Hello, I’m from Italy and planning my trip to Cantabria and Pais Vasco next August, with my partner. It’ll be our first time in Spain. We are both 40, not interested in beach holiday but in visiting rural areas off the beaten track. I would appreciate any advice anyone has on this:

Fly to Santander and hire a car.
DAY 1:
Puente Viesgo with Cueva del Castillo:
jardines de la Finca in Puente de San Miguel
SANTILLANA DEL MAR
Night in Torrelavega
DAY 2:
PLAJA Y ERMITA DE SANTA JUSTA in Tagle
Suances
Playa de Valdearenas, Playa del Portìo and Playa de Arnìa
night in Torrelavega
DAY 3:
Santa Maria de Valverde church
campo de Ebro
San Martin de Elines
PRESILLAS DE BRICIA
ORBANEJA DEL CASTILLO
Night near Orbaneja del Castillo
DAY 4:
CUEVAS Y ERMITA DE SAN BARTOLOME’ DE OJO GUARENA
Puentedey
PESQUERA DE EBRO canyon
Night near Orbaneja del Castillo
DAY 5:
DOLMEN EL MORECO in Huidobro and IGLESIA ROMANICA
POZA DE LA SAL with CASTILLO DE LOS ROJAS
Night in Burgos
DAY 6:
BURGOS Cathedral
Night in Burgos
DAY 7
FRIAS with the fortified medieval bridge and castle
SOBRON on the river Ebro
Torre de los Varona in Villanane
Night in Villanane
DAY 8:
SALINAS DE ANANA
Santa Catalina's Botanical Garden in Trespuentes
DELIKA - Mirador cañón del Nervión
Night in Villanane
DAY 9:
BILBAO MUSEO GUGGENHEIM
Night in Mutriku
DAY 10:
MUTRIKU
ZUMAIA
Pasai Donibane
Night in Mutriku
DAY 11:
ELANTXOBE ,
San Juan de Gastelugatxe
CASTILLO DE BUTRON
Night near Butron
DAY 12:
Castro Urdiales
Santoña and Noja,
plaja de GALIZANO, plaja de LANGRE
night in Santander
DAY 13
SANTANDER airport

What do you reckon? Is this a realistic plan? Any recommended changes? Will we be too busy? We don’t want to rush on our feet….
Thanks in advance for any information or suggestions you can offer.

It's an interesting loop, but a little too busy for me. I would add another few days at the least to make the time enjoyable. Based on your outline, I would pick two places to use as a base and make day trips instead of changing locations so often.

Thanks Robert2533 for your reply! it sounds sensible... what I hate most when I'm on holiday is to panic around... however two places seem to me too little for the loop..wouldn't I run the risk of spending hours driving back to the base? could you also tell me something about the spanish road conditions and traffic in august?
thanks a lot for your help!!

The highways are excellent and road conditions in that area shouldn't been too bad in August. I would stay in the village of Liérganes and use it as a base for touring in the north. We spent several days there in 2008 and had no problem getting around. It's also a great place to relax after a long day of touring. Bilbao is only an hour away and Burgos a little over 2 hours, so it's possible to spend your entire time based in or around Liérganes.

I agree with Robert. Many of the places you mention are easily done as a day trip ( we have done it on weekends from Bilbao, and not leaving very early in the morning ).

The road from Santander up to Burgos is pretty good, so that would help for your ideas in the north of Burgos. If you like hiking, there is a nice walk on top of Ojo Guareña, and the visit is very interesting. Another place you would like is Espinosa de los Monteros and the drive down Estacas de Trueba or Lunada into Cantabria.

Bye, Cova

It seems a shame to skip San Sebastian/Donastia when you are so near. This sounds like a wonderful trip.

I absolutely loved San Sebastián and would recommend going as well. It's a beautiful place and arguably has some of the best food in Spain!

The problem is that San Sebastian-Donostia would require a major shift in their itinerary, which means that they would have to add a few more days as you do not visit Donostia without taking a couple of day-trips into the Pays Basque.

Cova - following your reply I've looked at some pictures of Espinosa de los Monteros and the drive down Estacas de Trueba and Lunada into Cantabria: great places! that's just the kind of things we love! thanks for the advice! more stuff to add to my itinerary....as for hiking, let's say it's not my cup of tea..
Robert2533 - I'm reconsidering my night stops. I'll work on Lierganes idea
Jubilada - Suprachiasmatic : honestly I'd need a longer holiday... but having to choose we opted for rural areas, instead of cities. We prefer countryside landscape and people, it's just our criteria...

many thanks for all your precious advice, this is a great forum!!.. I'll go back working on my itinerary

I think it´s doable, as you will pass by many of them in small towns that will allow you to continue the trip not spending an awful lot of time on each, and many of the places you will be visiting are off the beaten track, so chances are that you will have a great time.

I love Valderredible (the romanic churches of Sta María de Valverde, Orbaneja,...), roads are good and you will be visiting a much unknown area.