As seen on
Northern Spain 'Selgas' family adventure
Northern Spain
From
This trip supports
- Overview
- Itinerary
- Esential info
- Reviews
- Packing list
Grade:
Entry Level
Type:
Cultural
Transfers
Duration:
6 Nights
8 - 12
Group size
Leaders
Tour Highlights
- Covadonga Basilica and lakes
- Regions of Asturias, Cantabria & the Basque Country
- Guided walking tours in Oviedo, Santander, Bilbao & San Sebastian
- Coastal walking on GR121 (8km)
- Explore the Picos de Europa Central Massif & Iconic Naranjo de Bulnes peak
- Gastronomic delights: Cabrales cheese, tapas lunches & pintxos tour
Explore Northern Spain in this small group Spanish walking tour
Discover the flourishing culture of regions such as Asturias, Cantabria & the Basque Country, as well as taking part in guided tours of Oviedo, Santander, Bilbao and San Sebastian, with some easy walking in the Picos de Europa Mountains.
There is something about Northern Spain. You sit down at a table in the crisp sunshine, the waiter comes and pours country cider from a green bottle at arm’s length above his head, down into a pint glass held at his hip to oxygenate the liquid, giving it the fresh ‘zang’ you will experience nowhere else.
A local woman on the next table will ask you where you are from. Prawns will arrive dripping in garlic, then squid sizzling in virgin olive oil. The bread breaks in your hand like tectonic plates, the blue cheese smells like muertos, the Rioja wine adds a twinkle to your eye. Somehow just having lunch becomes a religious experience.
To your left the hazy peaks of the Picos rise up shimmering in the distance, to your right the Cantabrian Sea crashes against rocky coast in sprays of salt that reach up to the fertile campo laden with cows and horses. Squat, Japanese-looking terracotta-roofed Horreos abound, the wooden structures suspended above the ground on stone stilts, the traditional manner of storing maize throughout the snowy winter.
ABOUT THE PICOS DE EUROPA
A little-known gem of a mountain range in Northern Spain, the Picos de Europa (‘Peaks of Europe’) spread for 20km across the stunning autonomous regions of Asturias, Cantabria, Castile and León, leading down to the emerald green coastline of the Atlantic Ocean. They offer some of the best hiking in Spain.
One of the first National Parks to be founded in Europe, the limestone peaks reach up to 2,600m where eagles and lammergeiers soar, from deep valleys and verdant pastures dotted with delightful rural villages and grazing animals. A widely accepted origin for the name is that they were the first sight of Europe for ships arriving from the Americas, and they remain deeply impressive as ever, yet somehow overlooked by mainstream tourism.
This adventure celebrates the very best of Northern Spain by exploring the culture and charm of the three neighbouring but contrasting regions of Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque Country. These historic kingdoms offer the traveller a wealth of experiences; from the wild beauty of the Picos de Europa mountains, to the striking Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, the mouth watering pintxos in San Sebastian, to the famous Basilica at Covadonga steeped in the history of the Reconquista of King Pelayo against the Moors from the South.
Striking a perfect balance of gentle walking in foothills and along the coast, enjoying informative guided city tours and exploring key sites in the notable towns of Oviedo, Santander, Bilbao and San Sebastian, this fully guided holiday with an English speaking local guide and private transfers will tell you the story of Northern Spain, narrated through its fascinating culture and traditions.
Day 1: Arrival into Bilbao and San Sebastian Airports
Transfer
Dinner
4 star hotel
Arrive into Bilbao or San Sebatian airport and be met and transferred to our hotel in Llanes. A small, attractive coastal town, it is the perfect place from which to start exploring the first of 3 Spanish regions; Asturias. Often overlooked, it featured in the New York Times' 2020 list of 52 Places to Go, and boasts rugged coastlines, dramatic mountain backdrops and rolling green countryside.
On the way you will visit Comillas, a small township in the autonomous community of Cantabria. From the second half of the 19th century, the Spanish royal family started spending their summers in Comillas, as a result, Comillas left an imprint of architectural relics such as palaces and monuments designed by renowned Catalan artists in particular, Gaudí or Doménech i Montaner. Besides this, there are many notable medieval and baroque buildings.
Depending on your arrival time, freshen up, relax or explore Llanes independently before meeting your English-speaking Spanish guide in the evening, and enjoying a briefing, a welcome drink of local cider and your first traditional Spanish dinner of the trip. If you need some ideas on what to do on your first afternoon, don't hesitate to ask!
Overnight: Hotel Paraíso
Day 2: Covadonga Lakes Circular Route
Transfer
Breakfast
Dinner
4 star hotel
The walk starts from Lake Ercina in the heart of the Picos de Europa mountain range and heads up to the top of La Reblagas and then on to the beautiful Bricial Majada. A Majada is a high mountain meadow where horses, sheep or other animals are put out to pasture during the mild summer months.
The route then continues towards the Vega de Enol Majada, crossing a beautiful beech forest, where we will stop to eat with spectacular views of “Las Peñas Santas”. The route continues until Lake Enol. In the afternoon, we will stop in Covadonga to visit the church and the “Saint Cave”, where we can see the Virgin of Covadonga. We also do a stop in Ribadesella, a lovely small town on the coast.
Tonight we head back to Llanes for the night and to enjoy dinner.
Overnight: Hotel Paraíso
Day 3: Cudillero & Oviedo
Transfer
Breakfast
Dinner
4 star hotel
Today, we will do a visit to FAPAS, the most important and old Association to biodiversity & nature conservation in Asturias. They will explain their works in favour of the Cantabrian beard. Then, we will move to Oviedo, the capital of Asturias.
It is a stylish city with colourful architecture and bustling markets and squares, located on 2 pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela. As such, the cathedral is visited by those setting out on both the Camino Primitivo, for which Oviedo is the starting point, as well as the Camino del Norte, who pass through Oviedo en route from Sanit Jean de Luz to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia.
The Cathedral boasts a 9th-century UNESCO world heritage chapel housing a piece of cloth said to have been placed around Jesus' head after his death. We also enjoy the church of Santa Maria del Naranjo perched high above the city on the hilltop of Monte Naranco: a fine example of pre-Romanesque architecture.
There is some free time today to wander the streets of pedestrianised downtown Oviedo and enjoy lunch in one of the many restaurants. Asturias is famous for its cider (sidra) and the city is packed with lively 'sidrerias', where you can enjoy the speciality.
We will also take a drive down to the coast to visit the delightful town of Cudillero - famous for its incredible restaurants and higgledy-piggledy architecture. At 4:30pm the guided tour of Palacio de Selgas will commence.
We return to Llanes for our final night and dinner at our hotel.
Overnight: Hotel Paraíso
Day 4: Explore Santander
Boat/Ferry
Transfer
Breakfast
4 star hotel
After breakfast, we enjoy the highlights of Santander, the capital of the autonomous community of Cantabria. Off the main tourist routes, it is a city often overlooked by international visitors, though popular with Spanish visitors. It has a stunning natural setting, with urban beaches, and meandering peninsulas, and a slower pace than you would expect for a capital city.
We visit the golden sands of Sardinero Beach, with crystal clear waters, and the Magdalena Palace set within 24 hectares of the Magdalena Peninsula. The former royal palace has opulent interiors and expansive gardens and was no doubt built here, in the 20th century, for its incredible views overlooking the Isla de Mouro and Bay of Santander. We also visit Santander Cathedral unusually consisting of 2 gothic churches, one above the other, constructed in the 13th & 14th centuries respectively. For a small fee, you can head up to the bell tower for incredible views of the surrounding area.
This afternoon we enjoy a leisurely boat trip to explore the Bay of Santander - a wonderful way to appreciate the coastline from a new perspective, before crossing into our 3rd region; Basque Country, and to Bilbao (1hr 15m), another exciting and under appreciated Northern Spanish city.
Overnight: Hotel Barceló Bilbao Nervión ****
Day 5: Bilbao and surroundings
Transfer
Breakfast
Dinner
4 star hotel
After breakfast, we head to the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, designed by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry, presents an alluring and futuristic space for the mix of modern & contemporary art it houses and is not to be missed.
There is a lot to pack into today, and it's from one 'out of this world' experience to another. Next up is San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, an islet on the coast of Biscay used by Game of Thrones in Season 7 to represent Dragonstone. The word gaztelugatxe [gastelugatse] comes from the Basque gaztelu, meaning 'castle' and atx, meaning 'rock'; together forming 'the rock castle'.The rock of Gaztelugatxe is a small island off the coast, reached by a man-made stone bridge leading to a narrow path with a mere 241 steps! Impressive and wild, set against the backdrop of the sea, a small church, over a century old, and dedicated to St John the Baptist, perches atop the rock.
This afternoon we visit the lovely Basque town of Bermeo, famous for the fantastic surf. We are on our way to Zumaia which is renowned for its 'flysh' beaches, set amongst the longest continuous rock strata in the world.
Overnight: Hotel Barceló Bilbao Nervión
Day 6: Explore San Sebastian
Transfer
Breakfast
Lunch
4 star hotel
Last, but definitely not least, the fantastic city of San Sebastian awaits us today. We enjoy a guided walking tour around the main sites of the city including the Plaza de la Constituzion with its majestic Town Hall, Old Town (La Parte Vieja), and fishing port at the foot of the Urgull Mountain.
We end the morning with a private 'pintxos' tour (pronounced 'pinchos', and meaning 'tapas'), accompanied by a specialist in Basque gastronomic culture. After the tapas, enjoy the afternoon at your leisure; we are staying in San Sebastian tonight.
Overnight: Hotel Barceló Costa Vasca ****
Day 7: Departure
Transfer
Breakfast
Your adventure has come to an end - it must be time to plan your next holiday! Enjoy breakfast before your transfer to Bilbao for your journey home.
Adventure Optional Extras
Single room Supplement
Single rooms are available on a first come, first served basis. We will charge on a pro-rata basis if a single room is only available for part of the trip.
Plant an additional 15 trees for your adventure
Carbon Compensation is not the perfect solution, and it is important to first reduce our carbon emissions as much as we can, yet trees remain an excellent natural technology to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to slow global warming.
For every client and guide who attends a YellowWood Adventure, we donate £30 to our partner charity WeForest to plant 15 trees to (over) compensate for the carbon footprint of the tour.
We also invite our clients to match this with an optional additional £30 for another 15 trees to be planted to help compensate for the carbon footprint of their international flights.
WeForest run many tree planting and tree maintenance projects such as this seedling nursery in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil and many other projects in other countries including Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania & India.
Click Here to find out more about their amazing projects around the world.
Not Included
- International Flights/Ferry & taxes
- Comprehensive insurance
- Visas if required
- Tipping (allow approx £100)
- Lunches (apart from 1), 2 dinners, snacks & drinks.
Contents
Accommodation
We fully believe in, and practice, Responsible Tourism, using hotels run by locals. The accommodation on this adventure are comfortable and welcoming hotel accommodation offering rooms with ensuite facilities.
We put time and effort into building our relationship with accommodation suppliers to ensure you have a great trip;
We choose accommodation based on cleanliness, comfort, safety, proximity to our route (to avoid unnecessary extra travel) and a warm client welcome, as well as reliability in their service to us. Wherever we can we will choose smaller, more characterful, individual hotels, but in areas where tourism is still developing, or in remote areas (like the mountains), we may not have a wide range of options. An aspect of our adventures is to escape the ‘trappings’ of modern Western lifestyles and to experience new things with are exciting and memorable and reflects the countries we are visiting.
Where hotels and refuges are fully booked or unavailable, we will use an alternative of a similar standard, and equally well situated. We will provide you with an accurate list of accommodation to leave with relatives, prior to departure on your adventure.
Facilities
Unless you have booked a single room (where they are available) and paid the single room supplement for those nights, you will be sharing a twin room with another client (of the same gender).
Guiding & Your Group
Supporting you on your holiday, and accompanying the group each day (including during meals), will be a local, English speaking Spanish travel guide who knows Asturias, Cantabria & the Basque Country like the back of their hand! This ensures you are in excellent hands and that you have access to local knowledge.
We work jointly with our Spanish Tour Operator partners both before and during your adventure to ensure that they understand your needs and the standard that YellowWood Adventures expects. We believe that it is a very important positive aspect of Responsible Tourism, to employ the expertise of local suppliers, as well as offering you a much more informative and authentic experience.
Your Group
Your group will be any number from our minimum group size of 4, up to a maximum of 12 clients. This number works really well with the ratio of guides, and ensures the optimum level of service to you during your adventure.
We get clients booking alone, as couples and in small groups of friends. If you have a group of friends or family who are interested in having their own customised trip, then please let us know and we can cost it for you.
Am I fit enough?
Although you will be visiting the stunning Picos de Europa mountains (part of the Cantabria range) during your holiday, the focus of this holiday is a cultural exploration. To get the most of out of this adventure, you need to be in good physical condition and able to walk for around 3 - 4 hours (the city tours are a mix of walking tours with short transfers as required). You also need to be comfortable on coastal paths which may be narrow or uneven and naturally will include some gradient changes, in order to enjoy the rural and wildlife aspects of the adventure. Any walking is at the natural pace of the group, with regular stops and there is an alternative option if you are not wanting to join the 8km walk on Day 9.
Travel
Your YellowWood adventure starts in Bilbao. We can talk to you more about your travel options on an individual basis. We understand that arriving into an unfamiliar airport can be daunting, so we aim to give you as much information here as possible to help you prepare.
Finding flights
Flights are not included in the cost of your holiday, and whilst we are happy to help advise you, responsibility for booking the correct flights rests with you. We recommend that you use a comparison tool when searching for flights, such as skyscanner or www.momondo.co.uk.
Travel by Ferry
Although the most timely way to get to this area of Northern Spain is to use a low cost airline, there is much joy to be found in incorporating your travel into your adventure and choosing the lower carbon footprint option of the ferry. You can travel to Bilbao from Portsmouth (23hrs 45mins), with Brittany Ferries. An added bonus to this form of travel is the opportunity to spot whales and dolphins in the Bay of Biscay!
Foreign Travel Advice
For the latest travel advice from the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office including security and local laws, plus passport and visa information, check www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. As the situation in our destination countries can change, please do ensure you check regularly before your adventure.
We also receive notifications direct from the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) so we are always aware of the ‘status’ in our destination countries.
Brexit
We have put together a journal post with a short summary of Brexit Advice for Travellers to Europe.
Arrival
For those of you who choose to fly into Northern Spain, Bilbao airport is a fully functioning, international airport welcoming domestic flights and those from Europe. Airport services include Duty Free, ATMs and Currency Exchange. On arrival at the airport you will go through passport control to baggage reclaim and onwards to Arrivals where you will be met by a driver / guide with a YellowWood Adventures sign.
For those choosing to arrive by ferry, you will also be met by a driver/ guide with a YellowWood Adventures sign, in the ferry Arrivals Terminal.
All group specific, final details on where to meet your guide will be sent to you prior to the start of your adventure.
Insurance
Holiday insurance is essential for all Yellow Wood Adventures. Unfortunately anyone without insurance is not able to take part in the holiday, so please make sure you arrange cover. We recommend sorting your insurance when you book so that if you have problems during the run up to your holiday, and need to cancel, you are covered, particularly in the light of effects that the pandemic has had on travel.
Prior to the holiday, we will ask you to send us details of your insurer, policy number, 24 hr emergency assistance contact details and the name, address, and telephone numbers of your NOK or persons to be notified in the event of an emergency.
Your insurance needs to cover you for moderate walking with the following fairly standard inclusions:
- Medical Expenses
- Coronavirus linked expenses (these may be country specific, so please ensure you know what the requirements are relating to the country you are visiting)
- Repatriation
- Helicopter rescue & Air ambulance
We would also recommend that you have cover for the following optional items:
- Cancellation
- Loss or damage to property
General information on Northern Spain
For information on Northern Spain, such as climate, weather, language, social norms, food & drink etc, please have a read of our Country specificinformation.
Reviews
YellowWood Adventures
This is a new itinerary for YellowWood and as such, we do not yet have any reviews. We would love you to be the first to review the adventure!
Receive a 15% discount off Water-to-Go filtration water-bottles to help reduce plastic waste.
Compulsory
- € currency, or US$ or £GB to exchange
- Passport & insurance documents
- Credit / debit card for ATM use
- Prescription medication & antibiotics such as Azithromycin to stop serious traveller's diarrhoea
- First aid kit: paracetamol, anti-diarrhoea tables, rehydration sachets, antihistamine cream, ibuprofen cream, thermometer & blister kit (eg plasters & zinc oxide tape).
- Insect repellent
- Hand sanitiser (70% alcohol) & min of 2 reusable & 10 disposable face coverings
- Washbag & usual contents - small travel bottles please! Biodegradable multi purpose soap can be used for washing clothes & self.
- Flannel & Towel (ideally quick drying travel towel)
Items for walking / sightseeing
- 20-30L daypack for hiking / sightseeing, with waist and ideally, chest strap
- Waterproof jacket (GoreTex or similar quality)
- Comfortable walking shoes / boots - already broken in...
- Sunglasses and high factor suncream
- Sun hat / baseball cap
- Water-to-Go filtration water-bottle & additional storage water-bottle - ideally 2 litres per person
Clothing
- General socks / underwear, including walking socks
- Suitable clothes / pjs for sleeping in at night
- Light clothes for day time - long & short sleeved tops. NB technical fabrics dry quickly in hot or wet weather.
- Lightweight trousers (or skirts) and shorts for walking & sightseeing
- Sandals / trainers
- Warm jacket & fleece - Down or synthetic insulated jacket & light fleece recommended.
- Warm hat & gloves
Optional
- Waterproof stuff sacks & liners to keep kit dry.
- Torch with spare batteries / charger
- Buff or neck gaiter for cold weather / sun protection. Light scarf useful for church visits
- Purification tablets as alternative to Aquapure Traveller Water Purification Bottle
- Camera & charging cables / plug
- Phone & charging cables / plug
- EU plug adaptor
- Money belt or grab bag
- Walking poles
This trip supports
Need a little help?
All adventures can be tailored as private bespoke trips.
Please contact us for more information:
+44 207 846 0197
Related Adventures
Booking Process
Select dates: Choose the dates for your adventure and consider adding any extra adventures or add-ons to enhance your experience.
Check the box to agree to our Terms & Conditions.
Make Booking: Click on "Make Booking." If you're booking more than 56 days before your adventure, you'll be redirected to secure WorldPay to make your deposit. If it's 56 days or less before your adventure, you'll need to make full payment. Rest assured, your money is held securely by the Travel Trust Association.
Your booking will show as 'pending' in your YellowWood online account.
Confirmation: We'll be in touch as soon as possible to confirm your booking or discuss any availability limitations. Please refrain from booking transport or flights until we've emailed you to confirm your booking. (Note: Receipt of your booking form is not confirmation.)
Making payment: Once your booking is confirmed, we'll change the status of your final invoice from 'Pending Approval' to 'Outstanding,' indicating that it's ready for payment online.
You will receive a reminder email for your final payment 56 days before the departure date.
Feel free to contact us with any questions about your adventure or booking, we're here to help!
Grading
To help you choose the right adventure for you, we have given each itinerary a grading that relates to the level of Walking / Trekking you will experience during the trip. This grading can be found on the Yellow map on the adventure page of the website.
All of our trips involve a level of general activity so are designed for people who are in good health, enjoy the outdoors, and have a taste for adventure and some level of fitness. As will be clear from our destinations, the climate (and altitude) may be different to that which you are used to, so please take this into consideration when choosing the most suitable holiday.
Please read our Adventure Itinerary & Essential Information for more information and don't hesitate to contact us if you would like to chat through whether you have found a suitable adventure for you.
Grade 1-3: Entry Level
You need to be in good physical health to enjoy your active holiday, but you don’t need to be an experienced hiker. These itineraries offer a mix of sightseeing and easier walking for around 2-4hrs a day, with the emphasis on sights and cultural experiences.
Walks will be well marked or on defined pathways, and often around sites of interest. The expected amount of descent/ascent will depend on the landscapes of the destination, but will not exceed 400m/day, and will often be much less. Walks are at low altitude (below 3000m).
You will not be required to carry more than a day sack with water and essentials. Ensure you are aware of the weather conditions likely in the destination you are visiting and have a pair of comfortable and worn in walking shoes/boots.
Grades 4-6: Intermediate
You need to have a good level of fitness and be a regular walker for these adventures, with ideally some trekking experience. You can expect to be walking for 3-6 hours per day, not including rest stops, normally on good trail paths but with some uneven surfaces at times.
You will not be required to carry more than a day sack. You may be walking in more challenging temperatures. You will generally be walking at low altitude (below 3000m) but may walk at altitudes up to 4000m. The amount of ascent could be up to 800m in a day but will frequently be less. You may walk on consecutive days.
Ensure you are aware of the weather conditions likely in the destination you are visiting and have suitable clothing for this adventure.
Grades 7-9: Challenging
You need to have a good level of fitness with previous experience of trekking. Extra training before your trip will ensure that you get the most out of your adventure. Areas will be remote and terrain uneven.
Expect to walk for 5 – 8 hours a day, not including breaks, with some very steep ascents and descents. You will be walking at altitude (over 3000m but not higher than 5000m).
Ensure you are aware of the weather conditions likely in the destination you are visiting and have suitable equipment/clothing for this adventure (see the packing list for your adventure).
Please check individual itineraries for details of what you will need to be carrying with you.
Get in touch
CLICK HERE to schedule a call online with YellowWood Founder Sam McManus.
Or call us directly 24/7 on: