Map
7 ideas, picked for these days
Irati: Cubo Waterfall and Ochagavía
The second half of October and the first days of November are Irati's big week, with the beech wood between yellow and copper. That is why All Saints is among its busiest days: arrive at the Casas de Irati car park before ten.
Tarazona: cathedral and beech forest
In October and November the Peña Roya beech wood, on the north face of the Moncayo, turns red. If in early November there is already ice or snow up high, stay in Tarazona and swap the beech wood for the Veruela monastery, 15 km away.
A weekend in the Matarraña: Valderrobres, Beceite and the Puertos, under two hours from Zaragoza
November is one of the good months in the Matarraña: the riverside poplars turn yellow and the Parrizal is walked without the heat or the queues of summer. The Parrizal ticket and the 4x4 to the Tossal del Rei are booked before leaving.
Lapurdi villages and a castle above the sea
The La Rhune train stops running in early November, and this is the plan designed for the months without it: Ainhoa and Espelette first thing and Abbadia castle in the afternoon. Watch out: the Euzkadi in Espelette is closed from mid-November to mid-December.
Jebulon · CC0A weekend in Burgos and Atapuerca, an hour and a half from Valladolid
In autumn Burgos has mild, dry days, and the Atapuerca sites are still visited with a guide. Book the Sunday visit by phone. In Burgos many museums close on Monday: if All Saints falls on a Monday, check the hours first.
Biarritz with children: seals and a calm beach
Early November is school holiday time in France, and if it rains the Biarritz aquarium is every family's refuge. It opens almost every day of the year: go first thing and leave the bay at Saint-Jean-de-Luz for when it clears.
Olite: palace, grill and Ujué
For the day you do not want to travel far: 40 minutes away, the Royal Palace without summer's queues and Ujué with the fields already ploughed. In autumn and winter the Pitillas lagoon, on the way, receives birds, and its observatory is a good stop.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Will Irati be in colour on 1 November?
Normally yes, because the beech wood is usually at its best between the second half of October and the first days of November. A mild year delays it and a storm brings it forward: look at recent photos.
Does the La Rhune train run on the November long weekend?
It runs until early November, so it may be in its last days or already closed. Check its website before going; if there is no train, the Ainhoa, Espelette and Abbadia plan replaces it.
Is there anything for a single day?
Olite and Ujué, 40 minutes away; Tarazona and the Moncayo, an hour and a half. Both let you be back for dinner.
What can you do if it rains?
The Biarritz aquarium, the Olite Royal Palace and the Museum of Human Evolution in Burgos are visited under cover.