The third week in May 2017 we are driving from San Sebastian to Santiago de Compostela (SDC) on the northern route, spending one night along the way in Comillas. What is a good more southerly route to take back to San Sebastian from SDC and where is a good stopping point along the way? I'd love to stay in Laguardia in the wine country but not sure the roads are so good getting there. Are different routes more scenic than others? Thanks....Pam
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
You can stay on pretty major roads almost all the way to LaGuardia. I drove westward Logrono-Burgos-Leon and that highway felt quite modern and straight-forward.
Posted by
Washington DC
28083 posts
Lots of pretty scenery in northern Spain, though some stretches are sort of undistinguished. I wish I remembered well enough to be really specific, but alas, I don't. I'd rate the countryside generally as follows:
- Picos de Europa area (old stone town of Potes is especially picturesque; verify road conditions since there are mountains here)
- The Basque Country
- Galicia
For me, other parts of northern Spain were perfectly OK but, overall, less dramatic. The above ranking is without regard to the towns and cities themselves, many of which are great. I didn't see enough of Logrono to comment but would gladly return to Leon, Burgos, LaGuardia (and Vitoria-Gasteiz).
Comillas is very worthwhile for a few modernista buildings, but otherwise I found it unremarkable. However, I blasted through on a day trip and may well have missed something special.
If you're more or less collecting modernista buildings, don't forget the Palacio Episcopal in Astorga, which is just west of Leon and along your probable inland route.