11-day adventure through the heart of Spain

Bilbao Airport - Vitoria

Day 1: Welcome to the Basque Country

Upon arrival into Bilbao International Airport, depart for Vitoria by either train or bus.

Arrive at your charming B&B in the historical center of the city, leave your luggage at the accommodation, and enjoy the first of many Basque gastronomic experiences.

With the help of a local chef, you will visit a gastronomic society to prepare and eat some of the tastier Alava recipes. After lunch, you will go for a walk with a nature guide to the Green Ring of Vitoria.

In the evening, you'll take an atypical pintxos tour, visiting bars where the people of Vitoria enjoy these miniature gastronomic delights.

Astigarraga - Pasajes De San Juan - San Sebastian

Day 2: Dive into the history of the region

After breakfast, you will take the train to San Sebastian to jump on another train to a region famous for its production of traditional Basque apple cider. Here, you can enjoy a short hike or use an electric bike before finishing your morning enjoying a great meal at the cider farm, where you will be entertained by trikitixa - a type of local accordion.

After lunch, head to the Hospitalillo dock to take a boat to the Albaola Foundation, a project that recounts Basque maritime heritage and the reconstruction of a 15th-century whaling ship, used by Basque arrantzales in Newfoundland.

As part of a group, you will sponsor a piece of the future Nao San Juan. At dusk, head back either by bus or train to San Sebastian, where you will spend the night.

San Sebastian - Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve - Gernika

Day 3: Explore the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve

This morning, you will go on a bike tour to visit the most beautiful corners of the city on your own, such as the Comb of Winds or the Museum of San Telmo. Afterwards, depart for Gernika by train where your private transfer will be waiting for you upon arrival, to take you to the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve. There, enjoy the coast and have lunch at the edge of the beautiful San Juan de Gaztelugatxe.

After lunch, you will head to Gernika to take a little stroll around the town and visit the Peace Museum. Enjoy some free time exploring there, before continuing with a guided visit to a refuge of the Spanish Civil War.

Tonight's dinner will be made by you, using local organic products from the grounds of your accommodation.

Gernika - Bilbao

Day 4: Discover the beating heart of Bilbao

After breakfast, head by train to Bilbao and leave your luggage at your guesthouse. Then, you will set out for a walk in the old mining area of La Arboleda, to enjoy exceptional and different views of the city. You will also get to enjoy a traditional alubiada with sacraments.

You'll then spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure, visiting the lesser-known Basque Museum or the Fine Arts Museum in the historic center of the city.

In the evening, why not embark on a tour where you will have the pleasure of making your way through bustling streets, stopping to sample Bilbao’s favorite pintxos in the most popular bars and taverns.

Bilbao - Gijón

Day 5: The charms of Asturias

This morning, you will make the journey to Asturias by train or bus. Upon arrival, you will have free time to enjoy the surroundings of your accommodation. This beguiling city is filled with energy, offering you a great chance to relax and enjoy yourself.

Whether you choose to explore the artistic heritage of the city or are rather drawn to its gastronomic offerings, know that any decision made is the right one. If you're simply looking to kick back, you could marvel at the beautiful architecture while sitting in a bar with an aperol or glass of sangria in hand.

Gijón - Somiedo Natural Park

Day 6: Discover the beauty of Somiedo

After breakfast, you will depart for Somiedo National Park, the paradise of the brown bear and an area rich in traditions and stunning landscapes. Venture into the mountains of the Cantabrian brown bear and decipher the glacial heritage of the valleys and lakes. You'll then make your first stop in the local capital, Pola de Somiedo.

Following the tracks of great cyclists, you will reach the top of the Farrapona for a short walk to one of the Saliencia Lakes. In the afternoon, after having enjoyed some free time for lunch, hike up the valley in search of the traces left behind by vaqueiros and the transhumances of sheep.

Somiedo Natural Park - Ibias - Gijón

Day 7: Explore the valley of the Ibias river

Today you're headed for Ibias, a destination filled with nostalgia and authenticity - it's a universe of slate, wine, and honey, precious ethnographic treasures and rural landscapes.

Once you've left the Narcea river valley behind, you will ascend to the port of Conio bordering the nature reserve of the forest of Muniellos. There, the landscape turns into forests of rebollos, birches, rowan trees, oaks, and strawberry trees.

Upon your arrival to the valley of the Ibias river, anchored in the slopes of the oldest mountains of Asturias, the villages of Alguerdo, Oumente and Villardecendias will welcome you.

In the afternoon, soak up views of the Degaña Glacier Valley and try your luck with brown bear sightings in the Fondo de Veigas, later sitting down to enjoy dinner at a certified sustainable restaurant with local cuisine.

Gijón - Meaño Rías Baixas

Day 8: The cultural heritage of Galicia

After breakfast, your private transport will take you to Meaño in Rias Baixas. If you leave early enough, you can stop in Santiago de Compostela for a walk in the historic center.

Check into a very special hotel, where you can contemplate the vineyards and mountains of the Salnés region. You will have some free time to rest in their converted hórreos or in the pool area.

In the afternoon, you'll visit the Manolo Paz Foundation, an open-air space featuring outdoor artworks that merge with their coastal surroundings, forming an awe-inspiring landscape. 

Why not then visit the History Museum of Galicia, located at the mouth of the Umia river? It's a natural space of great scenic beauty, worth visiting to truly soak in the powerful Galician landscape.

Arousa Island

Day 9: Find peace in the waters of Arousa Island

This morning, you'll be picked up at your hotel for a private transfer to the island of Arousa, to discover the most unspoiled landscapes of the Rias Baixas.

In the summer season, we'd recommend taking a canoe tour around the Islote Areoso, while in the fall and winter, you might enjoy a combination of kayaking and hiking on the Isla de Cortegada.

Once you’ve taken in everything that the island has to offer, head back to the comfort of your hotel and prepare yourself for the rest of your Spanish adventure.

Pazo Rubianes - Cambados

Day 10: Taste the flavors of Pazo de Rubianes

Get ready for one final adventure in Spain! This morning, a private transfer will take you to the Pazo de Rubianes, famous for its gardens of camellias, native trees, and vineyards amongst an undulating landscape. Your visit includes a tour in the pazo, though the icing on the cake will be the excellent tasting session of home-made cheeses and wines.

In the afternoon, you will depart to Cambados. Once you've checked into your hotel, freshen up and relax before enjoying the rest of the evening at your own pace and leisure, discovering the town.

Cambados

Day 11: Say farewell to Spain

After breakfast, visit the harbor of Cambados to learn about the work that a local organization of women does to raise awareness of fishing culture and the traditional values of seafaring life.

Join them on the shellfishing route, heading down to the beach for insight into this process, from extraction to commercialization. If you're lucky, you may see the shellfish gatherers in action!

Afterwards, depending on your flight schedule, you may need to head straight to the airport. Have safe and pleasant onward travels!