Camino Walk to Bilbao, hotels

[Klaus Krabbe]

Hello
I'm an earlier Peregrino and would like to introduce my wife to walking. The plan is to walk for three or four days and end in Bilbao where we want to see the Guggenheim Museum. We can also take a bus some of the way.
The challenge is that my wife would prefer to sleep in hotels or other one room accomodations. So what I'm looking for is a beautiful route to walk and with a hotel at the end every day!
I was thinking to start walking either from St Jean pied de Port, Roncesvalles or Pamplona or even San Sebastian og Irun. The thing is - will there be hotels or other one room accomodations along those routes or only Alberques?
And since it is high season will all the hotels be fully booked? Any advice, knowledge, tips and tricks will be very much appreciated.
Well, and we're flying from Denmark to Barcelona already tonight.
Sincerely
/Klaus Krabbe (Camino Frances March April 2012)

 

[DanielH]

I would recommend the Petit Palace Arana hotel in Bilbao. Have stayed there twice and is at the edge of the historic part of the City, transportation, the river and the Guggenheim.

 

[Kieran Kenneally]

I would look at the towns you wish to visit first and then Pre book hotels on line as there are plenty in the bigger towns. The Camino Norte can be very hilly and will be a baptism of fire for your wife. You certainly wont do San Sebastian to Bilbao in 3 days unless you are bus hopping also.I visited the Guggenheim Museum in 2015 so over rated but then again modern art is not my thing. A hoover vacuum cleaner placed beside some light tubes is not my idea of art One lady put on the notice board "the Kings new clothes" said it all really but then again each to their own

 

[oursonpolaire]

You are better off walking west from Bilbao to Laredo, stopping in Castro Urdiales, and then Liendo, then to Laredo, then back. the Guggenheim building is utterly splendid-- one of the best modern buildings in Europe-- but the contents are not that extraordinary. Go to the Bellas Artes, a few hundred metres to the north, which has an extraordinary collection of the Alfonsine and Republican periods, and gives a good picture of Basque cultural development. Lots of modern art everywhere, so look at what is Spanish, and not available elsewhere. You might quite like it.

 

[Anamya]

Camino del Norte has plenty of hotels and inns, you can check the gronze list for every stage.

https://www.gronze.com/camino-norte

 

[jgpryde]

....I visited the Guggenheim Museum in 2015 so over rated but then again modern art is not my thing. ....

I visited the Guggenheim in June 2017 and spent at least half my time in the Richard Serra "The Matter of Time" exhibit. Just walking amongst those gigantic structures was a moving experience. I definitely recommend it. While in Bilbao don't miss the funicular ride for a spectacular view of the town as well.

IMHO,
Jason

 

[Kieran Kenneally]

You are better off walking west from Bilbao to Laredo, stopping in Castro Urdiales, and then Liendo, then to Laredo, then back. the Guggenheim building is utterly splendid-- one of the best modern buildings in Europe-- but the contents are not that extraordinary. Go to the Bellas Artes, a few hundred metres to the north, which has an extraordinary collection of the Alfonsine and Republican periods, and gives a good picture of Basque cultural development. Lots of modern art everywhere, so look at what is Spanish, and not available elsewhere. You might quite like it.

Oursonpolaire is quiet right the building is quiet stunning architecturally it really is a stand out building I have included 2 pics I took one of the outside and the other one of the pieces they call art? You will probably still want to go in and see it though just to satisfy your curiosity. At least I didn't have to pay the entrance fee at the time of 16 euro somebody else did.

 

[Klaus Krabbe]

All is well on the Camino Norte but very difficult to find accomodation. Tonight I have a room in Santona but can not walk more than 60 km so need a bus from maybe Onton and the rest of the way or perhaps get a train some of the way. Any advice on transport will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Klaus Krabbe]

I would recommend the Petit Palace Arana hotel in Bilbao. Have stayed there twice and is at the edge of the historic part of the City, transportation, the river and the Guggenheim.

Found the Petit Palace but it and most over hotels were full. Quite busy this time of the year.

 

[oursonpolaire]

This is seven hours after you posted so it may not be immediately useful, but the turismo will check for you to see if hotels are booked-- you will have to reserve a room by yourself. Note that hotels and pensions in outlying areas of the city or town are often more available. I was on the del Norte in June and found accommodation was not easily available in the first week, but after Bilbao it got much easier.

 

[Klaus Krabbe]

Thanks. Just got to Santona and a room in Hostal El Parque, took a short boat ride from Laredo after local advice, very different and cozy.
Will probably walk to Noja tomorrow.

 

[Klaus Krabbe]

To round this thread off. I walked with my wife from Noja to Santander which including the 'short cut' amounted to 25 km. Beautiful landscape and boring asphalt roads but all in all a good experience that didn't scare my wife off. Actually she is ready for more walking holidays.
As to Kieran Kenneallys remark about the Camino del Norte being a "baptism of fire" for my wife - I guess it easily could've been but we took it easy and only walked one day in full.
All the best
/Klaus