Just booked 6 week trip to Iberian Peninsula--any suggestions?

[brett]

Funny the things you remember.

Our autoeurope reservation was with europcar in Faro. The bus from Seville dropped us off across the street from their agency.

The auto rental agent spent 15 minutes with the people ahead of us trying to sell the insurance. No sale. It was wait , wait , wait to the constant sounds of no.

When it came to me, I said straight out NO and I do not want to know. So, we all go out to the car and the agent tells me that one of the problems of not getting insurance is that apparently vandals often snap of the antenna and there is a big charge for this. It was one of those at the back of the car.

So I looked at her, looked at my spouse, and simply reached over and unscrewed than antenna .....put it in the trunk. The agent gave me such a look of surprise and something to the effect that doing this was not kosher. We jumped in the car, off we went, without their expensive insurance. That radio was as much use to us a chocolate teapot so it did not matter. Screwed it back on when we dropped the car in Lisbon 10 days later.


NOTE: IF you are entering the toll road to Lisbon at any point you need to take a ticket on the right side of the road. If not, when you get off at Liisbon you will charged for entire length from the south to Lisbon. At least this is what is was a few years ago. Fellow travelers gave us the heads up. It was not obvious to us that this was required.

 

[audreyh1]

Currently in Rioja (Elciego), and heading to San Sebastian tomorrow to further pleasure our tummies!

We ate in a crazy traditional cider tavern in oldtown San Sebastian that served traditional Basque beef etc., and had serve yourself cider that you had to catch the long stream in your glass. Great food!

Looks like it was Sidreria Beharri as we ate in this room with the cider vats.

Typical Basque old cow beef ribeye. They do it very rare. It was delicious! They also had a massive pinxtos bar. Lots of options.

 

[NW-Bound]

We really enjoyed the Old Downtown of San Sebastian, and its lively pintxos bars. I surely love to go back. The old quarter was so clean, and safe. Quite a huge difference from the old town areas of US cities.

There's more to discover around the area. Monte Igueldo is worth a visit.

 

[ShieldWolf13]

I've driven from BCN to Gibraltar to Seville and back to BCN. The coast is pretty much no fun...lots of tolls and lots of work with a manual transmission due to the unending undulation, and nothing to look at. Malaga, Gibraltar, Seville were all nice visits. The trip through the interior was nicer than the coast. Ended up, randomly, in Albarracìn and it was one of the most pleasant spots of the whole trip.

When I rented a car in Spain previously I was able to reserve an automatic ahead of time. Picked that one up in Barcelona and dropped it off in Paris.

Also would steer away from renting a car though if you can help it. Parking garages are tight and the toll systems can be stressful. I did get to drive over the beautiful Millau Viaduct, but wouldn't do it again.