I'm renting a VW Golf in Pamplona (our base due to a conference) and driving up to San Sebastian and Hondarribia for an overnight trip. After being in Pamplona for a couple days (car will stay parked at the hotel) we're driving the car to Barcelona where we're dropping it off as soon as we arrive at the Avis at 193-195 C Corcega which isn't too far from our apt.

I've read older posts on driving in Spain and it sounds really difficult to navigate so I have a few questions. I don't know any Spanish so I'm nervously anticipating getting lost for hours...

1. I plan on purchasing the Michelin Map #573, Pais Vasco, Rioja, Navarra as suggested by Maribel -- this will cover us for Pamplona-San Sebastian-Hondarribia? I guess we'll need to buy another map for the drive from Pamplona-Barcelona -- any suggestions?
2. What tolls should I expect -- is it better to have exact change or are all the tolls manned by people -- how many tolls should I expect from Pamplona-San Sebastian and Pamplona-Barcelona and roughly how much do the tolls cost?
3. Is there a restaurant/road stop we can eat at on the way to Barcelona or should we just wait until we get to Barcelona to avoid leaving our luggage in the car? There will be 4 of us in the car for this part and we'd have to bring our carry on bags with us since I'm sure it won't all fit in the trunk. Is this a nice drive to Barcelona or will we want to just blow through and get to the city as soon as possible? We'll be driving into Barcelona on a Sunday afternoon/evening.

Thanks for any advice you might have -- I'll also search old trip reports to see if I can find any detailed accounts of these two drives.

go to www.mappy.com to find out all your itienrary and toll questions.

avoid arriving barcelona sunday afternoon.

Thanks for the reference.

Is there any consensus that these are detailed enough driving directions? Are the regional Michelins maps more than I need if I'm only driving to San Sebastian and Barcelona?

frankly, unless you are planning to make the barcelona trip stopping at quaint towns and touring, why not get rid of the car and take train or bus?
certainly would alleviate your concerns.

ther is a train with first class at 12.30 arriving in barcelona at 7.22.

42 euros/person.
if you order ahead of time, yo may get eh tabel for four which is nice for playing cards. you can book 60 days in advance, which i recommend.

2nd class is 32 euros .
but first class should include drinks and a meal.worth the extra IMHO. plus, in most stations there is a free VIP lounge where you wait before boarding with snakcs and drinks and t.v. , internet, etc.

this will obviously also solve the HEAVY bumper to bumper traffic you will encounter if you return to the barcelona area on a sunday after 4 pm.

if you decide to drive, it would be a shame not to see some of the towns along the way, but this would put you into barcelona very late.

is that avis place open on SUNDAY p.m.?

thanks for the tips. I'd consider more leisurely driving on our way down but it depends on what time we leave Pamplona -- that's still to be coordinated with our friends although I'd be ready to go in the morning. We considered the train to Barcelona but 7 hours seemed so long and cost more than a car rental with 4 of us. If we should avoid coing into Barcelona fter 4 pm, what time would you suggest after that? Does it start to clear up by 9 pm?

(The avis has a drop-off box for the keys for after hours.)

maybe close after four is o.k. but getting towards 6 will be heavy until 9 or 10 at night in summer.

it is hard to say when it will clear up.. as sundays are bad returning everywhere.

the better the weather, the worse the traffic.

but anyway, since you are warned, you can judge accordingly and maybe be prepared with a side stop in case things get heavy.

have a good trip.
enjoy san sebastian. there is a hill , tip of mountain, with a lovely htoel/restaurant with great view.
can't think of the name, but everyone knows about it. worth the trip. (online it looks like it is now a Mercure hotel.. has changed names in many years i see).