I try to explore a lot of Europe but I always find myself defaulting to driving around the French countryside.

Fly into BCN on AA. Rent a car and drive right on up the coast without passing Go. Stay a night or two on the gorgeous rocky Costa Brava. Then on through south central and southwestern France, passing through Collioure (sweet setting) and the walled city of Carcasonne (rather theme-park-like, but fun). Then on to Gavarnie; spend a night and hike into the Cirque with a picnic so that you can stay after all the daytrippers are gone (they're usually gone shortly after noon). Kind of a religious experience when you have it to yourselves. Drive the spectacular backroads. The French Pyrenees are beautiful in a way that is soothing and exciting at the same time. Those beautiful mountains and peaceful villages make me think that we may survive.

In fact, we have survived a long time, so . . . On to the Dordogne and the nearby Cro-Magnon caves (you can still get into a couple of real ones). The Musee National de Prehistoire is subtle and wonderful--gave me goosebumps to think about the people who had made some of those truly exquisite, truly ancient things. Exhibits are very nicely done. Then head north and spend a night or two in Chenonceaux or thereabouts, great for walking and biking (looks like Hotel La Rosaraie has sold but it is probably still a good place to stay; breakfast in the old kitchen is worth the price of sleeping there). On up to CDG to fly out, with or without visiting relatives.

An alternative would be to drive west from BCN through the Spanish Pyrenees (starkly different from the French side but delightful), then along the coast (more prehistoric cave paintings there that are still accessible), through Asturias and the Picos de Europa (almost as wonderful as the French Pyrenees), on to Galicia and Santiago de Compostela. Then down via Salamanca and Avila to Madrid to fly home.