Further to my thread last week (thanks) a bit of research suggests the following for a budget trip for 2 to Spain:

Teeny appt in Madrid E45+ a night
Hostel in smaller city E22+ each a night
Car E20 a day
Renfe site means trains are bookable online (if you can deal with Spanish) and seem cheap!

Is this about right? Thinking of a few days in Madrid then off to Basque or similar for 10 days.

Al – on the way from Madrid to the Basque country, stop off in Salamanca for a couple of days. You won't regret it.

We stayed in a brilliant wee Hostal just off the Plaza Major a few years ago (OK, 11 years ago, ouch I'm getting old!). Dirt cheap, spotless, balcony overlooking things, brilliant.

It's on the way too, we did exactly what you're looking at, plus Barcelona first (Barca – train – Madrid – train – Salamanca – train – Biarritz for some surfing).

you might want to check a map before you stop off in Salamanca "on the way" to the Basque Country 🙂

it is lovely though.

make sure you have a ticket before boarding trains, gaurds have guns and will escort you off the train to purchase a ticket at first opporunity, or worse, fine you. Witnessed this last time.
Not sure about now but bikes were not allowed on trains last time I used them 2yrs ago, something about a bike bomb blasting a train!!!!! At Malaga train station your luggage goes through a scanner ala airport style + lots of nervous looking, gun totting gaurds

you might want to check a map before you stop off in Salamanca "on the way" to the Basque Country

Well, it is a *wee* bit west, but at least it's north of Madrid!

Al gives a shout if I can help you with anything this end. Would be happy to help to make sure you see the best of the area…

ditto what Doug says. He's near San Sebastian (a lovely city). I'm near Bilbao (not as pretty as SS but worth a visit).

Look at the buses too, quite often they are faster than the trains.

oh, and if you do fancy a day or two in bilbao, you can stay at my place, we've got a spare room. (cost = 1 beer per night)

Cheers chaps, may get in touch nearer the time.

If you know of any cheap car-hire places…

cynic al. try economycarrentals, they use Hertz or something normally but they were by far the cheapest when I last used them. Is it just a wee car you want to rent? They also do (or did) not charge you an excess in case of you having a prang.

Cheers – seems about £22 a day.