holafromseattle

Hola Fodorites! I am planning my first trip to Spain, and I've already gleaned so much information from the forums on places to see, where to stay, and things to do/eat, so thank you!

Brief overview: I am currently finalizing the details on our last day/night in Spain. After 10 days exploring Barcelona (briefly), Granada, Seville, Bilbao, and San Sebastian, my boyfriend and I will be leaving L'Auberge Basque in Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle on Monday, Sept 28th. We'll have a car and plan to meander back to Barcelona that day. ViaMichelin currently puts the drive at 6.5 hrs, but I'd like stop and explore a town or two on the way. So leaving around 10 am from Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle, I imagine we'll arrive in Barcelona between 6 pm and 8 pm. Our flight leaves the next morning (Tuesday Sept 29th) from BCN at 11:30 am.

My questions:
1. Right now I'm thinking that we'll stop in Pamplona and then either Huesca or Zaragoza, but I'd love to hear any other recommendations on small towns that might be more worth our while (especially if they have a great spot for lunch!).

2. I'd love to hear ideas on where we should stay and where to eat that last night! I am considering staying in a hotel in Barcelona OR staying somewhere fun just outside Barcelona where we could drive directly to the airport the next morning. Either way, it would be nice to relax a bit and have one last good meal (doesn't need to be Michelin starred though), so proximity to restaurants (or a hotel with a great one) would be ideal. Our budget for housing that night is around 100-120 eur.

Interested to hear your thoughts! Please let me know if I can provide any clarification.

kimhe

I suggest either stay in Park Hotel in EL Born and have a last night meal in Barcelona classic 7 Portes from 1826 a couple of blocks away. I must always have their Arroz Caldo when in Barcelona. The best atmosphere and excellent traditional Catalan food.

Park Hotel: http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/parallel.en-gb.html
7 Portes: http://www.7portes.com/angles/index.php (we've used to spend some 40-50€ pp on a full meal here, huge portions)
Arroz Caldo at 7 Portes: http://www.foodspotting.com/places/1...73-arroz-caldo
El Born district: http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.c...s/el-born.html

Or stay in Hotel Paralel in the vibrant and local atmosphere Poble Sec district (many great tapas bars, cafes and terraces here), and have a late night dinner in rock'n roll Xemei. Had one of the best meals I can remember here a couple of months ago. The Bigoli en salsa Veneziana was worth the trip alone (went berserk and spent some 60-70€ pp).

Hotel Paralel: http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/parallel.en-gb.html
Xemei: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Lvcjtoh0tU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URRlEVRrWxM
The Poble Sec district: http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/...%20bodega.html

Robert2533

It is a long drive from Cedric's L'Auberge Basque in Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle to Barcelona to be making too many stops, although there is a lot to see along the way. Following the N-121B, you can stop in the village of Elizondo in the Baztan Valley.

>Elizondo, the capital of the Baztan valley, will amaze you with its numerous mansion houses and palaces. Its most emblematic building is the Baroque palace of Arizkunenea, but there are also other monuments of artistic interest such as the town hall, the Datue Palace, the Viceroy's house and the church of Santiago.

One of the most long-standing traditions is the Baztandarren Biltzarra, a festival of colourful dances and processions that brings together all the villages in the valley. On your visit to Elizondo, be sure to try its famous urrakin egina (chocolate with whole hazelnuts).<

After Elizondo, I would continue on to Pamplona, parking at the bus station (undergroung parking), and take a walk through the old quarter, about a 10 minute walk from the parking garage at the bus station. Have a pintxo or two at Café-Bar Gaucho (www.sanfermintours.com/dining-guide/index.html) and head on to Huesca following the A-21/N-240 to Jaca and then south on the E-7.

I would consider having lunch in Zaragoza to sample the great Aragon cuisine before heading onto Barcelona. But stoping in Zaragoza would add at least another hour to your drive.

Instead, I would head for Llerida from Huesca. Restaurants in Huesca include Las Torres, Lillas Pastia and Tatau Bistro, a gastro bar.

If you wanted to stop in Falset, in the center of the Priorat wine region, it would be about a 1-1/2 hour drive to the airport. One of the best places to stay in Falset is the Hotel-Hostal Sport.

Falset is about a 1-1/2 hour drive south of Llerida and a little ove 30 minutes drive from Tarragona, on the coast.