My husband and I are planning a trip to Portugal and northern Spain (Bilbao and San Sebastian) in mid-June. We don't like to move around a lot so are planning to stay about a week in Lisbon and are looking for another spot in Portugal to stay for about a week. I was considering northern Portugal, possibly Porto or Braga. We like hiking, outdoors, architecture, and just walking the streets of interesting cities. I was also trying to figure out the logistics of getting to Bilbao. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I would suggest staying in Porto and making Braga a day trip - there's more to do in Porto. (Don't miss the port caves!)

Unfortunately, getting between Portugal and Spain is a non-trivial exercise. I did it the other way (see www.wilhelmswords.com/rtw2004), and I'd recommend doing what I did in reverse. Stop off in Santiago on the way.

Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain is one special place. We spent three days there in 2003 and would recommend that you attend mass at the cathedral - the use of the censor/thurible is pretty incredible.

Porto is a good place to explore as noted above, but if you like to spend some time on the beach try Nazarre, Portugal. It has a lovely beach, wonderful sea food (go to the fish auction - check at the tourist bureau for details) and a great selection of wines at reasonable prices. We rented an apartment (one block from the beach) for $25 per night.

Thanks for both ideas. I was thinking it might be interesting to spend time in a smaller town, but I guess Braga isn't that small. thusdaysd, I tried your link but it didn't work. It does seem like getting between Portugal and Bilbao will be challenging so I would like to read about how you did it. Any ideas of small towns with some good hiking nearby?

tsmith - ah, the link works if you get rid of that closing parenthesis! www.wilhelmswords.com/rtw2004 - you want the end of Many Trains, and Port, Porto You could consider Coimbra, but you will be further from Bilbao. If you want to hike I would head into the interior, away from the coast, but I can't help with specific places.

There is no RENFE train across northern Spain between Oviedo and Bilbao, you'll need to take the private FEVE trains. Actually, you might save time and aggravation by doing the trip in reverse - start in northern Portugal (fly into Porto), train to Lisbon, night train to Madrid and train to Bilbao.

I have taken the Tren Internacional more than once from Vigo (Pontevedra, Spain) to Porto. But I have learned recently that there's a Bus from Porto airport to Vigo. That's the way I would go if I make another trip.

The Tren Internacional is uncomfortable and slow: I do not recommend it! From Vigo, one can catch a TRD to Santiago de Compostela or to a'Corunha. The Incense Censer, should you be lucky enough to see it, is el Botafumeiro.

Over the past 10-years, the Portuguese Government gave multi-year Tax incentives to EU Manufacturers (and auto assembly plants) to build facilities in northern Portugal (i.e., near Braga). With the current Economic downturn, that area may not be doing very well.

In Spain, you can ride fairly comfortable MotorCoaches from Santiago to Lugo, Cebreiro, Oviedo, Santander, Bilbao and San Sebastian. FEVE is available from O'Ferrol, but it's slow and runs infrequently.

FEVE had an outstanding deal last year: a very inexpensive 'hop on - hop off' fare valid for 30days. http://www.FEVE.ES

It looks as though there is a train that leaves Santiago de Compostela in the morning and gets there the same evening. It goes through Leon. I was also wondering about the Festival de Santo Antonio, the 12th and 13th of June. Has anyone experienced it? Would it be completely overwhelming to arrive with jet lag to a huge scene?

I don't know about that particular festival, and it probably depends on which town you're talking about. I was in Toledo for Corpus Christi in 2004, and it was a massive celebration, with the whole town either in the procession or watching it.

tsmith writes: "... It looks as though there is a train that leaves Santiago de Compostela in the morning and gets there the same evening. It goes through Leon. "

FEVE's Western Terminus is in Ferrol; and its Eastern end is in Leon.

I was not aware of any direct connection between Santiago and Bilbao. The TransCantabrico (Luxury tren) terminates in Ferrol and busses the Passengers to Santiago.

"I was also wondering about the Festival de Santo Antonio, the 12th and 13th of June. Has anyone experienced it? Would it be completely overwhelming to arrive with jet lag to a huge scene?"
I didn't know of any major Festival for San Antonio; but it is celebrated in Madrid (a Feria on el Paseo de la Florida along rio Manzanares). It may be celebrated in Northern Portugal and/or Galicia: I can't help you there.

"FEVE's Western Terminus is in Ferrol; and its Eastern end is in Leon." The FEVE website lists a direct train from Leon to Bilbao. There is also a train from Oviedo to Santander, connecting to a train to Bilbao. That's the route I did in reverse, using RENFE for Oviedo to Leon.

I think you would find Porto a far better centre than Braga but if you prefer somewhere smaller I suggest either Guimaraes or Viana do Castelo. I should not bother with Braga unless you are very religious.