Road trip to Spanish Pyrenees - Suggestions?
 

I am thinking about the following road trip for June:

Fly from USA to Barcelona

Spend 4 nights in Barcelona

Spend 2 nights in Costa Brava and/or Girona

Road trip across the Pyrenees to the Atlantic Coast

A few more (3?) days to visit San Sebastian and the Guggenheim Museum in Blibao.

If I still have time, proceed a little farther west along the Mediterranean coast, possibly toward the Picos de Europa.

Fly home to USA from Bilbao.

I have a few questions that perhaps some of you can give me advice on:

1. How long should I allow for the road trip across the Pyrenees - from the Mediterranean to San Sebastian? I want to have enough time so I don't feel rushed and have time for photography, some short hikes, etc., in the small towns and national parks. Because I want to keep making progress from east to west, I expect I will stay in a different town every night.

2. Is driving the entire length of the Pyrenees from east to west overkill? Will I find that the scenery will become more of the same after the first day or so, or will I find new and different things as I head west? Would I be better off, for example, driving through the Catalonian Pyrenees and then heading south towards Huesca, for example, and heading west through some different geography?

3. Does anyone have specific recommendations about not-to-miss or well-worth-skipping places along the way?

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

I must admit that this trip sounds rushed to me. For example, 4 nights is not much for Barcelona, particularly since you will have jet lag when you arrive. Once you count relocating (which includes not only your actual transportation time, but also checking in/out, packing/unpacking, getting oriented, etc.), you probably have only 1.5 days at most for the Costa Brave OR Girona. And 3 days is not much for San Sebastian and the Guggenheim, let alone anything further west.

Here's what I recommend: Get some good guidebooks (or spend some time with a few in your local library) and plot your wish list on a calendar. Each time you propose to change locations, pencil in your transportation, add some time on either side (for getting to/from your lodging, checking in/out, packing/unpacking, getting oriented, etc.). (Each change of location can be "costly" as it is time that you will not have to see or do anything.) Then see how things fit together. You might end up deciding to cut a destination or two.... BTW, note that many things in Spain are closed on Monday, and often for all or part of Sundays too; and many things in Spain will also be closed daily for a very long mid-day break.

My favorite stop in the Pyrenees: Taüll.

You might find some useful information in my trip report: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-catalunya.cfm

It’s a wonderful part of the world – enjoy!

You should plan on at least three nights in the Pynerres if you want to enjoy your time. I would head up into the Val d'Aran, crossing into France at the western end of the valley. Cross back over south of Pau, then back over the pass into the Pays Basque at Roncesvales, north of Pamplona. You then head toward Donostia-San Sebastian along the coast.