We get to drive a rental car all around northern Spain, ending up in Madrid to fly home. We certainly don't want to try to drive in Madrid, so we are trying to determine the best drop off location. Our first thought was the airport, but our last days before Madrid are in Segovia. (And we had a horrible experience returning a rental car to Heathrow--airports have so much going on.) Would it make sense to drop the car at the train station at Charmatin (if Auto Europe has a drop off point there)? Does anyone have a suggestion for dropping a care somewhere north of Madrid with public transportation to Madrid?

Coming from Segovia after an excursion in northern Spain, we've found it easy just to drive to the airport and drop off there. Since the way is all autoroutes, the airport is easier to reach for us than Chamartín, since going to Chamartín requires some heavy city traffic, which we want to avoid.

If your last days before Madrid are Segovia, you could drop off there upon arrival so long as you don't plan to tour around the Segovia province in your car while in Segovia the capital. (But you may want to keep that car to drive out to La Granja palace, up to Pedraza or over to Avila). You could save a couple of days on your rental. Then after your Segovia stay, you could take the high speed, 35 min. AVANT train into Madrid (Chamartín station), which costs 9,45 euros p.p.

It all depends on whether you want to make some day trips from your pre-Madrid Segovia base.

Thanks so much Maribel! I've just read your Segovia guide, and I now think that we'll take that northeast drive, staying one of our Segovia nights in Pedraza, before leaving the car at the airport. We want to avoid city driving, and so your local knowledge of the Chamartin stop helps.

We have 5 nights to spend in the Salamanca/Segovia/Avila area. We are very interested in University towns, and so we planned for 3 nights in Salamanca and 2 nights in Segovia (thinking that we would stop in Avila on the way). But you don't have a guide for Salamanca and your guide for Segovia makes it sound like we could spend the whole 5 nights touring around there. What do you think of Salamanca?

I love Salamanca and studied there myself in my late teens! I haven't finished my Salamanca guide yet-it's in the works. Since you're interested in university towns, you really shouldn't miss beautiful Salamanca, although you can see it well in just 2 nights. Then you could have 3 nights to explore Segovia, Pedraza, Avila, La Granja palace/gardens and the Duratón gorge (a stunningly, small Grand Canyon).

BTW, the drive from Pedraza to the airport on our last trip took only 1 hr. 20 minutes door to door. We used Autoeurope as our broker.

Excellent! Thanks so much. We are using Autoeurope too.

May I run by itinerary by you? Any thoughts you have would be so appreciated! We are traveling during the first two weeks of June this year.

We start in Santiago May 28-31,

Sunday morning we leave Santiago, driving to Leon for 2 nights

and then Santandar (or something nearby) for one night on our way to San Sebastian for 2 nights.

After San Sebastian, we'll drive to Burgos for 2 nights, and then Salamanca/Avila/Segovia for 5 nights--before stopping in Madrid for 4 nights (our plane leaves Tuesday the 16th of June at 6am!).

Santander would make a good stop on your way to San Sebastián. We'll be spending a week in the village of Liérganes, near Santander, the last week of June and will take day trips into Santander, which we really enjoy.

When we've spent nights in Santander itself in the summer, we've enjoyed being in the elegant, mansion filled Sardinero neighborhood for the gorgeous, expansive beach
(but c-o-l-d water!), but if you prefer to be downtown, the Puerto Chico area is attractive and quite lively and replete with tapas bars and restaurants.

Sadly, I just no longer enjoy spending the night in medieval Santillana del Mar because it's become so terribly, terribly touristy . Now it's best just for a stop and visit to the Colegiata.

Thanks so much!

It sounds like you have a lovely trip planned.

And I learn something wew about Maribel with every post.

Now we both studied at the same University!