Spain Late June/early July Itinerary

Either itinerary sounds good, so it may be the weather that decides it for you. The southern route would be the one to take for the stereotypica "Spanish" experience....but it can be brutally hot and humid into July, notably in Sevilla. You're looking at average high temperatures in the high 80's and low 90's with high humidity, which frequently makes it feel more like 120 degrees Fahrenheit! I don't mind hot weather, but the humidity sucks it right out of me. And it simply will not cool off at night.
From that aspect, it might be better to head north. You could spend a day or two extra in Madrid to do day trips to Toledo and/or Segovia. Or you could head north. Swing by the Picos de Europa for some magnificent scenery, then head east along the cost to stop by Bilbao, and head for San Sebastian. From there, it's really only a day's drive down the Pyrenees to Barcelona. But you may want to swing onto the French side as far as Carcassonne before heading to Barcelona.
I would suggest that you pre-book your tickets on the fast train from Barcelona back to Madrid as soon as you can, to save up to 60% on what can be an expensive train fare. www.renfe.es is in Spanish but is easily navigable with some help. Those tickets will be available 62 days in advance, and you can print them at home before you leave.

Thanks Norm. A few followup questions. Going north, what is the coastline (water and beaches) like in the Biboa, San Sebastian area? Would you suggest driving both legs - from Madrid to the northern coast and then northern coast to Barcelona? Do you know if parking in Biboa and San Sebastian is a hassle?

I think your second idea is a great one. From Madrid it is a good train ride to the north (Bilboa, San Sebastian). San Sebastian is a beautiful city and Biarritz, France is a 20 minute train ride away and is also beautiful. The beaches in San Sebastian and Biarritz can't be beat. The region around the border of France and Spain is Basque and quite different. Unless you have reservations and are looking for a wild time, go around Pamplona from July 6-14 as San Fermin will be raging. If you do go, your sons might enjoy the encierro and this rite of passage..I enjoyed it when I did it.

Barcelona is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful and interesting cities in Europe and you, your wife and your sons should love it if you can manage a few days there.

Enjoy your trip!

You'll find great little beaches tucked all along the north coast...San Sebastian is one giant crescent-shaped beach.
To give yourself maximum mobility in such a limited timeframe, yes, I would suggest a car. You could go Madrid-Salamanca-Leon-Oviedo, into the Picos de Europa, then over to San Sebastian....then down to Barcelona. Or head directly to San Sebastian and spend more days on the French side, up through Carcassonne and Perpignan before heading down into Barcelona. Frankly, Bilbao is worth a stop, not an overnight IMO. If you are interested in a Spanish experience, do the first route. If you want more of a "Pyrenees" experience, do the second.
For the car, pick it up at Madrid airport, which is on the northeast edge of the city, so you'll avoid driving in Madrid. Parking in most places can be a problem, but whatever accommodations you book should be able to tell you where the closest parking lot is. Be aware that you might find problems booking one room for four adults.

OK, thanks for all the help and suggestions. I am a bit intimidated by the heat in the south, so with that in mind here's our itinerary north with some more detail. Any final comments would be appreciated.

Arrive in Madrid at noon on day 1. Spend the following 2 days in Madrid with a side trip to Toledo. Day 4 rent a car and drive to Burgos, overnight there. Day 5 drive to San Sebastian with a stop in Bilbao. Stay in a house about 12 miles from the coast near San Sebastian for 4 days. Do day trips from there to San Seb, Biarritz etc., also a chance to relax a bit. Day 9 Drive to Pamplona overnight there (this would be on 7/3 before the crowds?). Next day drive to Barcelona (return car on arrival) for 3 days. Day 13 AM AVE train back to Madrid, spend the rest of the last day and night in Madrid, fly out the next day PM.

Your comments? Is this a reasonable travel schedule without killing ourselves?

Questions regarding booking seats on the AVE train from Barcelona to Madrid. I am wanting to book 4 seats on July 7, and I want to make sure that I am booking the right class at the best fare. When I go to www.renfe.es I am able to book seats for July 7, (not sure about the 62 days in advance that has been mentioned) there is tourist class and preferred class (and also a 3rd option that was way more expensive). On each class there are 3 price levels, web, star and general. For Tourist, the prices are €53/80/134 and for preferred they are €80/121/201. Do these sound like the best (60% off) fares? Does any one know the difference between tourist and preferred? How much luggage do they let you carry on? Thanks for your help!

RENFE has started putting some of its high traffic routes on the web longer than the 62 days, but only part of the schedules. On July 7th, you have 7 trains to choose from...there are 30/day on that route. So if one fits your timetable, grab it now.
It's simply 2 1/2 classes of service. Seating is 2+2 in tourist, and 2+1 in Preferente and Club class. In Club, you also get a newspaper and a meal. Frankly, tourist class has always had a lot of room for me, and I'm a big guy...far better than tourist class on an airplane or bus.
I've never encountered luggage limits on the train...if you have one big suitcase and a carry bag, you'll be OK.
As far as the different classes, Estrella fares can be changed (with a charge) and refunds are available until the train leaves at a 30% charge. Web fares cannot be changed, but refunds are also available up until train time, at a 50% charge.

So if we are traveling from Madrid to the Bilbao/San Sebastian area, what is the best way to go? Train or car? If we go by car I would like to split the trip between 2 days. Burgos seems to be about half way. Are the Burgos sites worth an afternoon and overnight stop over? Or is there a more interesting/scenic stop on that route? Thanks! Jim

When travelling from point to point during your vacation, please check the airfares. Depending on your itinerary, it could be cheaper. Check Vueling Air, they have super discounted fares between Madrid, Barcelona and Sevilla. Buen viaje.

There's nothing wrong with Burgos as a mid-way stop....not usually a tourist attraction, but that in itself is an attraction. It's on the Camino de Santiago, and it has a magnificent Gothic cathedral.
But, frankly, if you're not going to spend more time in the area, just take the train to San Sebastian, then rent your car there.....you can range up and down the coast and into the Pyrenees and La Rioja regions easily from there.