Greetings!

I'm looking to organize a road trip through Spain next May. I'll have two weeks, a rental car, and speak Spanish. Budget is not really an issue, and I prefer to stay in the nicer inns/boutique hotels where available.

While I would be open to staying in the city centers (w/ the exception of Barcelona which I know top-to-bottom and will be omitting it from the itinerary), I'd really be interested in staying off the beaten path in charming/unknown spots and traveling into the larger cities for day trips, etc.

Would anyone be so kind as to share the details of their favorite corners of Spain with me?

Kindly,
AmyN

Assuming you start in Madrid, I would see Segovia, Avila, Salamanca, down the Extremadura to Seville, Cordoba, Granada, and back up via Toledo to Madrid.

Dear Amy,

My husband and I are about to leave for our 5th trip to Spain in about 6 years. We have been taking 2 week trips to each region and have thus far gone to 1. Madrid and Andalucia, 2. Castilla La Mancha, 3. Castilla Leon and Galicia and Asturias, 4. Extremadura and Andalucia, and our next trip will be to 5. Barcelona and Catalonia. I have given detailed posts for each of these trips and you can find them by clicking on my name or search using the named regions listed above. All trips were fabulous for many different reasons.

Good Luck and buen viaje!

Maria

Amy,

I also noticed that you can limit your search to my Spain replies by typing in my e-mail address [email protected] in the search field and search under Spain (older posts were classified by e-mail addresses.)

I would be happy to answer any of your questions via e-mail as well.

Maria

I love Vigo: In May we got a great weekend rate at the Bahia Vigo, but I would recommend the Parador Conde de Gondomar in Baiona just at the tip of ria de Vigo.

Potes (in Cantabria on the border with Asturias - Picos de Europa region) is also nice but a lot smsller: great for hiking, 4-wheeling, whitewater canoeing etc.

You could go to the typical south stuff everybody knows, but for me, the best is the north, the basque country, cantabria, asturias and galicia. very nice mountains and not so hot in summer (not at all), and the sea.

Another vote for the North of Spain, mainly Galicia. Santiago is my preferred city in Spain.

Also wanted to add that if you go to Santiago, I highly recommend the boutique Hotel Rua Villar . It's literally just steps from the Cathedral.