Day 1: Sarria to Portomarin 23km
10 Jun 2025, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C
Perhaps St Christopher, the patron Saint of travellers, is looking out for me as I felt better in the cool, misty morning air after a pretty good sleep. Left at 0640, having a banana and yogurt that IBaca lagi
Travel to Sarria and CDG
9 Jun 2025, Sepanyol ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
Today, Beth is heading home via Paris and Nancy back north to Sarria to begin the Camino walk. The young man at the front desk of the hotel strongly recommended that Nancy take the metro to the trainBaca lagi
Galeria De Las Colecciones Real
8 Jun 2025, Sepanyol ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C
This is a fantastic extremely modern and wonderfully air conditioned museum that opened up next to the Palacio de Real in 2023. No downsizing of one of a kind Royal treasures here! The downloadedBaca lagi
Palacio de Real Madrid
8 Jun 2025, Sepanyol ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
As we did not have time to go to Versailles, Europe's second largest palace (and still in active use) was the destination for our one day in Madrid. We found a café kitty corner to the palace andBaca lagi
Madrid
7–9 Jun 2025, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
We decided to take the nearby tram to the Bilbao Bus Intramodal Station which was very smooth. We had a very comfortable ride on Alsa Supra class arriving at 4 pm. It was hot and extremely crowded atBaca lagi
A walk around the neighborhood
6 Jun 2025, Sepanyol ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
After the Guggenheim we sought some lunch and found it in the pedestrian mall behind our hotel. They had a table at Basko so we took it. Very pleasant although the last few days have been dampened byBaca lagi
Bilbao
6 Jun 2025, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
The Guggenheim Museum of modern Art was built 1993-97 on site of an inactive factory in a ex prosperous city with 30% unemployment whose leaders envisioned a transformation. The GuggenheimBaca lagi
Sheep farm
5–7 Jun 2025, Sepanyol ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
Our guide reminded us that Spain’s the 3rd most mountainous country after Switzerland and sheep and cheese production has a strong heritage. We passed classic Etxhas. The laxta (latcha) sheep make aBaca lagi
Travel to Guernica
5 Jun 2025, Sepanyol ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
On leaving San Sebastian, we headed out to the fishing village of Getaria where the first person to circumnavigate the globe was born. In 1519-1522, Juan Elcano set out with Magellan in 5 ships.Baca lagi
Day in San Sebastian
4–6 Jun 2025, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Modeled after Biarritz during the Belle Epoch era, the lamp posts are 1920s Art Deco. Queen Maria Christina took waters here for her skin and then helped develop it into a tourist, trade, andBaca lagi
Arrival San Sebastian/Donastia
3 Jun 2025, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
Helen explained we are going through the Sierra Alto mountains where we saw again more Etxcha, the traditional Basque home design. In families, the 4th Basque son would be sent to America, often toBaca lagi
On the Camino
3 Jun 2025, Sepanyol ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
We left Pamplona to do a whole day on the Camino. First stop: El Alto del Perdon or Point of Forgiveness. This is a well photographed pilgrim viewpoint and the site of a Memorial to 92 Franco opposersBaca lagi
Bullfighting and a Special Lunch
2 Jun 2025, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Our guide Francisco used to give a talk on the street about bullfighting; until the wife of a bullfighting enthusiast allowed him to bring the Rick Steves tour group in. He collected bullfightingBaca lagi
The Santa Maria de Real Cathedral
2 Jun 2025, Sepanyol ⋅ 🌧 15 °C
The next day, we met our local tour guide Francisco who was was both interesting and entertaining. The cathedral is quite unique. There is a small fee to enter and the Bishop here has attached anBaca lagi
Arrival Pamplona
1–3 Jun 2025, Sepanyol ⋅ 🌧 18 °C
We descended through mountains of mixed forest and fir trees and gradually came into what appears to be a flatter dryer area and into Pamplona. Our guide told us this is a prosperous and modern cityBaca lagi
Over the Pyrenees to Roncesvalles
1 Jun 2025, Sepanyol ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C
Our bus travelled through the Roncevaux Pass from Saint Pierre-du-Port to Roncesvalles. Helen told us about Operation Comet and how the Basques assisted the British airman escape Nazi occupied FranceBaca lagi
St Jean Pierre de Port
1 Jun 2025, Perancis ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Our bus arrived at 9 am and it took about an hour to get to St. Jean Pierre de Porte which marks the start of the 748 km Camino Frances. Lovely views and town. Popped into the church. Walked to theBaca lagi
Bayonne afternoon
31 Mei 2025, Perancis ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
We went to A La Bolee creperie recommended by Helen thinking we d split a crepe but it was a one seat one plate policy so we ended up with more food than we wanted. We joined Susan and Allan from theBaca lagi
A morning tour of Bayonne
31 Mei 2025, Perancis ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
Our group was given a tour of Bayonne by a local named Claire. She explained that under Franco the Basque language and customs were forbidden. The boomer generation was not allowed to learn Basque butBaca lagi
Arrival Bayonne
30 Mei 2025, Perancis ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
The 1.4 Euro bus ride took 50 minutes to Bayonne and we found Hotel des Basses Pyrenees built into the ramparts of the old wall a 10 minute walk away from our stop at Saint Leon. As we walked intoBaca lagi
Biarritz
30 Mei 2025, Perancis ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Checked out at 11 am. and back at 2 pm. after a 5 km walk along the sea promenade, taking in the views. In 1660 King XIV, the Sun King, married a Spanish princess Maria Therese (who at age 21 wasBaca lagi
Gare Montparnasse / arrival Biarritz
29 Mei 2025, Perancis ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
We left Hotel Eugenie at 0930 hrs via Bus 74 to Gare Montparnasse which is large with 28 tracks. Found our way to the proper level for our train starting here and terminating in Hendaye, and we areBaca lagi
Montmartre
28 Mei 2025, Perancis ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
We got off M12 at Pigalle Square and across the street was our lunch destination at Bouillon Pigalle. Opened in 2017, this brasserie recreates the atmosphere of the Parisian restaurants in the 19thBaca lagi
The Louvre Part 2
28 Mei 2025, Perancis ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
We both agreed that we enjoyed the museum using the audio guide but were ready for lunch and a change of pace. So we headed to catch the bus for Montmartre. Finding bus stops at times proves elusiveBaca lagi
The Louvre
28 Mei 2025, Perancis ⋅ 🌧 14 °C
After our nice French breakfast at the hotel we were ready for a big morning at the world's most famous art gallery.
We had 0930h admission tickets to the Louvre and as expected we were notBaca lagi
Around the Eiffel Tower
27 Mei 2025, Perancis ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
After our views from the top of the tower, we walked over to the Trocadéro, took in a long range view and then, feeling some of the tourist end of day “feet are sore and out of steam,” we tookBaca lagi















































































































































































































































































































































































