children:
https://www.hlondres.com/en/concierg...-with-children
http://www.my-travelmonkey.com/san-s...hild-friendly/

San Sebastian is the food capital of Spain, if not all of Europe, and fun food city also for kids: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...ichelin-stars/

Nice video intro to the Basques from The Guardian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9Fw82uYw14

Donostia/San Sebastian, European Capital of Culture 2016: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRWCdjw1C8Q
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Old Mar 31st, 2016, 11:39 PM
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... and I see you will be in San Sebastian during the sanfermines in Pamplona. Could be a fun day trip, and plenty to do up here for families and kids (the fun fair, the parades, the gigantes and cabezudos, the concerts etc. etc., but be prepared for a very intense party atmosphere: http://www.my-travelmonkey.com/san-s...hild-friendly/
http://www.runningofthebulls.com/san...with-families/
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Old Apr 1st, 2016, 10:56 AM
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I could happily spend 5 days in Donostia in July and never leave. If you must, Getaria and Lekeitio are also beautiful much smaller beach towns with great food.
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Old Apr 2nd, 2016, 01:08 PM
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I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Pamplona last fall, but there is NO way I would plan to visit during the festival, especially with small kids in tow. As best I can tell it will be extremely overcrowded, and the crowds will be boozing and partying.

You could definitely visit the French Basque country - St. Jean Pied du Port, St. Jean de Luz, Bayonne and Biarritz. I preferred Biarritz to San Sebastian as a resort destination - see: https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...iful-biarritz/ And there are quite a few Barcelona posts there too.
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Old Apr 2nd, 2016, 07:26 PM
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Despite what some think, having no personal knowledge, and what some portray (ESPN, etc.), the fiesta in Pamplona is primarily a family affair, with most of the daily events designed for children and families. There are thousands of children in the city, and from the surrounding communities, who attend the fiesta on a daily basis, all dressed in white and red, the traditional festival colors.

Yes, there are a lot of drunks, visitors and locals alike (those under 20 years of age), during the opening days of the fiesta, but that is to be expected. After all it's the biggest celebration going on in July, and some people tend to get carried away, but we can deal with them.
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Old Apr 3rd, 2016, 06:22 AM
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The OP may find these threads interesting:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ice-needed.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...s-worth-it.cfm
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Old Apr 3rd, 2016, 07:48 AM
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Again, thanks so much for the input, all. I think Zugarramurdi looks like it would be an interesting little visit one day and just about an hour drive each way from Donostia. Also, thanks Robert2533 for the Maribl's Guide tip.

I think we will definitely have to go into Pamplona for a day (we just happen to be there during San Fermines--drunks and revelers aside, what a great experience for the kids to be there during that world-famous festival!) In one of the previous posts it mentioned that everyone will be in white and red...is that the case for all spectators also? Also, I looked at the official schedule for the 8th (the day we will likely be there) and it looks like there are many great activities going on throughout the day. Do you think we should definitely be there for the actual 8am bull run? And how difficult is it to actually get a vantage point where one can SEE the run? And finally, we will have a car. I'm assuming parking will be a nightmare? Will we have to park miles away? Thanks again everyone! Un beso.
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Old Apr 3rd, 2016, 08:30 AM
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<everyone will be in white and red...is that the case for all spectators also>

Nobody are spectators during los sanfermines ;-) and almost everyone dress in white and red, at least white shirt and red scarf. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLsSqMsp3uE

Be there at least an hour before the run to have a chance to see something. I've done it several times, but never with kids. People also rent balconies, but very expensive and hard to come by so late.

When we've had a car in Pamplona, we usually parked in the Taconera park, very close to everything, but we've used to come here some 3-4 days into the festival and it's now also some years ago. http://www.turismo.navarra.es/eng/or...so.aspx?o=3015

Parking during San Fermin: http://www.sanfermin.com/index.php/e.../donde-aparcar

How to see the run (balcony options etc), parking etc: http://www.turismo.navarra.es/eng/pr.../preguntas.htm
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Old Apr 3rd, 2016, 01:44 PM
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It's nearly impossible to see the encierro from the ground unless you arrive around 06:00 when the carpenters are putting up the barricades in the town hall square and between Telefonica and the entry to the bullring. If you can find an opening in the crowd, you'll have to hold on and not move until the encierro begins, otherwise you will loose your spot. The crowd in most places where there is a barricade will be 30 deep.

Since the 7th is a holiday in Navarra and the Basque Country, the 8th this year, a Friday, will be very busy, with at least 100,000 visitors a day, mostly from around Navarra and the Basque Country, crowding into the old city for the opening days of the fiesta and over the long weekend. If you want to see the run, then you should reserve a balcony spot. And yes, good ones are expensive since all of the available balconies are in private homes along the route and the owners that offer their balconies don't mind making a little extra cash to help pay for their upcoming holidays.

You'll also need lunch or dinner reservations if you want to enjoy a meal. All of Pamplona goes out for lunch during the fiesta and the busiest days are the 6th and 7th, as well as over the weekend. You can see a dining guide here: http://tinyurl.com/hnwb244

If you're not staying in the city, I would plan on arriving before 06:00. Parking in the garage at the bus station would probably be the easiest, if you arrive early enough. There's an App for parking in Pamplona: ParkPlona

And don't be shocked by the litter around the park and on the streets in the old quarter. The city does an amazing job of cleaning up each day.
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Old Apr 4th, 2016, 01:57 PM
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Robert2533 (or anyone else who has an opinion about this), the only days that would work for us to visit Pamplona and participate in San Fermin would be Friday the 8th or Saturday the 9th. I initially chose the 8th because I thought it would be a little less crowded that the weekend. But maybe it wouldn't make a difference? Any thoughts? We'd rather go for the less crowded day.

Also, I'm thinking that we may just skip the encierro, because it's likely that we won't be able to see it anyway. And also, the late evening activities look really great--10pm bull run for the kids and 11pm firework show. If we were there from 6am to 12am, our kids might rise in mutiny against us! Any thoughts on this one either? Is the encierro so great, and such an essential part of the experience, that we should focus on this part of the day trip? Thank you so much again everyone!
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Old Apr 4th, 2016, 04:20 PM
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Being there on Friday or Saturday won't make any difference, except that late in the morning of the 7th is when the Procession of San Fermin begins, which is one of the main events of the opening days of the fiesta. It continues throughout the afternoon, but most of Pamplona, those not following the procession, will be heading to lunch, between 2:30 and 4:00.

The bullfights begin at 6:00 pm each day and the fireworks are at 11:00 pm. The rest of the day is filled with music in all of the plazas (concerts, etc.) and other events. It's generally a very busy schedule - http://tinyurl.com/pf4laa9
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Old Apr 5th, 2016, 12:28 AM
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Don't think the encierro is essential, at least not for the kids, can be pretty scary to watch, especially if people gets badly hurt or even worse. And the first runs are usually the most dangerous because of the massive crowds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgTSRCbPovQ

San Fermin is much more than the encierro, go for the many other events and unbeatable, cordial atmosphere.
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