JulieVikmanis

I'm just starting to plan a trip to Northern Spain in late June, possibly flying into Bordeaux and out of Madrid, staying mostly along the coast--St. Jean de Luz, Hondarribia, Santandar, Santillana del Mar, a possible foray inland to Rioja wine country--Haro, etc, Santiago de Compostello, Pontevedre, have caught my eye so far. Would like to select 4 or 5 bases to spend 3 or 4 days each doing day trips in order to see this admittedly large area. I'd like to get suggestions for bases--both towns and hotels. I'm reading guidebooks and Maribel's guides but would like to hear from others who have been there with their suggestions of wonderful places to base at. Thanks for any recommendations you can provide.

bobthenavigator

Hello Julie,
We will be doing part of that in May and I have been doing my homework. The obvious ommision to me is the Picos de Europa national park. We will be staying 3 nites at the Parador at Cangas de Onis near there. The next nite we will stay at the Parador at Ribadeo and driving that north coast before and after Ribadeo beforte going to Santiago. We had done the Basque country before. We will start this trip in Segovia and end in Salamanca and spend 2 nites in Portugal at Viano do Castelo---we have been there before. Holler if you want more specifics.

ekscrunchy

Yes, certainly add the Parador at Cangas. On the same trip we also stayed at the parador in Santillana. Although the village is exquisitely beautiful, it was very touristy, even in early May. Restaurant options were not exciting, although this may have changed in the 4-years or so since we visited. I think I would plan to visit Santillana but stay elsewhere, or limit the visit to one night..

In Santiago we also stayed at the Parador and would recommend...great eating in that city!

I don't have to tell you how helpful Maribel and her guides are for planing a trip.

JulieVikmanis

Thanks, Bob and Ekscrunchy. We're much more into seaside than mountains so I'd not looked at Picos de Europa very much, but will reconsider. Also I was already beginning to reconsider my idea of staying in Santillana del Mar and now will look at that more seriously. Also looking at in and out of Madrid, as cheaper, affording better airline options and providing an excuse to stop somewhere in the Ribera del Duero wine region as well as in Rioja. This is getting complicated.

Do you think I'll be shortchanging us if we plan a day in Santiago and stay elsewhere on the coast, or is the experience of actually staying in the city critical to it all?

Ekscrunchy, you might want to check our my recent post on our trip to Barcelona. It contains heavy duty dining info if you have any need of that. Big homage to pigs feet, anchovies, goat and razor clams.

NEDSIRELAND

JulieVikmanis (in pertinent part) writes: "... I'd not looked at Picos de Europa very much, but will reconsider. Also I was already beginning to reconsider my idea of staying in Santillana del Mar and now will look at that more seriously."

You can daytrip from Santander to Santillana del Mar and los Picos de Europa. I recommend the latter if only to enjoy the unique cuisine of Liebana. Driving south from Unquera thru the Gorge of the rio Deva can also bring some white-knuckle amusement.

"Also ... providing an excuse to stop somewhere in the Ribera del Duero wine region as well as in Rioja."

Aranda de Duero is a good location

"Do you think I'll be shortchanging us if we plan a day in Santiago and stay elsewhere on the coast, or is the experience of actually staying in the city critical to it all?"

I think it is! I wasn't aware that there was a 'Pilgrims Mass' at noon every day; so I recommended people plan to be in Santiago Saturday evening for the Pilgrims Mass and to see the Botafumeiro 'swing.' My last visit there, 3 years ago, I stayed Thu & Fri on the Coast at VilaGarcia de Arosa and at a Hostal in the Historic District Sat & Sun.

Santander has a Santiago festival in the weeks leading up to the Apostle's Feast Day (25 Jul). It probably starts right after los San Fermines (Pamplona), and the Calle de Burgos really lights up.

Don't miss Bilbao, especially the Mercado Central on the rio Nervion and, of course, el Casco Viejo.

I hope this info helps. I've also visited Pontevedra several times but I don't want to drag this out too long - maybe later

danon

sorry to join your thread ,but..
we will be in Santander for a week ( free accomodation) at the end of Sept. We plan a day trip to Bilbao but are not sure what other day trips there are?
San Sebastian is probably too far to go for a day?

ekscrunchy

Thanks, Julie. I will check it out..(sounds like my kind of eating!!) You have been extremely helpful to me with my dining choices in Paris..

JulieVikmanis

NEDSIRELAND, thanks so much. Good, definite opinions and advice. Santander was my first thought for a base in that area and sounds like it would work. Thanks also for the advice on the ribero del duero stop. We've been to Bilbao but didn't see the market, and markets are my favorite things in Europe, so I may have to factor that back in.
Danon, I hope others with more experience will advise you on the day trips from Santander (obviously Santillana del Mar is one) but I'm pretty sure it would be tough to do San Sebastian from there as a day trip and have much time for sightseeing.
And, I guess I'd best return Santiago to the overnight or two day category. Hope the parador isn't booked up.

cruiseluv

Hi,

From Santander you can do Santillana ( about half hour), Picos de Europa ( I did it via a day tour purchased through my hotel). We went to Fuente De, Potes and the monastery of Santo Toribio de Liebana. Also you can do Bilbao as a day trip.

I love Santander. The end Of June the water will probably still be cold but I'm sure beautiful nonetheless.

cruiseluv

Hi again,

Regarding Santiago, I would recommend if possible a minimum of 2 nights. Such a magical city to experience at night!

I have stayed at the Parador and at a lovely small hotel called Hotel Rua Villar, with all the comforts, very close to the Cathedral

NEDSIRELAND

danon writes: "we will be in Santander for a week ( free accomodation) at the end of Sept. We plan a day trip to Bilbao but are not sure what other day trips there are?"
danon: there are different tours scheduled for different days of the week. We did a Bus tour to Potes and los Picos de Europa; made the mistake of taking a meal-included one. Not a good idea! I'm not sure the tour buses will be operating after el Día de Cantabria (15 Sep) but la Palomera Bus Co operates the scheduled routes there.

The next day we took a regular ALSA Bus to Bilbao and did the Vision Bus tour of the City. We met our tour guide from the earlier tour at Plaza Nueva.

I took a tour bus from Santander to San Vicente de la Barquera, Comillas and Santillana del Mar. It was Thursday so there was an open market on the Green in Comillas.

I also wanted to visit Limpias so we went there on FEVE and after our visit to the Church, caught an ALSA Bus to Laredo. Cristo de Limpias is a Crucifix in the Church there that 'bleeds.' It wasn't bleeding during our visit.

danon

thanks for your input.
We are looking forward to seeing a bit of that part of Spain. Our second week will be in Barcelona ( again)!

Maribel

Julie,
First I would echo my foodie soulmate, escrunchy's advice regarding NOT using Santillana as a base. It used to be my favorite medieval village in Spain (the honor now goes to Pedraza), but it's been just overwhelmed both with crowds and the accompanying tourist trinket shops. I'm afraid as an overnight destination, it's lost much of its charm (we popped in last Nov. to visit the Altamira neo-caves and could hardly wait to get back to our country base).

I would choose Santander instead, and in June, you should strongly consider staying in Sardinero next to the beach rather than downtown. It won't be high season there until July, so reasonable rates can still be found at the Hotel Santemar (just checked it again in Nov,) and the Hotel Río (formerly Rhin) or Gran Victoria. If you want a splurge, the Belle Epoque, Grande Dame Hotel Real.

I adore the Picos (we spent a week there in Nov.), but you can, indeed, get to the Liébana Valley (Santa María de Lebeña visigothic church, Potes, Fuene D&eacute on a day trip from Santander, but the lines for the cable car get extremely long in June if you don't arrive by 10. We usually base for the Picos on the Asturian side at the Parador in Cangas de Onís, or for the Cantabrian side at the Parador Fuente Dé. If you decide not to base in the Picos, just get a very early start from Santander and do the cable car at Fuente Dé first, then retrace your steps, with lunch at the ultra charming Hotel del Oso in Cosgaya (just never misses, but gigantic portions!-also adorable St. Bernards).

We have used the Baiona Parador as our Rías Baixas base in Galicia and day tripped to Santiago, but I do agree with cruiseluv that evenings are magical there.
Yes, the botafumeiro can be seen at the daily noon Pilgrims' mass.

For an Asturian coastal base, there are just so many fantastic options. We were quite impressed with the new 5 star Palacio de Luces outside of the fishing village of Lastres, also the 4 star Arcea Hotel Balcón de la Cuesta in too-cute-for-words Andrín,
but with the dollar in the toilet, there are dozens of really good value, charming inns on the coast, members of Casonas Asturianas, Peruse their offerings at
www.casonasasturianas.com

For 4 perfect days in the Basque Country, you be in gourmet heaven in San Sebastián, the best dining city on the planet! (well, for us, anyway). Easy day trips to the Urdaibai Biosphere, Bilbao, delightful Hondarribia (all in my guide), St. Jean de Luz, Biarritz.

If you fly into Madrid, you definitely will want your first overnight within 2-2 1/2 hrs. from the airport. We use the Parador in Lerma (lovely rooms-ask for the 3rd floor, the zona noble) and dine on fabulous roast lamb at our new Burgos province favorite, Casa Brigante (very well regarded by Spain's foremost gourmet critic in the Best of Spanish Gastronomy).
Diego and his fine restaurant are in my Rioja guide (with picture).

Or if you want to stay in a Ribera del Duero wine hotel, you might consider a night at the Hotel Torremilanos outside of Aranda de Duero (a town with no distinguished lodging-believe me, I've tried many there). It's owned by Bodegas Peñalaba López. Our friends who run the Villa de Abalos in the Rioja Alta have stayed there (they are wine-makers) and recommend it.
www.torremilanos.com

The Rioja, of course, deserves 4 nights of its own, as there are so many fantastic wineries to visit (Baigorri, Ysios, Miguel Merino, Remelluri for lunch, López Heredia, the legendary Marqués de Riscal- a total "must see", brand new Antión with twelve rooms, Muga with its own cooperage, Viña Real, the spectacular Wine Museum Dinastía Vivanco-another "must see", etc., etc., etc.

Northern Spain is just a huge area!
In Nov. we spent 10 days in Cantabria plus Bilbao alone, last summer 15 days in Asturias, and in late July we'll be back for 2 weeks in the Basque Country, both sides.

So with 2 weeks you might want to scale back and leave a region (like the Rioja, which can be combined with the Pays Basque) for another trip.

A great 2 week late June vacation would be Galicia-Cantabria-Asturias. You could fly into Vigo, La Coruña or Santiago and return from Oviedo or Bilbao if you don't want to drive up and back from Madrid. Or do French Pays Basque, Spanish País Vasco, Rioja (with a foray into Navarra), flying into Bordeaux or Biarritz, returning from Bilbao.

Just some thoughts to consider...

bobthenavigator

Maribel, You are a jewel !

cruiseluv

Maribel,

What a number of fantastic itineraries! Thank you!

I have to get myself to Northeren Spain soon .We just have to get the $$$ value up!

JulieVikmanis

Maribel, can't thank you enough. This is wonderful--and my husband has read your guides and will willingly take your advice, so I won't even have to convince him of the wisdom you've offered. Thanks so much. Now I've got to get going to sketch this out and check flights, etc. such fun.

NEDSIRELAND

Another big Hoorah for Maribel, who keeps me honest.

As for Aranda de Duero, I've never stopped there, just passed thru. But about 30-years ago, a Franciscan Priest in Oklahoma who happened to be from Aranda arranged for sponsorship for 25 High School age students to visit Oklahoma for about six weeks. It wasn't New York or even Dallas, but they had a great time there.

Then, in 1998 when I was in Lisbon for Expo'98, I stopped in an Irish Pub at Caís do Sodré. 3 or 4 young men came in - they didn't speak English or Portuguese so I offered assistance. They were from Aranda de Duero & had just driven straight thru to Lisbon from there. When I got ready to leave and asked the barman for my bill, he told me it had been taken care of (by the Spanish guys): good people!
BTW
In el Sardinero we stayed at Hostal Paris (on the cheap) and one trip to Potes (for Santo Toribio, 16 Apr) I stayed a couple of nights at Hostal Picos de Europa. For the latter, get off the Palomera Bus at its first stop in Potes.

mikelg

Great place for lamb, Aranda, Casa Florencio is a real must!!!

JulieVikmanis

mikelg thanks for the lamb rec. I expect to eat plenty.

bobtn, if you're still following this, please tell me nore about Viano do Castelo. What is it that draws you back there? The Posada? Something more? if we stay in the area around Pontevedra, is it worthy of a day trip to see the area?

johnthedorf

Julie, I have a few pictures of San Sebastian posted on Flicker.com which I took in September. It was a great base for me to explore the French Basque area and further South. Sadly I had only ten days there.