What areas of Spain would you recommend for the following:
Wineries/beautiful countryside for view/picnics/hiking or day bike trips
Beautiful coast/beaches/quiet fishing villages to explore by foot.
We prefer to not have a rental car. Travel by train/plane would be preferred.
Travelling at end of Sept till the middle of October.
Thank you so much!
Posted by
Washington DC
27062 posts
I made some suggestions in one of your other threads. The La Rioja wine country is not terribly far from San Sebastian, but I don't think you can get there without a rental car. I suppose there might be a bus tour from SS, Bilbao or Vitoria-Gasteiz, but I am doubtful. The lovely medieval hill town of Laguardia is accessible by bus from Vitoria-Gasteiz if you're not in a rush. It has several wine bars and is really atmospheric. But I don't know how you'd get to the vineyards from there.
It's hard to find truly quiet fishing villages until you hit the off-season. Other people have the same ideas you do, so those places have now been developed for tourism. These are attractive coastal destinations accessible by train or (more often) bus:
Basque Country accessible from S.S.
Hondarribia (very pretty, but not a tiny place)
Zarautz/Getaria/Zumaia
Lekeitio
Basque Country accessible from Bilbao
Lekeitio (I think)
Bermeo
Galicia (not sure how easy from Santiago deC; I also stayed in A Coruna, Pontevedra and Vigo)
Betanzos (larger, and on a river--but near the sea; less touristy)
Cambados
Combarro
I should have mentioned in your other thread that the way to travel between San Sebastian and Bilbao is by bus. The train takes far longer (though the ride through the interior is very scenic).
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15576 posts
It would make it easier if you would just ask all your questions in one thread, so all the information is available. The fact that you are arriving from Portugal, not the US, makes a huge difference. I responded on your other thread and asked questions which you provide the answers to here. It's too confusing.