Hello, my husband and I, along with my in-laws will be visiting the Basque region in early June (7-12 to be precise). I am having a hard time narrowing down the itinerary, deciding exactly what to include, and choosing whether or not to have a car. For more info, we will be flying into/out of Bilbao and will have nearly 5 full days. We will arrive early on the 7th and leave extremely early on the 12th. These are my considerations that I would appreciate input on:
1.) Is San Sebastián worth spending a couple of nights in, or would it be just as good to stay in nearby Hondarribia or Getaria and day trip to San Sebastián? I'm not keen on super crowds or the expensive lodging that I've noticed in San Sebastián.
2.) Should we try to include a city in the Rioja region for a day trip, or even as an overnight stop? I have been considering both Haro and Laguardia though I know that Laguardia would likely require a car for transport. It just looks very beautiful. I would prefer to not have to worry about driving around the area once there since trying different wineries would be one of the main points of visiting---meaning walking would be preferential once parked or dropped off.
3.) Speaking of a car--is a car recommended no matter what for transport around the region? It seems buses and trains are available, however more sparingly to some of the Rioja region.
4.) Thoughts on spending 4 nights in the Bilbao and day-tripping out, but staying one night in the Rioja region to reduce worry of driving and have longer to enjoy the area.
I know this is a lot. Thank you in advance for any and all input!!