This is a footnote question to the original post. I will be traveling in Spain and Portugal for a month and a half. My boyfriend and I are going to do a sort of counter clockwise trip from Barcelona, through the north to Galicia, down to Portugal, back in to Spain through the South, up the Costa del Sol and then over to Madrid (best for last!).
I have been comparing the prices for Spain Flexipasses and they seem about the same as purchasing the train tickets point-to-point. I am leaning toward buying tickets there and mixing with bus travel. A friend who travelled in Spain said it is more expensive to buy the tickets there, and she points out the advantage of unlimited travel in a day. To me, however, the 24 hour rules and extra fees for couchettes etc. seem more like UN FASTIDIO.

What do you think? Is November 1- Dec. 18 any kind of peak season (perhaps in the north ski areas, eh?)? Will it be less stressful to get the pass? I prefer not to plan so much, but to linger where we like it, and move on when we are tired of a place.

Will we be stranded for not making reservations earlier than 2-3 days ahead for most trips?

Sorry for the barrage of questions! Thanks so much for any advice, this is a great board.

Alfavela