North Coast of Spain...Santiago, La Coruna east to San Sebastian in 9 days?
 

2 Weeks away and finally getting back to planning this trip to visit daughter who is studying in La Coruna and see the north coast of Spain.. Would love feedback on this itinerary...

I have no idea if I've got too much here or not enough, We originally were going to try to include Barcellona and Madrid and have decided to take it easy and skip them. Might try to see a bit of Madrid before flying out. I've heard so much good about San Sebastian that I don't want to cheat ourselves out of that experience.

June 15th...into Santiago. at 12 noon. Staying one night at the Paradore de los reyes Catolicos. We'll tour around Santiago, visit the church of St James etc...on the 16th and take a bus or train in the evening to La Coruna.

June 16th night - June 18 morning. Stay in La Coruna at the Hotel Maycar as it is very close to my daughters apt. She would like to show us around her new world.

June 18th - morning...leave La Coruna via rental car and head to either Leon...spend the night and day then head up to Oviedo??? This is where I need some help. Does Leon made sense or should we just stay on the coast and not do Leon.

June 19 - 23...Santillana, Ribadesella, Mundaka...not sure which to stop or stay??? Bilbao for a night and day then to San Sebastian. We can leave San Sebastian either the 22 or 23rd...just need to be back at hotel close to airport evening of 23rd.

June 24...early morning flight from Madrid back to California.

Anyway...any thoughts on what to take out...leave in. And if anyone has recommendations for hotels/lodging in any of the places please send them my way.

Thanks!
Chan

Thank you to those who responded to my previous post. I thought it would be ok to creat a new one as so much of the info had changed.

Was it the cat again? :-)
I cannot see the difference between this itinerary and the one you posted on the May 31, 09 at 07:26 PM.

No cat this time. I had so much other info on the previous post that was old...from when I first started asking questions back in October that I thought I would make a new one with only my current questions. I hope I'm not breaking the rules by doing this :( !

Thanks!!

nope there are no rules only no adverts and no harassment. Hopefully you saw my reply to your last posting adding to the Oct. thread.

ChanB,

Just a few thoughts...

This seems to me quite an ambitious itinerary for 9 days.

Only 1 night alloted to Santiago doesn't give you much time really to get to know the city.

Within this frame, there isn't enough time for a drive from A Coruña down to León for a proper visit then back up to Oviedo.

I would just drive straight from A Coruña to Oviedo.
I'd skip the overnight in León on June 18 and do it in wonderful monument-filled Oviedo instead.

For your 4 nights on the Cantabrian coast, June 19, 20, 21, 22, did you plan to spend one of those in Bilbao (6/21) and just one (6/22) in San Sebastián before heading back down to Madrid to be near the airport for the night of June 23?

Are you o.k. with all of these one night stays in cities?
The trouble with the city one-nighters is that they don't allow much time to see the city well since lots of valuable touring time will be eaten up by finding your way to your city hotel, parking the car, checking in and out, packing/unpacking, etc.

If so, that leaves just 7/19-7/20 for seeing Ribadesella (Asturias) and Santillana del Mar (Cantabria). While they're both small, do you want two more one-nighters in a row?

You'll need to visit Mundaka, the surfers' town in the Urbaibai Biosphere Reserve, on your drive from Bilbao to San Sebastián on 7/22. It lies between the two. This will take away time from your final stay on the coast in San Sebastián.


It's a long drive from San Sebastián back down to Madrid. Did you plan to drive or fly?

Just my thoughts from having done all of the above many times.

Ribeirasacra...I appreciate your input and have taken notes using your advise. Thank you so much!

Maribel...how does this look to you? I would rather not spend only one night in most places. I would actually rather do 3 in San Sebastian...as I have heard it is such a wonderful place! We would really like to see Bilbao...does one night work and then head to San Sebastian? I would love advise on an itinerary that makes sense. I will go back to Spain again. This trip is to visit my daughter and see as much as we can in a somewhat relaxed fashion. I am a foodie and my husband is a surfer (but doesn't necessarily have to surf)...the kids are normal teanagers! Two of the kids are fluent in Spanish...if that matters.

June 15 - 16...one night in Santiago
June 16 - 18...in La Coruna (have to spend one full night and one full day for daughter to show us her home)
June 18...drive to Oviedo in the morning spend the day and night in Oviedo
June 19...drive along coast to Bilbao...stopping where along the way?
June 20...to San Sebastion
June 23...Drive to Madrid to arrive in time to go to bed.

How long a drive is it from San Sebastian to Madrid...It seems to be about 300 miles? It seems to be faster to drive than to take the train?

I'm wondering which towns warrant a stop and which are a must stay?

I am trying to find a nice hotel in San Sebastian that isn't too expensive. I've looked at the Hotel Londres y Inglaterra...which might be a little pricey as we'll need two rooms but if it is fabulous and worth the price I'll make it happen. Any other suggestions? I am ok with a small and quant family run hotel also.

Sorry for the many, many questions. I'm trying to put together an itinerary that makes sense.

Thanks you again,
Chan

Chan,
Plan on at least 4 1/2 hours from San Sebastián to a Madrid airport hotel. It's a distance of 444 km. The Alvia train actually takes longer.

Is there a particular reason you feel compelled to include Oviedo? I ask because it would be more of the relaxing trip you want if you didn't try to hit so many cities this time.
You could save the interior (Oviedo, León, Picos de Europa) for another Northern Spain journey.

I would drive from A Coruña on June 18 to Ribadeo at the Galicia-Asturias border, then along the COASTAL route.
Much of the autoroute is completed up there which makes the driving much nicer, smoother than it used to be.
That would give you the nights of June 18-19 to explore from a base, let's say somewhere between Villaviciosa and Ribadesella.

There are too many nice lodgings on the coast even to mention here. Just look at the collection of Casonas Asturianas, that come in all price ranges and ooze with local charm.

www.casonasasturianas.com

It sounds like San Sebastián is a keeper because of the beach and food (and it would be more fun for your teens). You could visit Bilbao on the way to San Se as a day trip.

If your husband doesn't plan to surf, you can skip the time-consuming trip on the Bilbao-SanSe drive up to tiny Mundaka just for a look. The Zurriola beach in San Sebastián is also a surfers' beach. I really think your kids would enjoy more time in San Sebastián than anywhere else.

For an alternative to the bay view rooms of the de Londres y de Inglaterra, which will be pricey, look at the new Astoria 7 if you don't mind being downtown rather than on the beach. The far less expensive Niza on the beach is probably fully booked by now, and since prices for the bay view and street view rooms are the same, they won't guarantee a bay view. The family owned Niza has a very loyal repeat clientele, so snagging a bay view room wouldn't be in the cards at this late date.

www.astoria7hotel.com

If you don't mind being near the Ondarreta beach (family friendly) rather than La Concha and if you don't mind a long-ish but beautiful sea promenade walk up to the lively Old Quarter for evening tapas (pintxos), look at the Hotel Codina, recently renovated.

www.hotelcodina.es

Thank you! This information is so helpful...exactly the guidance I need. I am taking it all in...looking at the hotel options and will let you know what I find out.

I emailed the Hotel Niza and they can take us the 20th-23rd. Based on the recommendatation here and the wonderful reviews of this hotel I think I will book it. Sounds like a great hotel in a great location.

Do you feel that stopping in Bilbao to look around and visit the Guggenheim is enough?

Thanks again,
Chan

I did the drive from SS to Madrid last Friday, I would highly recommend splitting the drive into 2 parts even though your time is short and you want to stop in many places. While 4.5 hours seems short, it is a tedious trek with a lot of winding roads as you are driving through the mountains half the way then through the valleys. The construction may end by the time you arrive, but the highway is currently rerouted about 80 kilometers north of Burgos and leads to a confusing unmarked detour that forces you towards Laguardia then to figure out a way to reroute yourself to get back on the highway to Madrid. There is also currently construction in SS and there are detours to get out of the city. Our total time driving was close to 6.5 hours when it was all said and done - this included dropping off the rental in Madrid and taking a cab to our hotel. If you stay at an airport hotel, you can probably shave 45-60 min off this.

If you want to make a stop, even if for a few hours to take a break, Lerma would be a nice choice and I think easier to pit-stop into and smaller than Burgos. Just my 2 cents.

As far as Bilbao, I thought it underrated, you could just stop and look around the museum and it will only take you a couple hours including walking around the area and checking out the bridge, but I thought the old town quite charming and if you are into food the price/value to service/quality/innovation ratio is quite high in the city.

Hope any of this is useful.

Very helpful...thank you! We are staying at the Hilton Madrid Airport hotel so we'll give ourselves 6 hours driving time from SS to Madrid...and add a couple of hours to stop and have lunch at see a bit of Lerma. I'm not worried about what time I get to Madrid as we just need to get to the hotel in time to get to bed at a decent time.

Thanks again!
Chan

Chan,
Ditto to what cherrybomb has told you about the construction and detours in and out of San Sebastián. That project will be ongoing for quite some time. Those detours do slow you down.

And Lerma is certainly a much easier "in and out" rest stop than Burgos.

I really think that with the short time you have to try to go from A Coruña at the far west to the far east in San Sebastián, practically at the French border, you just don't have the time for an overnight in Bilbao.

Perfect...I am feeling much better about the itinerary now. I've reserved the Paradore in Santiago 6/15, the Hotel Maycar in La Coruna 6/16 - 6/17 and the Niza in San Se for the 20 -23. Now I only have to worry about the 18th-19th along the way. Looking at the Ribedesella area?

Thanks again,
Chan

I just read Maribel Northern Spain-Santillana del Mar by Connie...and am wondering Maribel (or anyone else with an opinion)if you think Santillana Del Mar would be a good place for us to stay for a night or two as a base for checking out this part of Spain. It is a little further than Maribels recommendation of staying some where between Villaviciosa and Ribadesella (which I am looking at also) but seems to be such a lovely village...sooo different than the larger areas we are visiting... and close to other sites/towns? I looked at the recommended Posada Santa Juiana and the Posada Aracela Santillana. Both are very affordable.

Anyway...just wondering if this is a good fit for us or if we should stay closer to Ribadesella?

Thanks!

I just left you a note on the 8 yr. old thread regarding Santillana. Much has changed there since that thread was written. I would no longer use Santillna as a base. Friends and I did several years ago, and they did not enjoy their stay at the end of June (feast day of Santa Juliana). It was tremendously crowded.

Take a look at the inns in this collection, many of which are located on or near the coast.
www.calidadcantabria.com

Thank you very much for catching my mistake and saving me from myself. I saw the date but missed the year.

I am looking at the site you gave me.

Thanks again,
Chan

Maribel, I know you commented about this before in that you though SdM touristy (or something like that) I loved the place and I did not find those tacky tourist shops open. I could not afford the Paradore but I have to admit I found it a disapoimnet as it seemed some or all of the sleeping accommodation was outside of the old building. At the time of my visit to the area I did try and sleep in Comillas. However it was February and 100% of places to sleep were closed. But eh town was quite nice and there is quite a lot of things to see there too. Hopefully the bridge across the Ría de la Rabia has now been opened. The other thing of note about Comillas is the one-way system is hard to get out of. That and the bridge being closed made it seem as if I was not meant to leave the town!

Would it be worth staying in Ribadesella one night and Santillana Del Mar one night...just for variety or would you recommend 2 nights in one place and visit the other? Or even one night in either of these two places and then to Bilbao for a night? I'm not sure if it is better to just stay put for the two nights (18 - 19 before heading to San Se) and visit some spots?

Ribeirasacra...when where you there...in February of 2009?

Thanks guys!!!
Chan

ChanB,

I have been to Santillana during the day, however, I wouldn't make a special effort to stay there the night. Regarding Bilbao, although I liked it I wouldn't chop up your itinerary to stay there one night. It is very easy to visit Bilbao from SS, or maybe on your way to SS.

I would recommend you pick a stop somewhere around the coast and stay there those two days .Or maybe go down inland to the Cangas de Onís area (since you will have coast experience in Coruña and SS, as well as driving for a while on Asturias coast), but I don't have a good feel if that is too much of a detour. I just love that area!

Hi ribeirasacra,
Have you visited SdelM during high season lately? We visited both last summer (end of June) and in winter (Nov.). While the souvenir shops (and tourist type eateries) were certainly very much open during both recent visits, the town was much more pleasant, more bearable to visit in winter without the large coach groups.

I've explained the situation of the Parador(s) in other posts, but I'll repeat it here for the archives). It's confusing! Little Santillana has two. I've stayed in both.

The historic Parador Gil Blas, the manor home from the 16th century lies on the main square across from the town hall and is the most photographed, emblematic one. It only has 27 rooms. Because it couldn't accommodate the ever increasing number of tourists invading this lovely medieval town, an "annex" was built around the corner from the square and faces a little garden area, blissfully away from the summer tourist crowds. It only has 28 rooms.

When the Gil Blas was renovated a few years back, the "annex" functioned as the only Parador during the yr.-long renovation. With the Gil Blas renovation completed, the annex became known simply as the Parador de Santillana and now functions independently. It's the one with the handy garage parking.

We've used Comillas as a base recently rather than SdelM in high season.

You found Comillas hard to get around in because it is a town without a defined central square-it's a series of neighborhoods and steeply terraced.

There's the port area/fishermen's quarter, the long, expansive beach with its beachfront "motels", aristocratic, slightly eccentric architecture-filled Comillas where the brooding Palace of Sobrellano and Gaudís flight of fancy, El Capricho, sit on the hill ("Moderniste madness"), the imposing Universidad Pontificia on the hill directly across, which is now an international center for the study of the Spanish Language,
there's the Campíos Old Quarter (where we stayed) and finally...
there are many little "barrios" right outside of town in the bucolic dairy land
plus the estuary beaches of Oyambre.

I agree, it takes quite a while to get to know this town with many hidden corners, and we've gone round and round and round again trying to exit it!!

The area just west and south of Santillana is chock-a-block full of lovely inns (not all that expensive), such as

Posada Caborredondo
Casona de la Salceda
Casona del Valle (fine food)
Posada Torre del Milano
Posada los Cautivos
Casona Palación de Toñanes
the latter 3 would be lovely for Chan and family as one has an indoor pool, the other two a really nice outdoor pool and lovely lawn.

They're all members of Club de Calidad Cantabria Infinita.

Chan,
I was just thinking that you might want to have a little 2-night base to avoid the series of one-nighters after A Coruña to make this journey a bit more relaxed.

Do you really want to do one night in Ribadesella, another in Santillana or the other in Bilbao? Bilbao is so close to San Sebastián.

If you choose Bilbao as your night before San Se, that leaves you one single night to explore the Galician, Asturian, Cantabrian seaside villages of the Costa del Cantábrico. Not much time...

Just more thoughts...