5/5
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 Guggenheim Museum Bilbao from across the river, with Maman on the quay Photo: Nicolas Vigier from Paris, France, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Museo_Guggenheim_Bilbao_(12141889293).jpg)
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
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick 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
The Guggenheim and a pintxos evening
Bilbao on foot: the Guggenheim, the Ría and the Casco Viejo
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Bilbao

We are at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao when it opens at 10 am, ahead of the day's tour groups, with a local guide for about ninety minutes. Frank Gehry's titanium-clad building is why most people come, so we start outside: Jeff Koons's Puppy, planted with flowers, at the front, and Louise Bourgeois's spider Maman on the river side. Inside, Richard Serra's The Matter of Time fills the largest gallery with steel walls you walk between; the other galleries hold changing exhibitions. From the museum we follow the Nervión past the white Zubizuri footbridge to the Mercado de la Ribera, a long market hall on the water, and into the Casco Viejo.
Afternoon
Lunch and the afternoon are yours: stay longer in the museum, ride the Artxanda funicular for the view over the city, or rest at the hotel.
Evening
In the evening your guide takes the group round the pintxos bars of Plaza Nueva and the old town, a few small plates and a drink at each, which makes a full dinner.
Included
- Guggenheim Museum Bilbao at opening with a local guide
- Walk along the Ría to the Mercado de la Ribera and the Casco Viejo
- Guided pintxos evening in the old town, with a drink at each bar
Optional experiences
- The Bizkaia Bridge top walkway in Portugalete
Easier option: Take a taxi from the museum to the old town instead of the 2 km riverside walk.
More active option: Ride the metro to Portugalete for the Bizkaia Bridge, the UNESCO-listed transporter bridge of 1893, and cross the river in its hanging gondola.
Free time: Lunch and afternoon free
Activity: About 5 km on foot, mostly level along the river.
Getaria's txakoli, then San Sebastián
Bilbao to Getaria, then along the coast to San Sebastián
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in San Sebastián
- Drive about 1.5 h
Morning
After breakfast our driver loads the bags and we head about an hour east to Getaria, a fishing town on the Basque coast with a harbour, a Gothic church built over a sloping street, and the island headland locals call El Ratón, the mouse, for its shape. Getaria is the birthplace of Juan Sebastián Elcano, who brought Magellan's expedition home in 1522 as the first voyage around the world, and the slopes behind the town are planted with vines for txakoli, the young, lightly sparkling white wine of this coast.
Afternoon
We visit a txakoli winery above the sea for a tasting, then sit down to lunch in the old town, where whole fish are grilled over charcoal on the street outside. A short drive along the coast brings us to San Sebastián (Donostia) by mid-afternoon, for two nights. Check in, then walk the promenade around La Concha bay as the light goes down.
Evening
The evening is free, with your guide's list of pintxos bars in the Parte Vieja.
Included
- Getaria harbour and old town with your guide
- Txakoli winery visit and tasting
- Sit-down lunch of grilled fish in Getaria
- Evening walk along La Concha bay
Free time: Evening free in San Sebastián
Activity: Getaria's lanes are short but steep down to the harbour.
San Sebastián: the market, the old town and Monte Igueldo
San Sebastián on foot and by funicular
- Breakfast
- Stay in San Sebastián

Morning
The morning starts at the La Bretxa market, where fishmongers and cheese sellers supply the bars of the old town, then a local guide walks us through the Parte Vieja: the Baroque basilica of Santa María, the Plaza de la Constitución with its numbered balconies, once seats for the bullfights held in the square, and the narrow streets between the bay and the Urumea river. Mid-morning we ride the Monte Igueldo funicular, running since 1912, to the hilltop at the west end of the bay for the classic view over La Concha, Santa Clara island and the city. From there the day is yours. Swim or walk on La Concha or on Zurriola, the surfers' beach; visit the San Telmo Museum of Basque society in a former convent; or climb Monte Urgull to the castle above the harbour.
Evening
Lunch and dinner are your choice, and your guide can book a table for anyone who wants a long sit-down lunch rather than pintxos.
Included
- La Bretxa market
- Parte Vieja walk with a local guide: Santa María basilica and the Plaza de la Constitución
- Monte Igueldo funicular and viewpoint
Optional experiences
- San Telmo Museum
Easier option: Stay on the level promenade around La Concha after the funicular, with a café stop at the Miramar Palace gardens.
More active option: Walk the coastal path over Monte Ulía from the fishing port of Pasaia back to the city, about 8 km, after a short bus ride out.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Activity: About 4 km on foot in the morning.
Into the Rioja: Laguardia and a Haro bodega
San Sebastián via Vitoria-Gasteiz to Laguardia, then Haro
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Haro
- Drive about 2.5 h

We leave San Sebastián at about 9 am and drive south through the green hills of Gipuzkoa and past Vitoria-Gasteiz, then over the Sierra de Cantabria, where the view opens onto the Ebro valley and its vineyards. It is about two hours to Laguardia, a walled hilltop town in Rioja Alavesa, the Basque part of the Rioja wine region. The old town sits over cellars dug beneath its houses; we walk its gates and lanes with our guide and see the Gothic portico of Santa María de los Reyes, which still keeps its painted colours, on a guided entry.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal in Laguardia, with a glass of the local red.
Evening
It is then about half an hour to Haro, the wine town on the Ebro, for one night. In the Barrio de la Estación, a cluster of bodegas founded in the late 19th century beside the railway, we tour a winery's cellars and taste its wines with the bodega's guide. The evening is free; the bars around Haro's old town serve pintxos and Rioja by the glass.
Included
- Laguardia walled town with your guide
- Guided entry to the portico of Santa María de los Reyes
- Sit-down lunch in Laguardia
- Bodega cellar tour and tasting in Haro's Barrio de la Estación
Easier option: Sit out the walk round Laguardia's walls at a café in the Plaza Mayor, and join the group for lunch and the bodega tasting.
More active option: In Haro, walk down to the Barrio de la Estación and back from the old town, about 3 km, instead of riding.
Free time: Evening free in Haro
Activity: Bodega cellars are cool all year; bring a layer.
Burgos Cathedral and over the mountains to Oviedo
Haro to Burgos, then via León to Oviedo
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Oviedo
- Drive about 4 h

This is the longest driving day, about four hours in all, because the road from the Rioja to Asturias has to cross the Cantabrian Mountains; we break it with most of the day in Burgos. We leave Haro at about 8:45 am and reach Burgos, an hour away on the Camino de Santiago, as the cathedral opens. Begun in 1221 and listed by UNESCO in 1984, it rewards two hours with a local guide: the open-work spires, the star vault over the crossing, the Golden Staircase, and the tomb of El Cid and his wife Jimena under the crossing floor.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down Castilian meal in the old town, perhaps morcilla de Burgos and roast lamb. Early in the afternoon we drive about three hours north-west, past León and over the mountains on the motorway, with a coffee stop on the way, and reach Oviedo, the capital of Asturias, at about 6 pm for two nights. A short walk takes us to Calle Gascona, the street of cider houses, where waiters pour cider from above their heads.
Evening
Dinner is free.
Included
- Burgos Cathedral with a local guide
- Sit-down lunch in Burgos
- Evening walk to Calle Gascona in Oviedo
Free time: Evening free in Oviedo
Activity: About four hours of driving, split into one hour in the morning and about three hours after lunch, with a stop.
Picos de Europa: Covadonga, the lakes and a cider house
Oviedo to Covadonga and the lakes of Enol and Ercina, then Cangas de Onís and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Oviedo
- Drive about 3 h

Afternoon
A day in the mountains, with lunch at a cider house. We drive about an hour and a quarter east to Covadonga, in the Picos de Europa National Park, where tradition places the battle of 722 that began the Christian kingdom of Asturias. The Holy Cave, a chapel set into the cliff above a waterfall, holds the tomb attributed to King Pelayo, and a pink stone basilica stands on the rise opposite. From there a narrow road climbs about 12 km to the lakes of Enol and Ercina at around 1,100 m, among limestone peaks and summer pastures. We go up early, before the crowds, and walk the easy loop between the two lakes, about 5 km with gentle climbs. In the busiest periods the road is closed to private vehicles and we ride the park's shuttle bus from Cangas de Onís instead. Lunch is at a sidrería in or near Cangas de Onís, by the high medieval bridge over the Sella: fabada, cheeses from the Picos and cider poured at the table.
Evening
We are back in Oviedo by late afternoon, with the evening free.
Included
- Covadonga: the Holy Cave and the basilica
- The lakes of Enol and Ercina, with a guided walk between them
- Cider-house lunch near Cangas de Onís
- The medieval bridge at Cangas de Onís
Easier option: Stay at the Ercina viewpoint and the visitor centre by the lakes instead of the 5 km loop.
Free time: Evening free in Oviedo
Activity: Mountain weather changes fast at the lakes; bring a waterproof and a warm layer even in summer.
Santa María del Naranco, Luarca and on to Santiago
Oviedo to Monte Naranco, then west along the coast to Luarca and Santiago de Compostela
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Santiago de Compostela
- Drive about 4 h
Afternoon
This is one of the two long driving days, about four hours in all, because Galicia lies well west along the coast; Santa María del Naranco in the morning and a long lunch in Luarca break it into two drives. We start on Monte Naranco, just above Oviedo, with the first visit of the morning to Santa María del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo, built in the 840s for King Ramiro I of Asturias and listed by UNESCO among the monuments of the Asturian kingdom. Santa María began as a royal hall, with a vaulted upper room and an open loggia at each end; from its terrace you look over the city to the mountains. Then we drive about an hour and a quarter west to Luarca, a white fishing town wrapped around a river mouth and harbour, for a sit-down seafood lunch. The afternoon drive is about two and three-quarter hours, across the Eo river into Galicia and through farmland and eucalyptus to Santiago de Compostela, which we reach at about 6:30 pm for two nights.
Evening
Your guide walks you to the Praza do Obradoiro, in front of the cathedral, and the evening is free.
Included
- Santa María del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo with a local guide
- Seafood lunch at the harbour in Luarca
- Evening walk to the Praza do Obradoiro
Easier option: Stay on the terrace of Santa María del Naranco rather than walking the short lane up to San Miguel de Lillo, and wait out the Luarca harbour walk at a café.
More active option: After lunch in Luarca, walk up to the headland above the harbour, with its chapel, lighthouse and seaside cemetery, about 20 minutes each way.
Free time: Evening free in Santiago
Activity: About 4 hours of driving: about 1 hour 15 to Luarca after the morning visit, then about 2 hours 45 to Santiago after lunch, with a coffee stop.
Costa da Morte: Muxía and Cape Fisterra
Santiago de Compostela to Muxía and Fisterra, then back via Ponte Maceira
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Santiago de Compostela
- Drive about 3.5 h

A day on the Costa da Morte, the Coast of Death, the rocky Atlantic shore west of Santiago named for its shipwrecks. We drive about an hour and a quarter through Galician farmland to Muxía, where the sanctuary of the Virxe da Barca stands on bare granite at the edge of the sea and the waves break on the stones beside it; pilgrims who carry on past Santiago end their walk here or at Fisterra. Then it is about forty minutes south to Cape Fisterra, once taken for the end of the known world, where the lighthouse stands above the cliffs and the last Camino waymark reads 0,000 km.
Afternoon
Lunch is seafood at the harbour in Fisterra town, perhaps octopus, scallops and a glass of Albariño. On the drive back we stop at Ponte Maceira, a medieval bridge and mill hamlet on the river Tambre.
Evening
We are back in Santiago by about 6 pm, with time to change before the farewell dinner together in the old town.
Included
- Muxía and the sanctuary of the Virxe da Barca
- Cape Fisterra and its lighthouse
- Seafood lunch in Fisterra
- Ponte Maceira
- Farewell dinner in Santiago
Easier option: Stay at the lighthouse terrace at Fisterra rather than walking down the rocks to the cape.
More active option: Climb the track up Monte Facho above the Fisterra lighthouse for the view along the coast, about 45 minutes up.
Activity: The rocks at Muxía and Fisterra are slippery when wet; keep back from the waves.
Santiago Cathedral and home
Santiago Cathedral and the Mercado de Abastos, then Santiago Airport
- Breakfast
- Drive about 30 min

Morning
The last morning belongs to Santiago. We are at the cathedral early with a local guide for the Pórtico da Gloria, the carved Romanesque entrance completed by Master Mateo in 1188 and restored in 2018, on a timed entry kept to small groups; then the nave, the silver high altar with its statue of St James, and the crypt with the apostle's tomb. The botafumeiro, the giant censer, swings at some Masses but not every day, so we tell you the schedule if one falls during your stay. From the cathedral we walk to the Mercado de Abastos, where you can buy shellfish at a stall and have it cooked at one of the bars beside the market. Your guide brings the group back to the hotel by about 1 pm, and a driver takes you to Santiago de Compostela Airport (SCQ), about 12 km north-east of the city.
Evening
Book a flight leaving after about 3 pm, or ask us about the train to Madrid or a later night in Santiago.
Included
- Santiago Cathedral with a local guide, including the Pórtico da Gloria on a timed entry
- The Mercado de Abastos
- Drop-off at Santiago de Compostela Airport (SCQ)
Optional experiences
- Santiago Cathedral rooftop tour
Activity: Book a flight leaving after about 3 pm to see the cathedral and the market.
- Bilbao2 nights
- San Sebastián2 nights
- Haro1 night
- Oviedo2 nights
- Santiago de Compostela2 nights
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
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+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
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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.