In the January edition of the MMM there was a five-page-article about a trip to the North of Spain, so we thought this might be a good topic for a newsletter. The couple that wrote the article stopped at some of the stunning places we also visit on our “Spectacular Spanish Northern Coast” tour but missed some beautiful places and their tour did not go all the way to the pilgrim destination of Santiago de Compostela. Therefore, we will tell you what can be seen and done in this beautiful stretch of land, which was our home for 4 years when we lived near Vitoria-Gasteiz in the Basque country.
We also start our tour in the picturesque city of San Sebastian or as the Basque call it Donostia. This is a must, as it is one of the best places to enjoy tapas (pintxos in Basque) in the whole of Spain. By the way the word tapas originates from the Spanish word tapar (to cover), as legend places the origins of the tapas tradition in Andalusia, where drinks would be covered with a piece of bread, cheese or sausage to protect them from dust, sand or flies during the hot summer weather.
From San Sebastian unlike the authors of the MMM article, we also drive down to Haro the capital of the Rioja and enjoy a wine tasting at one of the oldest bodegas (wine producers) in Spain and last time we arranged for the group to have a dinner in a restaurant that specialises in Cordero de leche (milk lamb), accompanied of course by Rioja wine, which everyone really enjoyed. The next stop on our tour before going back up to the coast is in the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage city of Burgos. We then travel back to the coast of Cantabria and stay at a campsite to the west of Santander before driving to the mountains of Los Picos de Europa. Here the group will go on a cable car ride to a height of 1,823m above sea level into the heart of the Picos de Europa. The name “Picos de Europa “originates from the sailors, as this was the first part of Europe that they could see when coming back from the Americas. This part of the route is the same as in the article of the MMM just in the opposite direction. As we then return to the coast, you can also stop at the lake in Riaño, as many of the group did last time (see picture above).
Then we drive along the coast with its sheer cliffs and fine beaches, and through “cider country”, the region east of Gijón, Asturias’ largest city. Before arriving at the campsite, we recommend a stop in Cudillero, the most picturesque fishing village on the Asturian coast. From there we enter into Galicia and continue along the coast to A Coruña with a one night stop on the way at a campsite directly on the beach where you can go for a swim, or take a cycle ride to the famous beach Praia das Catedrais, where the sea has created cathedral like formations in the rocks, which can be explored by walking along the beach during low tide. To finish our “pilgrimage” we will have the opportunity to see the city of Santiago de Compostela the spiritual, cultural and official capital of Galicia and the destination of thousands of pilgrims who set out every year on the famous Camino de Santiago.
If you have enough time you could continue with us and join our “Perfect Portugal” tour, which will add another 3 weeks to your Iberian experience. As this tour starts in the North of Portugal in Braga and is back-to-back with the “Spectacular Spanish Northern Coast” tour it is an ideal addition. On this tour we will of course also have a wine tasting at a vineyard in the Duero wine region, where we will also spend the night. The other group event is a boat trip in Aveiro, the so-called Venice of Portugal. But during the tour you will also have the opportunity to visit many UNESCO World Heritage sites and the major cities Porto and Lisbon or watch the surfers on the world’s biggest waves in Nazaré. As we finish in the Algarve you can also add some more weeks/months there or continue east to Andalucía in Spain. As always, we can give you some advice on how to get to the starting point of the tour, either with a long-haul ferry from Portsmouth or Plymouth to Santander or Bilbao or if you prefer for a drive through France.
We also wanted to remind you that the early bird discount is only available until the end of December, so do not hesitate too long with your booking, especially as some tours are filling up quickly.
If you are interested in any of our upcoming tours, you can find more information on the tour by clicking on the links below:
2025 Tours
Springtime in Holland
Tour date: Sat. 5th April – Sat. 19th April
Calais pick-up: Sat. 5th April
Timeless Tuscany
Tour date: Thu. 15th May – Wed. 4th June
Majestic Rhine & Moselle Rivers
Tour date: Sat. 28th June – Sat. 12th July
Calais pick-up: Sat. 28th June
Breathtaking Black Forest
Tour date: Sat. 12th July – Sat. 26th July
Spectacular Spanish Northern Coast
Tour date: Sat. 30th August – Fri. 12th September
Perfect Portugal
Tour date: Sat. 13th September – Fri. 3rd October
All information regarding dates, prices, and itinerary can be found on our website. If you have any additional questions or require any further information, just send us an email. If you would like to book a tour you can do this online, or send us an email and we will send you a booking form.
Regards and safe travels.
Audrey & Michael