Expert: Víctor Díaz - 6/24/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi Victor - I have a  few questions about the heat/crowds - and summer travel/ our dates are July 9-July 24 arriving to Madrid and out of Barcelona- we plan to rent a car and explore north - we are taking approx 3 days for each of the big cities - from Madrid we will  go to Segovia - then thru Salamanca to Zamora - next day up through (Leon?)to the Picos to stay for a few days then to Hondarribia for 2 night (mid July will this be crazy crowded??)
then on to the pyrenees before going to Barcelona-
we want to avoid oppressive heat and crowds - and like local color - and don't want to be going nuts with too much driving !! (we can take train as well )any suggestions are appreciated - we are so looking forward to this trip
thanks so much Ana

ANSWER: Hello Ana

For your plans driving will save time and will allow to explore more places, specially in the Picos and Pirineos

Rent a car when leaving Madrid. Before you may add Toledo as daytrip, using trains it's only 30minutes from Madrid.
http://www.toledo-turismo.com/turismo/
You could do Segovia as daytrip as well but by doing it by car will let you add La Granja.

For your route, personally, it looks great to me!, and you are heading to the north and then to the east by the Pirineos, that means scaping from the heat of the south. You will have still very warm temperatures in Madrid and surrouning areas as well as some places in Castilla y Leon (Salamanca...). If there is a heat wave in spain and it reaches the north, the heat there becomes worse as there is a higher humidity. But you can't control those things so, go ahead with your plans.

About the crowds, most tourist head to the sun and beaches of the east and south of Spain. Unless there is a local festivity i don't think you will find those places too crowded, but if you seek an special place to stay book in advance.

Your route: using these maps
http://www.viamichelin.co.uk
Starting in Madrid you want to visit Segovia. I would take A6 to Villalba, then M601 to Navacerrada pass (mountain pass = puerto) more scenic road, you will pass by La Granja de San Ildefonso after the pass, where you could visit at least the nice gardens with lots of fountains, normally there is only one working at a time due to high water consumption. You will finally reach Segovia in the afternoon or in time for having lunch.
http://www.spain.info/TourSpain/Destinos/TipoIII/Datos+Generales/H/RP/0/San+Ilde

http://www.patrimonionacional.es/Home/Palacios-Reales/Palacio-Real-de-La-Granja-

http://www.segoviaturismo.es/

from there Avila is in your way to Salamanca via Ap61 + Ap51 + N501 but unless you spend the night in Segovia you won't have time to visit this place.
http://www.avilaturismo.com/
http://www.salamanca.es/inicio.aspx
http://www.turismocastillayleon.com/

From there to Zamora and Leon, i recommend to visit Leon cathedral.
http://www.leon.es/frontleon/en/frontLeonAction.do?action=viewCategory&idCategor

Leon to Picos either by the east via Oviedo to Cangas de Onis
or by the west  to Potes.
http://www.cangasdeonis.com/turismo_portada.asp
http://www.spain.info/TourSpain/Destinos/TipoIII/Datos+Generales/F/EH/0/Potes?La

The east route is easier, the west route is more scenic but with more winding roads.
Via oviedo you could stop there for a fast visit
http://turismo.ayto-oviedo.es/index.php

From Picos, by the north coast you have interesting places as san Vicente de la Barquera, Santillana de Mar, Santander...
http://www.turismodecantabria.com/
http://www.infoasturias.com/action/InfoasturiasEntrada?metodo=entrada
http://www.basquecountry-tourism.com/home.php
http://www.turismoa.euskadi.net

From the basque country to Barcelona you may take the fast route using the tolled higway along Ebro valley, but there is not too much to see around and the landscape is very arid, or use a route by the foot of the pyrynees, with conventional roads in good conditions and nice landscapes.

I have recently showed a possible route from Pamplona to Barcelona by the Pirineos, some ideas are:
drive along the highway to Pamplona,  follow to visit the town of Olite, you may also visit Pamplona if you wish.
http://www.turismo.navarra.es/esp/home/
Olite
http://www.olite.es/es/visitenos/comollegar/
http://www.olite.es/es/visitenos/palacio/
Pamplona
http://www.pamplona.es/verPagina.asp?idPag=4&idioma=5

Now leave Olite heading to Ejea de Los Caballeros directly or via Tafalla.
http://www.turismodearagon.com/web/index01.asp
http://www.cincovillas.com/
http://www.comarcacincovillas.net/
from there to Sos del Rey Catolico
or alternatively drive directly to Sos from Olite.
http://www.spain.info/TourSpain/Destinos/TipoIII/Datos+Generales/B/VM/0/Sos+del+
http://www.infoturismovacacional.com/revista/sos_del_rey_catolico.html

finally get to N240 road and head to Jaca
http://www.spain.info/TourSpain/Destinos/TipoIII/Datos%20Generales/B/JW/0/Jaca.h

You may visit nearby S Juan de La Peña monastery, intereting and with nice views of the pyrenees from the road that leads there.

http://www.spain.info/TourSpain/Arte%20y%20Cultura/Monumentos/B/JW/0/Monasterio%(Castiello%20de%20Jaca).htm?Language=en

From Jaca to Seu de Urgell via Ainsa and Vielha or detour to visit national park of Ordesa (the most beautiful of the spanish national parks)

with stops at Ainsa
http://www.spain.info/TourSpain/Arte%20y%20Cultura/Conjuntos%20monumentales/B/JW

visit the boi valley with romanesque art, specially the church of Taull
http://www.spain.info/TourSpain/Reportajes/1/El%20romanico%20del%20Valle%20de%20

http://www.vallboi.com/en/


http://www.lleidatur.es/


there is also a national park of Aigues Tortes which is very nice, but you need another day in the area to visit this place.

if you head directly to la Seu, almost any route is scenic, but i prefer the route via Vielha
http://www.spain.info/TourSpain/Destinos/TipoIII/Datos%20Generales/I/LP/0/Vielha

and La Bonaigua pass.

and finish at La Seu de Urgell
http://www.spain.info/TourSpain/Destinos/TipoIII/Datos%20Generales/I/LP/0/La%20S

From here you could spend a full day or part of the day in Andorra, for some is very touristic, for me it's mainly a set of shops tax free.

http://www.andorra.ad/en-US/Pages/default.aspx

you then may head to Barcelona or to Costa Brava and extend your trip with a couple of days in the very nice beaches of Costa Brava, also visit Girona.
http://www.costabrava.org/

http://www.ajuntament.gi/turisme/

In this route i have told you you may cut at any moment and drive directly to Barcelona taking the fast route.



I could give you more details of places to stop along the way, i have just mentioned the most important.


I hope this helps a bit.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: /thanks for travel tips Victor!- I have a follow up question regarding visiting the area of San Sebastian /Hondarribia -when the San Fermin festival July 6-14 in nearby (sort of near by) Pamplona will just have finished - we are planning to stay in Hondarribia a few days after the 14th - will this area be packed w/ people/crowds from the festival still ??

Answer
hello again Ana

I seincerly don't know if Hondarribia will get packed or not after or dureing Sanfermines.... i think is not a primray destiantion in Spain, but also there is not a wide  offer of hotels etc.

i'm sorry i couldn't help too much this time.