I absolutely loved our time in Barcelona last year (first trip) and am so looking forward to trip #2 there this year. That said, I would suggest you stick to your plan to stay in the Basque. Trying to see too much increases the likelihood that you move through the trip at a fast pace, without really experiencing the towns and cities you go to. Better to thoroughly enjoy one area than to barely scratch the surface of many.

So with all these wonderful ideas here are our options for our first visit to Spain:
Option one:
Fly into Hondaribbia spend two nights and rent a car
4 nights in San Sebastian
1 night in Bilbao
Fly from Bilbao to Madrid.
Not sure if this is doable with the time frame of flights to and from the US and the cost of flying within the country.


Option two:
Fly to Barcelona.
Spend 4 nights in Barcelona
Two nights in Girona visiting Figueres
One night back in Barcelona
Fly to US

Would it be warmer and less rainy in Catalonia? We would probably not need a car?

Any thoughts?

Either option works. It's just a matter of which area you prefer to visit. Neither of these areas are what most people think of when they envision Spain - they're quite unique.

Barcelona is great but not much compares to San Sebastian in the summer for me. Option one wins. Having said that, for a first trip to Spain in the beginning of June I would gamble and go to Seville and Granada and hope the temperatures stay reasonable. I would not go there in July or August though. That's when I would be in San Sebastian, if I were a rich man.

Definitely option 1 for me too. Would normally be fine and warm in San Sebastián in late May/early June. The occasional and hevy rainfall is part of the charm, everybody gathers under the arcades and in the bars.

14 past years statistics for two weeks in San Sebastián from late May. Highs 61-74°F. Average 6 hours sun pr. day. Rainfall (usually short and heavy showers) about every second day. Usually lots of people on the beaches.

http://www.wetteronline.de/Spanien/SanSebastian.htm

One in 4 days is a beach day in San Sebastian they say.

Thanks everyone for your input. We have decided on option 2 for our first time to Spain. We realized that we didn't want to be driving around a lot on this vacation. Some other time. We are hoping that September 2012 we will travel to Andalusa with some friends and make it a longer trip rather than just seven days.
That being said here is our plan.
Fly into Barcelona
Day 1-4 Barcelona
Day 4 -5 Girona and Figuares
Day 6-7 Barcelona
Fly to US

We also thought of going to Cardeques on the coast for one day in lieu of two in Girona. We were thinking of renting a car in Girona for that day and then taking the train back to Barcelona.

Any thoughts about this add on to the trip?