How to do 'Northern Spain'

[waltzingparrot]

I've spent a week on the Internet trying to work out a 10 day holiday in August to Northern Spanish Coast and I'm exhausted!

Probably looking at ferry out to Gijon and then back to UK from Bilbao/Santander so we can travel along the coast staying at two different areas for 4/5 nights. Has anyone done similar/ any recommendations?

And where are all the pools in Northern Spain? There doesn't seem to be many small hotels/casas with pools - Will we be ok with just the sea to dip into in August or do we need to search out accommodation with pool. We have DS aged 9 and 12 who love to spend time in water on hols.

Northern Spain just seems difficult to find my way around, planning wise - is it really worth it?

All tips gratefully received.

I live in Northern Spain and love it. The sea is always chilly, but bearable (just) in August and September. I wouldn't aim for a beach holiday though, the sightseeing is far more interesting and the best beaches are the other side of Spain. Having said that, San Sebastián has what is acknowledged to be (by a fair few guide books) the most beautiful beach in Spain and is also the place with the most concentrated Michelin stars in the world (16 altogether) so is a real foodie destination. You can have a Michelin 1 star lunch for 25 euros, 3 courses! If your DSs are real water babies they could do a 1 day surfing course there too.

Bilbao is okay, maybe just for a day trip to see the Guggenheim and old part. It's not such a touristy place, good shopping though.

Santiago, the end of the pilgrimage route is very interesting and lots to see, lovely atmosphere. Santander again is okay. I haven't ventured further south than that I'm afraid!

In my part of Northern Spain, hotels don't tend to have outdoor pools because the weather gets really, really bad in the winter. There are municipal outdoor pools which are good though.

I thoroughly recommend the Bilbao/Portsmouth ferry, I have very fond memories of taking it every year as a child and watching dolphins and whales playing in the wake of the ship. It's quite magical.

Thanks for the reply, some interesting pointers there. We hadn't realised the sea would be so chilly in August!

Perhaps I am just uber sensitive to cold... my GFIL was loving it in June, and there is an old man who is on the beach, in the SEA, in just speedos, every day of the year, without fail. Come snow, come hail....

I've been to San Sebastián.
It's really lovely. Great beach, small aquarium.
Good places to eat.

I would love to go back and explore it further

Cold?we went 3years ago and although the wether was variable as in possibly wet it was shorts and tshirt and the water for us was positively TROPICAL but we are from UK and used to much colder sea

P.s we did the east coast last year and although the beaches are warmer the northern Spanish beaches are much more interesting ie cliff walks,caves,rocks with crabs and proper fish in the rock pools and the water was transparent .that was in Noja .i think we might choose north over east this year again....tough decisionAlso medieval ill age Santella del Mar ( from memory) and some caves tha we didn't quite make it to.According o routefinder oly 6/7hours drive north o west

Places not to miss: Santillana del mar, Santiago de Compostela, Gijon, Covadonga- picos de Europa. I love the North of Spain but I do find the water in the sea very cold

Make sure your hotel pool is heated too would be my advice.
We went last summer and the weather was really quite poor and the (unheated) pool was unusable. The sun didn't peak over the hills 'til the afternoon each day, if at all.
Was very beautiful though.