# Bilbao or Santander which one ? help please



## tony50 (Oct 16, 2007)

We are intending to go to Blibao or Santander from Portsmouth ,then travel up West coast of France ,and sail back from Caen probaly, can we have some advice on which Spanish port you would go too , and is it worth a stay ? and what Campsite would stay on ? and last but not least is it a safe area you ? Help would really be appreciated as we do not know the area .

Thanks Tony A.


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## javea (Jun 8, 2007)

Santander has some lovely sandy beaches if that is what you are looking for and the area around there is much nicer than Bilbao which is more industrialised.

If you want to spend a couple of days touring in that area before heading for France would recommend Santander.

If you just want to get to France as soon as possible and not stay locally then there is not a lot of difference, just about 60 miles further from Santander than Bilbao


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## tony50 (Oct 16, 2007)

Thanks Javea that's very helpful

Tony A


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## thieawin (Jun 7, 2006)

Bilbao port is at Zierbena, to the west of Bilbao; the village (La Puerta) is really nice, has a marina and several really good restaurants. There are three or four bits of Zierbena, on different sides of the headland, the one on the far side (La Arena) has a really beautiful beach.

Bilbao is the better city for sightseeing, eg the Guggenheim, the high level transporter bridge and has better shopping and other facilities.

My suggestion is choose the arrival port which suits best your UK departure time and arrives at a convenient time

There is wild camping around in Zierbena at the marina car park, about half a mile from disembarkation and a 5 mins walk into the lower village where the restaurants are

Zierbena La Puerta is the marina and the restaurants in the old village and Zierbena La Arena is the beach, there are cafes and hotels there and dunes

For food try local scrumpy cider, black pudding and a salt cod

This is a direct link to the excellent Biscay Tourist office campsite page, 4 are listed close by, three have web sites of their own. The site is in English as well as Euskadi and castella (Castillian Spanish)

http://www.bizkaiacostavasca.com/en/leisure/where_to_sleep_result.aspx


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Santander*

Hello Tony,

If you are making the trip, make it to Santander. The Crossing is mostly on the Flagship Pont Aven. But Cap Finistere is used in low season.

We have crossed to Bilbao/Santander many times on POB, Cap Finistere and once on Bretagne. But never on the Pont Aven.

Whatever you choose, have a good trip.

TM


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## TIM57 (Feb 11, 2012)

Drove down past Santander last June, (crossed Newhaven-Dieppe) 
If you like the mountains the Picos de Europa are great, very scenic, white limestone, a cable car gets you quite high up. Good camp site about 10km from top of the valley(will post sites name if I can find it) 
Was tempted to use the ferry to Santander but the cost was too high. 
Tim


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## SilverF1 (Feb 27, 2009)

We stayed at Playa Joyel campsite a couple of years ago. Good clean toilets, located adjacent to a very nice beach. ACSI rates out of main season.

It's on the west side of the town of Noja and is about 30 miles east of Santander, details *Here*


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*PM*

I have sent you some info by PM Tony.


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## thieawin (Jun 7, 2006)

teemyob is right the PA is the better boat than the CF, more like a cruise liner, better choice of eateries and facilities, but both do the job, are more than adequate (by comparison to the one I travel on regularly to get anywhere) and only the CF has the dog friendly cabins, so for us CF is the vessel of choice.
In summer you will probably not spend much time indoors, sleeping and eating apart, if the weather is fine, the views as you pass between Ushant and Cap Finisterre is amazing and then there are the dolphins etc
Not sure if you wild camp, but Cantabria and Santander seem anti motorhomes and wild camping whereas Euskadi, Biskaia and Bilbao seem more relaxed


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Correct*

I am correcting myself.............

The Santander crossing is now alternated between Pont Aven and Cap Finistere.

Timetable Here

TM


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## thieawin (Jun 7, 2006)

I hadn't looked at the 2012 sailings timetable. That is a huge reduction in sailings and capacity on last year when it was 3 returns a week to Bilbao and three to Santander, one via Plymouth all summer


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Cap - Bilbao*

Cap Finistere - Bilbao Here

Portsmouth - Bilbao, This is the one that suits us.

I prefer Much Santander but the days are wrong for us.

We rent Villas that are Saturday - Saturday

So we arrive Bilbao Saturday tea time, get to Costa Blanca for early hours. Spend two weeks. Set off early on a Saturday morning, arrive in Bilbao in good time for evening sailings back to Portsmouth.

TM


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## tony50 (Oct 16, 2007)

Thank you all for your help and suggestions, we have booked Portsmouth to Santander , I must admit though I was surprised being both a member of the Caravan Club and the Camping and Caravan Club , the CC price was far too high and when I went to the CC&C they give me a price which was higher than another quote I had had , I give the CC&C a rough idea how much over the top they were and she came back to me with a better price ,2 valuable lessons I have learnt I must be nieve , 1. was insurance ,and , 2. this ferry price I thought if you were members of these Clubs they gave you the best
possible price , I know they have both got to make a profit to reinvest ,but they are big businesses and are running it seems to me get get as much money out of the members , funny though what do they say "Owned buy the Members for the Benifit of the Members " !!!

Tony A.


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