Just in case anyone is interested in a treat, lastminute.com has great prices on paradors, especially the one in Santiago de Compostela...115euros/room/night. There are lots of dates left for july/aug.

The other day my husband and I stopped for coffee at the parador in Alarcón. Since we had been there last, they had done some renovations and I was surprisingly disappointed. I think they ruined the courtyard with modern touches and really took away the quaint, historical feeling you got when you entered.