Hi All,

I'm putting together a visit to Spain and the Basque Country for October, 2012.

I'd appreciate any comments on what I've left out and/or what should be added.

Leaving ATL on Wed, 9/20, arriving Barcelona at about 09:00 on 9/21
Barcelona Festa de la Mercè Sun/Mon, 09/23- 24 is the peak

Leave Barcelona Tues, 9/25 for Hospedería de Roda de Isábena
Overnight in Roda

Arrive Pau 9/26
Visit the city and the countryside
Lunch at La Ferme aux Grives

Leave Pau for San Sebastian Sunday, 9/30
Visit the city and the Basque country

San Sebastian to Bilbao via Vitoria-Gasteiz on Thu, 10/4
Lunch at Etxebarre
Visit the city and the countryside

Sunday, 10/7 Drive to Burgos via back roads.
or drive to Valladolid
Overnight in either town

Arr Salamanca Mon, 10/8
Visit Salamanca

Lv for Madrid Wed, 10/10
Visit to Toledo

Fly home Sunday, 10/14

Thanx.

Oct. 12 is. Spanish national holiday
check for closings.
(also Monday in Barcelona)

All about going for the fabulous pintxos in food crazy San Sebastián: http://www.todopintxos.com/home/home.php?lang=en

Perhaps leave room for lunch in one of the outstanding seafood restaurants in small Getaria, just west of San Sebastián. Had the meal of my life in the harbour here many years ago, and they're still dead serious about their food in Getaria. Elkano and Kaia Kaipe are the most famous. Getaria is also known for the production of the slightly sparkling and airy dry local white wine txakolí drunk in every bar in the region: http://www.kaia-kaipe.com/
http://www.restauranteelkano.com/en_restaurante.htm

Txakolí: http://www.saveur.com/article/Wine-a...s-Coolest-Wine
Txakolí from Getaria: http://www.getariakotxakolina.com/index-en.php

And no meal in the Basque country is complete without the slow berry licour Patxarán/Pacharán (from Navarra): http://spanishfood.about.com/od/drinks/a/pacharan.htm

In San Sebastián you should have at least one dinner at either Arzak (one of the then best restaurants in the world for the past 20 years) or Akelarre with fabulous views from Monte Igueldo immediately East of town. Both 3 Michelin stars (16 or 17 Michelin stars in town, but you are served excellent food in much more modest restaurants here).
Arzak: http://www.arzak.info/index.html
Akelarre: http://gastronomyblog.com/2010/06/04...san-sebastian/

Sounds like a fabulous trip!

Sounds great!
Hope you will enjoy Mercè as much as I did last year.
Since you plan to rent a car, check the fine print of each offer for possible surcharges for driving in France.

It is the most leisurely trip ever posted on the Spain board.

Take a look at Soria, it is worth a minor detour.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/08/24...pagewanted=all

to whet your appetite:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7623190654780/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7623717915043/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...ith/5976266462

Thanks for the responses.

Very useful

I can't believe that I misspelled "itinerary".

Overall this looks good - well balanced number of days in each place with driving time also spaced well.

I'd consider adding a day or 2 to Barcelona. You currently have 4 nights but your first day will likely be jet lagged. If you add 1-2 days it would give you time for a day trip too.

I think that you are short-changing the French Basque country.

May I ask why Pau?
I flew into Pau and stayed overnight last Easter and saw litle of interst.

Pau because it is the next large town after going over the Tourmalet and going to Gavarnie?

Cathy has a point...if you can , more time in Barcelona would be good considering the jet lag and the festivities .

I thought Salamanca and Toledo were each worth 2 full days. But you'll have a wonderful time whatever you choose!

Hi chap,

>May I ask why Pau?<

Of course you may.
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...................

I stipulate that you did.

The trip was conceived when I was watching the Tour de France last year and saw them do a hill climb near Luz-Saint-Sauveur. I thought that that would a place worth visiting.

Things expanded from there.

I chose Pau as being a town of reasonable size from which I could visit parts of the Pays Basque before heading toward San Sebastian.

La Ferme aux Grives turned out to be a bonus.

I'll certainly consider any suggestions for a better base.
..........................................
Hi M,

The Cirque de Gavarnie will be part of a daytrip into the mountains.
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Hi kja,

Two nights in Salamanca it is.
............................................

Thanks all, for the suggestions.

I'm not sure that I can add time to Barcelona, but I shall look into it.

Ira-I still can't see spending so much time in Pau-quite alot of industry there.We drove from there to Bayonne for lunch-lovely litle seaside town, full of history. We had heard about Biarritz so we drove through-horrendous traffic think La Jolla CA,stopped to walk out to the statue of the Virgin of the sea and continued on to St Jean de Luz. We stopped in at Hondarribia,lovely litle town with a great historic parador that is just about impossible to stay at so small.We finaly arrived in San Sebastian and quickly learned how difficult it is to drive/park!Quite a trip!

I would not consider Pau as convenient for the pays Basque. Biarritz or St Jean de Luz would be better, or do what we did, stay on the pass between the inland pays Basque and the coastal pays Basque (right at the base of the cog RR if you looked at the pictures). If a picturesque village is preferred, I would try to stay in Espelette or Ainhoa. I think that I give the name of the B&B in my trip report.

Looks like the itinerary of an experienced traveler.

It makes me resolve once more that I want to make a trip just to the Basque country.

Reconsidering Pau.

Thanks.

Except for Pau, it sounds good to me. Would you need more suggestions on what to do on the Basque area? I´ll be glad to help.

I meant Bayonne rather than Biarritz for staying on the coast.