Talk to me about northern Spain

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We are thinking of northern Spain for the last two weeks in August.

I've never been there at all. We can fly into Bilbao and hire a car (the ferries are full). We stayed at Matthevies in a chalet last year and loved it. We'd love to find a small campsite very family friendly with chalets to rent or something similar. We aren't averse to a hotel but don't like the thought of having to spend every evening stuck in a hotel room in total silence so that DS can sleep, so ideally it could be a cheaper suite. We'd consider self catering too, but needs to have a pool/ shop on site. We aren't averse to considering multi centre- so a week by the beach and a week elsewhere.

Thanks in advance.

I can't really help you as I tend to stay at really small campsites without pools or chalets, but I just want to say that I LOVE northern Spain. The area around Mutriku (Basque region East of Bilbao) is great but I love the NW (Galicia) the most.

Hope you find a great campsite. You'll have a fab time!

Have you been with a toddler? DS will be nearly three so I'd love any advice on going with little ones.

Sorry I can't help with accommodation, but wanted to mention the excellent beaches (we were in Asturias). Look out for beaches where a river runs out to the sea, that way you get warm fresh water as well as sea water to play in.

We went to Galicia last year. Flying to Santiago and hiring a car. We got a small apartment on the coast with a shared pool - it was wonderful. Saw about 3 other English speakers the whole fortnight. Scenery and markets and beaches just gorgeous. Weather perfect. I love Galicia.

We found the apartment through Casas Cantabricas. They do all the Northern Spanish coast.

We have stayed in a casa through Brittany Ferries twice in Cantabria whose ferries go to Santander rather than Bilbao. Absolutely gorgeous area wedged between Picos de Europa and the sea with lots to do including the fantastic Caberceno zoo at Obregon. Bilbao is about an hour from the Santander area.

Thanks for all the tips. I've looked at ferry crossings and we can't get one on the dates we need and flights to Santiago from Manchester seem to include two changes, which seems a faff, leaving flying into Bilbao our best option.

I'm wondering if we should do a week at the beach and a week somewhere more inland.

Keep your recommendations coming. They sound wonderful.

Bumping to see if anybody can suggest some small towns or large villages that they can recommend either in Galicia or Cantabria.

Thank you!

Has anyone booked a ferry ports to bilboa a way ahead? I can only check for this august which is coming out at £740. Just wondering what the cheapest price is?

I would recommend Noja in Cantabria, great beaches, although they are really busy all summer as lots of people holiday there. Also, Llanes, Ribadesella in Asturias are really lovely. Llanes has nice campsites so they may have good options for you. From there you can go inland to Picos area, Cabarceno, lots of things to do.
I think Galicia is too far from Bilbao to make it worth it, it is a 5-6-7 hour drive at least depending where you go.
Near Bilbao, Lekeitio is a lovely town with two nice beaches, there is a campsite nearby. Laida is a lovely beach for toddlers but is not a town, there is only a campsite there so not a lot to do in the evening.
I am from that area, although been away for very long time. If you want some more information, please ask.

We have been to Playa Joyel in Noja a few times. Its not a small site but has a pool, shop, walking distsnce of town. We go at the end of August and havent found it noisy at all. The beach is fantastic and the site has its own gate for direct access to it.

Another vote for Playa Joyel in Noja

We went Eurocamping there last summer and DC (7 and 3) loved it. It's right on an enormous, beautiful sandy beach with rock pools and the park itself has a playground and an animal park.

We went for days out to see the cave paintings at Altamira and to Cabarceno animal sanctuary which was really amazing. It's a safari park but on a giant scale and the animals are contained by natural features like rock faces not wire. They also had the maddest, most exciting bird of prey display ever!

We flew into Santander and we hired a car to go out and about.
One thing I will say is that even in August we had the odd rainy day (it's not the green coast for nothing). DH hates overheating and finds places like Turkey and Southern Spain unbearable in August so for us it was fine.

There are cheap direct flights from Edinburgh to Santander in August with Ryanair.

For a pleasant few days inland I can recommend the small town of Fuente De in the Picos. Great base for walks etc. This was pre DS though.

Ok, just done a bit of googling, and the town I was actually thinking of is Potes. Fuente De is a much smaller pace in the vicinity. Potes has lots of outdoorsy activities and is very quaint. I loved it (but obviously couldn't remember its name).