Basque Country, Cantabria,
Asturias & Galicia
10 day trip
BASQUE COUNTRY, CANTABRIA, ASTURIAS & GALICIA
From the Basque Country to Galicia, the Cantabrian Sea bathes the entire northern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. Its inhabitants, over time, have left traces of our evolution worth visiting. In this adventure, we will learn about the peculiarities of its people and cultures with a lot of marine influence, and that even in the Basque part, we will maintain and communicate with an ancestral language with roots before the Latin ones. Open and hospitable people, cultured and knowledgeable about other languages and cultures, since their contact with other civilisations has been constant in their seafaring history. Its inhabitants are experts in gastronomy and wines. Pamplona and the Kingdom of Navarra are the culmination of understanding how things evolved in these parts. We will help ourselves with characters like Ernest Hemingway, who immortalised the customs of these lands in their texts during their time there.
NATURAL SPACES, cultural heritage
TEN DAYS OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL RICHES
Viewpoint at Monte Iguelda
Beauty of Hondarribia
Cider “pouring” tasting in Asturia
Bullrun tour in Pamplona
Guggenheim and Bilbao
Cubos de la Memoria in Llanes
Galicia’s Death Coast
Fresh sea food in Cudillero
TOUR ITINERARY
Day 1
Welcome to Basque Country (D)
- Meeting at the International Airport of San Sebastián.
- Individual transfer to a hotel in a comfortable area.
- Hotel check-in. In your free time, take the first steps to explore the city.
- Overnight at a hotel in San Sebastián.
Day 2
San Sebastián, Igueldo y La Concha (B, L)
This day will be devoted to San Sebastián, which is famous throughout the country for its beaches and food. It has received more Michelin stars per capita than anywhere else in Spain.
- Visit the spaces of the International Film Festival.
- Morning at La Concha Beach.
- Tasting of signature pintxos (the region’s take on tapas).
- Guided tour of the old town of San Sebastián.
- Breathtaking bay views from the top of Monte Igueldo.
- Night at the San Sebastián hotel.
Day 3
Pamplona, San Fermín and Hemingway (B, L)
One hour from San Sebastián, you are in Pamplona, renowned for its vibrant San Fermín Festival and the iconic Running of the Bulls. The city’s rich history is reflected in its charming medieval streets, while its lively atmosphere and local cuisine offer a unique glimpse into Basque culture.
- Early check out from the hotel and transfer to Pamplona.
- Most significant architecture and monuments with the guide.
- Tour of the “Bull Run” and Hemingway’s premises.
- Check-in at the hotel. Free afternoon to enjoy the old town.
- Guided night walk through the city.
- Overnight in a hotel in Pamplona.
Day 4
Game of Thrones, Bilbao and the Guguenheim (B, L)
Today we move to Bilbao, a dynamic city known for its striking blend of modern architecture and Basque tradition. Home to the world-famous Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao is a cultural hub with a flourishing food scene and a vibrant riverside area, offering visitors a perfect mix of art, history, and gastronomy.
- Early check-out from the hotel and transfer towards Bilbao.
- On the way – visit the town of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe.
- Stop at the place famous for its appearances in Game of Thrones.
- A three-kilometre walk, taking fantastic photos.
- Arrival in Bilbao. Check-in at the hotel.
- Tasting of signature pintxos in the Mercado de la Ribera area.
- All the Guggenheim, including the interior permanent exhibition.
- Boat ride along the Ria.
- Overnight at a hotel in Bilbao.
Day 5
Futurism, Cantabria and Santander (B, L)
A small region next to Asturias, Cantabria offers a taste of everything, including sunny beaches, fishing villages, and blustery cliffs that lead to inland mountains and valleys. We will start from the capital of the region, Santander.
- Half-day walk around Bilbao before check-out from the hotel.
- An iconic modernist building of Azkuna Zentroa.
- Norman Foster’s futuristic metro and Santiago Calatrava Bridge.
- Check-out from the hotel.
- Transfer towards Santander with stops along the way.
- Gothic church, beaches and Roman history in Castro Urdiales.
- Historic fishing village of Comillas, a former whaling town.
- Arrival, late lunch, and check-in at a hotel in Santander.
- Guided tour of the old and modern parts of the city.
- Gastronomic experience at the Mercado de la Esperanza.
- Walk through the park and the Palace of La Magdalena.
- Overnight at a Santander hotel.
Day 6
El Capricho de Gaudí, Asturias and Picos de Europa (B, L)
As green as its neighbours with a coastline just as dramatic, Asturias is said to be the real Spain as it was the only part of the country never to be conquered by the Islamic Arabs in 700 AD. Along a stretch of almost 200 beaches, the road will take us through the colourful fishing ports of Ribadesella and Cudillero, towards the Picos de Europa and its valleys.
- Early check-out from the hotel and transfer to Asturias.
- Stop in Comillas to visit the 19th-century modernist villa by Gaudí.
- Detour into the Picos de Europa and its valleys.
- Trip through the lakes of Covadonga and Cangas de Onís.
- Traditional food in a local restaurant. Cider “pouring” tasting.
- Check-in and overnight at a hotel in Llanes.
Day 7
The Medieval Magic of Llanes and Elegant Oviedo (B, L)
Today we will continue to get acquainted with Asturias – the cradle of Christian Spain. Our next stop will be the cultural capital of the province – the elegant museum city of Oviedo. This is Spain’s cleanest city and periodically in Europe.
- Walk along Paseo de San Pedro above the Bay of Biscay.
- Frescoes by Los Cubos de Memoria.
- Check out of the hotel and transfer to Oviedo, the city of walkers.
- Arrival and check-in at a hotel in Oviedo.
- Lunch on the famous cider boulevard. A surprise for dessert lovers.
- Beginning of the sightseeing tour in Oviedo.
- Pearls of pre-Romanesque architecture, listed by UNESCO.
- luxurious atmosphere of medieval and 19th-century streets.
- Magnificent Asturian Baroque and Strict Gothic buildings.
- Bronze works by Salvador Dali, Mauro Alvarez and other great artists.
- The magnificent Gothic Cathedral of San Salvador.
- Climbing Mount Naranco, on which stands the sculpture of Christ.
- In the evening – an independent walk along Callio Street.
- Overnight at an Oviedo hotel.
Day 8
Old Gijon, Autentic Cudillero and Arrival in Galicia (B, L)
This day will be full of coastal views and seafood. Let you enjoy the pastel-coloured houses that line the waterfront, leisurely meals of fresh local catch, and the wonky streets around the 13th-century Humilladero Chapel of authentic Cudillero. While at Cabo Vidio, eighty metres above sea level, rugged cliffs will astonish you with fabulous views over the Atlantic showcasing caves and a lighthouse looking out over Punta de Estaca de Bares, the northernmost point of the Iberian Peninsula. Until you enter Galicia, the northeast part of Spain.
- Early departure from the hotel. Transfer towards Galicia with stops.
- Walk through the old town of Gijon, with its medieval palaces.
- Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and other famous buildings.
- The Cimavilla Peninsula – a former fishing village.
- The sound of the sea inside the sculpture Ode to the Horizon.
- Roman baths and remains of the fortress wall.
- The most extensive building and the tallest stone tower in Spain.
- The next stop is the authentic Cudillero. Lunch from fresh sea catch.
- The rugged cliffs of Cabo Vidio are 80 meters high above the sea.
- Arrival and check in at a hotel in Santiago de Campostella.
Day 9
Camino de Santiago and Coast of Death (B, L, D)
Northern Spain’s most distinctive region, Galicia, has its language and culture and a unique tourism scene centred around Santiago de Compostela, the starting point of the famous pilgrimage route, the Camino de Santiago.
- Walk through the Old Town, which UNESCO protects.
- Granite labyrinths, Romanesque churches, museums and squares.
- Lunch at Mercado de Abastos.
- Half day trip to Rias Baixas in Combarro.
- Coast of Death, Finisterre and the Cathedral of Santiago.
- Gala dinner with Queimada and Conxuro.
- Overnight in a hotel in Santiago de Compostela.
Day 10
End of the Tour (B)
- Check-out from the hotel.
- Individual transfer to the airport of Santiago de Compostela.