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Spain in September - 2 weeks - Finalizing Plans!

My husband and I have two weeks in Spain in September. I have done lots of research and come up with an itinerary and I would welcome feedback. This plan assumes renting a car sometime around San Sebastian or Bilbao and dropping it when we get to Barcelona - is this the best plan? We are happy to take train or bus, but the car seemed to give us more freedom.

Also, what are your opinions about the best use of our time while in the Basque area with SS as our base? We want to see SS, Bilbao, Hondarribia, drive the coast between Bilbao and SS and see San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, Lekeito and/or Getaria. I am unsure how long to allow for this. Should I add another night and go to La Rioja, perhaps Laguardia, before we drive to Cadaques?

I really appreciate your help.

Tues Sept 4: Arrive 8:30 am Madrid, fly to San Sebastian & spend night

Wed Sept 5: spend night in San Sebastian

Thurs Sept 6: San Sebastian

Fri Sept 7: San Sebastian/Rioja or travel to Cadaques –

Sat Sept 8: Cadaques (Figueres), etc

Sun Sept 9: Cadaques or travel to Barcelona and turn in car

Mon Sept 10: travel to Barcelona or already in Barcelona

Tues Sept 11: Barcelona

Wed Sept 12: Barcelona

Thurs Sept 13: fly from Barcelona to Menorca
Flight Vueling either 10:35 AM – 11:30 AM or 12:00 – 12:55 PM

Fri Sept 14: Menorca

Sat Sept 15: Menorca

Sun Sept 16: fly from Menorca to Barcelona
Flight 11:10 AM – 12:05 PM or 12:05 PM – 1:00 PM

Mon Sept 17: 10:30 am flight from Barcelona home
Thanks so much!

Posted by
503 posts

Only comment is that of the 12 days on the ground, 25% of them are travel days - which means you will have little time to enjoy the area once you factor in travel time, checking out and checking in, packing, unpacking, etc., etc, Remember, each change of location will take up 3/4 to a whole day. Obviously only you can decide how you want to allocate your time and what trade -offs make the most sense to you. Personally, with only 12 days on the ground I would take Menorca off the plan and focus more on the other three areas you have listed.

Posted by
7175 posts

San Sebastián, Cadaques, Menorca - all far flung involving long (and complex) travel days. With a total of just 13 nights, I would choose either Cadaques or Menorca, not both.

Posted by
27616 posts

How do you feel about museums? I think Bilbao is a solid day, between the museums and the Cas o Viejo (historic distict). Since you're basing in San Sebastian, I assume yoj have a out a day's worth of activities there.

I don't believe you can comfortably cover all the other Basque Country targets on Sept. 7, much less La Rioja. I don't know how long the coastal route between SS and Bilbao will require. The most direct route doesn't follow the coast for most of the distance, and that's estimated at about 1-1/4 hours by Google, which tends toward optimism. In fact, Google routes you through Bilbao to go from SS to San Juan de la Gaz. and estimates 1-3/4 hours, and you're still not fully following the coast (not passing through Lekeitio). It appears that the coastal drive alone will be quire time-consuming even if you make no stops, and Hondarribia is on the other side of SS.