Travel Tips for Spain

[joe]

Any travel advice for a trip to Spain on a budget. We're heading to Spain for a three week family vacation and driving tour of the country. We won't have our boards but expect to get some water time since we'll be on the coast. Are board rentals available?

We fly into Madrid in late June for a few days then head for the Mediterranean Coast. Next stop is Valencia where America's Cup racing will be underway, then onto Barcelona for a short stay. We cross the Pyrenees into the south of France for a couple of days, a couple of weeks ahead of the Tour de France, then head for the North of Spain in early July. Maybe a quick trip to Pamplona for the Running of the Bulls. We'll stay a day or two in the San Sebstian area and then head West before returning to Madrid to catch a plane home.

Any advise on where to go? What not to miss?

Joe

[Mike Fernandez]

Like Martin said GAZPACHO!
Barcelona has the best architecture I think. The Picasso Museum is also in Barcelona.
Go to Bilboa while your in San Sebastian and see the famous Guggenheim Museum.
When you go northwest, stop at a town called Santiago De Compostella. St. James is buried there. It is one of the churches in the world you should not miss.
Try to see a bullfight. There's a ring in southern Spain in Estepona, near Malaga. Plaza de Toros in Rhonda is one of the oldest. The greatest bullfighters fought here. They are a lot better than the crap you see in Tijuana.
Run with the bulls. I would like to do that someday.
I think it's near Merced, but there is a cool Museo Del Bandolero's. A tribute to highway bandits!
If your near Granada in southern Spain, you can stop and see the Alhambra. 7th wonder of the world. It's a castle for the Moorish kings taken over by the Catholic kings. Islamic architecture. Very famous.

[Jack Beresford]

Joe - sounds like an awesome trip! My wife and I were just there in October (Madrid and Barcelona). I have a pretty nice guidebook I can loan you. Your boys will enjoy the party scene!

Jack

[gogglefog]

July you may be surfing just beachbreaks. if there is swell skip mundaka and go to RODILES. easy to find. give the locals their space and you'll get some unreal waves. you can find it on the map right by Villa Viciosa. i got some real good waves in galicia as well. lots of nooks and crannies there.
send Inigo a message that you are coming. he lives on the basque coast and rolled out the red carpet for me when i was there.
might be hard to find a kneeboard rental though. i did see lots of standup fishes.

[martin]

Try and get to see Guernica - spiritual home of the Basque country and scene of the infamous Civil War atrocity by the German Condor Legion.

Food Wise for the area you will be in:
Pulpo a la gallega - octopus dusted in sweet paprika
Fabada Asturiana - A bean, black pudding and chorizo based stew that is to die for after a session.
Seafood in general is awesome.

Agree completely with previous post regarding Santiago de Compostela - home of one of the most important religious sites and also the "Camino de Santiago" one of the oldest pilgrimage routes in Europe.

And of course make sure you drink plenty of Sidra - a kind of flattish cider which is livened up by pouring into a glass from a great height.

Guggenheim amazing if a little crowded and expensive

I am very jealous sounds an awesome trip - enjoy it

Martin

[SFKneelo]

My wife knocked over a bottle at the Guggenheim trying to get my attention that Lauren Hutton was right next to me... the shrapnel got HER attention...

Guggenheim... yup. Guernica... yup. San Sebastian... yup. We stayed at the Hotel Mundaka, which was really nice, and... it's in MUNDAKA!

If Mundaka is flat, Guernica is on the way to Bakio, which picks up more swell.

If you're into good food, check out what's hot now in San Sebastian.

Just a small slice of huge potential around there.

But, hey, Donde esta los kneelos de Espana?

[Iñigo]

Hello Joe,
I live in the Basque Country in Zarautz near San Sebastian ( 25 km.) and it will bew a pleasure to help you.
I have kneeboards ( Flaspoint) so you only need tour fins.
Many beachbreaks and rock brakes in the Cantabrian sea ( North of Spain and South of France ) and some of them really famous.
Taking as a base my area you can reach in a hour by car to the most famous spots in France ( Hossegor, Biarritz, Lacanau...) or Spain ( Mundaka, Bakio, Zarautz, Gros... And some that as a local I can show you).
Tonight I will send you a pm with more information.
Gogglefog was really lucky when came here with some really epic swells.
When are you coming back Gogglefog?
It will be a pleasure to surf with you Joe

[SFKneelo]

WOW! Now THAT'S what I call a response!

[Kauaikneelo]

Inigo: Muy muchos Kneelo ALOHA.

As always, the kneelos come through on this site, Indo, Bali, Central, where ever, the respose here is truly great. Giving is getting.

Makes ya feel like there is hope for this planet yet (hot or cold). -s

[scott hayward]

Hi Joe,
Just got off the phone with a friend of my wife's. She lived there for six years, runs a business to place U.S. students during studies and moving back for a year this August with her family. She also has a cousin she is corresponding with who is doing the budget thing right now for the next 10 months. She spent most of her time in the small(not during holiday season)towns on the Costa Del Sol. She lives in Seal Beach.

Call my cell. 310 722 1695 Scott H.

[Malaga]

Hello joe all previously saying it ia overy well explained,what a shame that you does not bring your kneeboard from USA, because i would like you to buy a FlexSpoon, have you any spoon to sell me? I will be to beginning of July in Santander, in the north of Spain, near to Mundaka, 50 miles approximately.
I recommend you if you can, you visit Andalucia:
Selliva(La Giralda and Torre del Oro...).
Malaga,Costa del Sol(Picasso Musseum, House where Picasso was born, Alacazaba, good beach where you can sunbathe,Plaza de Toros 1800,Botanic garden..Lorin`s time, Golf cuorse,Casino...).
Granada( Alhambra, is wonderfull, Albahicin, Sierra nevada to sky....).
Cordoba( Mezquita..).

Tipical food:Gazpacho, Porra, Jamon(cured ham) de jabugo,cheese de oveja, wine Rioja and Ribera, oliva oil and fish.

Juan

[joe]

Thanks to everyone for your responses. I'm sure this is going to be a great adventure for the whole family. There is so much to do and see in Spain that we'll never be able to do it all in three weeks.

Thanks for all of the dining advice. I am so looking forward to exploring the regional cuisine, but I made the kids sit through an episode of Bizarre Foods on the Travel Channel, so they're a little nervous.

http://travel.discovery.com/tv/bizarre- ... spain.html

Martin, you're welcome to join us, although you'll be sharing the back seat with the boys and there is no way they'll give up the window seat.

Mike, thanks for the advice. Spain has so many historic sites and museums. We'll definitely try to catch a bull fight. We're trying to work out the logistics of getting to Pamplona for the Running of the Bulls. We're leaving the area the day it starts. We'll be spectators only.

Jack, thanks for the offer. Yes, I think the boys are looking forward to the nightlife and the beaches more than anything else, but maybe they'll soak up some of the cultural experiences without realizing it.

goolefog, thanks for the advice on surf. It's good to know there might be stand up fishes available. I could make due with that if needed. We'll find a way to get some surfing in.

Martin, SFKneelo, Guggenheim is definitely on our list of places to see. We'll try not to break anything.

Iñigo, what can I say. Your offer is too generous. We will be staying in your area for few days. I look forward to meeting you in person. I will send you and e-mail with more details on our travel plans and may ask for some additional advice. I hope we get to surf together. Thank you.

Scott, I'll give you a call.

Malaga, thank you for your travel advice. Unfortunately, our travel plans do not include Andalucia. We'll have to come back another time. We will be traveling through Santander around July 6. I hope we get a chance to meet. I do not have a FlexSpoon.

Joe

[Iñigo]

Hello Joe,
Send me a pm. or an e-mail to beltza777@hotmail.com with the dates that you plan to be this area. I think I can help you.

[joe]

Thanks to all for your input and advice on travelling in Spain. A special thanks to Iñigo, our host in Zarautz, a little paradise in the Basque country on the north coast of Spain.

The three days we spent in Zarautz was a highlight of our trip. Iñigo was our host and helped us out with everything. He took us surfing and provided the boards. We were blessed with perfect weather and a fun 2-4 foot swell.

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We had a busy three weeks, driving over 4000 km and visiting at least a dozen cities and villages. Spain is a beautiful and diverse country with a rich history. I highly recommend a trip to Spain for vacation, cultural experience, or surf trip. The north coast has so many spots that look like perfect setups for the right swell.

Joe

[DarcyM]

Inigo is one cool kneelo! Very stoked and very grateful to be surfing, and so happy to have other kneelos around. Glad to hear you were treated well and got to go for a surf! Right on!