Starts and ends
Santiago De Compostela to San Sebastian
Travel periods
All year round
Experience
Travel style
Experience Northern Spain in luxurious comfort
Tour Highlights:
- See the stunning Cathedral of Santiago De Compostela
- Explore the magnificent Picos de Europa National Park
- Visit the Altamira Cave museum
- Delicious meals on board El Transcantábrico
- Tour of Bilbao's famous Guggenheim Museum
Overview
Travel in style across Northern Spain on an 8-day luxury rail tour, setting off from Santiago De Compostela and ending in the coastal town of San Sebastian. Witness the rich diversity of the northern landscapes, historic towns and dynamic cities, all while enjoying the comfort and elegance of El Transcantábrico’s luxury tourist train.
Inclusions
- Luxury coach trip from Santiago De Compostela to Ferrol for boarding El Transcantábrico
- Welcome drink and snack
- A la carte and buffet breakfasts, lunch and dinner on board the train or in top restaurants
- Transport to and from tour experiences
- Entrance fees to: Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, El Capricho villa in Comillas and Altamira Cave Museum
- Guided tours of beautiful locations such as Santiago De Compostela's old town, Lake Enol, Gijon and the dynamic city of Bilbao
- Train transfers to/from the train station nearest to your origin and end trip within Spanish Territory
Itinerary
Meeting point in Santiago de Compostela’s Parador de los Reyes Católicos at 12:00 h. After the reception, we will enjoy a tour of the city’s old town. As the destination of pilgrims for a thousand years, it features countless artistic gems apart from its magnificent cathedral. After lunch, our luxury coach will take us to Ferrol, where El Transcantábrico will be waiting. On our arrival, the crew will offer us a welcome drink as the train heads towards Viveiro. Tour of the beautiful old town of this locality, where we will have dinner and spend the night on board the train.
We will begin every day by enjoying our delicious à la carte and buffet breakfast. El Transcantábrico will take us to Ribadeo, a historic Galician town bordering the Principality of Asturias. From there, we will travel along the Lugo coast by coach as far as Las Catedrales Beach, one of the most spectacular in the world. Panoramic tour of Ribadeo and lunch. The train will then take us into the Asturias region. Arrival and tour of Luarca, known as the White Town of the Green Coast, returning thereafter to the train, and heading towards Oviedo. Overnight stay in Oviedo.
We will start the day by visiting Gijon, a city open to the Bay of Biscay and packed with cultural events. Lunch. We will then travel to Oviedo, the Principality of Asturias’ capital. Tour, returning thereafter to the train. Dinner on board as we travel to Llanes, where we will spend the night.
We will go up the heart of the Principality of Asturias in our coach to visit the magnificent Picos de Europa National Park. After visiting Lake Enol, we will head towards the Covadonga Sanctuary, a sacred site full of tradition and legend. Next is Cangas de Onís. Lunch, journeying thereafter to Llanes, a wonderful fishing town in Eastern Asturias. Tour and free time. Dinner and overnight stay in Llanes.
After breakfast, we will go up to Potes in our coach, going through the impressive gorge called Desfiladero de la Hermida. After touring this charming Cantabrian town, we can enjoy a thermal circuit in La Hermida Spa. After lunch, we will visit El Capricho, in Comillas, a marvellous, colourist 19th-century villa designed by Antonio Gaudí. Dinner and overnight stay in Cabezón de la Sal.
Our first visit will be to the Altamira Neocave, a museum and faithful reproduction of the maximum exponent of rock art in the Upper Palaeolithic. Then onto the town of Santillana del Mar with its magnificently preserved medieval district. After lunch, we will travel by train to Santander, the elegant capital of Cantabria, where we will enjoy a guided tour and have some free time. Dinner and overnight stay in Santander.
El Transcantábrico sets off towards Bilbao, a dynamic city that has managed to reinvent itself after the decline of its traditional heavy industry. The tour includes a visit to the famous Guggenheim Museum, the symbol of this new Bilbao. After lunch, we will have some free time before returning to the train. Dinner and overnight stay in Carranza.
We will enjoy our last breakfast on board as we return to Bilbao, where our coach will be waiting to take us to San Sebastian. Tour of this beautiful, elegant city, where many important cultural events are held. End of trip around 13:00 h in San Sebastian’s Hotel Costa Vasca.
