See Thin Run
 

See Thin run around like crazy trying to plan a European holiday!!

Keith and I are visiting Cousin Muffy in Germany for a week at the end of August. We then have 9 days to travel to another destination.

We are thinking about San Sebastian, Spain right now. However, we don't know if nine days is too long to spend in such a small town.

We would go to Bilbao to see the Guggenheim Museum and to Hondarrabia and Biarritz. That is three days of excursions.

Do any of you Spain experts think that the remaining 6 days in San Sebastian will be boring for us?????????????

I have a house on Main Street in Nantucket so it isn't like I just can't go there for a beach vacation.

Please add your 2 pence.

Gracias,
Thin

I like San Sebastion but was there for only a day we were staying in Bilbao (after Biarittz) to see the Guggenheim.
Did you get the PC wiper?
I've missed you.

I have only been to San Sebastian once, and only for a day, but I'm thinking 9 days might be too much. You might want to consider splitting the time up between there and Ronda or there and St-Jean-de-Luz.

I'm sure Maribel will weigh in with some truly expert advice.

Thanks Mimi and Melen.

Yes, Mimi, I did get the PC wiper.

I am pulling my hair out deciding where to go.

The problem is that I have been everywhere already. LOL!

Maybe we should go to Helsinki? :)

Thin

You do not say where in German you are visiting, but to make the most of your time (and money) keep it local, The Netherlands, Switzerland or even Poland.

We are going to visit Cousin Muffy at her castle near Lake Constance/Ravensburg area.

That is a bucolic area, so we don't want anymore "trees and lakes" so Switzerland is out.

I can't see us in Poland. No.

I think Amesterdam will be too cold for us in September. We like hot weather.

We are now thinking of going to Rome. I have been before but Keith never has. It will be warm in Rome in September.

Ciao,
Thin

The food in San Sebastian is the best in Spain, but the town itself can be seen in 1 1/2 days. Also the collection at the Guggenhiem is not the best but the northern Spain is beautiful.

I can see the two of you now, frolicing in the fontaines :))

Northern Spain is not an area of hot weather. If might be hot (but in a heatwave even England is hot), but most probably temperatures will be moderate.

Northern Spain certainly is a good destination and, in fact, we have just book a weeklong in Northern Spain by end of July (we have been there before).

Donostia (formerly known as San Sebastian) is mostly famous for its wide, sandy, wave-protected, boring beach. I would not stay there for nine days.

Bilbao has the Guggenheim, which is good for half a day.

Santander is a beautiful city, with a scenic coast in eastern and western direction and a very attractive hinterland. There is a recent thread with excellent recommendations for daytrips:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ander-somo.cfm

The Rioja valley is not far, it may be good for two or three wine-tasting days.

As mentioned, on the French side, Biarritz and St. Jean-de-Luz are worthy destinations for daytrips.

And if you want to drive a bit, even Santiago de Compostela might be included into a trip to Northern Spain.

As a consequence, I would recommend to change bases and not to stay full nine days in one city - maybe a few nights in Donostia, two or three nights in La Rioja, and several nights in Santander.

I'd be happy to live in San Sebastian, but then -- I don't like touristing (I'd rather travel) or touristy places, which some of the above-listed places certainly are, including the Guggenheim, which was purpose-built as a tourist magnet and hasn't transcended its origins.

Have you been to Madrid?

Yes, I have been to Madrid, Burgos, Segovia, Toledo, Seville, Cordoba, Valencia, and Barcelona. :)

We are leaning towards Rome now.

Who knows how this will end up?

Fours years ago the 4 of us (my mother and Cousin Muffy included) were all headed to Singapore and ended up in Istanbul. ROFL!! :)

Thank you for your help.

Thin

Do the Camino de Santiago from Vezelay to Compostela. God will forgive you your trespasses. And we will get to hear of Thin and Keith's adventures as pilgrim wanderers. What could be better?

I think more people would rather read about Thin dangling from a window of the Hassler Hotel with bottle of Krug and wearing Ferragamo mules.

If I wanted to see God, I would spend an afternoon at Gucci on the Via Condotti, sweetie darling.

Thin

Hi Thin,
While I do love gorgeous San Sebastián (even with its "touristy" txu-txu train and double decker Bus Turístico!), I do think 9 days would be too much for you and Keith if you like to move around.
4 days would be fine, with a day trip to Bilbao (there's certainly more to the city than the Guggen-just ask mikelg and cova!)

But I'd do the remaining 5 days elsewhere to get to know more of the Costa del Cantábrico.

As others have mentioned, you have Santander to the west (just an easy Pesa bus ride away), then there's beautiful Biarritz to the northeast, which you can also reach by local train (with switch in Hendaye) or by Pesa or Alsa bus.

I'd say dip down into the Rioja for winery touring (by car), but some of the bodegas may be closed in Aug., and it's quite hot down there at that time of the summer-one of the worst months of the year to visit the Rioja.

I'd keep the nine days in the Basque Country (both sides) and Cantabria (where traveller1959 is headed).

Was focusing on tourist trains the upshot of that other thread where I dished the always-on-the-go itineraries for tourists that so predictably show up on Fodor's in answer to questions about Catalonia and the Basque country?

San Sebastian is a world-class eating destination, and one of the most beautiful natural beach harbors in Europe. It's not a fragile place (at the moment anyway) that has lost to its character to tour buses and tourist tat. I'm afraid other places have and do.

Just like there is a difference between being a tourist and being a traveler, there is a difference between a destination that tourists go to and even have tourist tat, and a place in a tourist bubble, on the tourist itinerary, that otherwise has lost its native life. San Sebastian has not.

Don't know that I can explain it any better than that, but I think some people can appreciate the difference and feel it, and don't recommend being a tourist to others.

I once started planning a trip to New Orleans and ended in Morocco, so I can identify with the Istanbul-for-Singapore switch.

In that spirit...how about Iceland? Fab boutiques, it's on the way to/from mainland Europe from the East Coast, it's got wonderful geothermal spas, terrific fresh food...So, okay, maybe I can't see you on the Viking ponies, but the rest (including the varied* museums) is wonderful.
*as mentioned here, in the '60s: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...in-iceland.cfm

And don't forget Poland completely: the Czartoryski Museum in Krakow is a gem (as is Krakow itself) and I found Warsaw to be surprisingly fun. Oh, and Lithuania: because you haven't been everywhere that's everywhere until you've been to Grutas Park in Druskininkai.

Maybe you should consider Morocco, Thin, since you favor hot climates. I can definitely see you and Keith and Muffy in jewels and djellabas bargaining for orange juice in the Djem al Fnaa! And you'd love the bar and the spa at La Maison Arabe!

You do favor hot climates? Then why not re visit the Rioja Idea?

Maribel if Aug is not popular for Rioja are there good deals there at that time in the luxury resorts?

We have just experienced something similar. I was trying to plan a 5 day jaunt through the Dordogne, and now we are going to London.

Somehow, I just couldn't make things fit, and as I was surfing an art site, I saw that there would be an exhibit in London this summer, by an artist that I'm interested in. So that did. The London came together quickly, which tells me that it is a better idea for us, than the plan we labored over for weeks and got nowhere with.

Rome in September is great.

Hi amsdon,
The problem with August in the Rioja is that many of the small winemakers will be taking their vacations. And without emailing each bodega individually (which is a pain), there's no way to find out which will be open and which won't or which ones will be open but with truncated hours.

But I'm glad you asked, amsdon,

I just checked the rates for Thin and Keith at Gehry's Marqués de Riscal (Starwood) for August.
They have a 3 night special, doubles for 199.50 and rate includes breakfast. Plus they'd have their own personal Nespresso maker for unlimited cappuccinos.

And they could indulge in a morning of vinoterapia-a little wine therapy might be nice (but at a "nice" price!-actually their treatments aren't getting rave reviews). I'd rather have a chocolate, diamond dust, cherry or olive oil wrap at the new Wine-Oil Spa at the Hotel Villa de Laguardia, just 5 minutes north!

Tiny El Ciego in August puts "sleepy" Pedraza to shame-gives new meaning to the term!

Rome is a good idea , small towns can 'get" to you.
Day trips involve planning, sitting on buses, or driving to spend 1/2 day in another small town.

St Cirq, Muffy will not be traveling with them. She has cancer.

Muffy has cancer? OMG I always pictured her as a young girl/woman, twentysomething. How sad!

Oh, I don't think I would like the dry heat of Morocco. I like a humid, tropical climate.

When I was in India, in Fatepur Sikri, I almost died as it was 117F!!!

We really, really think we are going to go to Rome if everything works out in the next few days.

No, Muffy is not travelling with us as she has breast cancer. She is not doing too well.

Thanks for all the help.

Thin

Oh Thin I am so sorry to hear that.

I didn't find the heat in Morocco to be all that dry, except for the time I was there in blazing July.

Rome...well, we can certainly give you a gazillion tips on THAT! Look into Hassler alternatives - it was looking a bit shabby-chic when I had a drink there in October of 2006. And the bartender looked like he was going on 100.

Ok, Melen. What hotel do you recommend instead of the Hassler?

My sister Jennifer loves the Hassler. She stays there all the time.

Thin

Your posts are always so much fun.... until reality intrudes. Hope all goes well with you and yours.

Years ago we used to spend part of the summer at a place on Squam Rd.( which I'm certain has now been replaced by a mega mansion of some sort.) Do you ever rent your place on Main St. (Is it to the left or the right?)

John, The Hassler is a classic and despite being a tad down-at-the-heels in recent years certainly a respectable address. Since I don't typically stay at totally high-end places (my favorite Rome hotel is the Modigliani), I'm not your reference for hotels, but I would check out the Hotel Aldrovandi Palace and the Cavalieri.

Even if the Hassler has lost a notch or two, you just can't go to Rome IMO without going to that bar and having a campari, or two.

My house is near Madaket Rd. But please don't come and sit on my front steps and eat your ice cream cone.

And please don't be like Jennifer Garner and park your Big Black Escalade or Range Rover on my front lawn.

No, we do not rent out our family home.

Thin

LOL, well can I come as a quest

LOL

Mimi, I am not joking. You wouldn't believe how many people sit on my front steps and eat ice creams cones and then throw their napkins in my yard!!

And yes, Mrs. Ben Affleck parked her big honking SUV on my lawn!!!!!!!!!

Once, a family from India was caught looking through my front windows! Then they knocked on my front door and asked one of my sisters how much we paid for our house!!!!!!!!

Now you know why I stay at my little isolated cottage in the Poconos instead.

Thin

#-O
Good grief!

Hi Thin,

If I could go anywhere in Europe this summer, I'd go to Sardenia

or to

Hotel Fuerte Conil on the costa de la Luz in Andalusia

Tripadvisor reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...Andalusia.html

Well, my house in St-Cirq is on one of the Grande Randonnée routes and you would not believe how many people think it's just dandy to have picnics ON MY ROOF (the house is built into a cliff and the road goes right over my roof). I can't tell you how many times I've had to go clean up after German hikers who lunched on top of my house!

Oh, well, just booked our flight to ROME.

No turning back now.

It is all for the best as Keith and I are too nervous to sit and relax. We are better off staying in big cities with LOTS AND LOTS to do.

And I do love the Borghese Gardens.

Thanks for all your help. Now we just have to wait until end of August to fly to Germany.

Ciao,
Thin

Melen, that is the trouble with vacation properties in top tourist spots.

Thin

Try to stay grounded in reality and not set yourselves up for disappointment. After all, you can't expect Rome to measure up to the standards of Stroudsburg or Hawley - haina or no?

Well, Seamus, Stroudsburg is now a suburb of New York City. It is amusing to see all the crack dealers plying their trade amongst the pine trees. LOL!


We are trying to book the Hotel Modigliani. Waiting to hear from them. Taking Melen's recommendation seriously. :)

We are also looking at Hotel Portoghesi. It looks a little dark but we like the location.

We were thinking of the Algergo Senato overlooking the Pantheon, but they don't have anything available. Just as well because we were fearful of street noise from the very-visited square out front.

The Hassler was just way too expensive for 9 nights. Our hotel bill would have been close to 5 thousand dollars.

The Aldrovandi Palace looks nice but it is at the other side of the Borghese Gardens. That's too far to walk.

Anyone else with recommendations?

Thin

Thin, I'm glad you're back and in full force. The forum needed to be spiced up! Happy Travels!

We have stayed at the Portoghesi many times. GREAT location, nice lobby and roof deck, the rooms are pretty drab and ordinary. The bathrooms are tiny. If you go, ask for a room facing the front of the hotel on the top floor. You can open the shutters and see Rome go by.