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Northern Spain: the Basque Country, Rioja, Asturias and Galicia

10 days from Bilbao to Santiago de Compostela: two nights each in Bilbao and San Sebastián, a night among the bodegas of Haro, Burgos on the way to two nights in Oviedo, and two nights in Santiago with the Costa da Morte.

10 days · Bilbao to Santiago de Compostela · up to 12 guests

The facts

At a glance

Length
10 days, 9 nights
Start and end
Bilbao to Santiago de Compostela
Group size
7 to 12 guests
Activity level

Moderate

City walking of 4 to 7 km on most days, on cobbles and some steep old-town streets, plus an optional 5 km loop with gentle climbs between the Covadonga lakes at about 1,100 m. Six days have drives of 1.5 to 4 hours; the two longest, days 6 and 8, are each broken by a long visit and a sit-down lunch. Any walk, climb or viewpoint can be skipped.

Meals included
9 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 2 dinners
Room of your own
+ CAD 1,075 (estimated price)
Season
May to October

Highlights

Why this trip

  • The Guggenheim Bilbao at its 10 am opening with a local guide, and a guided pintxos evening in the old town the same night
  • Txakoli on the vine-covered slopes above Getaria, then fish grilled over charcoal for lunch
  • La Concha bay from the top of the Monte Igueldo funicular, and a free afternoon on San Sebastián's beaches
  • The walled wine town of Laguardia and a cellar tour and tasting in Haro's Barrio de la Estación
  • Burgos Cathedral at opening, then over the mountains to Oviedo's street of cider houses
  • The lakes of Covadonga in the Picos de Europa early, before the buses, and a cider-house lunch
  • Cape Fisterra and the sanctuary at Muxía on the Costa da Morte, with a seafood lunch at the harbour
  • The Pórtico da Gloria in Santiago Cathedral on a timed entry, and the Mercado de Abastos

What makes this trip different

  • Free time is part of the plan

    Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.

  • Solo without the penalty

    A room of your own is + CAD 1,075 (estimated price).

Day by day

Itinerary

BASQUE COUNTRYLA RIOJACASTILE AND LEÓNASTURIASGALICIABay of BiscayAtlantic Ocean12345BilbaoDays 1 to 3GetariaDay 3San SebastiánDays 3 to 5LaguardiaDay 5HaroDays 5 to 6BurgosDay 6OviedoDays 6 to 8Cangas de OnísDay 7Covadonga lakesDay 7LuarcaDay 8Santiago de CompostelaDays 8 to 10MuxíaDay 9Cape FisterraDay 9

Tap any stop on the map to open that day

Arrive in Bilbao

Bilbao Airport to your hotel in Bilbao

  • Welcome dinner
  • Stay in Bilbao
  • Drive about 30 min

Evening

Fly into Bilbao Airport (BIO), about 12 km north of the city, in time for the evening welcome: plan to land by about 4 pm (the latest arrival time is confirmed with your final itinerary). A driver meets you in arrivals and takes you to your central hotel. Bilbao grew rich on iron and shipbuilding along the Nervión estuary; since the Guggenheim opened in 1997 the old docks have become riverside walks, and the medieval Casco Viejo, the Seven Streets, still sits on the right bank below the hill of Begoña. If you land early, walk the river path or take a coffee under the arcades of Plaza Nueva. At about 6:30 pm your See Sight Tours guide meets the group for a short briefing on the days ahead: how long each drive is, what the northern weather does, and how meals work. Then we walk to a sit-down Basque dinner in the old town, with dietary needs taken from your booking.

Included

  • Pick-up at Bilbao Airport (BIO)
  • Welcome briefing with your guide
  • Welcome dinner in the old town

Free time: Free until the evening briefing

  1. Bilbao2 nights
  2. San Sebastián2 nights
  3. Haro1 night
  4. Oviedo2 nights
  5. Santiago de Compostela2 nights
  • Overnight stop
  • Day trip
  • By boat or train
Print itinerary

Wildlife and weather: The Atlantic north is mild: summer days are usually in the low to mid 20s °C, with rain or sea mist possible in any month. August brings the biggest crowds and highest prices in San Sebastián and at the Covadonga lakes; May, June, September and October are quieter, and the grape harvest in the Rioja falls in late September and October.

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Before you book

Right for you?

Good for you if you want

  • Travellers who have seen Madrid and Andalusia and want the green, food-led north
  • Pintxos, Rioja, cider and seafood at sit-down meals, with a guide who knows the bars
  • Two nights in most places, with free afternoons and evenings
  • Travellers over 50 who want their luggage moved and drives kept to about four hours

Not for you if you want

  • Guaranteed sun: rain and sea mist are possible in any month
  • Step-free access: old towns are cobbled and steep in places
  • A beach holiday; there is one free beach afternoon in San Sebastián
  • Travellers who want Barcelona or Madrid in the same trip

Book flights after we confirm your seat.

9 nights

Where you'll stay

Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.

  • Bilbao2 nights
  • San Sebastián2 nights
  • Haro1 night
  • Oviedo2 nights
  • Santiago de Compostela2 nights

One price

What's in the price

Included

Accommodation

  • 9 nights: 2 in Bilbao, 2 in San Sebastián, 1 in Haro, 2 in Oviedo and 2 in Santiago de Compostela
  • Central hotels of a 3-star-plus standard with private bathrooms, walkable to each old town; we name each hotel when we confirm your dates
  • Hotel city and tourist taxes where charged

Transport

  • Pick-up at Bilbao Airport (BIO) and drop-off at Santiago de Compostela Airport (SCQ)
  • A private vehicle and driver for the group from day 3 to day 10
  • Luggage moved by our vehicle between every hotel
  • The park shuttle bus to the Covadonga lakes when the road is closed to private vehicles
  • Metro or taxi in Bilbao when needed

Your guide

  • A See Sight Tours guide with the group from day 1 to day 10
  • Licensed local guides at the Guggenheim, in San Sebastián, at Burgos Cathedral, Santa María del Naranco and Santiago Cathedral

Activities

  • Bilbao: the Guggenheim Museum with a guide, the Ría walk and the Mercado de la Ribera, a guided pintxos evening
  • Getaria: the harbour and a txakoli winery tasting
  • San Sebastián: La Bretxa market, the Parte Vieja with a guide, the Monte Igueldo funicular
  • Laguardia: the walled town and the portico of Santa María de los Reyes
  • Haro: a bodega cellar tour and tasting in the Barrio de la Estación
  • Burgos Cathedral
  • Picos de Europa: Covadonga and the lakes of Enol and Ercina, Cangas de Onís
  • Oviedo: Santa María del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo, Calle Gascona
  • Luarca harbour
  • Costa da Morte: Muxía, Cape Fisterra and Ponte Maceira
  • Santiago de Compostela: the cathedral with the Pórtico da Gloria, the Mercado de Abastos
  • All entrance fees for included sights, on timed entries where the site offers them

Meals

  • 9 breakfasts
  • 6 lunches: in Getaria, Laguardia, Burgos, a cider house near Cangas de Onís, Luarca and Fisterra
  • 3 dinners: a welcome dinner and a guided pintxos evening in Bilbao, and a farewell dinner in Santiago

Not included

  • International flights to Bilbao and from Santiago de Compostela
  • Travel insurance
  • An ETIAS travel authorisation fee, if it is in force for your dates
  • Meals not listed: 4 lunches and 6 dinners
  • Drinks beyond those served with included meals and tastings
  • Tips for guides and drivers
  • Optional activities: the Bizkaia Bridge top walkway, the San Telmo Museum, the Santiago Cathedral rooftop tour
  • Personal expenses

Extras

Room of your own
CAD 1,075 (estimated price)

When you can go

Dates and prices

Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.

Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.

Before you book

Booking terms

Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.

Business addresses

See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584

Guest reviews

What guests say

Reviews from guests on our day tours.

Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
google

5/5

Parminder did a great job guiding us around, giving us tips & teaching us the history of the falls. A great experience!

Jane
October 06, 2026
gyg

5/5

Good views of the surrounding area of Halifax in a comfortable minivan

Susan
October 06, 2026
gyg

5/5

June was brilliant- made good contact beforehand and really attentive and knowledgeable. Made me feel like I was special- something only experience can do. Thank you June.

Tom L
October 05, 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Our host was very knowledgeable, friendly and even provided some humor.

MandL83
October 05, 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Peter was a very good guide, giving us insight into the various parts of the Park, including parking lot congestion details, trail and viewing location suggestions.

Darren O
October 05, 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Excellent morning spent with my guide Nancy. Very knowledgeable and friendly. Thoroughly enjoyed my trip

4.7/5 from 38,601 guest reviews

Good to know

Questions

What does the northern Spain trip price include?

Nine nights in central hotels, 9 breakfasts, 6 sit-down lunches and 3 dinners including a guided pintxos evening, airport transfers at Bilbao and Santiago, a private vehicle and driver with your luggage moved, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, local guides at the main sites, and every visit in the day plan, from the Guggenheim and a Haro bodega to the Costa da Morte.

How big is the group?

The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests, never more. That is small enough to stand at a pintxos bar together, fit in a bodega cellar and sit at one table for lunch, which larger coach tours of this route cannot do.

Who leads the trip?

A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from the Bilbao airport pick-up to the last morning in Santiago. Licensed local guides join for the Guggenheim, San Sebastián's old town, Burgos Cathedral, Santa María del Naranco and Santiago Cathedral, and we name your guide when your departure is confirmed.

How fit do I need to be?

Moderately. Most days have 4 to 7 km of city walking on cobbles and some steep streets. The longest walk is an optional 5 km loop between the Covadonga lakes at about 1,100 m. Every walk and climb can be skipped, and the guide gives an easier choice on the active days.

I am travelling solo. What is the single supplement?

A room of your own is from CAD 1,075 more than the twin-share price, and it is a real single or double room for one, not a box room. If you would rather share, ask us and we will try to pair you with another solo traveller of the same gender.

When is the best time to visit northern Spain?

May to October. June and September bring long days and fewer crowds; August is the busiest and dearest month in San Sebastián and at the Covadonga lakes. The Rioja harvest runs from late September into October. This is the green, Atlantic side of Spain, so expect some rain in any month.

Will it rain, and what should I pack?

Probably at some point. The north coast is green because it rains, and summer days are usually in the low to mid 20s °C rather than hot. Pack a light waterproof, a warm layer for the mountains and cool bodega cellars, and shoes with grip for wet cobbles.

How long are the drives?

Most driving days are 1.5 to 3 hours. The two longest are about four hours each: day 6, Haro to Oviedo over the Cantabrian Mountains, split by most of a day in Burgos, and day 8, Oviedo to Santiago, split by Santa María del Naranco and a long lunch in Luarca. Haro is the only one-night stop; every other base has two nights.

Can I eat vegetarian on a pintxos and seafood trip?

Yes, with notice. Tell us at booking and we choose the restaurants for the included lunches and dinners with you in mind; most pintxos bars also have vegetable, egg and cheese plates. Strict vegans will find the north harder, as many dishes are cooked with pork, fish or shellfish.

Do I need a visa for Spain?

Canadian, US, UK and Australian passport holders do not need a visa for a short stay in the Schengen area. The EU's ETIAS travel authorisation is expected to start in late 2026; we confirm at booking whether it applies to your dates and when to apply. Other passports should check with us when booking.

Can we travel privately or on our own dates?

Yes. Besides the small group, the trip comes as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, from CAD 10,465 per person. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we will quote the same hotels, drivers and local guides.

How does booking work?

Pick your start date and send a request to book. We confirm your place within 24 hours, and no payment is taken until then. The small group starts from CAD 5,815 per person sharing a room, taxes included.

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