Day 1: Madrid
Meet with the group at the hotel in Madrid. Free day. In the evening we have an avant-garde tapas tour around the Retiro neighbourhood giving us an introduction to the city and the excellent Spanish cuisine. Accommodation.
Day 2: Madrid– Burgos—San Sebastián
Breakfast. In the morning we depart for San Sebastián. On the way we make a stop with free time to have lunch and take a stroll through Burgos, a city that preserves important remnants of its medieval splendour and boasts one of the best Spanish Gothic buildings, its Cathedral, declared a World Heritage Site. We continue the journey to San Sebastián. Arrival and free time to stroll around and discover this beautiful city and its famous Playa de la Concha beach. In the evening we will take a stroll and have dinner in the centre of the city, experiencing what is known as "pintxo pote", typical of San Sebastián, which consists of visiting several bars trying different pintxo snacks. This will allow us to appreciate the excellent gastronomy for which the city is famous. Accommodation.
Day 3: San Sebastián (San Juan de Luz – Biarritz – Ondarribia)
Breakfast. Today we will visit the beautiful coastal towns of the South of France, such as Saint-Jean-de-Luz, nestled in a beautiful bay on the Cantabrian Sea, Biarritz, a beautiful city that developed from a whaling port to a spa town and rest place for the European aristocracy during the nineteenth and early twentieth century, and Ondarribia, where we can enjoy its old town, full of beautiful colourful balconies. Return to San Sebastián and rest of the day free. Accommodation.
Day 4: San Sebastián—Zarautz—Guetaria—Mundaka— Bermeo—Bilbao
Breakfast. We will spend the day visiting the most important villages along the Basque coast. The first is Zarautz, with the longest beach in Guipúzcoa that is the backdrop to a charming, lively fishing village. Guetaria, birthplace of Juan Sebastian Elkano, the first sailor to circumnavigate the world, will seduce us with its excellent gastronomy and here we will have free time for lunch (we recommend the grilled fish accompanied by the famous Txakoli wine of Getaria). We will also visit Mundaka, located in the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, claiming to be home to one of the longest left waves in the world, which makes the location a famous surfing destination, and Bermeo, one of the most important fishing towns in the region and famous for its proximity to the impressively beautiful 10th century Hermitage of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. Return to Bilbao and rest of the day free. Accommodation.
Day 5: Bilbao
Breakfast. In the morning we will have a panoramic tour of the city of Bilbao, its modern area, visiting the Guggenheim Museum (outside), the Isozaki towers, the Zubizuri footbridge and the Euskalduna palace. The tour will then continue by exploring the origins of the town, namely the 7 famous streets. Strolling through them, we will discover monuments and characters such as Don Diego López de Haro, Don Miguel de Unamuno, Santiago Cathedral, Yohn Palace, the Arriaga Theatre, etc. Free afternoon. In the evening we will have dinner in a traditional Basque grill. Accommodation.
Day 6: Bilbao—Portugalete—C. Urdiales—Santillana— Santander
Breakfast. In the morning we depart for Santander. On the way we will stop in Portugalete to see its famous iron bridge. We continue our tour to Castro Urdiales where we find the best Gothic church in Cantabria and a medieval castle that dominates the port. We continue to Santillana de Mar, a beautiful medieval village that has developed around the Collegiate of Santa María. Several defensive towers and renaissance palaces make the town one of the most important historical sites in Cantabria. We will have free time to stroll around the town before continuing to Santander. Arrival and panoramic tour of the Gardens of Pereda, the Cathedral, Mercado de la Esperanza market, the Town Hall, Iglesia de la Compañía church, Plaza Porticada, the Mercado del Este market and Plaza Pombo, among others. Accommodation.
Day 7: Santander—Picos de Europa National Park—Covadonga—Cangas de Onis—Oviedo
Breakfast. In the morning we depart for the Picos de Europa National Park where we can enjoy the beautiful countryside that the Cantabrian Mountains offer us. We will stop in Covadonga to visit the lakes and the Sanctuary with the Santa Cueva, dug out of the rock above a waterfall, where the patron saint of Asturias has resided for more than 1,300 years. We continue to Cangas de Onís where we will visit the famous Roman bridge and enjoy a traditional lunch with a tasting of Asturian cider and Cabrales cheese, produced in the area. We then continue to Oviedo. Arrival and free time to take a stroll around the capital of Asturias. Accommodation.
Day 8: Oviedo—Gijón—Avilés—Ribadeo—Santiago de Compostela
Breakfast. In the morning we depart for Gijón. Arrival and panoramic tour of the city visiting the bay of Gijón, the marina, San Lorenzo beach, the historic centre, Universidad Laboral de Gijón, etc. Free time to have lunch and stroll through this unique city. Continuation of the journey to Avilés. The streets and buildings of the old town of Avilés (one of the most important in the north of Spain) have been declared a Historical Artistic Site. We continue to Ribadeo, considered the entry point to Galicia along the Way of St. James in the north. We take a short walk around the city and continue to Santiago de Compostela. Accommodation.
Day 9: Santiago de Compostela
Breakfast. In the morning we will be taken by a local guide on a tour of this city, visited by countless pilgrims since the Middle Ages. We enter the cathedral to see the tomb of the Apostle. Free afternoon. In the evening there will be a special farewell dinner where we can try Pulpo a Feira (octopus), one of the most typical dishes found in Galician gastronomy. Accommodation.
Day 10: Santiago de Compostela—End of our services
Breakfast. End of our services.
