Spring in Northern Spain can be a mixed bag of weather. The grass is green and the trees are starting to bloom, even deep in the Pyrenees Mountains. The weather changes rapidly as one moment of the day you might have glorious sun and the next, dreary rain. This 1800km road trip started with skiing in Baqueira-Beret, meandered through Aragon, Navarra, the Basque Country, and finally, the wine country of La Rioja.
Val d'Aran is a gorgeous valley with picturesque villages and one of the best ski resorts in Europe. The villages are pristine with fantastic views. The town of Vielha is a great base to stay as it has great hotels, restaurants, and services.
Due to a series of storms in late March, the Pyrenees got a late dump of snow that extended the spring ski season. Baqueira-Beret has traditionally the highest snow base in Spain and is a great place to end the season.
It's a four hour drive from Val d'Aran to Pamplona in Navarra. Stops in Sábada and Olite to view two magnificent castles were in route. Palacio Real de Olite is absolutely fantastic with plum blossoms in full display and one of the most beautiful castles in Europe.
Pamplona is most famous for its running of the bulls during Las Fiestas de San Fermín in early July. It's also a great place to try out the local baked goods, tapas, cheeses and charcuterie.
Playa de la Concha in San Sebastian is definitely one of the most beautiful and beloved beaches in Spain. The promenade along the beach is fantastic. The food is amazing and in Old Town as there are literally hundreds of restaurants that serve Pinchos with an insane variety of flavors.
Bilbao is just over an hour away from San Sebastian, so it makes for a nice day trip. The Abandonibarra Waterfront near the Guggenheim Museum is a fantastic example of urban renewal that started in 1987 and lasted 14 years. The results are absolutely stunning and breathed new life into this industrial city.
Last stop on this epic road trip was along the "Ruta de los Vinos" in Elciego and the magnificent Bodegas de Marqués de Riscal. The hotel was designed by architect Frank Gehry and inaugurated in 2006.
