We just decided to extend our October Spain trip by 6 days. Already visiting Seville, Granada, and Madrid via train. My current thought is to rent a car in Madrid and do a loop up to Northern Spain. I am leaning towards visiting Bilbao (Guggenheim, etc) and Leon (cathedral). I would appreciate other suggestions. We love art, historic buildings, hiking, smaller museums. We don't like switching hotels a lot. Any place you've visited that you strongly recommend for us to add or adjust current ideas?
Posted by
7057 posts
Uninvited opinion okay? I’d save the north for when you can do a longer trip and add to the existing plan instead. Even if you feel you have exhausted Andalucia (you could add Cordoba, white towns, Malaga), Extremadura is right there and gorgeous.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Thanks - really interesting idea. I had not thought of Extramadura and will explore it. Excellent input.
Posted by
la rioja
783 posts
@Valadelphia has a good point. For six days, probably better to spend it down south instead of putting extra hours behind the wheel.
If you do go north, put Burgos on you list. Beautiful cathedral, and the The Cartuja is a really gem. Just a thought, from Burgos you can get early morning buses straight to the airport, so you could leave the car in Burgos, and not have to go to Madrid for an extra night.
Posted by
Bilbao
1090 posts
As a local from Bilbao, I have to recommend to visit this city and the Basque Country. But it´s true that distances in Spain are bigger than they seem on the map, and Extremadura is a great option. Cáceres, Plasencia, Trujillo, Zafra, Mérida, Guadalupe, Yuste, the Jerte Valley...and then you may want to consider Salamanca, one of the most beautiful cities in Spain.
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
8823 posts
Another vote for Extremadura. It isn’t very far from Sevilla and the main cities already mentioned are only an hour’s drive from each other.
Posted by
1 posts
Another nice spot when you get to the northwest of Spain, especially if you like wineries, is in Elciego. There you’ll find the Bodegas Marqués de Riscal, a lovely winery which has a very nice tour and tasting option. And you get a preview of Gehry’s architecture as he designed the hotel on the property, now run by the Marriott.