kja

IIRC, it took a while for me to get a response from Erlexte -- the English-speaking owner is not always available to respond. But Los Parajes is well-located, so I'm sure it will prove to be a good option.

Remember that winery visits must be reserved in advance. And please learn to sip & spit!

kja

I just saw your post on a Yucatan thread -- following me again, David? ;-) You might find some useful information on this ancient thread:
http://www.fodors.com/community/mexi...m#last-comment
I'll look forward to hearing more from you as you develop your ideas!

kimhe

San Sebastián is something very special, and April is an excellent time of year to go here. Spring is coming, and the many summer vistors are a couple of months away. One of the most beautiful cities in Spain there it lies by the bay and below the three surrounding hills. http://www.euskoguide.com/places-bas...stian-tourism/

San Sebastián is the culinary capital of Spain if not all of Europe. And not only for all the Michelin star restaurants, but also for what you get at any place you happen to walk into: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...y-for-foodies/

I've been traveling almost all around Spain for thirty years, and San Sebastián is the place I always come back to. Here's a fine video intro to the 2016 European Capital of Culture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRWCdjw1C8Q&t=81s

And kja must have had an out of this world tour in Spain when she puts her couple of days in San Sebastián at the top of her "least favourite" list. In her TR from San Sebastián she wrote about "wonderful breakfast pintxos", "the spectacular El Peine de los Vientos", "stunning views", "wonderful meal", "absolutely delicious lunch", "the excellent Museo San Telmo", "interesting people" and "spectacular scenery".

Doesn't sound like an advice not to go here ;-)

thursdaysd

Ah, kimhe pushing San Sebastian again. It's a rare Spain thread where that doesn't happen. Sometimes I wonder whether she works for the SS Tourist Office. Her info may be excellent, but SS is not for everyone.

kja can speak for herself, but I am another who was not wowed by SS. In fact I left esrly and went to Pamplona instead, which turned out to be an inspired decision (although not relevant for MinnBeef's trip). Admittedly, I was there on an overcrowded and rainy weekend, but turns out its attractions don't really attract me.

I am no longer interested in beaches - not even tropical ones with beautiful blue water and palm trees. If I go to the coast I want something more interesting than a lot of sand, and somewhere to sit in comfort to look at it. (Biarritz wins hands down over SS.) Then, I don't go to places just for the food, although I do enjoy good food. But I prefer to enjoy it sitting down in a reasonably quiet room with heating or AC as appropriate, not fighting my way to a bar and eating standing up crushed in a crowd.

MinnBeef - do you have a particular reason for going to Fatima? Because as a tourist sight I would rate Batalha and Alcobaca much higher.

kimhe

Thanks thursdays for the compliment about providing excellent info. That's what I try to do, provide valauable info about my favourite places in Spain based on in depth knowledge from tons of visits and traveling over some thirty years. And that's what I try to do when I recommend Málaga, Nerja, Córdoba, Antequera (not that many visits, but some of the most unforgettable), Sevilla, Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, Pamplona etc.

Of course not for everyone, but every now and then, I hope I can give some good tips based on much and updated experience from the places I write about.

And Kim is still a male name here in Norway ;-)

danon

We spent 4 nights( a bit too long ) in SS in mid May a few years ago .
I found it a beautiful and interesting city.
Granted, the weather was sunny every day which probably made the difference.
( rainy days are a PITA in any city ,especially a small one ).

We are neither beach people nor foodies,
but SS was memorable.
Like Kim, we keep returning to glorious Spain - only for 10 years so far!

kja

I did, indeed, say all those things about my experiences in San Sebastian, but a lot of great moments don’t necessarily add up to love for a city. San Sebastian is my least favorite of the places I have included in my delightful (even "out of this world") travels through Spain. Viva la difference!

MinnBeef

Hi all. I've finalized my itinerary and regrettably, decided to leave out San Sebastian in favor of Porto. When I no longer have to be a corporate slave, I won't have to make these tough decisions, as well as won't have to get up at 6:15 without a good reason!

This is my final itinerary:

Arrive Madrid and book from the airport to Atocha to catch the first train to Toledo.

-2 nights Toledo
-3 nights in Sslamanca, stopping off in Avila along the way
-3 nights in La Rioja, basing in LaGuardia
-1 night Burgos
-2 nights Leon
-3 nights in Santiago de Compostela (with one day devoted to touring the Rias Baixas wine region)
-3 nights Porto
-4 nights Lisbon (stopping for a few hours in Fatima on the way down from Porto)

@thursdaysd: I like to spend a bit of time in Fatima as I am Catholic and of course am intrigued by the story of the shepherd children. I'm sure it's quite touristy but I've heard it's much less touristy than Lourdes. For me, it would be a shame to not stop for a few hours to see Fatima while on the way down to Lisbon. Even if I arrive in Lisbon by mid-evening, I'll still have 3 full days for Lisbon. (not enough, I'm sure, but back to that corporate slave thing...)

MinnBeef

@kja: Thank you for that link-I can't wait to check it out! Something about San Cristobal de las Casas is calling me almost as strongly as LaGuardia called me. But man, it seems awfully time consuming to get to from Riviera Maya, much less time consuming to get home from. Without it, I would plan for ~6 or 7 nights for Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Coba and Chichen Itza. IYHO, is it worth adding on 2 nights for San Cristobal which, considering travel time, wouldn't give me much more than one full day for the town?

thursdaysd

Looks good! Sympathies about the corporate wage slave thing. Not having to get up early and commute is a continuing pleasure of retirement.

Don't miss the da Vinci in Burgos cathedral.

Also, if you like port, don't just visit the port houses across the river in Porto, there is an atmospheric place in Lisbon with port by the glass - the Solar do Vinho do Porto.

IMDonehere

Here is a hotel in Santiago we like a lot.

https://www.booking.com/hotel/es/a-t...peregrino.html

thursdaysd

An alternative to a hotel in Salamanca - very central.

https://www.salamancasuitestudios.com/en/apartments

If you're not staying in the parador in Leon, this is where I stayed my first visit:

http://www.regialeon.com

kja

Your trip Spain should be great!

If I'm following, you are really giving Toledo only 1 day, then only a day or day and a half for Laguardia? I'm not sure how your timing in Burgos works out. Would you be leaving Laguardia in time to spend most of the day in Burgos or leaving for Leon late in the day or...? Of course, whatever you do for that transition has cascading effects for your other stops....

As for Mexico: I adored San Cristobal de las Casas and would urge you to consider giving it at least 3 nights (more than 2 days) -- IMO, a day would not do it justice. Note that you should be able to fly out of Tuxtla Guttierez. But if you go to San Cristobal, then I would think you would want to go to Palenque.... Maybe defer both until a different trip? As always, TOOoooo many options!

ekscrunchy

Parador en Leon is closing in October for a long while, for renovations.

kimhe

Looks like a great plan!

MinnBeef

@IMDonehere and thursdaysd: Thank you for those links. I will definitely check those out. I'm afraid the Parador in Leon will be closed when I am there (and I believe it said, closed until 2020) And thursdaysd, thank you for the tips on the da Vinci and port. I will definitely put them on my list!

@kja: I have been to Toledo once before, on my trip in 2015. I arrived early in the morning but still only had 24 hours. I saw a lot but felt like I shortchanged it. 2 nights here will give me another 1 1/2 days. It's a bummer that I'll be jet lagged that first day but one has to get through jet lag somewhere.

Not sure how you figure I'll only have a day or 1 1/2 days for LaGuardia/La Rioja. I have 3 nights there and so should arrive in Logrono on the train from Salamanca early in the afternoon. With renting a car at the Logrono station and the short drive to LaGuardia, that should leave me a good 2+ days to tour the region.

In general, my approach is to take the earliest train (within reason) on to my next destination but when that is not possible, then I adjust on the back end to take a slightly later train onto the destination after that. A lot depends on how much I'm enjoying the city, of course.

thursdaysd

Now you've settled on Lisbon you might find my rather old Lisbon TR useful - mostly still valid, I think.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ing-lisbon.cfm

Also, for my recent trip to northern Spain, start here for Leon, Burgos and Salamanca - links at the top of the page:

https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...n-got-popular/

kja

I had forgotten that you’d already been to Toledo, and somehow read 2, not 3, nights for Laguardia – sorry!

You are going to have a wonderfl time! I look forward to hearing about it.