Planning a 3 week trip by car through Eastern Spain. Planning to visit Barcelona and area, Zaragoza, San Sebastian area, possibly down as far as Valencia.
Looking for any suggestions about recommended cities/towns/places to see to help build my itinerary.
thanks
I can't help directly, except to say that while you're in the Barcelona area, don't miss Girona. The guidebook I used when I went in 1995 said it was "a world class city, patiently waiting for the world to notice" and they were 100% right.
Consider this itinerary suggestion for 3 weeks by car, starting in Bilbao and ending in Barcelona.
2nts in Bilbao (The Guggenheim)
3nts in San Sebastian (for amazing food and gorgeous beach)
1nt in Pamplona (preferably without bulls)
http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/ciudades-pueblos/otros-destinos/pamplonairuna.html
1nt in Olite (home of the Kings of Navarra)
http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/arte/monumentos/navarra/castillo_-_palacio_de_olite.html
2nts in Zaragoza (monumental Cathedral del Pilar)
1nt in Teruel (for its Mudejar architecture)
http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/arte/monumentos/teruel/arquitectura_mudejar_de_aragon.html
2nts in Valencia (paella)
1 nt in Morella (fortified hilltop town)
http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/ciudades-pueblos/otros-destinos/morella.html
1 nt in Tarragona (Roman ruins)
http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/ciudades-pueblos/otros-destinos/tarragona.html
6 nts in Barcelona (Gaudi) ... including excursion to Girona and Costa Brava
Good feedback so far - thanks!
Anyone else have input?
We've been to Bilbao and San Sebastian; loved them both. May stop just to see the museum again and at least 1 night in San Sebastian. Was considering adding on some of the small town in the Spanish and French Basque area east of San Sebastian.
Thanks
Well then take a night off both Bilbao and San Seb and spend 2 nts in Biarritz,
JD, in addition to Barcelona's Gaudi sites, Catalonia has quite a collection of Dali sites . Both Pubol (Gala's castle) and Figueres (a museum he designed for HIMSELF) are doable in a day via a car while staying on the Costa Brava; we stayed in Calella de Parafrugels. Caladques is a bit further out and the road is not a fast one, however, Dali's beach house is stunning. If your taken by the fantastic architecture of Catalan, you may want visit old Girona and be certain to visit Casa Maso; it's a stunning preservation and not to be missed if you're in Girona. BTW - just across the border in France is Collioure which I loved even more than Calella. Additional details available if you'd like them.
Buen Viaje.
Cadaques itself is stunning - probably one of our favorites among 15 trips to Europe. And we loved the Dali sites as well.
How's the drive to Cadaques? The road from N-260 to Cadaques looks fairly winding from the map.
Thanks
-> bk9net
you're correct that the drive to Cadaques is NOT an autoroute; from an inland valley over coastal hills/mountains, it's a bit windy and it's a two lane highway. I planned on an hour each way (~ 50 kph) and came pretty close). Please note: this highway is not as challenging as the Amalfi, Alps, or Dolomities. And remember, advanced-ticketed admissions to Dali's beach house timed so take care not to rush yourselves.
Safe travels.
