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Our journey starts in Bilbao, the largest city in the Basque Country which is one of the most stunning samples of succesful urban transitioning from an industrial city to a modern, cultural metropolitan in Southern Europe. There is plenty to do, e.g checking out the Guggenheim Museum or discovering the delights of local cuisine. Although the tapas were invented in the south of Spain, they have been perfected here in the north, in the Basque Country. You can’t leave the city without going local and sampling some of the delicious ‘pintxos’.
After an invigorating walk along the Cantabrian coast between Bilbao and Santander, we travel to Santillana del Mar, which despite its name is not located by the sea. It is a beautiful old town, famous throughout Spain for its medieval streets, noble palaces and houses.
We can take time to visit Altamira in the morning, one of Spain’s most famous caves. Then we drive to Comillas, a lovely village by the sea, featuring some stunning buildings such as Antonio Gaudi’s “Capricho de Gaudi” and the Palacio de Sobrellano. In the afternoon we arrive in Asturias and our next night stop in the fishing town Llanes.
The fact that this area is so green has everything to do with the Picos de Europa which rises from the coastal area just a short drive inland. The highest peaks reach more than 2.600m meters of altitude, blocking the moist air from the Bay of Biscay. We take time for a walk, exploring the Cares Gorge, arguably the most spectacular canyon of the Picos.
We drive to Oviedo, the ancient capital of Asturias. A stop in the outskirts allows for enjoying the pre-romanic churches of Santa Maria del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo, both UNESCO world heritage sites. Later there is time to explore the centre of Oviedo, with its beautiful Museo de Bellas Artes and the medieval Plaza del Fontan. As well worth checking out – local gastronomy, famous for it’s cider culture.
The Atlantic coast is never far away during this trip. En route to Galicia, we pass the rock formations of As Catedrais beach – one of the most fascinating rock formations on Spain’s coastline. Depending on the tides we can explore the place on foot. Later we stop in Lugo for a walk on the Roman city wall before reaching Coruña in the afternoon.
Located in the extreme northwest of Spain, A Coruña is a modern, vibrant port city. During your stay, a visit to the Tower of Hercules should not be missed. This second-century building is located right by the Ocean and is the only Roman lighthouse still completely intact whilst it is the oldest functioning lighthouse in the world as well. Later we are heading south, enjoying Finisterre, over centuries the site of lands end for pilgrims on the Saint James path. We reach our hotel in Santiago de Compostella in the afternoon.
There is plenty to do in the town. You may want to stroll through its medieval streets, take a closer look at the stunning cathedral or even walk a section on the Camino. Alternatively, you can book a tour taking you to the coastal regions of Galicia’s Rias.
