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Northern Spain vs Portugal, where spend more time ?

Northern Spain vs Portugal, where spend more time ?

Old Jan 19th, 2017, 08:31 AM
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Northern Spain vs Portugal, where spend more time ?

Hi !

We (2 adelts and 2 kids 5 and 9) will arrive in Barcelona july 13 and fly back home (Montreal) from Lisbon august 6 so we have 24 nights. We plan to stay 4-5 nights in barcelona, 2-3 Porto and 3-4 in Lisbon. That plan leaves us with 12-15 nights for the rest of our trip.

- We still try to figure train or car. If we get a car we sould have to drop it in Spain before getting one in portugal
- We love to spend at least 2 nights at the same place
- We love small villages from which we could do daytrip (if we have a car !)
- We're not very beach inclined, but can spend a day or 2 there.

Thanks !
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Old Jan 19th, 2017, 08:44 AM
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From Barcelona head to San Sebastian on the cooler north coast. Then drive through Cantabria( Ribadesella, Llanes,) and Asturias to Galicia( Santiago de Compostela, O Gove, Baiona.) Larger but consider Oviedo and Leon en route.
Drop car in Vigo, driver to Porto. It was much less expensive for us to have our hotel get a driver to transport us over the border than arranging it online before we left home. Pick up rental car as you leave Porto. There is a train, but with four people and luggage a car would be easier. Portugal is filled with charming towns between Porto and Lisbon.
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Old Jan 19th, 2017, 09:33 AM
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Thnaks for that suggestion. your plan seems good, but we are trying to figure how much time to spend in those places. Taking a train is not a problement for us, we have done it last year in Germany.
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Old Jan 19th, 2017, 05:44 PM
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You might find some useful information in my trip report covering Barcelona and parts of northern Spain:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-catalunya.cfm

Hope that helps!
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Old Jan 20th, 2017, 12:34 AM
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see the answers you have got on other forums too.
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Old Jan 20th, 2017, 02:55 AM
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<We love small villages from which we could do daytrip>

Then Tolosa and Getaria would be two ideal bases for touring the amazing Basque Country. Both are known for fantastic restaurants (steaks and the famous Alubias in Tolosa and out of this world seafood in Getaria).

Tolosa: http://www.euskoguide.com/places-bas...olosa-tourism/
Getaria: http://www.euskoguide.com/places-bas...taria-tourism/
The region: https://tourism.euskadi.eus/en/

Food in Getaria: http://mimofood.com/blog/2014/08/get...taste-and-sea/
Food in Tolosa: http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolm.../#1f57906e51de
http://www.renoirguides.com/single-p...SA-CASA-JULIAN

Llanes in Asturias, perfect as a base for going into the beautiful Picos de Europa: http://en.llanes.com/
The Picos: https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2...northern-spain
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Old Jan 20th, 2017, 05:44 AM
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KJA: Thnaks for that link, I will read it with attention. Of course you were travelling solo for 29 days in that region,which is not our case, but there must be something usefull for us in your post !

Kimhe: thanks a lot for those recommandations. Tolosa and getaria seems really nice. We would chose only one of those places since we doNt want to spend all our time in northern Spain.

So for now we plan. Barcelona- Zaragoza- Tolosa (or Getaria)....we need something more in The west spart since we are heading In Porto after that !
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Old Jan 20th, 2017, 06:57 AM
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Perhaps take a look at A Coruña, heard many nice things about this medium sized city on the Galician coast: https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2...h-food-culture
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/c...icia/la-coruna
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Old Jan 20th, 2017, 08:23 PM
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A Coruna is tough nut to crack, and rather out of the way, and it sort of falls between two stools as a working commercial port and cheap weekend holiday destination. There are slivers of interesting neighborhoods and good food, but none of the impressive history and art sights of a town like Leon or Burgos and it doesn't have the dramatic scenery of the Atlantic coast if you are looking to stick to the coast (which would make it a much longer drive to Porto). I've never been to Valladolid, but it looks interesting to me.

http://www.tourspain.org/valladolid/
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Old Jan 20th, 2017, 08:30 PM
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Kimhe, I usually agree with you but A Coruna is a bit of a snooze. It may be good for a second or third trip to Galicia, but not the first.
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Old Jan 22nd, 2017, 06:43 AM
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We dont have a definitive route but we want to see Zaragozza, and maybe Lugo. We alo want to skip San Sebastian (that place is very very expensive, and with kids we wont enjoy fully the Pintxo scene). For now the idea could be to take the autoroute from Saragossa to Bilbao, stay on the coast from Bilbao to Gijon, from Gijon go to Leon, then go to Lugo (see Ponferrada in route) and then go to Santigo de compostella. From there go To Vigo and drop the car. Whta we have to figure is where to sleep in that road, wehre to stop, and which aalce deserve more of our time.

We know that this is not ideal and that we could stay 3 weeks without getting bored in that region, but our 2 goals for that trip where Barcelone and Portugal, everything between is a bonus
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Old Jan 22nd, 2017, 02:14 PM
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I really enjoyed Lugo, although I didn't travel there with children, but I think they will be impressed by the huge walls and ancient feel. I would recommend Pontevedra instead of Vigo if you are looking for a stop before dropping off your car, or a beautiful town on coast. (There are many.)

Is there any way you can economize to make it possible to go San Sebastian? It's exceptionally beautiful and children are very welcome at the pinxtos bars -- which can be an easier way to feed kids at a decent hour than Spain's exceptionally late dinner hour. Your 5 & 9 year old might really have fun at the goofy tiny kiddie park that is in San Sebastian. And of course there is great beachgoing. If you rent an apartment without a sea view, could you possibily afford it?
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Old Jan 22nd, 2017, 07:38 PM
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I spent time in many of the places mentioned above in 2013. I did a pictorial TR. Maybe you would find it helpful to see the pics. If you view the individual pics, you will see the captions that I added on many of them. Each location is noted on the first pic of that location. The first pic is a map of my route out of and back into Madrid.

Have a great trip and have fun planning!

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...n-pictures.cfm
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