CathyM

I'm frantically putting together the itinerary for my upcoming trip to Northern Spain. Leaving in less than 3 weeks (Sept 16th) and am just getting time to put this together. I'm a solo female traveler and I'm using public transport (car is not an option for me).

I have 2.5 weeks and here's what I came up with today:

Day 1-2 - Arrive Madrid, bus/train to Zamora. 2 nights at the parador. Possible daytrips to Toro, Tordesillas.

Day 3-4 - Travel to Ourense; daytrip to Ribadavia and Montforte de Lemos

Day 5-6 - Santiago de Compostela; visit Lugo on route from Ourense to SdeC.

Day 7-8 - A Coruna; daytrip to Betanzos and possibly Camarinas

Day 9-10 - Luarca; travel to Luarca on FEVE line commencing in Ferrol - visit Viviero en route as daytrip; daytrip to Cudillero from Luarca

Day 11-12 - Llanes; daytrips to Villaviciosa and Ribadasella

Day 13-14 - Cangis de Onis; 2 nights at the parador; daytrip to Covadanga

Day 15-16 - Leon; daytrip to Astorga and Cstillo de los Polvazares

Day 17 - return to Madrid; leave next am.

This seems like alot to me at first pass, but every night is a 2 night stay and there's not a substantial amount of distance between each city (other than the last and first days getting to Madrid).

I'm torn between spending the time in Ourense or Lugo but very much want to visit Ribadavia and this is very accessible from Ourense. I visited Galicia 2 years ago and spent time in Tui, Pontevedra, Cambados and Santiago de Compostela. I'd love to find a way to spend a night in Tui or Cambados but would have to cut a night somewhere else. I also could skip the 2 nights in Zamora, heading directly from Madrid to Ourense but it would be a long trip just after arriving in Spain and Zamora sounds like a beautiful place. I've visited Oviedo in the past and would love to find some time to get back there also! I spent 3 nights in Leon a couple of years ago (love this town) and really wanted to stay in Astorga this trip but I think the festival of San Frolan will be happening in Leon at the same time I am there and (1st weekend in October) and therefore I decided to do Astorga as a daytrip. I'm not quite sure if I'll really like Cangas de Onis but I've read so many good things about this area and the parador that I kept it on my itinerary. (I'm not a hiking person or nature type when it comes to vacations).

I'd love to get feedback on this first pass for my trip. I need to start booking hotels soon! Also, any help on hotels, particulary in Llanes and Luarca would be greatly appreciated.

Also, if anyone knows if there are luggage lockers in the train/bus stations in these towns it would be great feedback - Betanzos, Camarinos, Villaviciosa, Ribadesella, Cudillero, Ribadavia.


Thanks to everyone in advance for their assistance.

Robert2533

Sorry CathyM, but moving every two days is not much of a holiday, no matter how you look at it. Were is the time to relax and enjoy yourself. I would cut the number of moves back to one every three days, if not every four, and use the time in between for day trips without having to drag along your bags. I think you need to rethink your plan.

As far as making hotel reservations, I would contact someone would handles northern Spain who might be able to find you some good deals on such short notice.

Chatters

You mentioned that you are "frantically putting together the itinerary for my upcoming trip to Northern Spain" and frantic itinerary is actually a good way to described it. Way too much jumping around, I wondered why are you visiting a city every two days just to day trip from there , i.e. you are visiting Zamora for two days so that you can day trip to Toro and Tordesillas(?). I predict that at the end of the 2.5 weeks, memories of the 24 towns you are planning to visit are going to merge into one lump memory. Good luck in relying on Spain's public transportation in rural towns so that you can stay within itinerary. If I were you, I would slow down, extend stays at certain towns, and allow some buffer for unavoidable delays.

NEDSIRELAND

You left out a couple of my favorites that are daytrips from Santander (which you also left out): Santillana del mar (day tour goes to San Vicente de la Barquera and Comillas); another day tour from Santander to Liebana (Potes, its Capital) and los Picos de Europa.

If you do go to Potes, bring back some cheeses. My relatives in Madrid went bananas over the Quesos. Also, don't come back without at least one bottle of Orujo de Liebana. It's the stuff they burn in una Queimada.

I am 'into' religious stuff so I took FEVE from Santander to Limpias (Cristo de Limpias).

Last time I looked, FEVE (which is slow and expensive) terminated in Betanzos. I think Motorcoach is, in most cases a better option than FEVE: more frequent and faster.

CathyM

I've taken a quick breath today and revamped my original first pass. Now, here's what I've came up with:

Arrive in Madrid and fly directly to Santiago de Compostela (flight less than $100)

3 nights Santiago de Compostela - daytrip to Cambados

3 nights Montforte de Lemos (stay at parador depending on feedback) or Ourense - daytrips to Ribadavia and Ourense.

3 nights A Coruna - daytrip to Lugo enn route from Montforte de Lemos, daytrip to Betanzos, and possible daytrip to Camarinos

2 nights Luarca - I've read that the FEVE, although slow, is most beautiful on the stretch from Ferrol to Luarca - would love some first hand feedback. Can possibly make daytrip stopping in Viviero along the way for 5-8 hours and then go from Viviero to Luarca. Once in Luarca, daytrip to Cudillero.

3 nights Llanes - possible daytrips to Villaviciosa and Ribadasella.

2 nights Leon - daytrip to Astorga (spent 3 nights in Leon 2 years ago so this should be enough time)

1 night Madrid - final night

I had to remove the Picos de Europa portion of the trip and Zamora but I think this makes a more relaxing trip. Nedsireland - I didn't include Santander, Santilla, or San Vicente de la Barquera since I had visited all of these cities in the fall of 2002 and already had too many places to begin with!

I'd love some more feedback on this version in addition to hotels particularly in Luarca and Llanes.

Thanks again!

OReilly

Cathy:

I can't offer any advice: you are ending your trip where I started mine in July Just offering my best wishes for a pleasant holiday.

I plan to explore the eastern part of Northern Spain next year, so I look forward to your trip report.

Best regards Ger

cruiseluv

Cathy,

I just came back from Northern Spain in late July. We also did our trip totally using public transportation(ie. buses) which we found very comfortable and easy to use. We stayed 1 nite in Zamora and that was more than enough. The Parador is fine but I wouldn't stay there more than 1 nt. You can see the town in a couple of hrs. Don't miss the Holy Week museum where they have the floats that they bring out during Holy week. I'm not familiar with Toro or Tordesillas.
Whatever you do do not skip Cangas de Onis. I was there by myself and loved it!!!! I stayed at the Parador for 2 nts. and found it was very special. See if you can get room #113. Did Covadonga and the lakes of Enol and Ercina( I'm also not a hiking person but hiking around the lakes was very easy and beautiful. I was blessed with very good weather!). I did Leon in this trip also and stayed at the Parador( I also love that town!). In a previous trip I stayed 4 nts. at Parador in Santiago. Santiago is still my favorite but the Parador in Cangas is very special.
Have a great trip!!!!

cruiseluv

OOps! I just noticed after posting my reply that you have taken out Zamora and Picos. Zamora I wouldn't care too much but I'm sorry you took out Cangas, As I said before , it was the most special place I went to ( maybe after Salamanca) in my trip last month. We went to Salamanca, Zamora, Leon, Oviedo, Cangas, Santander and Bilbao. REgardless, I'm sure you'll have a great time. Please write a report when you come back, specially about Coruna since I'm planning to visit there next time.

Chatters

Cathy-- your revised itinerary looks DREAMY!!! Have a great time!!

CathyM

cruiseluv-
I really debated on whether to remove Cangas de Onis! But I think the only way I could add it back in would be to cut a day in Santiago (I spent 4 nights there in 2003) and another in probably Llanes. Do you think it would be worth it? I'm not too into the nature and hiking scene but everyone who visits this area seems be love it! Also, I've had a very stressful summer at work (traveling 75%) and would probably like to err on the side of being a little too leisurely than fast-paced. If not on this trip, I have a feeling I'll be visiting Cangis in the future as I loved Oviedo and couldn't fit it into this itinerary either!

I just need to nail this down quick so I can get the hotels! I've got hotels everywhere except A Coruna, Llanes and Luarca.

Thanks again to everyone. I think I was in a state of panic on Saturday when I made my first pass!

cruiseluv

Cathy,

I didn't visit LLanes and I wouldn't advise cutting 1 day from Santiago. I also stayed 4 days in Santiago in 2002 and whenever I go back I wouldn't want to stay less time than that. So leave your schedule the way it is and save Cangas for the next time. I'm also not into the nature thing but found myself enjoying it tremendously and wishing I could stay longer. I think next time I go I'll make it my base to visit Ribadesella and other points. I also liked Oviedo very much.

NEDSIRELAND

CathyM writes: "Arrive in Madrid and fly directly to Santiago de Compostela (flight less than $100)

3 nights Santiago de Compostela ... "

I did that in June. My Continental flight was scheduled to arrive at 9:25 and my SpanAir flight for Santiago was scheduled to depart at 11:25; so I had plenty of time: NOT! My flight from Newark arrived at 10:25! I had an E-ticket so I had to go all the way to the SpanAir Ticket counter in Terminal-3 to get a boarding pass, then back to Terminal-2 to get the flight. I walk with difficulty (and with a walking stick) so it was especially tough for me. I finally was able to convince the SpanAir agent to call the departure gate. They are not very helpful!

In case you are thinking that it's a language thing: all my communicating was in Castellano, which I speak very well.

If you are arriving from the U.S., be prepared for a long hike.

There's a Bus from Lavacola? airport to Santiago bus station that costs 1.30 Euro.

If you're in Santiago on the weekend, try to attend the 6:00 PM Mass at the Basilica Saturday. You'll see the Botafumeiro in action.

CathyM

Nedsireland-
Hopefully I won't have your bad luck with the flights! I actually arrived into Madrid and departed to Santiago back in 2002 with no problem. I have over 3 hours between flights so there's a little cushion. In my 6 prior trips to Spain I've never had a late flight - knock on wood. In either case, I always try to make the best of things (that's part of the adventure of travel!) and will have a back up plan (ie. train schedule) in my back pocket!

Thanks to all.

cruiseluv

CathyM,

Would love it if you would post a trip report!