NORTHERN SPAIN HONEYMOON: IDEAS?
May 19th, 2003 | 10:05 AM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: May 2003
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NORTHERN SPAIN HONEYMOON: IDEAS?
I am planning my honeymoon in Northern Spain and need your advice! We're arriving Sunday, July 20, and leaving Sunday, July 27.
Right now, we plan on...
-- Flying into Madrid, spending one or two nights there,
-- Heading to Santander for the beach scene, and
-- Coming back to Madrid for one night before our flight leaves on the 27th.
Questions...
-- Should we stay in Madrid for two nights at the beginning of our trip, or save it for the weekend?
-- Since we have a limited amout of time, should we drive, fly, or take a train to Santander?
-- Any must see day-trip suggestions easily accessible to Santander? (Aside from Bilbao, of course).
We're looking for relaxation, great scenery, a lively nightlife, and good food.
Any and all suggestions are appreciated!
Right now, we plan on...
-- Flying into Madrid, spending one or two nights there,
-- Heading to Santander for the beach scene, and
-- Coming back to Madrid for one night before our flight leaves on the 27th.
Questions...
-- Should we stay in Madrid for two nights at the beginning of our trip, or save it for the weekend?
-- Since we have a limited amout of time, should we drive, fly, or take a train to Santander?
-- Any must see day-trip suggestions easily accessible to Santander? (Aside from Bilbao, of course).
We're looking for relaxation, great scenery, a lively nightlife, and good food.
Any and all suggestions are appreciated!
May 19th, 2003 | 10:54 AM
#2
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,661
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Shemoney,
First and foremost, congratulations!
Now, just a question? Have you reserved your Santander hotel yet? If not, please do this ASAP!!!! Your dates are high season there, and hotels on El Sardinero beach, where you'll want to be, get a heavy, loyal, repeat clientele during your dates, plus they coincide with the International Music Festival and the summer courses at the prestigious Universidad Menendez Pelayo, which brings in guests from all over the world. Some hotels may already be fully booked. If you need suggestions, I can personally recommend the Rhin, Santemar, Hoyuela and the classic 5 star Grande Dame, Old European style Hotel Real.
About your questions:
If you enjoy lively nightlife, I'd save the Madrid stay for the final weekend and go straight to Santander to relax on the beach. As you probably know, Madrid has the liveliest nightlife of any European city! The streets are busier on Sat. night/Sun morn at 3 a.m. than at 3 p.m.!
Since you have only a week, I'd fly straight to Santander to unwind and relax, but check www.iberia.com regarding connections with your flight into Madrid. For July 20, there's a 9:35 a.m. and then a 1:10 p.m. flight. It's a small airport.
As for excursions, I wouldn't miss beautiful, medieval Santillana del Mar (arguably the most highly photographed, picturesque village in Spain) and while in the area, also check out aristocratic little Comillas, with its flight of fantasy by Gaudi, El Capricho de Gaudi (now a high end restaurant). Comillas has a very nice beach, la Playa de Oyambre.
Other possibilities:
gorgeous lush mountain scenery in the Cabuerniga Valley, southwest of Santillana.
An unforgettable drive would be deep into the valley through the Saja hunting reserve to the ancient, highly picturesque medieval town of Barcena Mayor, one of Spain's most unique and fairly well hidden gems. Or you could drive down as far as Valle de Cabuerniga, then west, over to hidden and unspoilt Carmona (this little drive is a double WOW), then over to Panes in the Picos de Europa range and back on the superhighway, E 70, to Santander.
A longer trip:
The Desfiladero de la Hermida through the heart of the Cantabrian side of Picos de Europa, down to Potes, then on through the pastoral Liebana valley to Fuente De where the parador and Mirador del Cable cable car are located, is one's of Northern Spain's truly most glorious drives, but you may not want to venture that far afield. It would require a full day to do it justice, and a "must stop" (for us, at least) for lunch at the cute Hotel del Oso in Cosgaya. But a huge warning: in July there are often 2 hr. waits to take the cable car up to the Mirador and traffic down the narrow gorge is *extremely* slow going, so you may not want to attempt this on your honeymoon!.
Great eats at El Sardinero beach:
La Sardina on Dr. Fleming 3
La Cupula at the Hotel Rhin
Great tapas bars downtown:
La Conveniente, for wine/cheese/piano music at Gomez Orena 9-only at night
Bodega Cigalena at Daioz y Velarde 19, a wine museum-always packed
Canadio and Meson Rampalay around the Plaza Canadio
Fab dining outside the city:
El Molino in Puente Arce (on way to Santillana)
El Cenador de Amos in tiny
Amos
Hope you have a wonderful honeymoon!
First and foremost, congratulations!
Now, just a question? Have you reserved your Santander hotel yet? If not, please do this ASAP!!!! Your dates are high season there, and hotels on El Sardinero beach, where you'll want to be, get a heavy, loyal, repeat clientele during your dates, plus they coincide with the International Music Festival and the summer courses at the prestigious Universidad Menendez Pelayo, which brings in guests from all over the world. Some hotels may already be fully booked. If you need suggestions, I can personally recommend the Rhin, Santemar, Hoyuela and the classic 5 star Grande Dame, Old European style Hotel Real.
About your questions:
If you enjoy lively nightlife, I'd save the Madrid stay for the final weekend and go straight to Santander to relax on the beach. As you probably know, Madrid has the liveliest nightlife of any European city! The streets are busier on Sat. night/Sun morn at 3 a.m. than at 3 p.m.!
Since you have only a week, I'd fly straight to Santander to unwind and relax, but check www.iberia.com regarding connections with your flight into Madrid. For July 20, there's a 9:35 a.m. and then a 1:10 p.m. flight. It's a small airport.
As for excursions, I wouldn't miss beautiful, medieval Santillana del Mar (arguably the most highly photographed, picturesque village in Spain) and while in the area, also check out aristocratic little Comillas, with its flight of fantasy by Gaudi, El Capricho de Gaudi (now a high end restaurant). Comillas has a very nice beach, la Playa de Oyambre.
Other possibilities:
gorgeous lush mountain scenery in the Cabuerniga Valley, southwest of Santillana.
An unforgettable drive would be deep into the valley through the Saja hunting reserve to the ancient, highly picturesque medieval town of Barcena Mayor, one of Spain's most unique and fairly well hidden gems. Or you could drive down as far as Valle de Cabuerniga, then west, over to hidden and unspoilt Carmona (this little drive is a double WOW), then over to Panes in the Picos de Europa range and back on the superhighway, E 70, to Santander.
A longer trip:
The Desfiladero de la Hermida through the heart of the Cantabrian side of Picos de Europa, down to Potes, then on through the pastoral Liebana valley to Fuente De where the parador and Mirador del Cable cable car are located, is one's of Northern Spain's truly most glorious drives, but you may not want to venture that far afield. It would require a full day to do it justice, and a "must stop" (for us, at least) for lunch at the cute Hotel del Oso in Cosgaya. But a huge warning: in July there are often 2 hr. waits to take the cable car up to the Mirador and traffic down the narrow gorge is *extremely* slow going, so you may not want to attempt this on your honeymoon!.
Great eats at El Sardinero beach:
La Sardina on Dr. Fleming 3
La Cupula at the Hotel Rhin
Great tapas bars downtown:
La Conveniente, for wine/cheese/piano music at Gomez Orena 9-only at night
Bodega Cigalena at Daioz y Velarde 19, a wine museum-always packed
Canadio and Meson Rampalay around the Plaza Canadio
Fab dining outside the city:
El Molino in Puente Arce (on way to Santillana)
El Cenador de Amos in tiny
Amos
Hope you have a wonderful honeymoon!
May 19th, 2003 | 11:29 AM
#3
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,661
Likes: 0
Forgot...
If you do take the drive up to Barcena Mayor with its fine collection of ancient houses with wooden balconies appearing to be on the verge of falling to the ground, consider lunch at the rustic Meson Rio Argoza. Their specialty is "cocido liebanes", the hearty meal-in-a-pot stew of Cantabria.
See photos of the village, one of Cantabria's oldest, at
www.cantabria.com/tojos.html
www.rutasporcantabria.com/fotos_saja.htm
If you do take the drive up to Barcena Mayor with its fine collection of ancient houses with wooden balconies appearing to be on the verge of falling to the ground, consider lunch at the rustic Meson Rio Argoza. Their specialty is "cocido liebanes", the hearty meal-in-a-pot stew of Cantabria.
See photos of the village, one of Cantabria's oldest, at
www.cantabria.com/tojos.html
www.rutasporcantabria.com/fotos_saja.htm
May 19th, 2003 | 11:40 AM
#4
Original Poster
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Thank you for the kind wishes as well as the wonderful recommendations, Maribel!
Actually, it was after reviewing several of your postings that I decided that Northern Spain was the place to be!
I've looked into the Hotel Real, and there is still availability. I just needed to check with someone in the know to ensure I was making the right decisions.
I'm actually getting married in Galway, Ireland on July 19, so we'll be flying into Madrid late on Sunday (10:10 pm).
If we did drive to Santander on Monday, approximately how long would the trip be, and would you have any recommendations on where we should stay over on Monday evening? Or, would you suggest the train as an option?
I don't want to miss out on the countryside, if I can help it! Thanks!
Actually, it was after reviewing several of your postings that I decided that Northern Spain was the place to be!
I've looked into the Hotel Real, and there is still availability. I just needed to check with someone in the know to ensure I was making the right decisions.
I'm actually getting married in Galway, Ireland on July 19, so we'll be flying into Madrid late on Sunday (10:10 pm).
If we did drive to Santander on Monday, approximately how long would the trip be, and would you have any recommendations on where we should stay over on Monday evening? Or, would you suggest the train as an option?
I don't want to miss out on the countryside, if I can help it! Thanks!
May 19th, 2003 | 12:26 PM
#5
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,661
Likes: 0
Hi Shemoney,
Now, I understand your itinerary!
I'm so happy that you have a room at the Real. Perfect for a honeymoon, I think.
You could take the Talgo from Madrid's Chamartin station, departing at 9 a.m. on Monday, arriving at 14: 35. The bus takes longer, and I estimate the drive to take 4 1/2-5 hrs. Since your time is limited, and I can't think of any really, really *special* lodging along the way (the brand new ducal palace Parador in Lerma is too close to Madrid, and the Casona Azul de Corvera at Corvera de Toranzo too close to Santander), I'd either drive straight through or better still, relax and take the Talgo.
Hope this helps you to decide.
Now, I understand your itinerary!
I'm so happy that you have a room at the Real. Perfect for a honeymoon, I think.
You could take the Talgo from Madrid's Chamartin station, departing at 9 a.m. on Monday, arriving at 14: 35. The bus takes longer, and I estimate the drive to take 4 1/2-5 hrs. Since your time is limited, and I can't think of any really, really *special* lodging along the way (the brand new ducal palace Parador in Lerma is too close to Madrid, and the Casona Azul de Corvera at Corvera de Toranzo too close to Santander), I'd either drive straight through or better still, relax and take the Talgo.
Hope this helps you to decide.
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May 19th, 2003 | 01:40 PM
#9
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,661
Likes: 0
Shemoney,
You're very welcome.
For your next Cantabria post-honeymoon journey, you might like to fit in one of these lovely hotels, part of the Club de Calidad de Cantabria group. I have the Palacio de Sonanes and El Jardin de Carrejo high on my wish list!
www.calidadcantabria.com
And hope you have a beautiful wedding ceremony in Galway!
You're very welcome.
For your next Cantabria post-honeymoon journey
, you might like to fit in one of these lovely hotels, part of the Club de Calidad de Cantabria group. I have the Palacio de Sonanes and El Jardin de Carrejo high on my wish list!www.calidadcantabria.com
And hope you have a beautiful wedding ceremony in Galway!
Jun 4th, 2003 | 11:29 AM
#10
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,661
Likes: 0
Hi Shemoney,
Just a tiny but important correction about a restaurant rec; don't want you to get lost trying to find it if you decide to dine there
The lovely Cendador de Amós is located in Villaverde de Patones on the Plaza del Sol.
It has a Michelin star. 14 km. from Santander.
You can read more here-
www.lugaresdivinos.com/p34a.htm
And again, congratulations on your upcoming nuptials!
Just a tiny but important correction about a restaurant rec; don't want you to get lost trying to find it if you decide to dine there
The lovely Cendador de Amós is located in Villaverde de Patones on the Plaza del Sol.
It has a Michelin star. 14 km. from Santander.
You can read more here-
www.lugaresdivinos.com/p34a.htm
And again, congratulations on your upcoming nuptials!
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