tostaky

Hi !
We have 24 nights to spend in Spain + Portugal. Our main goal is Barcelona and Portugal. We already plan 5 nights in Barcelona ans we want to keep 13-14 nights for Portugal (our plane leave from Lisbon).

That leaves us with 5-6 nights for Northern Spain between Barcelona and Porto. The plan is to rent a car and drop it to Vigo and then take the bus from there to Porto. We know is not much but we see that part of our trip as a cool road trip that would give a us a glimpse of what northern Spain have to offer.

We thought about stop (and sleeping):

1) Zaragozza (in fact maybe take the train from barcelona to Zaragozza and rent the car there)
2) Santander (with a stop in San Sebastian for 2-3 hours)
3)Oviedo
4) Lugo
5) Pontevedra

Of cours we can work around this and since we have a car we could sleep in more rural places, outside towns and find cheaper places.

Any suggestions ? Thanks !

IMDonehere

What is interesting about your trip is that you are bypassing many places with much to see.

Vigo, is not a very pretty city. Lugo is worth a day at most. I like Santiago de Compostela a great deal and either the Rías Baixas or Rías Altas and the Costa d Morte

And I would spend much more time in San Sebastian/Donostia than Santander. Although Altamira Dos is nearby in Santillana del Mar.

And if I am reading your itinerary correctly, you are picking up and dropping off the rental car within Spain and not paying an exorbitant drop off fee in Oporto.

Have a great trip.

tostaky

Thanks for that answer !

Like i've said nothing is fixed. I gave you some psssible stops to give you an idea of the speed of our road trip. We dont plan to see or stay or Vigo. It would be the place were we drop the car and take the bus to Porto. Maybe we can sleep in Pontevedra then go for Vigo in the morning. There's a bus to Porto at 13:00 (or something like that).

If someone can show me places to sleep at good price with oparking for our car that would be great !

IMDonehere

Sorry, I have never spent the night in Vigo. For a day trip from Vigo you can visit one of the nicest beaches I have seen which can only be reached by ferry, Las Islas Cíes.

http://www.turismodevigo.org/en/cies-islands

sundriedtopepo

I can understand the urge to see N Spain, but you won't see much on highways with overnight stays IMO.

What I would do is go to Bilbao, do some day trips from there, fly to Portugal from Bilbao airport.

Two children in car for 5 days straight equals a miserable time for all.

kja

You might find some useful information in my trip report:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-catalunya.cfm

tostaky

Thanks for those answers (and the trip report kja!).

You gave to know that us snd our kids are very use to car travel since kids where born. We many time by years go to my girlfriend family which is at 6 hours drive.

10 hours drive in 5 Days is 2 hours by day...Not Much from our point of view. We know its not ideal , but like ive Said we ses it as a road trip that would allows us to take a glimpse of northern Spain.

If anyone could suggest us Night stops.....

kja

When searching booking.com for accommodations, you can limit your search to places that offer parking.

sundriedtopepo

Oh dear I think you have seriously underestimated the distance you want to cover. Try Via Michelin maps for distances and realize that times given don't take into account traffic, lunch stops, bathroom breaks, sightseeing opportunities etc.

San Sebastián is a city which is not car friendly and you would not be able to drive in, park, and actually see anything in several hours.

There are several small towns along the coast which would make pleasant overnight stops, such as CastroUrdiales, Comillas, Llanes. Also Ourense has free hot springs pools along the river, which the kids might enjoy for a couple hours. Just be sure to bring your own towels or rent, and swimsuits are mandatory ie no shorts or street wear.

kimhe

<San Sebastián is a city which is not car friendly and you would not be able to drive in, park, and actually see anything in several hours>

Quite the contrary, San Sebastián is very car-friendly with 16 underground parkings (11 of the parkings are super-central). The underground parkings are everywhere, and you can drive down in them from anywhere and be up in the city for whatever you want to do, see and or/eat in a few minutes. Remember, this is the food capital of Spain: http://www.euskoguide.com/places-bas...stian-tourism/

You have to pay though, but a five hours parking in the most central and expensive garages would only set you back 11,50€. Many hotels offer special deals where you pay some 10-15€ pr. 24 hours. https://www.donostia.eus/info/ciudad...3%A1neos&doc=D

sundriedtopepo

Kimhe however time could be better spent in this very rushed itinerary.

tostaky

We have 5-6 nights between Zaragozza and Vigo (car drop). We could avoid the northern coast so we could have a more direct route.

One other options (but costly one we guess) would be to take a plain from barcelomna to Porto, stay Porto 2-3 nights, rent a car and go in somes places western northern Spain for 3-4 nights and then head back to Portugal along the cost and end the trip in lisbon.

That way it would be

Barcelona 5 nights
Porto 3 nights
Western north Spain (4-5 nights)
Portugal (11-12 nights)

tostaky

Not a plain but , of course, a plane !

In fact the only things we have set formally know is our 5 nights in Barcelona and our flights tickets (arrival in Barcelona july 13 and leaving Lisbon august 6)

ribeirasacra

Hope you rent a decent car as you will be inside it many hours. No need to see the cities listed there is loads to do and see in the countryside. However what interests you? Spain and Portugal one can find good wine, food, walking routes, open spaces, small villages,Old churches, museums. Is there anything I have not listed that you are trying to find on your vacation?

kja

If you skip the coast, you could stop in Logrono or elsewhere in La Rioja, Burgos, Leon, and ... Sorry I don't know the area west of Leon.

And personally, I'd add a bit of time for day trips from Barcelona. Just an idea....

kimhe

@sundriedtopepo, I of course don't think time can be much better spent anytime than in San Sebastián ;-) But I see the point, they should perhaps go in a more direct route.

Perhaps fly from Barcelona to underrated A Coruña in 1h 45 mins and take it from there: http://www.express.co.uk/travel/beac...a-Coruna-Spain

tostaky

Ribeirasacra: In travel we love to found anything we dont have home, Food, some museums (that can be interresting for kids), Small old world villages....

We talk about another option last night what would you think about thos 2 options:

1) Take a flight from Barcelona to Santiago de compostella or La coruna and travel by train or bus from there for 4-5 days toward Porto. Is those places well covered by public transport ?


2) Take flight from Barcelona to Porto, stay Porto for 2-3 nights then rent a car to see Galicia for 4-5 nights then drive back into Portugal for the reste of the trip (7-10 days)

kimhe

As said, the A Coruña/La Coruña could be a very good idea, and as almost everywhere else in Spain, excellent public transportation. http://www.express.co.uk/travel/beac...a-Coruna-Spain http://www.tourspain.org/coruna/transport.asp

sundriedtopepo

Flying to A Coruna or Santiago dC sounds like a much better plan. I believe Vueling and or Ryanair go that route very reasonably priced. We found A Coruna very untouristed but interesting, and a nice location on the ocean. The seafood in Galicia is the freshest and best we have had anywhere. Be willing to try new things though.

I think it is essential for you to do some research though, and decide what interests you. The little fishing villages are nice, and ImDoneHere mentioned Rias Baixas, the Costa da Morte. There is also a boat tour up one of the rivers, can't think of the name right now, I'm sure Ribeirasacra knows what I'm talking about.

Galicia is cool, a world apart from the rest of Spain.

Aussiefolk

We came by train from Oporto to A Coruna, via Vigo, two days ago. Took about 4.5 comfortable hours. A Coruna seems to be Les touristy, has lots of historic buildings to visit and great long walks around the foreshore. We've loved it.