My wife and I will make our second trip to Spain either in March or April. We traveled through Andalusia last August and September. It is business trip for my wife; we spend 5 days in Madrid, and then 5 days in Barcelona. We would like to add a week vacation to our trip. Any suggestions? I do have to stop in San Sebastian. I have a customer whose headquarters are located there. I would like to visit Northern Spain this time.

I visited Potes (Liebana, Cantabria) in April two years ago. My trip was a sort of pilgrimage: it was a jubilee year for Santo Toribio and the Monastery (just outside Potes) that houses the largest known fragment of the Cross on which Christ was crucified. Unfortunately, the Picos de Europa were pretty much inaccessible. They were having mountain rescue team competitions that week. Some say the Orujo de Liebana is the only true aguardiente and the Cocido Lebaniega really sticks to one's ribs. It's just like Fabada Asturiana except it's made with garbanzo beans rather than the more expensive Fava beans.

I also visited Bilbao (and Frank Gehry's Titanium masterpiece, the Guggenheim) that trip.

If you don't want to go all the way across from San Sebastian to Galicia, I would recommend Santander as a base. From there you can visit Santillana del Mar and the new Virtual Cuevas de Altamira, Comillas, Liebana, San Sebastian de Garabandal, Laredo and Limpias and many other religious sites. And the seafood in Santander's Barrio Pesquero is without equal!

Gsobotta,

You're going to LOOOVE San Sebastian, it's a beautiful, very special place and the food....(Mmm, those pintxos!). Besides, you'll be able to notice the amazing contrast with Andalucia!!!

You might want to spend at least part of that weeks vacation at the Costa Brava: Rosas, Cadaqués, Palamós, L'Escala, Ampuriabrava, Lloret de Mar, San Feliu de Guixols, etc....

Hi! We visited "northern" Spain last fall. You might check my posts dated 11/09/01 (Wonderful Lodging!) and 11/14/01 (Here we go--Restaurants by Region!) which give a little information about the places we liked. We also spent time in Madrid and environs.

Don't overdo it, Pim. Visiting 'Bastián and the Costa in the same week? Too much back-and-forth driving.

If you're going to visit the north, visit the north. Save the costa mediterranea for later. Besides, you'll already be in Barcelona for your wife's business.

I think Eddie's got a good handle on what to do in the north. I recommend you explore the costa vasca from San Sebastián into Bilbao, then spend a day in Bilbao. Head west and spend a few days in Santander doing what Eddie has suggested, and if there's time leftover, take a day and go to Covadonga. Not only is it an interesting historical site, but one of the most beautiful places, scenery-wise, on earth.

I love Bilbao, be sure to spend at least a day or 2 there....dont spend it all at the Guggenheim!!
If you are only there for a day, do the Guggenheim, but then check out, Casco Viejo and Gran Via (metro: casco, and Moyua)! If you have more than one day... you can take the metro out of the city to explore some of the surrounding areas. I would recommend Las Arenas/Getxo (metro: Areeta or Neguri), Plentzia (metro: Plentzia), and Sopelana beach (get off the metro at Larrabastera and walk, it is closer than the Sopelana metro stop). Enjoy northern Spain, it is my favorite region, and Bilbao my favorite city!

I disagree with Kelar,

There have been made great efforts enhancing the city of Bilbao, and the Guggenheim is a great modern building... but the city is not touristic at all, and before the museum was built this city could be considered as the ugliest of spain. Even now, don't spend more than a day there. The nightlife may be great there, but not specially.

But i agree that northern spain is nice and there are more interesting places to visit in the north and in the Basque Country. The countryside is quite nice and S Sebastian too. Vitoria is considered as one of the best places for living in Spain, but has nothing of interest if you are a tourist.

And I disagree with v diaz :p :

Bilbao once was one of the ugliest (and smelliest) cities in Spain, but those days are more than over. Bilbao has much to draw you in as a visitor, and although many would consider the Guggenheim the centerpiece, it is only a component in my mind.

Bilbao has been rebaptized, if you will, into the Church of Cities You Shouldn't Miss. It may not have the historical significance or charm of a Toledo, but there are hidden treasures in Bilbao proper and in the surrounding environs that merit a few days of exploring.

Yes, ten years ago I would've said "leave Bilbao off your itinerary" but today I would preface that with "you'd be a fool to".

One of the reasons I love Bilbao, is because it is NOT touristy In addition, I dont find the city any less beautiful than say, Madrid. In fact, I would say that is is MUCH MUCH cleaner than Madrid, or Barcelona (just look at the metro ). I love this city, I am studying there right now, and feel it is VERY overlooked (but maybe that is a good thing, I would hate to see it end up as touristy as Barcelona or Madrid )

Gotta love Bilbao. Chelsey Clinton just visted the Guggenheim yesterday. I agree with everything above, but must add that I love the beach in Sopelana (it´s pretty nice that I am living there this summer!). I find the mediteranian beaches boring for the lack of waves. People talk about it being ugly, yes some of the barrios aren´t pretty, but the central part of bilbao that tourists are going to see isn´t too bad.