Not in the books... Barcelona to San Sebastian stopover point

Linda, are you looking just for a place to crash and have dinner, or more of a place to spend some interesting time for a day or so? In either case, I spent two enjoyable nights in Zaragoza last year. The aljaferia is a very interesting Mudejar site, free English tours available, and the center city area is beautiful, with a number of sites to visit, depending on the day and hours you are there.

I agree with Larry, look no further than Zaragoza itself! I'd recommend 2 nights but it's also great for a few hours too.

Zaragoza has more than 2,000 years of history including Roman ruins of the city walls, forum, and amphitheater, as well as the Aljafería; an 11th-century Moorish palace. It's also the home of the famous pilgrimage site of Nuestra Señora del Pilar Basilica, housing the miraculous image of the Virgin Mary of Pilar. The best part, Zaragoza is relatively undiscovered as far as major Spanish cities go.

Between San Sebastian and Zaragoza, make sure to also check out the medieval town of Olite. The Royal Palace of Olite was the seat of the Kings of Navarre. For me, it's one of the more impressive medieval palaces still standing in Europe.

I take it that this isn't your first visit to Barcelona, because 2 nights means precious little time in a city with so many sights requiring pre-purchase of timed tickets.

The north coast of Spain tends to be overcast and somewhat rainy even in the summer. The countryside, however, is very pretty. If you drive out as well as in, perhaps you can take somewhat different routes.

We spent one night in Zaragoza in October as a stopover on the way from the Pyrenees to Madrid. The Basilica alone is worth the stay. It was stunning.