Help with itinerary for Northern Spain

Old Aug 23rd, 2003, 11:19 AM
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Help with itinerary for Northern Spain

I am planning a 2 week trip for next Easter. I have already been to Madrid and its environs, Toledo, Segovia, Avila and Andalucia and want to go north. I have tentatively set up the following route: Arrive in Madrid in the early afternoon. stay overnight near the airport and drive the next day to Salamanca for 2 nights. Onto Leon for 2 nights, visiting Zamora en route. From there to Santillana del Mar visiting the Picos de Europa, staying 2 nights and going thru Santander, stopping in Bilbao to visit the Guggenheim and then 2 nights in San Sebastian. From there drive to Pamplona for a short visit, and then spend the night in Zaragoza. From there to the monastery in Montserrat and the rest of the time in Barcelona where we get our flight back to Mexico City. Does Zaragoza merit more than a few hours? I hate staying in hotels just for 1 night, too much unpacking and packing up again. That is why I would like to visit some small places, arrive in the late afternoon at our hotels and stay 2 nights. I want to reserve the paradors as soon as possible since it is Easter week and they fill up quickly. I would greatly appreciate any recommendations.
Thanks
Barbara
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Old Aug 23rd, 2003, 12:20 PM
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Maira
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It does seems like a lot of paking/unpacking but it is a good list of cities and a doable itinerary. Are you planning to drive all the route? Good idea, if you are. What about Santiago de Compostela? If anything, I would urge you to stop at Santiago. Well worth it.
 
Old Aug 24th, 2003, 01:09 AM
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I agree with Maira: 2004 is a Jubilee Year for Santiago so it should be very nice for Easter.
When you're in the vicinity of Santillana del mar be sure to visit Comillas - there are some nice things to see there: The Archbishop's Palace, the Seminary and Gaudi's Caprichos.

I'm not sure if the Parador at Fuente De will be open - LaPalomera buses don't run there until after May 1. But Potes is definitely worth a stop. Be prepared for a 'white knuckle' drive thru the gorge of the rio Deva.

Zaragoza's Cathedral, la Virgen del Pilar, merits a visit - some of the frescos were painted by a young Goya. Are you going to Fuendetodos (i.e., Francisco de Goya's birthplace)?
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Old Aug 24th, 2003, 07:41 AM
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I agree with Maira and NED that Santiago during Xacobeo '04 would be special, but adding yet another region to your already huge itinerary just wouldn't be doable in only 2 weeks. You will have Castile's very finest Easter Week celebrations in Salamanca and Zamora-plenty of pageantry and solemnity there.

The vast amount of ground to be covered here would require all 1 nighters and a break neck speed. It would also require an enormous amount of driving, up to Spain's northwestern coast and all the way over to the northeast coast with so many stops along the way, and they're all worthy, plus many more.
With Santiago, it would include the 3 great cities of Castilla-León plus the regions of Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, Navarra, Aragón and Catalunya.

Because Spain is such a large country, we attempt to hit only 3 regions at a time so that we have a chance really to soak up the flavor of each (they're all so completely different) and explore them in depth, with 2 night stays. A perfect 2 week trip for us would be Castilla-León, Galicia, Asturias. period.

If you want to include as many paradors with magnificent settings as possible, something like this:
Madrid-1 night
Salamanca
Zamora Parador-2
Baiona Parador-2 (magnificent)
Santiago Parador-2
Cangas Parador-2 (for Asturian coast)
Fuente De-2 (for Picos, open Easter!)
León-2
back to Madrid

or if you must return from BCN, then you could do the eastern side, Cantabria, País Vasco, Catalunya, but it would include fewer famous Holy Week celebrations, fewer paradors, more cities. On that route you do have Lerma (on way up from Madrid-brand new & stunning!), Santillana del Mar, Hondarribia (for S.S.) and Olite (on drive from Pamplona to Zaragoza).
And lively Barcelona, with so much fine art and architecture certainly merits 3 full nights at the end, as Catalunya is a whole different "country" of its own, as you know.

So for 14 nights, I would decide between either western or eastern Northern Spain and save the other for later.
Just some thoughts...


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Old Aug 24th, 2003, 09:31 AM
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Thanks for the input. We will be driving all the way and leaving the car in Barcelona. Santiago de Compostela is not an option on this trip because it is too far west. Any other suggestions are welcome.
Thanks
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Old Aug 24th, 2003, 11:09 AM
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We just spent a night in Salamanca, at the Salamanca Plaza Hotel: www.salamancaplaza.com
It is very nice, centrally located (just behind the Plaza Mayor), excellent HUGE breakfast, A/C, quite rooms, nice staff.
Definitely stay at the Parador in Leon, very beautiful hotel, and also excellent breakfasts. The rest of your itinerary sounds fine, have fun.
T
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