We're looking at a 2-3 week road trip including southwest France (starting in Dordogne region) and ending up in northwest Spain (Bilbao, Santiago de Compostela, and visiting Basque country between the two countries. Does anyone have any suggestions regarding routes, must-see places, best time to visit, etc?
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7942 posts
In Spain, be sure to visit San Sebastian ("Donostia" in Basque). We were there in the fall, not great beach time, but the pinxos (tapas) were great and it wasn't super-crowded. On a rainy day, the aquarium was a fun visit.
Posted by
11570 posts
Santiago de Compostela is a very worthwhile spot to visit but it is located 450 miles from the Spanish Basque city of San Sebastian. Make sure you visit beautiful and historic San Sebastian, summer home of the Spanish royals, located in Spain’s Basque country, Pais Vasco; in Pays Basque, the French Basque country, in the foothills of the Pyreenes,visit Ascain, Ainhoa, Espellete Getaria and Hondarribia.
For an excellent travel guide to these two Basque areas in Spain and France, go to www.maribelsguides.com. You can
Rint out the pdf for each area. We found these pdfs so valuable when visiting those areas.
Posted by
Washington DC
28085 posts
What time of year will you be making the trip?
Getaria and Hondarribia are on the Spanish side of the border. Near Getaria, Zumaia and Zarautz are other picturesque former fishing villages. Guidebooks often mention Lekeitio, but I haven't been there.
I enjoyed the inland city of Vitoria-Gasteiz a lot. It has a large historic district and seems to get few foreign tourists. But my favorite place in the Spanish Basque Country was Bilbao. Much less touristy than San Sebastian.
I agree that you really don't have time to go all the way to Santiago de Compostela without totally ignoring a lot of interesting places along the way--spots like Burgos, Oviedo, the Picos de Europa and Leon.
Posted by
Brisbane, Australia
7175 posts
Day
1. Arrive Santiago de Compostela (2)
2. Santiago de Compostela
3. Pick up car & drive via Lugo to Oviedo (2)
4. Oviedo
5. Drive via Astorga to Leon (1)
6. Drive to Picos de Europa (2)
7. Picos de Europa
8. Drive via Comillas to Santillana del Mar (1)
9. Drive via Vitoria-Gasteiz to Laguardia, Rioja (2)
10. Rioja wine country
11. Drive to Bilbao (2) & return car
12. Bilbao
13. Bus to San Sebastián (2)
14. San Sebastián
15. Bus to Biarritz (2)
16. Biarritz
17. Pick up car & drive to Dordogne (3)
18. Dordogne
19. Dordogne
20. Drive to Bordeaux (2) & return car
21. Bordeaux
22. Depart Bordeaux