We're flying into Madrid on Sept 12th for two weeks. After a day in Segovia, we go to San Sebastian immediately. We visited San Sebastian last year and were enchanted. On this year's trip, our dates of travel coincide with the San Seb film festival. We want to avoid the festival. Thus, we're going to San Seb first. So here's the problem: we'd hoped to make a circular tour of Madrid, the castle-rich area of the Duero, San Seb, and Barcelona (car to San Seb via castles and train to Barcelona and Madrid)
Unfortunately, because we have to race directly to San Seb, our trip is split in two. The current plan is to rent a car from San Seb to Barcelona. This will allow us to stay in a parador, skirt the Pyrenees, and see the odd castle. After a few days in Barcelona, we'll rent a car again to drive back to Madrid over 3-4 days to see some castles and some less touristy day-to-day parts of Spain.
I hate the need to rent a car twice. I love having a car. I've often found that our most rewarding experiences happen in the unexpected gems that we've stumbled into.
I'm concerned about the drive from Bacelona back to Madrid. It seems like it's a bit of a drive from Barcelona to the castles of the Duero en route to Madrid. I originally hoped to wander from Madrid to Plasencia to Soria and points in between in a roundabout ramble to San Seb. Fitting that all in along with the drive from Bacelona is unrealistic.
My questions:
1. Any suggestions for fitting in my castles, San Seb, and Barcelona in a reasonable manner given that we have to go to San Seb first?
2. Recommendation for a Parador? We loved the Parador in Leon We loved its historic nature and it's extravagent architecture. We're not so interested in the more modern Paradores.
3. Any particular castles that you recommend? I am partial to the out-of-the-way gems, including dilapidated ruins, so long as they are evocative.
Thanks.