Hi!
I'm planning a trip to the Basque country for 10 days (3 people). This would be in the summer next year. We usually like to travel on a slower pace, and prefer small/medium-sized cities. We didn't really want nature to be a focus on the trip. As of now, our rough itinerary is: Fly into Pamplona, (3 nights), train to Saint-Jean-de-Luz (3 nights) + day trip to Biarritz? and then end with San Sebastian for 4 nights. + day trip to Bilbao. I'm pretty set on going to San Sebastian, but I was unsure about Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Pamplona. Is there anywhere else in the vicinity that would be worth going to that we should consider ahead of Pamplona/Saint-Jean-de-Luz?
Posted by
la rioja
647 posts
@britl72900, a few thoughts...
Can you fly into Bilbao in stead of Pamplona? Three days in Pamplona is a bit long. One night is enough. Three days in Bilbao would be better, more to do and see.
You don't say when in the summer, July 7th is San Fermin, and it runs the whole week. If you go then be prepared for high prices and lots of crowds. The same will be true of the coast in July and August. I like Saint Jean de Luz, but it is very crowd in the summer months.
Finally, I think that you will find that for many of the routes you want to travel, the bus would be a better option.
Posted by
Bilbao
859 posts
Fly into Pamplona, (3 nights), train to Saint-Jean-de-Luz (3 nights) + day trip to Biarritz? and then end with San Sebastian for 4 nights. + day trip to Bilbao. I'm pretty set on going to San Sebastian, but I was unsure about Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Pamplona. Is there anywhere else in the vicinity that would be worth going to that we should consider ahead of Pamplona/Saint-Jean-de-Luz?
Blockquote
Do not see the need for 3 nights in Pamplona, it seems too much time there, and the same for St Jean de Luz. I would stay or visit Bayonne, much more interesting than Biarritz (which has a famous name but not much to see there, really). 4 nights in Donostia-San Sebastian may also seem too much, take into account that this is a rainy area and D-SS is not a beach resort but a working city (200,000h) with three beaches (a beautiful city, by the way, but not a lot of things to see unless you take day trips to Hondarribia, Pasai Donibane and Getaria, for example). I would spend at least two or maybe three nights in Bilbao, it´s not only the Guggenheim but much more to this city. It´d be good to know the dates for the visit, there are a week-long festivals in these cities and lodging prices get very high.
Posted by
Surrey, UK
182 posts
Another vote for Bayonne over Biarritz. Smaller, charming. Biarritz just seems to be a concrete city.
In Bilbao, don't miss the Guggenheim. If it would appeal to you, from Bllbao you can also do a day trip to Guernika, site of an infamous bombing raid in the Spanish Civil War (famous painting by Picasso), where there is a memorial museum.