At the end of April my husband and I will spend about a week in between A Coruna and San Sebastian. Any and all recommendations are welcome (where to go, places to stay, renting a car or not). We love small towns, easy-ish hikes and natural beauty. And, of course, good food!
Any thoughts?
Betanzos is good for a short visit. It is known for the typical enclosed balconies. We enjoyed a stop at As Catedrais beach. It’s best if you can get there at low tide. Probably too far out of the way for the time you’d spend there is Cabo Ortegal. Beautiful views and there are wild horses that hang out there. Cangas de Onis and the Sanctuary of Covadonga are worth stopping at, and even though touristy Santillana del Mar is worth visiting. A couple small towns we liked are Zumaia with its flysch rock formations and the fishing port of Gertaria. There are plenty of other places worth stopping at.
Yikes, that will be tough--narrowing down your options I mean. I have this part of the country "on my list" so I'll follow along with interest. I have been to the Basque region and a week would fly by just between Bilbao and SS.
A couple of places I have noted as being small and scenic are Llanes and Cudillero. I also find the Gaudi works in northern Spain of interest. https://theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/where-to-find-gaudis-buildings-outside-of-barcelona/
You might approach this forwards and backwards--how long do you wish to spend in A Coruna and San Sebastian? Then you will know how much time you have to work with.
Llanes and Cudillero were two of our favorites. We spent a night in Santillana del Mar which we didn’t care for and do not recommend. Crowded and touristy.
We had a car which I recommend. Our last stop in the area was in Hondarribia, an interesting and historic town about twenty minutes from San Sebastián. It is perfect for da trips to the French Basque villages such as Saré, Ascain, Ainhoa.
That's great to hear, Suki--I think we have similar tastes!
"We love small towns, easy-ish hikes and natural beauty. And, of course, good food!"
Well you'll get that in spades. We spent 11 days touring between Santiago de Compostela and Santilliana del Mar, we could have easily filled 20 days. Dozens of cute little seaside towns, beautiful beaches, hiking/walking along the coastal path, Somiedo Park, the Picos de Europa, neolithic cave art....Hope you like seafood.
Gotta have a car
Stop by Getaria. Beautiful. And have a meal by the water.
