Historic Cities & Foothills of Northern Spain

Arrive into Bilbao and be met and transferred to our hotel in Santillana del Mar. Nestled amid picturesque landscapes, it’s renowned as one of Spain’s most stunning destinations.Situated on the northern route of the Pilgrim's Road to Santiago de Compostela, Santillana del Mar is a beautiful medieval town which was developed around the collegiate church of Santa María. Its various defence towers and Renaissance palaces make Santillana one of the most important historical areas of Cantabria. Depending on your arrival time, freshen up, relax or explore Santillana del Mar independently before meeting your English-speaking Spanish guide in the evening, and enjoying a briefing, a welcome drink of local cider and your first traditional Spanish dinner of the trip. If you need some ideas on what to do on your first afternoon, don't hesitate to ask!Overnight: Hotel Altamira**2025**Please note for 2025 departures, your first night is spent in Bilbao. After arriving into Bilbao you will be transferred to your hotel to check in. Meet your English speaking guide for your welcome briefing, and enjoy your first Spanish evening meal.Overnight: Hotel Barceló Bilbao Nervión **** or Hotel Hesperia****

Today we explore some of the highlights of the autonomous region of Cantabria, whose delights are disproportionate to its size, which is small! Firstly, we will explore the magnificent Santillana del Mar. The Collegiate Church & Cloisters of Santa Juliana, one of the most attractive examples of Romanesque, has origins dating back to 870, although the buildings visible today date back to the C12th. Also not to be missed is a chance to visit the NeoCave of Altamira; an exact reproduction of the cave of Altamira as it was between 13,000 & 22,000 years ago, with its well known bison cave paintings. Then, we will move to Comillas, a small township in the autonomous community of Cantabria. From the second half of the 19th century, the Spanish royal family started spending their summers in Comillas, as a result, Comillas left an imprint of architectural relics such as palaces and monuments designed by renowned Catalan artists in particular, Gaudí or Doménech i Montaner. Besides this, there are many notable medieval and baroque buildings. Finally, we will go to the lovely fisherman’s town of San Vicente de la Barquera. After lunch we head to our final destination in Espinama, crossing the stunning La Hermida Gorge. Overnight: Hostal Remoña 

After breakfast, we head into the heart of the mountains (150mins), to the Fuente De cable car, for a fabulous and scenic ascent up more than 800m, to the Fuente de Glacier. At the top, we breathe in the stunning views and take a short tour to discover the area. Continuing our journey we visit the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liebana, one of just 5 Christian sites (Rome, Jerusalem, Santiago de Compostela & Caravaca de la Cruz) that has the privilege of missing perpetual indulgences; effectively a way of reducing the amount of punishment that one has to undergo for sins. It is also famous for the Lignam Crucis (wood of Jesus' cross) & illustrated religious manuscripts: the first Spanish Codice of the Beato de la Liebana.This afternoon we visit a liquor winery to see how the locally famed 'Orujo de Potes'; a grape-based spirit (40% alcohol!) is manufactured, before returning to familiar Hostal Remoña.Overnight: Hostal Remoña 

The Central Massif of the Picos de Europa, and the National Park with the iconic Naranjo de Bulnes, beckons today. We will make a stop at the "Pozo de la Oración" to see the iconic peak of the National Park to learn about the characteristics of the massive limestone peak and the stories surrounding it. We continue to Poncebos where the majestic Cares Gorge begins, and then we drive to the town of Sotres. We will set out on a gentle walk at Collado de La Caballar, offering beautiful views of the main summits of the Massif. After the walk, we will go to Arenas de Cabrales for lunch. Our destination for this evening is Llanes. Our journey there (2hr) takes us through some stunning scenery.Overnight: Hotel Paraíso or Hotel La Finca La Mansión

The walk starts from Lake Ercina in the heart of the Picos de Europa mountain range and heads up to the top of La Reblagas and then on to the beautiful Bricial Majada. A Majada is a high mountain meadow where horses, sheep or other animals are put out to pasture during the mild summer months. The route then continues towards the Vega de Enol Majada, crossing a beautiful beech forest, where we will stop to eat with spectacular views of “Las Peñas Santas”. The route continues until Lake Enol. In the afternoon, we will stop in Covadonga to visit the church and the “Saint Cave”, where we can see the Virgin of Covadonga. We also do a stop in Ribadesella, a lovely small town on the coast.Tonight we head back to Llanes for the night and to enjoy dinner. Overnight: Hotel Paraíso or Hotel Finca La Mansión

Today, we will do a visit to FAPAS, the most important and old Association to biodiversity & nature conservation in Asturias. They will explain their works in favour of the Cantabrian beard. Then, we will move to Oviedo, the capital of Asturias. It is a stylish city with colourful architecture and bustling markets and squares, located on 2 pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela. As such, the cathedral is visited by those setting out on both the Camino Primitivo, for which Oviedo is the starting point, as well as the Camino del Norte, who pass through Oviedo en route from Sanit Jean de Luz to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. The Cathedral boasts a 9th-century UNESCO world heritage chapel housing a piece of cloth said to have been placed around Jesus' head after his death. We also enjoy the church of Santa Maria del Naranjo perched high above the city on the hilltop of Monte Naranco: a fine example of pre-Romanesque architecture. There is some free time today to wander the streets of pedestrianised downtown Oviedo and enjoy lunch in one of the many restaurants. Asturias is famous for its cider (sidra) and the city is packed with lively 'sidrerias', where you can enjoy the speciality. We will also take a drive down to the coast to visit the delightful town of Cudillero - famous for it's incredible restaurants and higgledy-piggledy architecture. We return to Llanes for our final night and dinner at our hotel.Overnight: Hotel Paraíso or Hotel Finca La Mansión

After breakfast, we enjoy the highlights of Santander, the capital of the autonomous community of Cantabria. Off the main tourist routes, it is a city often overlooked by international visitors, though popular with Spanish visitors. It has a stunning natural setting, with urban beaches, and meandering peninsulas, and a slower pace than you would expect for a capital city. We visit the golden sands of Sardinero Beach, with crystal clear waters, and the Magdalena Palace set within 24 hectares of the Magdalena Peninsula. The former royal palace has opulent interiors and expansive gardens and was no doubt built here, in the 20th century, for its incredible views overlooking the Isla de Mouro and Bay of Santander. We also visit Santander Cathedral unusually consisting of 2 gothic churches, one above the other, constructed in the 13th & 14th centuries respectively. For a small fee, you can head up to the bell tower for incredible views of the surrounding area. This afternoon we enjoy a leisurely boat trip to explore the Bay of Santander - a wonderful way to appreciate the coastline from a new perspective, before crossing into our 3rd region; Basque Country, and to Bilbao (1hr 15m), another exciting and under appreciated Northern Spanish city. Overnight: Hotel Barceló Bilbao Nervión or or Hotel Hesperia

After breakfast, we head to the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, designed by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry, presents an alluring and futuristic space for the mix of modern & contemporary art it houses and is not to be missed. There is a lot to pack into today, and it's from one 'out of this world' experience to another. Next up is San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, an islet on the coast of Biscay used by Game of Thrones in Season 7 to represent Dragonstone. The word gaztelugatxe [gastelugatse] comes from the Basque gaztelu, meaning 'castle' and atx, meaning 'rock'; together forming 'the rock castle'.The rock of Gaztelugatxe is a small island off the coast, reached by a man-made stone bridge leading to a narrow path with a mere 241 steps! Impressive and wild, set against the backdrop of the sea, a small church, over a century old, and dedicated to St John the Baptist, perches atop the rock. In the afternoon, on the way back to Bilbao, we visit the lovely Basque town of Bermeo, famous for the fantastic surf.Overnight: Hotel Barceló Bilbao Nervión or Hotel Hesperia

Today, for those that would like to walk and enjoy the coastal air, we walk the well established and stunning 'Flysch' coastal pathway (around 8km at a steady pace). This route is a section of the GR 121 - also known as the Tour of Guipúzcoa - a walking route around the perimeter of the stunning Basque province, stretching over 300 kilometres (186 mi). For those that are not so keen on the walk, you have the option to head straight to Zumaia and explore / relax until the rest of the group joins you. You may also fancy a trip to the coastal town of Zarautz, known for its 2.5km sandy beach, restaurants and shops - maybe time for a spot of souvenir shopping?Overnight: Hotel Barceló Costa Vasca or Sercotel Hotel Europa

Last, but definitely not least, the fantastic city of San Sebastian awaits us today. We enjoy a guided walking tour around the main sites of the city including the Plaza de la Constituzion with its majestic Town Hall, Old Town (La Parte Vieja), and fishing port at the foot of the Urgull Mountain. We end the morning with a private 'pintxos' tour (pronounced 'pinchos', and meaning 'tapas'), accompanied by a specialist in Basque gastronomic culture. After the tapas, enjoy the afternoon at your leisure; we are staying in San Sebastian tonight. Overnight: Hotel Barceló Costa Vasca or Sercotel Hotel Europa

Your adventure has come to an end - it must be time to plan your next holiday! Enjoy breakfast before your transfer to Bilbao for your journey home.