Hi all
This summer I am planning on being in Jaca in July taking a class for American Spanish teachers lucky me!...When the course ends I have about a week before I plan on visiting my friend in Alicante. I am wondering if I should make my way to San Sebastian and Bilbao. I haven't been to Bilbao since they opened the Guggenheim there. How difficult would it be to go to these places by train or bus? I will be with my girls (ages 13 and 8)and suitcases (although we will pack light, you KNOW it won't be THAT light ) Am I crazy to be trying to do this?

Eddie, are you out there? I know you travel by bus and train everywhere. Where and how would you go? I would love to get to Santillana del Mar again...but am I crazy? Can I do this by bus and/or train?

Any thoughts you all may have are really appreciated.

I'm here! I'm here! And, Yes! You are crazy to be trying to do this. But if we didn't do (so called) crazy things from time to time we wouldn't have any fun at all. And yes, you can do this by bus and/or train.

The ( Continental-Auto ) buses for Santander and/or Bilbao leave from Avda de America Intercambiador. It's about 5.5 hours to Santander. If you go by bus Madrid-Santander, try to get one that goes nonstop to Torrelavega. The others stop at Burgos for about an hour. Two years ago Continental-Auto had a 'Business Class:' I don't remember what it was called but it's the same as ALSA\'s Supra class: free drinks & snacks. Even on the regular service there was an attendant who sells sandwiches & beer or wine - soft drinks are free. There's pretty frequent bus service between Bilbao & Santander. Last trip we took ALSA Santander to Bilbao and then the Bus Vision tour of that city. You would probably have to day-trip on a tour bus from Santander to Santillana del Mar. We went on one that took us to San Vicente de la barquera, Comillas & Santillana del Mar. It gave us 3 to 4-hours in Santillana del mar.

I have a brochure somewhere in my junque pile for daytrips from Santander. If I run across it I will send it to you by mail.

I also took FEVE once Santander to Limpias to see the Cristo de Limpias Crucifix that is said to 'bleed' from time to time. I caught a bus back by way of Laredo.
P.S.
The long haul buses are restroom equipped but the restrooms are tiny: I don't know if you and one of the girls would fit.

The reason I didn't mention San Sebastian is that it has been more than 40-years since my last visit there. I have no current info.

Update: I will only be going to Bilbao , not Santander and Santillana del Mar but I still want to figure out the bus route to get to Bilbao from Jaca. I am having trouble finding the route. Any suggestions? Thanks!

http://www.alosa.es/html/lineas.html
is the bus line serving Jaca. It can get you to Huesca (or Zaragoza) or to Pamplona. Then you'll have to change buses for one going to Bilbao.

Yea you are going to Bilbao, yeah i know, im just a little biased towards Bilbao, and now Granada after studying in these 2 WONDERFUL cities. I dont know how familiar you are with the city, but if your interested in Bilbao beaches, cool places, whatever, let me know.
Have fun,
Kelly

Thanks Eddie. I knew I could count on you to find me the bus line !

Kelly, any suggestions about Bilbao would be appreciated. My girls and I will only be there one night. I basically want to see the Guggenheim and the casco viejo; but if you have any ideas for places I shouldn't miss, send them along. Thanks!

Bilbao's 'old quarter' is the Casco Viejo because with the rio Nervion defining its borders, it's shaped like a helmet - ergo: Casco. So you might say it's the grandaddy of all Cascos Viejos. There's a 3-story market right on the river. Walk thru it and you will go totally bananas (wishing you had a place to cook and resolving that your next visit will be longer and will include kitchen facilities).

We stayed at the Conde Duque right on the river at the footbridge (walk to the Guggenheim or in the opposite direction to the Casco Viejo). It's nice 3-star, I think. A block back from the river on the same side as the Conde Duque and in the direction of the Guggenheim there's a restaurant named Artxnta (ar-chanta) which I would recommend. There's also a small grocery store across the street from the restaurant.

Take the Bus Vision tour - it ends at the Guggenheim; but it makes one important extended stop at la Begonia, the Church that binds the Euskadi people together all over the world.