Still another point of entry into Spain is through Bilbao. The city of Bilbao is located on the Northern coast of Spain in the Basque Country about 75 minutes East of Santander and 2 hours East of Garabandal.

Bilbao Sondica international airport (airport code: BIO) lies just to the North of the city and offers several direct flight options from major European gateway cities.

The list below is by no means all-inclusive but lists a few of the main carriers offering service to Bilbao:

Iberia
Iberia is the national airline of Spain and flies to Bilbao from at least half a dozen cities in and outside of Spain. Iberia generally offers competitive fares and therefore is often a good starting point.

Lufthansa (via Frankfurt)	Swissair (via Zurich)	British Airways (via London Heathrow)
SN Brussels Airlines (via Brussels)	KLM / Northwest (via Amsterdam)	Air Portugal (via Lisbon)

The following two online travel agencies are very dependable and may be useful in booking your trip. The airport code for your destination, Bilbao, is BIO.

Microsoft Expedia
Travelocity.com

Once in Bilbao there are a couple of options available to you.

Rent a car

The journey from Bilbao typically takes 2 hours by car without stops.

The roads between Bilbao and Garabandal have been greatly improved including the construction of a new multi-lane highway that covers much of the trip. Nevertheless it should be noted that the last 35 miles (56 kilometers) or so are on narrow, winding mountain roads that demand caution and driving skill.

Some directions and maps are available here. You would also be well advised to purchase a detailed road-map of Spain prior to departure. One that we have found quite helpful is the Euro Travel Atlas of Spain and Portugal by American Map. This book is available at most bookstores including online from Amazon.com.

Most major car rental agencies operate out of Bilbao including Hertz, Avis, and Europcar (affiliated with Alamo in the US). Cars may be rented with a valid license from your native country and a credit card. Whenever possible it is a good idea to reserve your car ahead of time and confirm the availability of the car you are requesting. This is particularly true if you wish to rent a vehicle with an automatic transmission, a luxury car or a van.

Take a Taxi

A taxi from Bilbao to Garabandal is quite costly particularly if travelling alone. However if you are unable or unwilling to drive yourself taxis are available curbside at the airport.

Bus Service

There is regular bus service between Bilbao and the town of Cabezon de la Sal which is about 20 miles (32 kilometers) from Garabandal. Once in Cabezon you will need to either hire a taxi to Garabandal or rent a car. Taxis are usually not hard to find at the bus stop in Cabezon. Bus station transfer information and bus tickets, are available from English speaking representatives through the information desk at Bilbao airport. If you can read Spanish, bus schedules and tickets may actually be viewed and purchased online from ALSA one of Spain's largest bus companies.