Any comments regarding the neighborhood of Barrio De Las Tetras/Huertas for us to find a hotel?

I use to stay in either Hotel Plaza Mayor or Hostal Persal, both are great value and fine hotel standard (AC, tv, wifi, private btah, 24h desk, breakfast). First Choice is Persal. http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/persalmadrid.en-gb.html

Still looking for some help out there.

I have selected two hotels that seem to fit our needs: Hotel Urban and ME Madrid .

Both of these hotels appear to be in good locations within walking distance of the museums, restaurants and night life.

Please let me have your feedback as I would like to make our reservations asap.

Thanks again!

Hundreds of guest reviews of the two hotels. Urban gets the best score, both have great roof top terraces: http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/urbanmadrid.en-gb.html
http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/meli...ria.en-gb.html

In Barcelona, I recommend plain fantastic, medieval and modern Hotel Neri, right in the heart of the city but still very tranquile down a hidden alley. Stayed here a couple of years ago, our best hotel experience ever:
https://www.relaischateaux.com/us/sp...luna-barcelona
http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/nerihr.en-gb.html

In San Sebastian, you should take a look at the new attic suites at Hotel Londres or Hotel Maria Cristina, one of the absolute finest in the country: https://www.hlondres.com/en/accommodation/attic
http://www.hotel-mariacristina.com/en

Good Morning Kimhe ( for me)

Thank you for your continued support and suggestions! I decided ( and booked) the ME Melia Madrid.

I will look into the Hotel Neri , Hotels Londres and Maria Cristina for both Barcelona and San Sebastian.

I always look at our trips as a puzzle and putting all of the pieces together. Here's the next piece to figure out and it has multiple components:

My wife and I are due to leave Madrid on Sunday, April 17th and head towards Bilbao/San Sebastian for 5 days and then onto Barcelona for 4 days.

We want to see the El Rastro ( at least part of it) before we leave on that Sunday.

I was considering renting a car in Madrid and dropping it off in San Sebastian before we leave for Barcelona either by air or train. If I do this we wouldn't arrive in Bilbao until the evening leaving us only the balance of the evening, the next day and the following morning to see Bilbao before driving to San Sebastian.

Does this make sense to you? Am I correct in going to Bilbao first and leaving from SS to go to Barcelona? Is the Rastro worth seeing for a few hours? How difficult is to have a car in SS ( thinking of driving to Biarritz or nearby towns)?

Thanks again!

No, the Rastro is not worth wasting a few hours on unless you're a real junk collector. Better to get on the road earlier.

Sounds like a fine but perhaps a bit exhausting Sunday, and Rastro is a love or hate thing. Bilbao first and then on to San Sebastian also sounds good.

Not difficult to have a car in San Sebastian, some 10 underground parking houses all around the compact centre of town, but it can be a bit expensive as most of them charge 25€/day. Many of the hotels have got special deals though, and the Txofre parking in the Gros district - 10-15 mins walking from the Parte vieja/Old town is about half the price. http://parkingtxofre.es/en/
http://www.sansebastianturismo.com/e...wher-do-i-park

When it comes to nearby towns, I highly recommend small fishing village Getaria just west of San Sebastian. Several fantastic fish and seafood restaurants, had the lunch of my life here in 1996, something like this (and this is exactly the way they still do it): http://www.thepauperedchef.com/2007/...-in-getar.html

...and the old and beautiful capital Tolosa, just inland from San Sebastian. Here you'll find two of the best steak restaurants in the country, Casa Nicolas and Casa Julian. Had a great lunch in Casa Julian a couple of months ago, and you'll get an idea in the start of this fabulous documentary about food in the Basque Country: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOaLtnbKOos

Getaria: http://www.euskoguide.com/places-bas...taria-tourism/
Tolosa: http://www.euskoguide.com/places-bas...olosa-tourism/

One Michelin star Elkano in Getaria (Juan Sebastian Elcano - the first to circumnavigate the world - was from Getaria): http://www.andyhayler.com/restaurant/elkano

Thanks Bedar for your input.

kimhe: Any suggestions whether or not I should drive from SS to Barcelona or fly? Actually the Bilbao airport offers more flights than SS. If we do fly would you suggest driving first to SS from Madrid dropping the car off in SS ( after our visit) and taking the bus to Bilbao ( spending 2 days) and then flying to Barcelona?

Sorry for asking so many questions.

Has anyone ever stayed at the Aparthotel Arai in the Gotic? Wonderful reviews on TripAdvisor.

Bilbao is a big international airport and the San Sebastian airport in Hondarribia is tiny. I use to take the bus directly from San Sebastian to the Bilbao airport to fly out (75 mins).

Aparthotel Arai looks great, and top reviews on booking.com from people who have actually stayed there: http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/arai...ent.en-gb.html

kimhe: Continued appreciation for all of your help!

I booked the Aparthotel Arai hotel in Barcelona.

I am considering renting a car in Madrid on April 17th ( departure day) and drive first to San Sebastian for 3 nights holding onto to the car for any day trips we may consider.

On April 20th we will drive to Bilbao ( stay for 2 nights) and then fly to Barcelona from Bilbao early on the 22nd. I would return the car rental on the 21st so we can get to the Guggenheim Museum on the 20th as it will be closed on Thursday the 21st.

Questions:
1. Which location is the most convenient to pickup our car rental in Madrid from our hotel the Hotel Melia: Atocha Office or Chamartin Railway station or Airport?

2. Which location in Bilbao is the most convenient to drop off our car rental? Airport or Bilbao RR office on PZA Circularo or 56 Licenciado Poza?

3. There is a flight out of Bilbao to Barcelona @ 9:00 AM on the 22nd. What time would be best for us leave for the airport ( don't have hotel yet in Bilbao) and would probably take a taxi there.

Thanks again

I have now booked the following hotels

Madrid: ME Melia
Barcelona: Aparthotel Arai
San Sebastian: Hotel De Londres Y De Inglaterra (Attic Terrace room)
Bilbao: Hotel Miro

Additionally, I have booked a flight out of Bilbao to Barcelona on Vueling.

I still have to rent a car and I have been searching for tickets to the FC Barcelona game on April 24. Although there are seats available there aren't any 2 seats together. Any suggestions?

"I am considering renting a car in Madrid on April 17th ( departure day) and drive first to San Sebastian"

I'm surprised you aren't flying.

Re: your questions about car rental locations -- have you looked at google maps?

Thanks kja!

Always appreciative of your comments and suggestions. While we will not have a car in either Madrid and Barcelona we decided that we wanted a car for a few days while traveling north. It gives us the flexibility to stop at Burgos for lunch, taking photos along the way to San Sebastian ( my wife loves doing this), taking a side trip to perhaps Biarritz, driving leisurely from San Sebastian to Bilbao and perhaps check out a village/town on our way.

Haven't been on the forum for a bit and have made the following decisions:

1. Will pass up El Rastro in favor of getting an early start on the road to San Sebastian with a stopover in Burgos.

2. Day trip to Toledo rather than Segovia.

3. Will attend a flamenco performance at Casa Patas in Madrid and possibly at Palau Dalmases in Barcelona.

4. Day trip to Montserrat.

5. Our sons bought us tickets to a soccer match in Barcelona: FC Barcelona vs Sporting de Gijon.

Since we visited Barcelona two years ago and visited most of the major sights we are looking for " off the beaten path sights" to see and experience here.

Also interested in local guides or walking tours in Madrid, San Sebastian, Bilbao, Barcelona, Toledo that you may suggest.

We love live music venues and interested in local bars, venues where we could listen to almost any style of music.

Thanks!

Re: Barcelona -- without knowing what YOU considered to be "the major sights," what you actually saw, or your interests beyond some limited information, I can't begin to suggest what to add. If it helps, you can find information about what I did in my trip report. Maybe I visited something that you haven't yet seen and that would be of interest.

At the risk of being repetitive, I again suggest they you look at the Michelin Green Guide or the Rough Guide, each of which offers a wealth of information about your options -- and each of which is quite inexpensive in comparison to the cost of your trip.

The only local guide / walking tour I took in these parts of Spain was a pintxos tour in San Sebastian / Donostia, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was San Sebastian Food's "Pintxo Hunting" tour:
http://www.sansebastianfood.com/en/f...pintxo-hunting.

If you like live music in almost any style and are going to Monserrat, consider timing it to attend a performance of the boy's choir (L'Escolania).

I'm sure you'll have a great time!

We will be leaving Madrid early on a Sunday and plan to drive first to Burgos stopping for some sightseeing and lunch. Then we are on our way to San Sebastian for 3 days/nights.

Since I have learned that Sunday and Monday many restaurants may be closed and I want to reserve at Casa Urola would it be best to reserve there on Sunday or Monday evening or does it not make a difference?

Also at what time do most locals eat dinner?

A few questions regarding attending a performance at Casa Patas in Madrid:

Is it better to attend a late performance during the week 10:30 ( Wednesday or Thursday) or a weekend time at 8:00?

Should we eat at Casa Patas before the show?

I would appreciate restaurant suggestions in Barcelona. Although we are staying in the Barri Gotic area it doesn't have to be there. Also interested in places that offer vegetarian options for my wife.

All set to leave Tuesday on our trip!

Sending a big thank you for all of your suggestions.