Visiting Northern Spain

[Lumpy]

We drove through part of Northern Spain last year and want to explore a bit more of it next year. Just trying to determine the best time to do this, we were there in late May last time and were thinking of April/May/June this time. We are not beach sitters/sun bathers but do like warm dry weather and costal areas, as well as mountains and lakes.

Probably enter via San Sabastian and we want to visit Santiago de Compostela other than that we just like driving around which you know if you have seen our blog from our last trip.
Is there a better time to visit? any "have to" visit places you could recommend! any "not to bother" with places!!
We are happy with Aires, Camp sites and France Passion type stop overs if you know any good ones.

If you have any recommendations and want to share them with us please do.
Many thanks,
Ray n Sue

 

[Jewellbags]

Following with interest

 

[ivorantony]

We stayed at one campsite and one free Aire this year, both easy trip by bus into the centre,
Both recommended,

 

[windboy]

Our recommendations would be :
San Sebastian for tapas
Bilbao - Guggenheim Museum
Picos - mountains, scenery is breathtaking
Playa de las Catedrales - aka cathedral beach
Comillas - Gaudi house
Places to visit Llanes, Valdovino, Pantin, Ferrol, Ortigueira, Espasante to name a few

The whole of the northern coastline we found to be very picturesque.

Enjoy your trip

 

[Howard B]

We liked this site just outside San Vincente de la Barquera

Camping El Rosal

Details for Camping El Rosal a Independent Campsite San Vicente de la Barquera, Cantabria, Cantabria, Spain, 39540

www.searchforsites.co.uk

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[SM0129]

We stopped at Comillas. We also are not lovers of beaches, but camped at Comillas camping. where we were able to secure a beach front pitch- it was lovely, wake up in the morning, open the doors and have the waves lapping in a few feet away. It was then a 10- 15 minute walk into Comillas.

 

[Toxkid]

Hi, we went to Northern Spain last year, and did the usual Santona, Bilbao, San Sebastián, all great as mentioned above. Then we went to Elciego, which is in the middle of Rioja country, we arrived on the 18th May and the village was celebrating a comedy festival, and was fantastic, with live music. Can’t say much about the comedy, as my Spanish was not up to following the ‘jokes’ but judging by the audience reaction we didn’t miss much in that respect. The village had a fantastic free aire and bakery. We went on to Zaragoza, Huesca and Organya, before Andorra and into France. All great free stop overs.

 

[Two on Tour]

We drove through part of Northern Spain last year and want to explore a bit more of it next year. Just trying to determine the best time to do this, we were there in late May last time and were thinking of April/May/June this time. We are not beach sitters/sun bathers but do like warm dry weather and costal areas, as well as mountains and lakes.

Probably enter via San Sabastian and we want to visit Santiago de Compostela other than that we just like driving around which you know if you have seen our blog from our last trip.
Is there a better time to visit? any "have to" visit places you could recommend! any "not to bother" with places!!
We are happy with Aires, Camp sites and France Passion type stop overs if you know any good ones.

If you have any recommendations and want to share them with us please do.
Many thanks,
Ray n Sue

There is a Roman villa called La Olmeda near Saldana, that's well worth a visit if you are near that way. The floor mosaics are stunning.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...gBAZIBFWFyY2hhZW9sb2dpY2FsX211c2V1bQ?hl=en-GB

Here are a couple of places we enjoyed watching vultures soaring if your into that sort of thing.

We were driving along through the Canyon del Lenza with a sheer drop on our left when we looked out of the passenger window to see a vulture gliding at the same level as us just 10 feet away.
We pulled over at this spot and spent a magical afternoon watching them soaring around the canyon and the rocks above us.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@42.2975429,-2.4214999,231m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en&authuser=0


The other great place with magnificent views is at the top of the escarpment at De Pancorbo a Orduna where you can watch the vultures and other birds of prey flying with the paragliders in the evening sun. We overnighted in the carpark at the top of the escarpment. Loved driving the 180 degree hairpins up to the top of the escarpment.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...8m2!3d42.964463!4d-3.0230386?hl=en&authuser=0

If you want a quiet night off grid with a stunning sunrise in the morning, then bay at Lastres is worth a stopover.

Lastres · 33330 Colunga, Asturias, Spain

33330 Colunga, Asturias, Spain

www.google.co.uk

 

[The Old Man]

Northern Spain, a wonderful place but subject to Atlantic weather and at anytime of the year the weather can be iffy.

One trip; Head up to a estuary town caled Mundaka,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mundaka

it is at the mouth of a river estuary and a famous surfing site, There is a small campite on the right, as you enter from the south. Lots of Fish restaurants. You can sit on the town seawall and watch the surfing.

The town fiesta was an occasion, in the village square the party went wild, There would be two stages, one at each end of the square. On one a local rock band at the other a traditional Basque Oompah Brass band. They would take turns to place and the town square dance floor would change age group dancers with the change of band, until something traditional Basque would be played and then it was a friendly riot of fun and dance.

From there you can follow a beautiful coast road, I used to Freedom Camp in the many clifftop viewpoints.

Next stop after Mundaka is Bermeo, a live fishing port.

You will pass a disused and abandoned Nuclear power station, still intimidating.

Lemoniz NPP - Dark Tourism - the guide to dark travel destinations around the world

Dark Tourism - the online travel guide to dark, unusual & weird places around the world.

www.dark-tourism.com

Every town and village along the coast road was an untouched beauty, then you reach Sopelana ot Sopela;

Sopela - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It has a number of campsites but again I Freedom Camped in the big car park at the clifftop above the beaches. You can walk along a purpose built footpath to the next town to the west, passing a WW2 bunker.

There is also, a less famous, but also internationally known event, is the yearly nude race on Barinatxe beach in the fall. Barinatxe is a clothing optional beach.

Next stop is Bilbao.

Inland from Bilbao there is the Puerto de Orduna, I think the town at the bottom is called Amurrio.

Orduña Port

Route code PR-BU 46 Journey Linear Way On foot (0.35 h.) By bike (0.35 h.) Length 2 kms. Ascent slope 68 m. Difficulty of the route Low Route From Aparc...

www.turismocastillayleon.com

The road up is long, steep and curvy but Spanish truckers manage it and another Funster said it was no problem.

Once you reach the top, on the right is a track that goes for miles and I've overnighted there often.

If you stay on the road after a few Kms there is a gated entrance into a nature park. There never used to be a sign and the gates were never locked.

Follow the rough road until the 'Y' fork.

To the left the road takes you to the front of the escarpment, the views are amazing, often with Griffon Vultures soaring past at ridge level.

Down the right fork, keep going to the end and you reach what I have always called Vulture Gully, many Griffons nest in the rock face and in the evening you can watch them come home and fly into the cliff face for landing.

In the morning you can watch them waiting for the sun to warm the land and the first thermal currents arrive.

There were no facilities but I've Freedom Camped there with no issues.

Continuimg on the main road south, geographically to the west, right, is a hidden valley which was a lovely place to waste a day. Sorry I have no name for it. One of those places I found whilst lost!

 

[Figaro]

Cathedral beach is a must see location, but a bit of an odd one in that you have to register with the local tourist office to get an admission pass just to walk on the beach
No kayaking either.
Try dodging the 'security' and they'll chase after you and make you register.
It can be done online quite easy, just strange and took away from the moment of enjoyment rather.
On the upside you can overnight for free on the carpark opposite the path down to the beach.

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[Helen Ariel]

We had amazing weather in September and then it started to get quite rainy so we headed South to Portugal. Stunning place can't wait to go back and would happily go May onwards.

 

[Brains]

We were there in May-June this year.
It's called the Opal Coast because unlike the rest of Spain, it's green all year.
The weather on the north coast is similar to Cornwall.

For the first week we had snow!
Followed by rain, sleet, more rain, fog and barely saw the sun.
We only got out the shorts and t-shirts after we had 'turned the corner' and got to Santiago de Compostela.

For the first night off the ferry, last night in Spain, I'd recommend Camping Oyambre which is about half an hour east of Santander port.

We ended up staying there more days than we intended, and went back at the end.
Booking advised, even out of season.
Decent restaurant, bar, two pools, small gym, wifi, dog friendly, and it's walking distance to the beach.

 

[jongood]

Northern Spain coast is one of our favourite areas anywhere, but we always have a fall back plan because the weather is very changeable. When its nice there is no better place but when its bad its rainy misty and cold.

 

[jumartoo]

There are a few ideas of places to park in some of the threads in my signature

 

[Barti Ddu]

Our recommendations would be :
San Sebastian for tapas
Bilbao - Guggenheim Museum
Picos - mountains, scenery is breathtaking
Playa de las Catedrales - aka cathedral beach
Comillas - Gaudi house
Places to visit Llanes, Valdovino, Pantin, Ferrol, Ortigueira, Espasante to name a few

The whole of the northern coastline we found to be very picturesque.

Enjoy your trip

I could have literally written this response, word for word! 100% agree.

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[Lumpy]

Brilliant, many thanks for all the info everyone. We can get on with planning our visit, hope to meet up with other MF travellers along the way. Looks like we are going May/June and maybe a bit of July. Drive down and back via France, crossing to be determined, we usually do a night crossing from Plymouth.