Salamanca doesn't fit in your overall plan. I love the city, studied there and recently spent 4 nights, but it's an outlier in your itinerary, because it's a detour west. It does fit nicely into an itinerary of Segovia, Avila,Salamanca and on to Galicia, for northwestern Spain. Burgos fits well what you have planned for the north.

Mary,
It will only take about an hour, 15 min. from the Hotel del Oso to San Vicente de la Barquera on the coast, so you might want to continue east along the coast towards the "Trasierra", which is Comillas to Santillana, to spend the night. Just a thought.

A lot of your itinerary will be beyond the scope of my experience. My trip was (only) 14 nights, 1 night on the plane on the way there, 13 nights on the ground. One place I saw that you didn't mention is the castle of Almodóvar del Rio. It occupied me for just u der 1-1/2 hours. I took the bus there from Cordoba, bus back to Cordoba, then train to Madrid, arriving but if the cost of a rental car is not a problem, you probably would save time driving. But there are other castles that are in good condition that might be worth seeing, I just didn't see them. The bus ride was about 35 minutes one way. You get on the bus at the beginning of the route which is at a bus station in Córdoba, you pay the driver. It was under €3 one way. You pull a cord or press a button when you see the castle, there is a bus stop in the town of Almodóvar del Rio near the bottom of the hill the castle is on.

Toledo is the other place I went to, for a day trip, that you didn't mention. But i don't know that Toledo is a must see place; maybe Avila and/or Segovia will be more appealing to you. I had to make time to see the two ancient buildings that were used as synagogues before the Jews were kicked out in 1492, because I was raised Jewish, while catholic themed artwork and buildings I could be as happy to skip or see if guide books say a place is a must see site. I wish that in Toledo, after the synagogues, i had gone straight to the army museum, and then if time, to the cathedral. The army museum requires 2 to 3 hours to see properly. Yeah I know seeing it might be irrational and starting wars is a mental disorder. You will need an advance train ticket if you are taking the train to Toledo.

Also: Nerja in Southern Spain has ancient structures that might be similar to some tombs at Mycenae in Greece; the structures in Nerja looked appealing but I didn't make time for them.

Is this your first longish trip? If so don't underestimate how tiring constantly being on the move can be to say nothing of the time lost to travel, checking in and out, picking up rental cars etc. all of which can eat into your "usable "time considerably. A cliche I know, but less really can be more on trips like this.

We spent a year living in a small town north of Malaga (cant say the weather was great at that time of year!) . We found it pretty easy to get around to most places by train or rental car. Some places like Sevilla and Granada a car was a hindrance rather than a help.

One thing that we did for the odd week away was to utilise some of the pre packaged Paradore rutas as in https://paradores.es/en/rutas . The paradores themselves are often in old castles etc and provide a very atmospheric insight into the Spain of old, the food is great too and they are reasonably priced. I would perhaps look at string a few of these routes together. Along with a few stays in single locations, I think you would have the makings of an excellent trip.

I've used the 5-night plan and Golden Age plans for the excellent Extremadura Paradors. I belong to their Amigos program as well and receive newsletters alerting me to special Amigos rates that can be even more competitive than these two package plans.

All of the Extremadura Paradors, save the contemporary-style Trujillo Parador and the whitewashed Andalusian-style Mérida Parador, are historic-----Cáceres, Guadalupe, Plasencia, Jarandilla de la Vera, Zafra. And these days they are an excellent value, especially if you enroll online in their Amigos program, which gives us a complimentary breakfast at your first Parador and a welcome drink at each.

For our last Extremadura tour, we used the one in Trujillo as a base as a much easier in-and-out for our day trips than Cáceres, whose Parador parking lot is not adjacent, and the historic quarter has restricted vehicle traffic. It´s a bit of a PITA to use their off site parking. On another trip we did have a 2-night stay at the Cáceres Parador and while the few parking spots at the Parador itself were already taken, the desk staff guided us in their hotel van to their off site secured parking and return us and our luggage to the Parador in the van.

Just another thought...

Thank you all so much!
Maribel: Yes I've joined the Amigos program. And we'll qualify for the Golden also - so excited to take advantage. Also, thank you for sharing those "Club" properties. I've found some lovely places. Considering Posada El Bosque and Posada San Pelayo, both just outside Potes, thinking we'd enjoy being closer to town while still in the countryside. Hotel del Oso still an option but farther afield. Both the Palacio de Tonanes you mentioned and the Posada Caborredondo look lovely. And Casa del Organista looks nice although in the busier S. de Mar.
Crellston - Thank you for the Parador ruta suggestion. I had not seen those and will take a careful look. And good point about relocation time and energy. It's hard to know the pace we'll be able to , or want to, maintain so trying to build in some open spaces. And yes, getting rid of car while in Seville and Granada and using briefly again for travel to smaller villages, before flying to Barcelona from Granada.
Michael - Wish we could cover more territory! Salamanca is on our radar.
Michaelpianko - We might catch Segovia while in Madrid - I know it's a must see for many folks.

Any thoughts on lodging in Oviedo? I'd like to keep costs down for brief city stays so looking at Soho Boutique and Hotel Fruela - both have access to parking. Using an apartment in Leon, near the cathedral with parking. And thoughts on doing just one night Oviedo, after two in Leon? With market days in Cangas on Sunday and Potes on Monday I'm feeling eager to get to the Picos.

Thanks again - It's taking shape slowly but surely!
Mary

Yes, the Club de Calidad Cantabria Infinita properties are indeed lovely.
I've seen Posada del Bosque and the steep driveway is a bit of a "challenge", although the views are exceptional.
I've also gone to visit Posada San Pelayo with easier access and parking, and it would be my choice.

I hope you do have time for a meal at Hotel Del Oso, as the food is exceptional, the beamed ceiling dining room cozy and inviting, the ladies who run the place are lovely and those 3 Saint Bernards so cute. We once drove all the way from the Parador at Limpias just to have our anniversary lunch there.

Oviedo: Parking access will be extremely important for you there. The Soho Boutique doesn't have its own garage, but there is a public garage a 3-min. walk away for a reduced rate for hotel guests.
The Fruela has valet parking, which for me would be a plus and would tip the scales.
Both are near the lovely Campo San Francisco city park.

I would definitely spend 2 nights in León. I would want/need those 2 for the visit to the stunning Gothic Cathedral, the Panteón Real de San Isidoro (often called the "Sistine Chapel of Romanesque Art" for its amazing frescoes), a tour of Gaudí's Casa Botines (currently with a Sorolla exhibit, but it ends on Sept. 3), Wed. traditional market on Plaza Mayor and an evening of tapas hopping in the Barrio Húmedo and the Barrio Romántico. The Parador there is the historic Hostal de San Marcos, a national monument and its church can be visited.

León is also the land of the "free tapa", a complimentary tapa with each drink order. But some bars are very pork centric (blood sausage, chorizo, cecina and other famous local sausages)
For tapas/wine in the Barrio Húmedo we like El Rebote for croquettes and Racimo de Oro , both on the Plaza de San Martín.
and in the Barrio Romántico, for more elevated tapas/wines, we head to Camarote and El Clandestino both on Calle Cervantes.
La Trébede on Plaza Torres de Omaña is a true time warp in good way.
And right on the Plaza Mayor, Mamá Tere with very creative dishes and outdoor terrace.

The most complete, up to date guidebook I have for Northern Spain is the 2022 edition of DK Eyewitness Guide Northern Spain

An entertaining way to spend the evening in Oviedo for us is to take a stroll along Calle Gascona, known as The Boulevard of the Cider Houses.
t's the street lined with typical sidrerías, where one can sample the local ciders accompanied by local cheeses and chorizo braised in cider.
On this street we like La Finca Sidrería Gastrobar, which seems to cater to a more local crowd, the dishes are farm to table, and you may even hear the Asturian language, bable or asturianu.
It's fun, and the wait staff does the pouring for you, which is an art form..
https://sidrerialafinca.es

My tips for tapas in León:
* Taberna El Gaucho on Calle Azabacheria, Barrio Húmedo, for 'sopa de ajo' (garlic soup). BTW "azabache" translates as "jet stone".
* La Ribera on Calle Fernando Regueral, Barrio Romántico, for 'mejillones' (mussels with spicy sauce).

I love Calle Gascona in Oviedo. The only issue is that it seems quite an uphill walk to get back to the hotel AFTER ciders

Revulgo,
I'll put those 2 on my list, thanks!

Mary,
The citizens of Oviedo have a sweet toot, and the city is blessed with many lovely, historic pastry shops. My 2 favorites are Confitería Rialto from 1926, on Calle San Francisco, whose specialty is the moscovita, an almond cookie covered with chocolate. It has a tea room.
and Camilo de Blas, on Calle Jovellanos, a beautiful shop founded in 1914, whose special treat are the carbayones, an almond boat.

Around the traditional Mercado el Fontán in Oviedo there´s an outdoor market on Thursdays and Saturdays.
And Coalla Gourmet sells the best Asturian gourmet products from the entire Principado. You´ll find it at Calle Asturias 14.

About your stay in Potes,
If you plan to take the cable car, the Teleférico, at Fuente Dé, you can now purchase your tickets online up to 24 hours in advance. They’re sold in half hour increments. This is a huge improvement, as the lines during high season could be unbearably long. The Teleférico runs all year long except for Dec. 24 & 25 and Dec. 31. The trip up takes 7 minutes and it's exhilarating.https://entradas.telefericofuentede.com/.

Select your date, then the time, then “ida y vuelta” (round trip), then the number of adult round trip tickets (17€/p), then continue, skip the supplementary ticket for a pet, then you must register (can do this ahead of time), then pay by credit card.

Thank you! You all are making it hard to wait!
Some progress - with more research we found we can rent an affordable car, one way, from Oviedo to either Seville or Cordoba. This way we can enjoy some train travel to Leon and Oviedo and avoid parking in those city centers. Booked three nights at Posado El Bosque so we can walk into Potes for dinner - but will definitely visit Hotel del Oso for a meal. Good to know about pre-booking Fuente De - thank you and will do.
Thank you Revulgo and Maribel for amazing sight and food recs for Leon and Oviedo. I'd heard of Camilo del Blas from a blog about Jose Andres and his tv show where he brought his family to Spain. Look forward to it! And cider and tapas!
On an unrelated topic - as I have questions in the future, should I start a new thread or just continue with this one? Not sure of best practices on the Fodor forums!
As ever, grateful -
Mary

Mary,
The rental car news will be such a help to avoid parking in those city centers.

Yes, I forgot that José Andrés and his family visited Camilo de Blas. I had seen the whole series on Discovery Plus, and the Asturias episode is a really good one. He and the family meet up with their Asturian relatives at one of Oviedo´s cider houses on Calle Gascona.
Have you seen "José Andrés and His Family Go to Spain?" One of the episodes takes place in Madrid.

I think you can continue with this thread for your further questions, but it´s up to you, of course.

Hello again -
Resurrecting this thread as we finalize plans. Thanks again to all of you for your help thus far! Our updated itinerary is below, not including the many wonderful suggestions of activities and sights that will fill each day. Trying to balance affordable lodging with some splurges. We are moving a lot but that's okay with us. Lots to see!
Beginning October 17:
Madrid - 3 nights - airbnb in Las Letras
Train to Leon - 2 nights - airbnb near Cathedral
Train to Oviedo - 1 night - Soho Boutique
Pick up rental car in Oviedo - drive to Cangas de Onis - 1 night in Poncebos (near start of Ruta del Cares)
Ruta del Cares - Bulnes - drive to Potes - 3 nights at Posada El Bosque
Drive to San Vicente de la Barquera - 2 nights EITHER at very casual seaside but close to town Posada Punta Linera OR inland rural nicer Posada Caborredondo further east
Bilbao - 2 nights - hilltop hotel with parking at Hotel Artetxe - take funicular to center
San Sebastian - 3 nights - either Pension Joakina or Casa Nicolasa near old town - public garage parking
Laguardia - 2 nights - looking at Casa Peque or Hospederia de los Parajes
Trujillo - 2-3 nights - Parador
Caceres - 2 nights - Parador
Merida or Zafra - 1 night - Parador
Drop car in Seville - one week at airbnb near center
Train to Cordoba - 2 nights - Casa de los Azulejos or Casas de la Juderia
Train back to Seville to pick up car
Spend 3-5 days driving Jerez - Cadiz - Grazelema - Ronda - Sierra Nevadas - drop car in Granada
Granada - 3 nights
Fly to Barcelona - 4-6 days
Back to Madrid 2-3 days

Feedback appreciated, and with it being somewhat off season we still have some flexibility to make changes.

As ever, grateful -
Mary

Mary,
If you plan to do the one directional Ruta del Cares, the parking lot there gets very filled quickly, even in October, so try to go early to grab a spot. There are local companies that will pick you up at the end in Caín and take you back to Poncebos for a set fee.
Such as this one
Rutas 4x4 | Picos de Europa | Ruta del Cares | Parque Natural de Ponga

We were in Laguardia yesterday and had a typical Riojan lunch at SVGAR. The Hospedería de los Parajes is a nice choice that faces the Plaza Mayor, much nicer, more memorable than Casa Peque. It has very interesting calaos where one can have a wine and tapas. (We've been here for the past 6 days.)

Ditto to the Casa de la Judería, more memorable, nicer than the Casa de los Azulejos, ime.

I think you can day trip easily from the Cáceres Parador to Mérida and it would be best then to spend the next night at the Zafra Parador, which is historic and quite impressive. In a great, quiet locations. KarenWood and I liked it very much. It has several lovely patios and a comfy sitting room.

More info later...

Another company that does the Caín back to Poncebos transfer for the Cares walk
https://fronteraverde.com/actividades/ruta-del-cares/

MaryJT,
While in Laguardia you'll want to visit the covered portico of the Church of Santa Maria de los Reyes, Laguardia's masterpiece.
Guided tours are given daily and because the groups are small and this jewel is much in demand, they now advise that you purchase your tickets ahead of time and you can even do this on the Turismo de Laguardia's excellent web site.
https://www.laguardia-alava.com/es/.

Also we were there yesterday at 1 pm to see the Carillón with its 3 dancing figures in action. They are supposed to dance at noon and again at 2, 5 and 8 but they danced at 1 pm as well. Don´t know why. The Hospedería de los Barajas sits facing the. Plaza Mayor which functions as the Laguardia citizens living room.

I also urge you to visit two stunning, dramatically perched medieval hilltop towns, just a short and gorgeous drive away from Laguardia---
San Vicente de la Sonsierra, which had its festival from Sept 7-12, complete with a running of the bulls (cows) and its neighbor across the river,
Briones, which has a gorgeous and huge cathedral-sized church with acclaimed organ and magnificent Baroque altarpiece dripping with gold. Note the sculpture of St James the Moor Slayer to the right of the altar.
For a donation of .20 you can have the altar illuminated and for another .20 have a background of organ music. This handsome church is Briones' treasure. For others, their fiestas run from 15-21 of September and. they celebrate a nationally known medieval festival the second week of June.
Both towns lie in the neighboring Rioja Alta.

Briones also boasts the wonderful Museum of Wine Dinastía Vivanco, very well curated, even with valuable paintings of Picasso, Sorolla, Joan Miró and Juan Gris,that in a 2+ hour visit will give you a nice insight into the history of winemaking in the Rioja wine region. They also have a nice restaurant. The museum is only a 25-minute drive from Laguardia and one of the Rioja's prettiest drives, especially in late October when the vineyards are bursting with fall color.
https://vivancoculturadevino.es/en/

I know the Casa Nicolasa and its location on Calle Aldamar, close to my favorite gourmet shop, Aitor Lasa, and wine shop, Goñi Ardoteka, and it would certainly be my choice between the two. San Sebastián is wonderfully walkable.

I've seen the Posada Caborredondo and its lovely, surrounded by beautiful, bucolic countryside.

Our poster mikelg can tell you about the Artetxe high above Bilbao. I've seen it but have never stayed there.

As for your stay driving Jerez - Cadiz - Grazelema - Ronda - Sierra Nevadas - drop car in Granada, do you have a base in mind?
I don't know that the Sierra Nevada will be worth your while unless you plan to visit the remote Alpujarras villages. That itinerary seems a bit ambitious to me, but I spend 4 nights in the Cádiz-Jerez-el Puerto-Sanlúcar area alone and another 4 in the Ronda-Grazalema-Zaharra de la Sierra white towns for exploring.

As for an airbnb in the Sevilla center, I would encourage you to look for one in the El Arenal or Centro quarters rather than in the now tourist saturated. Barrio de Santa Cruz, since it's become very congested with more tourist beds than Seville residents. I have a friend who used to live there and bemoans the changes that this neighborhood has suffered. Just a thought...

Just a question, can you share the location of your airbnb in Madrid in the Barrio de las Letras? The reason I ask is...that sometimes they're marketed as being in Letras when they're actually in Lavapiés or in La Latina.

It's been a long time since I did a road trip in Spain but I know that my husband and I regretted doing only a day trip to Toledo from Madrid as in retrospect, it would have been a better plan to spend one night there. We had picked up our rental car and the plan was that this would be a day trip before leaving to head north from Madrid. There was a lot of traffic heading south from Madrid which cut into our time and so we did feel rushed before we left to drive north to Madrid in traffic. Yes to Segovia and you can easily stop to tour El Escorial on the way. Yes to Salamanca which is amazing and on the way, stopping in Avila. We did not know about Avila in advance as this was back in the late 70's so it was quite a find. Although our trip did not make it to Bilbao and the coast, we did travel south in a loop, stopping at Jerez, Cadiz, Ronda and the White Towns as well as Cordoba, Sevilla, Malaga, Granada, Valencia, Alicante and ending in Barcelona to return car and fly home. This was a 3 week trip and so clearly we didn't get to see and tour the whole country.