Planning a trip to Northern Spain and Spanish/French Basque region

How wonderful, you are so soon off to another trip!! Your itinery sounds good. We spent only one night in Bilbao and visited one of the delightful coffee shops and the rounds of the tapas bar in the old part of town. The Guggenhein was our highlight. We drove only as far as Pamploma and decided for many reasos we preferred the French Basque over the Spanish so head to Saint'Jean-De-Luz. While visiting a church there, we found ourselves after a few minutes, at a wedding(in St. Remy,the same thing happened except it was a funeral!)We sought out Ciboure for a makeshift fisherman's shack restaurant(adjacent to the port of St.-Jean-(I think it's closed on Mondays) noted for it's fresh fish from the Gulf of Biscay.

Thanks Mimi:

I intend to spend my life either ON a trip, RECOVERING from a trip or PLANNING a trip

I will travel to Bilboa to see the museum, for certain. I am not certain about Pamplona as I think will be in the area during the bull-running festival and I don't want to see that

I think you have stayed in or know some of the Basque hotels I am considering. Can you comment?

regards Ger

Sounds good - we were just in St Jean de Luz a couple of weeks ago and had a delightful lunch at Cafe Theo - a block or so from the port - will find the address and post.

Mimi:

Can you comment on the possible choices for hotels in the Basque region? I am leaning towards Les Arces, a Mirabel recommendation (http://www.hotel-arce.com/indexanglais.html).

Also, I would like your thoughts on Bilboa. I really want to see the Guggenheim, from an architectural perspective. However, although I am passionate about modern architecture, I am not particularly interested in modern art. it leaves me very cold! In the city itself, what did you love?

Regards Ger

I did not like the show that was there at the time. Richard Serra's works leave me cold. Larry Poons Flower gigantic puppy was amusing as a big topiary to me. but Architectually, it was like, walking from the car, a few blocks away, coming upon a space ship that crashed. An excellant restaurant and bookshop. I bought a book on "peggy." We stayed at the Carlton and had a great time going to different tapas bars in th old section and we spent two days in French Basque at the wonderful hotel in Ainhoa.

Thank you Elizasbeth and Mimi.

I have had a response from the Ithurria in Ainhoa and I am trying to decide between it and Les Arces. Both are lovely, both have good food, both have great locations. Spoiled for choice Mimi, what did you think of the food at the Ithurria?

regards Ger

Hello again:

I have just less then two weeks to go before my trip. I have arranged the hotels and am now in the process of planning my driving tours. Here are the arrangements so far:

Thursday:
Pick up the car from Biarritz airport, take a leisurely drive to the Parador at Fuente De: (http://www.paradores-spain.com/spain/pfuentede.html). The drive takes over four hours straight, so I won't do too much, just a short tour around the parador. I may take the Funicular to up the mountain.

Friday:
A day of exploring; I am planning a drive westward along the coast for about two hours and then looping back through the mountain back to the Parador Fuente De.

Saturday:
A morning drive through the mountains and then make my way along the coast to the Parador Santillana del Mar http://www.paradores-spain.com/spain/psangilblas.html

Sunday:
Explore Santillana del Mar. Drive Eastward to St. Jean de Luz, stopping at Bilboa (just to see the Guggenheim) and Hondarribia along the way. Stay at Le Reserve (room with an ocean view) in St. Jean de Luz until Wedesday: http://www.hotel-lareserve.fr/

Monday:
Spend morning in BLS Language school in Biarritz taking private lessons. Spend the afternoon exploring Biarritz. Evening at St Jean de Luz.

Tuesday
Spend morning in BLS Language school in Biarritz taking private lessons. Spend the afternoon exploring Biarritz. Evening at St Jean de Luz.

Wednesday
Spend morning in BLS Language school in Biarritz taking private lessons. Spend the afternoon exploring St Jean de Luz. Move to Ainhoa for the remaining nights.

Thursday to Sunday:
Staying at Hôtel Ithurria in Ainhoa (half board), a Karen Brown and Mimi favorite (both have always steered me well ) http://www.ithurria.com/

I will spend Thursday to Sunday exploring the Basque region, on both sides of the border. I am off to buy 'The Collected Traveler Northern Spain (love that series) for information). I am bringing "The world According to the Basques" with me.

So, any more suggestions? Look forward to your responses.

Regards Ger

We really enjoyed our dinner of traditional Basque specialties at Irrintzina (5, rue St-Jean) in St-Jean-de-Luz.

I can't believe that you're heading to Fuente De without stopping for lunch along the way. There are a number of great restaurants between Biarritz and Fuente De, including Zallo Berri in Gernika and Casa Nicolasa in San Sebastian-Donostia, to name just two of the dozens in both the Pays Basque and País Vasco. You'll be far more limited once you reach Fuente De.

There is also a lot more to see in Bilbo than the Guggenheim. You could easily spend several days there enjoying the city and the people. The same holds true for San Sebastian-Donostia.

Santander and Santillana del Mar are interesting, but not time consuming. If you're up for a decent drive on your return leg, then head out along the coast through Gernika and out past Laida, following the coastal route to Elantxobe, Lekeitio, Ondarroa, Zumaia and Getaria before heading for Hondarribia. this is considered to be the some of the most beautiful coast line in Europe.

One thing you might want to note when heading to Hondarribia. There has been a tremendous amount of road construction going on in and around the village and between Hondarribia and Irun. Keep an eye on the signage, especially at the old frontier/boarder.

And enjoy your trip.

Ger, enjoy your trip. Your Dordogne report was the most enjoyable one I've read. Sorry I couldn't get into the thread to tell you: I had to stay up late one night and went into all your albums of pictures. Wonderful! wonderful! I'm hoping there is some wisteria still in bloom the first week of May if I make it there.

Robert: Thank you so much for your advice, I truly appreciate it as I am now planning my "drives". Yesterday, I picked up the Cadogan guides for Northern Spain and the Basque region, and have spent this afternoon reading them. There is SO much to see for such a short time!

Hopingtotravel: Thank you for your kind words and I hope the Dordogne is as wonderful for you as it was for me.

regards Ger

Robert: Thank you so much for your advice, I truly appreciate it as I am now planning my "drives". Yesterday, I picked up the Cadogan guides for Northern Spain and the Basque region, and have spent this afternoon reading them. There is SO much to see in such a short time!

Hopingtotravel: Thank you for your kind words and I hope the Dordogne is as wonderful for you as it was for me.

regards Ger

We'll be in the Basque Country for a couple of weeks after the fiesta in Pamplona, continuing to explore both the Pays Basque and País Vasco. You're right. There is a lot to see and do and we always enjoy spending what time we can after the fiesta. There is a new hotel on the coast near Laida that looks interesting. We'll be staying there for a couple of nights, and of course there are also several restaurants on our list to check out this trip. Two weeks is never enough time in the Basque Country.

Enjoy your trip, but don't overdo it. You can always go back, time and again.

i TOO AM PLANNING A TRIP TO NORTHERN SPAIN IN EARLY OCTOBER. i WILL BE LANDING AT CDG AND THAN I HAVE TO TAKE A BUS TO ORLY IN ORDER TO GET A PLANE TO BIARRITZ. aRE YOU DOING THE SAME, OR IS THERE ANOTHER WAY.

Avoid wearing any Spains Flag T shirts or similars when traveling in basque territory.