Michael

My understanding is that el bulli is closing down, and even if it is not, booking a reservation is highly unlikely.

Curiousaboutit

Hi Michael, I have an e-mail poised to go to them on December 1. The Hotel manager where we are staying said he will be sending an e-mail or telephone call on our behalf at the same time. We are hopeful.
Today we are on the hunt for an interesting place to visit 3 nights-May 31-June 3 before our stay at the Miro Bilbao. Then 1 night June 12 between San Sebastian and Roses..we are hoping for something tiny and of course oozng history or charm.

Curiousaboutit

What are your Foderites ideas on a drive north from Madrid 3 nights into La Rioja region before Bilbao? I just realized I missed noting that choice.

CathyM

My first thought would be this is a great idea. However, I'm not sure how your itinerary has changed from the original post - what would you be sacrificing to add 3 nights in La Rioja? Would you mind giving us a brief update as to the places you plan to visit and how many days each? This would be critical for me to decide if I wanted to just add the 3 days to my current itinerary allowing for more daytrips and flexibility or La Rioja (for which I am biased for....).

Curiousaboutit

Okay..here is the newest itinerary

Madrid - Hotel RoomMate Laura - 5 nights May 26-31

Nothing yet for 3 nights May 31-June 3 (maybe La Rioja region..was going to be Burgos)

Bilbao - Hotel Miro Bilbao - 2 nights June 3-5

Lekeitio - Hotel Metrokua - 3 nights June 5-8

San Sebastian - Hotel Niza - 4 nights June 8-12

Nothing yet en-route to Roses 1 night June 12

Roses - Hotel Canyelles - 4 nights June 13-18

Barcelona - Hotel Banys Oriental - 4 nights June 18-22

CathyM

Well, if it's Burgos vs La Rioja it's probably a matter of personal taste. I love La Rioja and it certainly ties in well with you itinerary - only a 2 hour drive to Bilbao and Vitoria is a wonderful stop along the way. Maribel's guides are excellent for this area with all kinds of charming accomodations in this area.

Curiousaboutit

Thank you and I am "on it" right now. My sweet husband is searching small vineyards to settle into one of its villages while I read Maribel's guide and look into the Vitoria. "Talk" with you in a bit.

Curiousaboutit

Has anyone eaten at restaurant Can Fabes in Barcelona?

Curiousaboutit

Has anyone eaten in any of the "top 50" restaurants in Spain and would you recommend them for our celebration trip. Costs in some of those restaurants seem sky high .
Has anyone eaten in this award winner..El Celler de Can Roca in Girona?
We cannot afford to dine in all the options along our route..a select few will work. Suggestions.
It is most certainly not an essential to go "the" name brand restaurants..name snobs we are not yet truly wish to immerse out palate in scrumptiousness.

kimhe

Anyone of these restaurants would for sure be something quite special. I've only been to Arzak, it has been up there among the top 10 world restaurants for some 20 years which is quite unique. Juan Maria Arzak sort of started the "food revolution" in the Basque country and in Spain in the 1980's, and today the restaurant is run by his daugheter Elena, although Juan Maria is still very much there. I normally would prefer a "normal" restaurant to these gourmet places, there are some many fantastic options in especially the Basque Country and Cataluña, but both visits at Arzak has been truly memorable. Relatively casual.

Curiousaboutit

Hi, thank you for the info on Arzak. I shall attempt a booking. We just received a "no" for Saurday June 4 at asador etxebarri, which is the grilling restaurant south-east from Bilbao. They offered a Sunday lunch and that is the afternoon we drive to Lekeitio..just don't know if it is possible time wise..pooh! The e-mail I sent to Celler Can Roca in Giriona bounced back, calling is the next best. Egbert's list still is one closest to mine..

Akelarre (waiting until December)
Extebarri (luncheon available)
Zuberoa
Mugaritz
Martin Berasetegui
Elkano (for whole grilled rodaballo)
Arzak (e-mail failed-muat call directly)
Elkano

We still have not situated in La Rioja..Maribel's suggestions are simmering and I wonder if a guided winery tour is the way to go?

yestravel

We just did a trip similar to the one u r planning. We had fabulous meals just about everywhere we went. Some were the 5 *s and other we just popped into and were never disappointed. I think u will find fantastic food throughout the region. Have a great trip

Curiousaboutit

Thank you Yestravel. We are planning to e-mail or telephone more of the "hot" restaurants in the off chance we get to be celebrating our 35 anniversary where we have seen their creations and have salivated (from TV programs). We also watched "On the road" and told ourselves "we need to be there!" I could never have imagined the difficulty in booking a dinner. What a pressure for fun.

Curiousaboutit

We are booked into www.hotellosagustinos.com/index.php?idioma=eng In Haro. It seemed the most logical location to do the winery region touring. We are booked for 3 nights May 31-June 3 when we drive up to Bilbao (Miro hotel).

We still need a one night June 12-13 somewhere along the Pyrenees between San Sebastian and Roses. I look forward to suggestions. I have looked at the village of El Pont de Suert, it appears to be mid way.
I do not have a handle on the complexity of the drive and would like to know of your experiences.

We still do not have any dinner reservations!

JulieVikmanis

This is going to be some trip. Sorry I got here so late. Haven't stayed there but Hotel Los Agustinos in Haro looks lovely. You will love the Rioja area.

JulieVikmanis

Definitely go to Extebarri. We had a wonderful lunch there. No fanfare and folderol but fantastic food. We also enjoyed Can Fabes a great deal. But it's not in BCN proper, in St. Celoni a short train ride away.

I'm guessing that if you put your drive from San Sebastian to Roses into viamichelin, they'll route you through France rather than Spain since, though it's longer the roads appear way better/ Just did it and suspicions confirmed. So Toulouse is probably a good overnight between the two to break up the driving.

CathyM

Honestly I'd stay outside of Haro in one of the smaller more atmospheric villages (Abalos, Briones, Samaniego, Labastida, Laguardia, etc..). Los Agustinos is very nice but Haro isn't much of a town for sightseeing.

Don't miss a tour of the Bodega Lopez de Heredia in Haro. It's probably one of the best tours I've ever taken - very traditional and old school.

Another don't miss is the wine museum of Dinastia Vivanco in Briones.
http://www.dinastiavivanco.com/inicio.asp

Curiousaboutit

Hi JulieVikmanis, glad to hear from your point of view, a drive on the France side from San Sebastian might be swifter and we do LOVE France. We spent some time in Toulouse last year, loved it and had a fantastic meal. I will write the name later tonight.

What are the draw backs of driving on the Spain side?

Curiousaboutit

Please .. someone offer reason to drive on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees unless zipping from San Sebastian to Roses on the French side truly makes sense.

Our itinerary has one hole...June 12-13 from San Sebastian to Roses.. 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

TIrgo - Hotel Solar de Febrer 3 nights May 31 June 3 (6 miles from Haro-rioja region)

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

Michael

On the Spanish side of the Pyrenees, or relatively close is San Jaun de la Peña. Up in the Pyrennees is Taüll.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7623190654780/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7623190654780/

Rather than thinking doing the Spanish side of the Pyrenees, which you would do no more than the French Pyrenees because there are no straight east-west roads on either side, you could consider the plain south of the Pyrenees which towns like Tudela.