amer_can

If you are renting a car and have little or no experience in doing so in Europe here is a suggestion.. take pictures of the scratches, dents, chips etc. This will confirm the condition when you nturn the car in..No one has ever seemed to be interested to come out and look when we have turned cars in in Barcelona, Marsaille, and Lisbon on recent trips. The last car was a mess but the girl at the desk said don't worry about it when I told her I was taking pictures..We have heard from a friend that you should worry as they were nicked for repairs on things that were not theirs. I believe they are still in trying to get this sorted out. We have rented Eurocar often.. All was ok but as i said a word to the wise!!!Another tip is Paradors often have senior specials..Worth checking as Paradors are very nice places to stay..Have a great time..

Curiousaboutit

Each picture of San Sabastian shows a long boardwalk, no sunbathers on the sand, and no stairs opening onto the beach. Someone please explain where everyone swims or sunbath..Are the entrances to the beach under the boardwalk?
I am going to look into those hotels Kimhe suggested.
Has someone stayed at the new ROOMMATE EMMA IN BARCELONA?

kimhe

Lots of entrances down to the La Concha beach from the boardwalk, and it's absolutely full of people all day long sunbathing and swimming (when sunny). You will also see tens if not hundreds of older donostiarras walking back and forth along the waterfront for hours. No wonder life expectancy here is among the highest in the world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U09M...eature=related

kimhe

... and, even though La Concha beach is just fabulous and arguably one of the finest city beaches in Europe, I prefer the somewhat more quiet Ondarreta beach (in the western end/prolongation of the La Concha beach) or the Zurriola beach in the Gros district, just across the Urumea river and 5 mins walking from the Old town.

Ondarreta: http://www.aspainattraction.com/spai...-ondarreta.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLvNCd8Ve5s

Zurriola: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ7R0uzI1Jw

And early June is an excellent time of year to go, warm weather and some time before the invation of the predominantly Spanish visitors.

Curiousaboutit

Thank you for the video clips. I am eager to show them to my husband tonight.

Curiousaboutit

Hello again. We have booked Madrid-RoomMate Laura 5 nights and wish input for the next several nights. We thought a drive up to Burgos and then Santander for few nights. Any thoughts here? We are open to suggestions for locations heading north from Madrid. Is one night in Bilbao enough? (Hotel Miro Bilbao)? Then village it in Bermeo or Lekeitio then on June 8 we are booked in at the Hotel NIza in San Sebastian until June 12. We hope to village it again on the slopes of the Pyrenees 1 night and then 5 nights at the Playa Sol in Cadaques. We have not booked the last 4 nights in Barcelona yet; have not learned from you best hotel or neighborhood. Also, would a night in Girona and 3 in Barcelona be a good idea? If so in which hotel. I have read Maribel's guide, I still would like your input.

Curiousaboutit

WOW finally our trip is taking form..
Madrid - RoomMate Laura 5 nights May 26-31
Nothing yet for Burgos
Waiting for Miro Bilbao to reply
Nothing yet for Bermeo or Lekeitio
San Sebastian - Hotel Niza 4 nights June8-12
Nothing yet en-route to Girona 1 night June 12
Girona/ Roses - Hotel Canyelles 4 nights June 13-18 www.hotelcanyelles.com/en/hotel-costabrava.php It is on the water, we have a terrace and Sea view, and is a sneeze away from El Bulli. We switched from Playa Sol in Cadaques.
Barcelona - Hotel Banys Oriental 4 nights JUne 18-22 with a balcony
I hope to book the "not yets" in the next day or two..then on to the task of car rental and restaurant bookings.
Thank you all for your thoughtful recommendations and patience while I worked to get a handle on Spain...which I must say is still entirely too flimsy; I shall read more. Thank you!

lyb

Hi,

I just stayed at Room Mate Mario in Madrid and really liked it, I dont' know how similar each Room Mate Hotel is, but the Mario was very modern and clean.

I posted some pictures of my the hotel and room as well as many other pictures of my trip...it's also a mini trip report.

http://www.lynnsview.com/Gallery/

I flew into Barcelona, spent 5 days, then the AVE train to Sevilla for 4 days (including the mid afternoon arrival), then train to Granada to see the Alhambra, absolutely amazing!, only stayed 2 nights in Granada, then again by train to Madrid for the 3 nights, during that time took a day trip to Toledo.

I understand your trying to get a handle on Spain, I also felt that way and read as much as I could, spent many nights on the computer researching before I went and planned where to spend my time.

Have a great trip, and hope you post pictures and a report when you come back....I love to see travel pictures.

Curiousaboutit

Thank you Lyb for your very inviting pictures.
I hope you have more suggestions

Our itinerary has one hole...June 12-13 from San Sebastian to Roses..we were told to drive on the France side of the Pyrenees and to spend the night in Toulouse. We spent several days there last year; part of our 5 weeks to explore the Southwest of France. I would like more information to help guide my direction.

I finally have a sense of direction and pleasure in connecting locations; I doubted it would have taken form without all of your suggestions and some of strong ones at best..thank you. Car rental for 18 days..next focus. Restaurant bookings none yet and it seems so pretentious and I am learning it is a must.

Madrid - RoomMate Laura 5 nights May 26-31

Haro - Hotel Los Agustinos or TIrgo - Hotel Solar de Febrer 3 nights May 31 June 3

Bilbao - Hotel Miro 2 nights June3-5

Lekeitio - Hotel Metrokua 3 nights June 5-8

San Sebastian - Hotel Niza 4 nights June8-12


Nothing yet en-route to Roses 1 night June 12-13

Roses - Hotel Canyelles 4 nights June 13-18 www.hotelcanyelles.com/en/hotel-costabrava.php It is on the water, we have a terrace and Sea view, and is a sneeze away from El Bulli. We switched from Playa Sol in Cadaques.

Barcelona - Hotel Banys Oriental 4 nights June 18-22 with a balcony