We will leave in the early morning and cross Castilla and Leon. We will make a stop in TORDESILLAS to learn about the history of this small town and have a coffee at its main square. Then we will continue to LEON, a historic city on the Way of St. James, where we will have time for lunch and to see the fantastic Gothic cathedral.

After that we will cross the Cantabrian Range mountains on our way to Asturias. Arrival in OVIEDO in the evening. We will include (occasionally the next morning) an hour-and-a-half city tour with a local guide in which we will visit its 9th century cathedral, Calatrava Congressional Palace, Campoamor Theatre and Calle de la Rua.

Note: If the number of travelers from Madrid to Leon is very limited, the trip might be carried out by train or regular transportation, missing the stop in Tordesillas.

We will travel to Picos de Europa. We will visit Basílica de Covadonga which is surrounded by beautiful scenery. We will resume our journey following the coastline to SANTILLANA, one of Spain’s most beautiful towns, and we will visit its well-preserved medieval quarter. We visit the National Museum and Research Centre of ALTAMIRA (ticket included) located in the vicinity of this town. We will later travel to SANTANDER, the region’s capital city, a coastal city with amazing vistas and beaches. We include panoramic city tour to discover this elegant city and its beautiful bay. NOTE: On some high difficulty dates (especially in summer from July to mid September), some groups can be accommodated in Bilbao.

Seguimos la autopista junto a la costa del Cantábrico. Algunos de los paisajes entre la montaña y el mar son de gran belleza. BILBAO, llegada a la mayor ciudad del País Vasco. Con guía local, realizamos una visita de la ciudad donde destaca el Museo Guggenheim con su impactante arquitectura exterior y el casco viejo, antiguo núcleo medieval con sus calles llenas de vida y su catedral. Tiempo libre para pasear y almorzar. Recomendamos el Mercado de La Ribera que ofrece puestos con la típica gastronomía vasca en una estructura parecida a un barco ubicada frente al río.Tras la hora del almuerzo saldremos a GUERNICA, conocido por ser el lugar donde se libró una de las peores masacres de la Guerra Civil Española recordada en la pintura de Pablo Picasso. Acá se encuentra el árbol de Guernika, bajo cuyas ramas se otorgó autonomía al País Vasco en la Edad Media. Seguimos hacia HONDARRIBIA (Fuenterrabía), con sus playas, sus murallas, su ambiente marinero y su centro histórico donde sorprende el trazado cuadriculado de sus calles angostas y adoquinadas. Tiempo en el casco histórico. Continuación a SAN SEBASTIAN, llegada al final de la tarde. Sugerimos conozca la “Parte Vieja" famosa por sus animados bares de pintxos y su ambiente vibrante, destino popular para los amantes de la gastronomía. Cada establecimiento tiene su propia especialidad y estilo, lo que hace que explorar y probar diferentes pintxos sea una experiencia emocionante y deliciosa.

In the morning in San Sebastián we will include the cable car to go to Monte Igueldo, where we will enjoy the great view over the bay. After that we will have free time to explore its great beach or stroll along its boulevards. After lunch we will go to France. BORDEAUX, arrival in the evening. We suggest taking a walk through the city center.

The entire center of Bordeaux has been declared a world heritage site. You will be amazed by the “water mirror” and stroll through the old town with its pedestrian streets and 11th century cathedral. We will include admission (free visit with audio information in English, Spanish or French) to the CITE DU VIN, an impressive interactive museum that recounts the history of the wine and its production; wine tasting included at the viewpoint over Bordeaux. You will have free time later to stroll and have lunch on the banks of the Garonne River, an area full of small restaurants. We continue our way towards the Pyrenees, arriving to LOURDES in the mid-afternoon. We have time to see the sanctuary (we recommend attending the candle procession). Dinner included.

Early departure from Lourdes. Today we cross the Pyrenees amidst high peaks, wonderful landscapes. Following the Way of St. James we enter RONCESVALLES, where you can see the beautiful Gothic collegiate church of Santa María. In PAMPLONA, a city known for its running of the bulls, you will have time for lunch. We continue to OLITE, where the 13th century castle, the residence of the kings of Navarra, stands out. After we head towards MADRID. Arrival around 21:00 hrs.

After breakfast, end of our services.