Spain First Timers.... plans taking shape!!

There's good bus service between San Sebastian and Bilbao, taking as little as 80 minutes. The train (while scenic) takes much, much longer. If you want to go to a bunch of smaller towns in the Basque Country, you might consider renting a car, but the buses are quite comfortable. Definitely check on availability and cost of parking before planning to rent.

It's too early to find online train schedules for next April, but you can take a look at the current schedule to get an idea of how frequently trains run between Barcelona and San Sebastian. I find the Deutsche Bahn website easier to use than Renfe when I'm just looking up schedules. At this point, the fastest Monday train leaves Barcelona Sants at 3:30 PM and arrives in San Sebastian at at 9:10 PM. Earlier trains take at least an hour longer. Normally, I wouldn't want to arrive so late, but San Sebastian is a much smaller city than Barcelona with (to my mind) not all that much to do after one day except go tapas-hopping, and the weather in April could be distinctly bracing. So I'd be happy to spend a chunk of April 30 in Barcelona. If you have plans for multiple side-trips from SS, that would make a difference. If you want to leave Barcelona earlier in the day, you might also check out flights on skyscanner.com.

It appears that your trip from Logrono to Alcaniz would be by bus or a combination of train and bus. You can take a look at Rome2Rio.com and see what it comes up with. Keep drilling down till you find the names of the bus company/companies on that route and go to their websites to check schedules. Driving that portion of your itinerary might be a decent plan.

One possibility for your extra days would be Zaragoza, which would be a stop on the way from Logrono to Alcaniz. Others would be Tarragona or Girona. Girona's north of Barcelona but a very quick train ride from the latter. Girona has a lot of sights itself and is a good base for side trips to Figueres, Cadaques and Besalu.

Acraven...
thanks for all the details!! After reading your post I'm wondering if 4 nights is too much in SS!! That's also a very expensive
Hotel😱!!! As we go north from Barcelona, is there another amazing town or two that you rec?? I could cut 2 days off SS and see more!!!
Thx for info on Bus etc...
CL

.... the city of Girona for example. More details

and if not opposed to renting a car you can drop by the picturesque towns of Costa Brava, which are a stone throw away from Girona. More details

or to the impressive towns in the Catalan Pyrenees, either in La Cerdanya or in Vall d'Aran -on your way to Basque country.

or to the majestic medieval town of Besalú

there are literally dozens of places you could go.

Enric
I am gathering that maybe spending so much time in SS does not allow me to see these impressive villages!!! We will be there Late April/ May so sunbathing is not on the Agenda!!! I'll cut out stay in SS to two nights and adjust so we can see more!! We leave Lograno on May 8 and have till 5/12 !!! Train to Madrid???
Thx
Clou

I'm never too fond of driving too many miles in a few days, besides, as per things-to-do/visit there's no need to... simply visit the rest of Basque Country and the northern coast... you'll find equally impressive towns there and many things to do: https://tourism.euskadi.eus/en/

PS. I don't see what sunbathing has to do with visiting picturesque coastal towns :))... sunbathing or swimming in the sea is optional of course, but it was not what I would necessarily do when visiting Costa Brava.

Enric
I only mentioned sunbathing because of the " tourism" in SS and the lovely beaches! That's not our thing anyway!! Appreciate the input.thx
CLou

Nice coastal towns/villages near San Sebastian: Hondarribia (the largest, virtually on the French border), Zarautz, Getaria, Zumaia. All have bus and/or train service.

Nice coastal village near Bilbao: Bermeo. Train service.

Inland city with large medieval district on a hill and some worthwhile museums: Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Charming hill town near the La Rioja wine region, located sorta between Vitoria-Gasteiz and Logrono: Laguardia. On the bus line but would be easier by car.

The Basque countryside is very attractive. Also very green (i.e., it rains rather a lot). You may see more sun as you get over toward the Catalunyan coast.

I spent several days in the Cerdanya Valley last summer. It was scorching hot, so I suspect April might be quite nice. Puigcerda is a lively, colorful hill town. There are a number of picturesque little towns stretched out along the highway, including Llivia, which is a Spanish town surrounded by France. I made a short day-trip to La Seu de Urgell, a town historically important for religious reasons that I do not remember. It has a very pretty historic district.

Thank you so much!! Great info!!!!

The Bishop of La Seu Durgell is the head of state for Andorra, a shared position with the President of France.

Now, that I did know. Former stamp collector.