Hi !
We are planning a 28 Road trip from Toulouse to Porto. From Pyrιnιes to Basque country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia

Some people elsewhere told me that we will miss very nice place like Salamanca, Burgos and Lιon by doing such a trip.



We live a mix of mountains, coast, village, cities and history when travelling. Is there any cities on (or near) the coast that could be valid replacement for those places mentionned earlier ?

Or should we skip Pyrιnιes and make a and some part of Basque Country to make a loop to and from Porto that would incluse more cities in central Spain ?

option 1 start from Porto, goes to Vigo, La corogne, Gijon (and Picos de Europa), Bilbao, San Sebastian, French Basque country), Goes into the Pyrenees (Lourdes but we wont really go there) , and then comme back to Spanish Basque country and then goes to Porto passing thru Salamanca. It can also be done in reverse



2) Arriving in Bordeaux (or Toulouse) and departing from Porto. Slightly more expensive flight (200$ for the four of us) more expensive buy-back car rental (around $1,000), but a new car, two drivers, and full insurance, which would allow us to see a bit of southwestern France (interesting??) or Toulouse region



Option 2 map start in Bordeaux (or Toulouse) , goes to french Pyreenes (Pau), and Spanish Pyrenees (Jaca ??), SPanishBasque country (Legrono), Sans sebastian, Bilbao, Gijon (and Picos de Europa), La corona, Vigo region and end in Porto

thanks !

Twenty eight days gives you plenty of time to see a lot of places and even go back for seconds.

We were in Salamanca in the month of September, the time when all the students were arriving. Being over sixty, we felt positively ancient, yet somehow optimistic about the future.
Vigo will need two nights if you plan on visiting Cies Islands.
Ferrol has a very good Maritime and Naval Museum, and some great street art, if you are into that kind of thing.
Las Medullas gold mines are a unique place, the drive through Canyon do Sil is spectacular.
We followed a hand painted sign and found this place:

This one sounds good. Porto to Vigo (nothing much in this city, IMO), La Coruρa, then I΄d do Ferrol, continue to Lugo and its impressive Roman wall, then Gijσn and I wouldn΄t miss Oviedo, Picos de Europa, Santander, Bilbao, Donostia-San Sebastiαn, French Basque Country (St Jean de Luz, Gethary, Bayonne...) and then back through Iruρa-Pamplona, Burgos, Valladolid and Salamanca, then Porto.

You might want to check where you plan to be on August 12th. If the total solar eclipse is of interest to you, book accommodation in its path now. If it is not of interest, avoid the crowds and be elsewhere.
https://nso.edu/for-public/eclipse-map-2026/

Option 1 looks good to me. We will do partly the same in May.
Visited Salamanca last year and loved it.

Option 2 sounds more interesting to me, if I had young adults in tow. I especially like Mikelg itinerary. I would map it out and see if the driving times and distances suit your family travel style. I seem to remember you like a fast paced trip.

I would do a loop starting in Porto, and then here are the points of reference:

Slamanca
https://flic.kr/p/7mT5qZ

Segovia

https://flic.kr/p/7mWVdS

And this is the album from which these photos are taken. The beginning of the album might be of interest as it starts in the Spanish Pyrenees:

https://flic.kr/s/aHsjp5co3q

Burgos

https://flic.kr/p/7v59Sf

Bilbao

https://flic.kr/p/2kWsDXb

and the album from which this photo came:

https://flic.kr/s/aHsjppbMBs

Asturias, nice coastal cities and mountains:

https://flic.kr/s/aHskGvBjfL

Leon:

https://flic.kr/p/2ab8oXq

Santiago:

https://flic.kr/p/7mVTy7

and the album:

https://flic.kr/s/aHsjoT7v7R

and return to Porto, The first half of this album covers our trajectory from Porto to Santiago de Compostella:

https://flic.kr/s/aHsjpXpD1k

I hope this helps.