Northern Spain Help!!!
 

OK, we leave for Spain in two weeks and I am still struggling! DH and I are visiting a friend who has been living in Barcelona, but has not had much chance to see Spain since her job involves a lot of travel.
We have 5-6 days to travel around, we are planning on renting a car, and would like to see some interesting historical/natural sites. I looked into kayaking in Costa Brava, but none of the places I have contacted are running tours in April.
We would love to do some short trails in the Pyrenees (1-3 hours), but everything I have read seems to indicate the hikes are full days or longer. Does anyone have any ideas for an itinerary?!?!
Thanks,
Kate

topping...

Best wishes,

Rex

Thanks Rex.....can anyobe help?.....Maribel?? .... PLEASE!!!
:)

Hi Jonesie,

Maribel is away (in Spain) until the 3rd of April.

Regarding the hikes, this year has been really good regarding the snow, so I don´t know if you would be able to do much hiking in April. I´d opt to drive up to maybe Vall d´Aran, but I will look this evening into some webpages that might be interesting to you (don´t worry, there will sure be some hikes that don´t involve the whole day ...).

Rgds, Cova

Thanks, Cova! Any info would be wonderful!

Find a shop that sells Hiking and other Outdoors Equipment like REI here in the U.S. Ventiscas is the name of one in Spain: I know where the ones in Madrid and Bilbao are; but you'll have to go to the Paginas Amarilas to find the one in Barcelona. They should be able to provide you with some info. You may be able to find them in the online Paginas Amarillas for Barcelona.

West of Santander (Cantabria) and south from Unquera is a region called Liebana. Potes, its Capital is Gateway to the Picos de Europa. There's Fuente De (but a local bus, Palomera doesn't go there until after 1 May). Manager / Owner of Hostal Picos de Europa in Potes can provide you a Guide service. Don't miss Santo Toribio Monastery: The Fiesta is 16 April.

Santander is about a 9-hour drive from Barcelona (if you 'skirt' the mountains).

Dear jonesie,

nedsireland´s rec is a bit too much for a short trip as you have. I think that your best option will be staying in Catalonia, with maybe a small trip into the Aragon part of the Pyrenees ( Jaca and the likes ).

I have looked for the website of the Centre Excursioniste de Catalunya, one of the biggest hiking and climbing clubs in Spain. I am afraid that their website is only in Catalan, but you might be able to send them an email asking for recs : http://www.cec-centre.org/pagina.asp?pag=maind.htm

[email protected]

That Ventiscas shop mentioned by Ned ... I don´t know anything by that name in Bilbao or any other place in Vizcaya (and believe me, I have had my share of hiking along my life ;) ). The most known sport shop is Barrabes, located in Benasque, maybe because they were the first in using the web as a marketing tool.
http://www.barrabes.com

I think that the people from Carres De Foc (an amazing race in the National Park of Aigües Tortes, you must go through 9 mountain huts in less than 24 hours) have some good links :
http://www.carrosdefoc.com
http://www.euro-senders.com/

Kind regards,
Cova

Sorry, Cova! I'll bow to your current and superior knowledge of your City.

The Ventiscas shop I visited in Bilbao was in the Casco Viejo, just a few doors from the Plaza (i.e., exiting the Square).

The one in Madrid is across from a large shopping mall at the north end of the City.