Northern Spain itinerary
 

Hello,

My husband and I are taking our DD on a 11 day trip to the Basque region as a college graduation trip in late September. How does our itinerary look?

fly into Bilbao and hire a taxi to take us to Zumaia for 5 nights as a base to see SS and other coastal towns, we are here during San Sebastian film festival so most accommodations were outside our budget. Then we will take train to Bayonne for 3 nights staying at the Hotel Basses Pyrenees in a family room, any opinions on this hotel?. I would like to take the le Rhune train to Sare, Is this feasible from Bayonne, using public transportation or taking a taxi? Then we will take the bus to Bilbao for 3 nights. Then DD carries on for a 4 month backpacking trip with friends and DH and I fly to Iceland.

Does the pacing seem good for each location?

thank you

BethHar,
Yes, during the Film Festival SS hotel rates soar!
When they do, we use Zumaia, Getaria or Zarautz as our home base for several days.

We've stayed at the Basses Pyrenees in Bayonne several times in July, but never in a family room, just a deluxe double. It has very dependable a/c (always needed), a friendly staff and a noted restaurant, and everything is very walkable from there, including the rail station, across the bridge, the lively restaurants on both sides of the river, the cathedral, the Basque Museum, the shops of the Rue Espagne, the covered market, just everything..

To take the La Rhune train without a car, one can take the inexpensive TER train from Bayonne the short distance down to St-Jean-de-Luz,, then from SJdL there is a Hegobus bus #45 service. See the schedule here putting in Saint-Jean-de-Luz as your departure and Col de Saint Ignace as your destination (where you'll catch the train). The bus departs from across from the train station and the ride takes 22 minutes.

Make sure to purchase your La Rhune tickets in advance here.

The pacing seems fine. One can easily travel from Bayonne to Biarritz for day on the tram'bus.
The Chronobus bus system in the Anglet-Bayonne-Biarritz axis is excellent and cheap.
We stay in Bayonne usually for 4 nights car free and just use the excellent buses and trains to get around. This summer we'll be staying in Ainhoa with a car, but we alternate between staying inland and staying in Bayonne or Biarritz or St-jean-de-Luz.

Thanks Maribel! Really appreciate the info and the links!