A Wonderful Northern Spain Road Trip | A 10-Day Itinerary

Keen to explore The Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia but don’t know where to start? We’ve out together the perfect northern Spain road trip itinerary.

Updated June 2023

 
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When people consider visiting Spain, it is often the islands, the southern coastline, the Catalonian beauty that is Barcelona or its capital Madrid which top the must-do lists.

However a few years ago, we had the pleasure of visiting the northern regions of Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and The Basque Country - and it completely changed our perspective on this most favourite of British holiday destinations.

This is a part of Spain that truly has it all: vast green spaces, rolling hills, verdant vineyards (and some excellent wines), photogenic coastal towns and villages, vibrant cities - not to mention exceptional beaches and some of the country’s top foodie destinations.

And best of all, the open roads make it an ideal place to enjoy a road trip!

In this guide we’ve shared the places we can’t wait to rediscover as well as a handful we have yet to visit, and put together a realistic road trip itinerary so that you can also explore the most northerly four regions of Spain on your very own road trip!

This is our ideal road trip through The Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia.

A perfect Northern Spain Road Trip itinerary

Day One | San Sebastián

Although not a massive airport, there are a variety of airlines that fly directly to San Sebastián from the UK; we’d recommend jumping on the earliest flight that you can in order to optimise your time in the city.

Once you’ve touched down, simply head to the rental car depot and pick up your hire car (we always book ours with AutoEurope or RentalCars.com); it’s a 20 km drive from the airport to the centre of San Sebastián, which should take around 25 minutes.

Drop off your bags at your accommodation, and it’s time to get out and explore this beautiful coastal city.

Known across Spain for its spectacular beaches (it’s a super popular summer holiday spot for those from the south), it is its title as the country’s gastronomic capital that attracts tourists from across the world. With the most Michelin stars per capita it’s a veritable foodie’s dream!

To introduce yourself to San Sebastián, we’d suggest beginning with a gentle stroll along La Concha Promenade, a paved walkway that stretches 2km along the coastline and takes in the city’s three urban beaches. After that, whether you fancy exploring the cultural scene, the many bars & restaurants or simply laying down on the sand, the world is your oyster!

Things to Do in San Sebastian

// Wander along La Concha Promenade.

// Feast on pintxos. Sort of but not quite like tapas, pintxos are bite-sized morsels of local delicacies speared with a cocktail stick and enjoyed standing up, hopping from bar to bar. Alternatively you can…

// …Take a food tour. If you’d prefer a little local guidance in finding the city’s best pintxos spots, consider joining either this two-hour gourmet pintxo tour (each ‘taste’ accompanied by a local drink), or should you be keen to try a more varied selection, this three-hour tour involves 12 bites and pintxos as well as six drinks.

// Hang out at the beach. As we mentioned, San Sebastián has a plethora of sea adjacent bathing opportunities (namely Playa La Concha, Playa de Ondarreta and Playa de la Zurriola). If you fancy a bit more of an adrenaline rush, you can even go surfing here.

// Explore the old town. San Sebastian isn’t just beautiful beaches and incredible food, it’s also home to a wonderful old town. Get lost in the cobbled streets, take in the varied architecture or people watch from one of the many traditional bars. P.S. - don’t miss the stunning Basílica de Santa María del Coro

// Take in the views. Hop on the antique funicular railway to the top of Monte Igueldo for excellent views over the bay, or alternatively take a catamaran tour along the coast for views back over San Sebastian.

Where to Stay | There are loads of accommodation options in San Sebastian including apartments and hotels. Our favourite Airbnbs include this popular one bed, the stylish EPELETXE, this contemporary two-bed apartment, and - if you don’t mind sharing with a host - this charming room with truly excellent reviews.

Alternatively, for those that would prefer a hotel, Axel Hotel San Sebastián is our luxurious pick, whereas Pensión Arroka and Pensión Buenpas are really excellent, good-value, contemporary room-only options.

Driving Time & Distance Travelled | Just 20 km from the airport!

Read more // If you’re new to hiring a car or just want a refresher, be sure to read our guide, 9 Essential Car Rental Tips from Travellers. Not only will it save you money, it’ll take away a lot of the stress associated with renting.

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Day Two | San Juan de Gaztelugatxe and Bilbao

The first stop today is San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, of Game of Thrones fame.

Given its popularity, we’d highly recommend setting off from your accommodation in San Sebastian nice and early to beat the crowds. The opening times are 10 am to 7 pm.

After you’ve parked up in one of the three official carparks, you have two choices of what to do: if you’re short on time or energy, there’s an official viewpoint within a few minutes walk (here on Google Maps), but we’d encourage you to take the short 3km round trip hike down the hill, across the stone steps and up the other side to the monastery.

Don’t forget to ring the bell three times for good luck when you get there!

Important to Know // Whilst access to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is still free, due to the increased interest it is now necessary to book tickets to enter for visits during specific days/months of the year. These include Easter, Christmas and official Spanish holidays, weekends from the last week of March until the end of the year and then daily from June 15th until the end of September. You will also need to book a specific time slot for your visit.

Tickets can be reserved here.

After you’ve made your way back to the car (if you do the hike, we’d allow two hours), it’s time to head to Bilbao.

This is a remarkable place that eschewed its fate as just another failing ‘post-industrial city’ following the bold move to build Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim here. Indeed, the vast and otherworldly art gallery has given rise to the phrase ‘The Bilbao Effect’.

Upon arriving, we’d recommend a quick turn around at the hotel and then out and about to explore northern Spain’s hottest city break destination!

We imagine you’ll be hungry, so if you’re still in the mood for pintxos why not head to Mercado de la Ribera where the foodie scene is thriving or, alternatively, one of the many restaurants that line the streets of the old town.

Then it’s on to the Guggenheim! For those that would like to gain a deeper appreciation of the art within as well as the impressive architecture of the building itself, we recommend taking a guided tour (like this one which also includes skip the line access - a good idea if visiting in the Sumer months). If you choose to visit independently, be sure to allow at least a couple of hours.

Other Bilbao highlights:

// The beautiful, redeveloped old town and riverside area.

// Norman Foster’s metro, replete with iconic ‘fosteritos’.

// The Santiago Calatrava Bridge.

// The Philippe Starck cultural centre in the shell of a former wine cellar.

// Bilbao’s location along the river, makes it ideally situated to a sight-seeing boat tour, especially if you’re not in the city for long.

Where to Stay | Our two top hotel picks are the quirky Pensión Boutique Caravan Cinema and the contemporary Irala by Pillow.

For Airbnbs, we can recommend this cosy one bad with patio and parking, this highly-rated one bed in the old town, this excellent little apartment with nearby parking or this newly renovated contemporary option.

Driving Time | 1 hour and 40 minutes from San Sebastian to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, and then 1 hour to Bilboa / 2 hours and 40 minutes in total

Distance Travelled | 157 km in total

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Day Three - Bilbao & Santander

Depending how much energy you have (or how many glasses of Txacoli you drank the night before), you can either get up early and spend the morning exploring a little more of Bilbao, or alternatively have a bit of a lie-in and a lazy breakfast out - just be sure you’re on the road by midday as you’ve got a busy one ahead!

After saying goodbye to Bilbao, you’ll leave the Basque Country and enter Cantabria, a place of rolling green hills of green, undulating being patches of vine, vintage stone farm houses and groups of short-legged horses known as monchino. Santander is around a 75-minute drive, but we’d recommend breaking the journey up with a stop at Bodega Vidular (here on Google Maps), a delightful little vineyard run by two brothers, Jon and Mikel.

Although the designated driver will have to hold off sampling their very own cava, they will be able to indulge in the wonderful canapés that are served alongside it!


Then it’s back in the car and onwards to Santander, another city whose fortunes have changed somewhat with the opening of a museum - in the this case the Centro Botin, designed by Renzo Piano (a notable Italian architect and Pritzker Prize winner).

A city break destination in its own right, it is super popular in the summer months - especially with holidaying Spaniards - due to its many exquisite golden sand beaches. So exquisite in fact that if you happen to arrive here on hot and sunny day and decided to completely ignore our following recommendations, we really wouldn’t hold it against you…

For a chance to stretch your legs, we recommend heading out one of two wonderful coastal walks towards either Magdelena Palace or Cabo Mayor Lighthouse.

Magdelena Palace Walk | Beginning from the associated nearby carpark (here on Google Maps), this pleasant, 2.5 kilometre circular route circumnavigates the Magdelena Peninsula with spectacular views over El Sardinero Beach and the Palace. You can also walk from the centre of Santander, but it will add an extra 30 minutes on each way.

The Lighthouse | Unless you’re keen to explore the Palace, if you prefer a slightly more challenging walk we’d suggest heading towards the Cabo Mayor Lighthouse. Beginning from the north side of El Sardinero Beach (near Hotel Chiqui), the trail takes you along a rocky coastal path with windswept, open ocean vistas. It’s also possible to continue walking onwards towards La Maruca, although you will require a another couple of hours.

Other things to do in Santander:

// Explore the beaches. As we mentioned above, Santander is home to a number of fantastic beaches, the most popular of which is the 1.5 km El Sardinero. Other options include Playa de Los Peligros, Playa de los Bikinis, Playas de Langre and Playa del Puntal.

// Enjoy a little action with your beach time? Consider taking a surf lesson on El Sardinero Beach.

// Explore the coastline on this highly rated one-hour city cruise around the bay.

// Check out Mercado de la Esperanza for local produce.

// Take a look inside Santander’s Cathedral, which is actually two Gothic churches built on top of one another.

// Eat. Not to be outdone by San Sebastian, Santander has quite the burgeoning foodie scene. For tapas. the most in-demand spot is Casa Lita, however if it’s too busy check out any of the places around Plaza de Cañadío (also known as ‘tapas square’).

Stay | Whilst there are lots of gorgeous hotels along the coast, near Santander’s best beaches (like this one), for a road trip we’d recommend basing yourself in or near the old town. Soho Boutique Palacio de Pombo is simply stunning, but if you’re looking for something a little less fancy, then consider Center Suite Santander or Urban Suite Santander.

Alternatively, there are lots of Airbnbs in this area including this light-filled apartment with free parking, this one-bedroom option that offers a gorgeous little terrace with ocean views, and this good-sized, excellent value and stylish studio.

Driving Time | About an hour from Bilbao to Bodega Vidular, then 36 minutes to Santander - so just over an hour and a half in total.

Distance Travelled | Around 110 km in total.

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Day Four - Santillana del Mar, Comillas, and Llanes

Although the fourth day of this itinerary doesn’t cover huge distances (none of the places you’re going to visit are more than 30 minutes apart), it is jam packed with destinations and activities so you’re going to want an early start!

First up, it’s the short drive inland to Santillana del Mar, a perfectly preserved medieval masterpiece known as the ‘town of three lies’.

The reason? Despite its name, it's not holy, it’s built on a hill, and it lies far from the sea.

Touristy as it is, with its cobbled streets, bountiful flower baskets, medieval towers and Renaissance palaces, it offers a beautiful opportunity to step back in time.

The town itself is fairly small, with two main streets leading off the main square; one - two hours should be plenty here (although you may need to drag cheese-lovers away from the free sample trays that are in abundance in this dairy loving - and manufacturing - town!).

Alternative Option // Just five minutes drive from Santillana del Mar, you can find the Caves of Altamira. Home to cave paintings that date back more than 36,000 years (just think about that for a moment!), this is one of the world’s most important sites to trace humanity’s timeline.

In order to protect the ochre renderings, the original cave is now closed to the public but an identikit version has been recreated nearby.

Entry is just €3 per person (€1.50 concessions) and opening hours vary depending upon month visited, so we recommend checking the official website for full details.

From Santillana, it’s only a 20 minute-ish drive to your next destination, the opulent town of Comillas - home to El Capricho, a fairytale house built on a hillside, and one of only three of Gaudi’s works built outside of his hometown in Barcelona.

Commissioned in 1883 by Maximo Diaz de Quijano, this grand design was a study in opulence as much as a visual story of the owner's passion for music: a stained-glass window featuring a blackbird playing the piano and a dragonfly playing the violin; wrought-iron balconies that curl to create staves and windows that emit music when opened. 'Whimsical', as the name suggests, we can certainly agree.

Remarkably, for a Gaudi design, El Capricho has had a fairly underwhelming history. Maximo died in it a week after moving in, a nephew made catastrophic changes, the family struggled to sell and it spent some time as a Japanese-owned restaurant.

Now however, having recently passed its 135th birthday, it appears that this fantastic building has found its place as a museum, and a group of passionate individuals that will forever keep Comillas' link to Gaudi alive.

In order to maximise your time today, we’d recommend booking your tickets for El Capricho in advance. You can either buy an entry-only ticket, or - to gain a deeper understanding of Gaudi’s work - join a guided tour. Find out more information here.

Don’t rush your time in Comillas by the way. Yes you’ll be staying in Llanes for the night, but as you have the entirety of the following day to explore it you can arrive there as late as you like.

Where to Stay | Hotel-wise we’d recommend either Don Paco, a sustainable hotel in an old Baroque Covenanter if you’re on a bit of budget Hotel Los Molinos.

If you’d prefer an apartment, Modern Penthouse and New Central Apartment both have an abundance of excellent reviews.

Alternatively, you can find all our recommendations on where to stay in our short guide to Llanes.

Driving Time | From Santander to Santillana del Mar, the driving time is around 30 minutes. It’s a further 20 minutes to Comillas, and then 35 minutes to Llanes. This makes total driving time for today approximately 85 minutes.

Distance Travelled | 94 km in total.

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Day Five - Llanes

We absolutely adored the little seaside town of Llanes; a magical medieval town housed within crumbling walls, with an active harbour set along beautiful waterways, fantastic beaches and top notch views from the small hill that overlooks it all.

Once you arrive, it’s easy to see why - for the Spanish at least - this is one of the most popular beach spots in not just Asturias, but the entire country.

If you’d prefer to stay close to the town, you’ll be delighted to know that unlike many urban beaches, the sandy coves in the centre of Llanes are actually rather pretty, incredibly clean and perfect for an afternoon or morning in the sun. There’s three to choose from: Playa de Tóro (our favourite), Playa del Sablon, and Playa de Puerto Chico.

Alternatively, there are a handful of other exceptional stretches of beach a short drive away, including:

// Playa de Toranda. 8 km away from Llanes, this is a good option for snorkelling.

// Playa Ballota. A particularly attractive beach 4.5 km east of Llanes.

// Playa de Torimbia. A little over 9 km from Llanes, Torimba is said to be one of the most beautiful of Asturias’ beaches.

// Playa de San Antolín. The best bet nearby for surfers.

Other Things to Do in Llanes:

// Take a walk along Paseo de San Pedro, a pathway that takes you high above the city for dramatic coastal scenery and spectacular views of the Bay of Biscay.

// Art lovers shouldn't miss the interesting Los Cubos de Memoria. Designed and painted by famous Basque artist Augustin Ibarrola, what should be a simple breakwater to protect the harbour has been transformed into a colourful work of art.

// The lack of need for a designated driver makes this an ideal time to properly get acquainted with Asturian cider! We thoroughly enjoyed the offerings at La Casona Sideria.

For more information on Llanes and everything you need to know to plan your visit to this lovely little seaside town, check out our complete guide to visiting Llanes.

Driving Time & Distance Travelled | Nada! We told you, this was a day off!

Travel Tip | The cost of car rental has shot up in the last couple of years after many companies sold off stock during the pandemic. We recommend getting an idea of prices and availability via an aggregator site like Rentalcars.com to make sure there’s something suitable for you budget.

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Day Six | Ribadesella, Oviedo or Gijon

Carved in half by the Sella River, the colourful little town of Ribadesella is awash with wonderfully elaborate Indiano mansions, built by rich returning emigrants who had made their fortunes in the Americas.

Whilst not a town with a protracted list of things to do, that is exactly what makes it so magical. Simply take a stroll along the promenade, admire the view and perhaps wander over the golden sands of Playa de Santa Marina.

Finish your time here by getting lost in Ribadesella’s old town, a tight network of pretty plazas and narrow streets (all with a healthy does of colour!) before finding yourself back at the harbour - and perhaps a quick drink in one of the waterfront bars or cafes!

Top Tip // For those that enjoy a little history alongside their tan lines, take the 10-minute stroll inland from Santa Marina Beach to the Unesco World Heritage site of Cueva de Tito Bustillo to discover a veritable feast of prehistoric drawings dating back 35,000 years.

This afternoon, you have a choice to make! Where to spend the rest of the day and the night - the foodie hotspot of Oviedo or the coastal city of Gijon?

Oviedo

Said to be the spiritual heart of Asturias - owing to its Cathedral and and being the start of a pilgrimage route to Santiago - the compact city of Oviedo is also the region’s capital. A charming place to explore, it has an elegant old town, several excellent museums, fantastic shopping (especially for leather products, if you like that sort of thing) and, due to its student population, a rather lively atmosphere.

Additionally, it has quite the burgeoning foodie scene, with not one but two Michelin starred restaurants, an outstanding fresh-produce market (with allll the cheeses!), and plenty of traditional ciderias.

Where to Stay in Oviedo | Hotel Fruela is a great option for comfortable, contemporary and well-located rooms, and NH Oviedo Principado is a super popular choice with more of a traditional hotel set-up.

Lots of lovely apartments to choose from in Oviedo, but we’d recommend starting your search by taking look at some of our top picks: La Buhardilla del Fontán, this gorgeous loft, this bright and beautiful two-bed, and this comfortable large and colourful two-bed. All these come with free or reduced rate private parking.

Gijon

Having undergone somewhat of a modern facelift, the coastal city of Gijon is an industrial city that has made good - whilst still retaining some of its gritty charm.

Its incredible waterside location (replete with a wonderful city beach), endless summer entertainment and a fantastic nightlife scene means that this is a popular destination for domestic tourism, whilst its varied cultural offerings cater well to city-breakers.

Be sure you take some time to walk along the coast and up to Parque del Cerro de Santa Catalina for spectacular views over the ocean and a chance to admire the bold sculpture 'Elogio del Horizonte'.

Where to Stay in Gijon | There are hundreds of Airbnbs in Gijon, but one that really caught our eye is this gorgeous, stylish and popular one-bedroom option in the marina. Two of our hotel picks are Numa Hotel Boutique and Hotel Marqués.

Driving Time | 25 minutes from Llanes to Ribadesella, then 56 minutes to Oviedo or 46 minutes to Gijon.

Distance Travelled | 90 - 100 km depending on your final destination.

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Looking for a hiking adventure?

We have focussed on following a coastal route across northern Spain for this road trip. However, when considering the very best the regions have to offer travellers, it would be remiss of us not to mention Picos de Europa; a National Park that spans southeast Asturias, southwest Cantabria as well as northern Castilla and León.

Comprised of three giant massifs (as well as lush open meadows, picturesque villages, aquamarine lakes and wild landscape), it is said to offer up some of the very best hiking trails in Europe, as well as spectacular mountain scenery that would rival the Dolomites!

If you'd like to break up your coastal escape with some time amongst the peaks, Picos de Europa is very well situated, and easily accessible from many of the destinations listed within this road trip.

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Highlights of Picos de Europa

Teleférico de Fuente Dé | For spectacular views at 1,800 m (but without the sweat), be sure to take the the 'Fuente Dé' cable car (Return €18, one-way €11) up into the mountains. There are regular departures throughout the day, but do note that during August, you can be waiting for quite some time!

I's also possible to take an 8km trail back down the mountain instead of the cable car.

Ruta del Cares | This 10 km walk between the two villages of Poncebos and Cain is the most popular in the National Park, and for those of a relatively good fitness level, it is perfectly possible to complete in one day (allow up to 7 hours). You can start from either village, but finishing in Cain allows you to save the most beautiful scenery for last.

Visit Bulnes | Accessible from Poncebos by foot (via a strenuous 5km hike) or Funicular de Bulnes (a tunnel railway that passes through the mountains), Bulnes is a small, traditional village set within a pretty valley and surrounded by towering peaks.

Lagos de Covadongas | Located 12 km uphill past Covadonga, you will find two very pretty little lakes: Lago de Enol and Lago de la Ercina. It's possible to park up the car and walk between them both along a footpath.

Be sure to say hello to the friendly cows too!

 
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Day 7 | Cudillero, Cabo Vido, and Luarca

Built around a small harbour, Cudillero is a place of hills, where colourful houses cascade towards the water's edge and finish with a perfect cove of picturesque seafood restaurants. It is a spot made for a leisurely lunch, for a slow meander along narrow streets towards the spectacular view from above.

It’s also the sort of place that due to ever present issues of overtourism, shouldn’t really exist. Yet, despite its increasing popularity with domestic and more curious international travellers, Cudillero remains so very authentic; a small fishing town that just so happens to look like it has been plucked from a book of fairytales.

It won’t take long for you to cover the ‘top sights’ (the Cimadevilla viewpoint, the 13th century Humilladero Chapel, the charming fishing harbour replete with drying fish and leather-skinned fishermen), but don’t be in a rush to leave - those picturesque seafood restaurants really do make a wonderful spot for lunch!

For more insights into Cudillero, alongside our tips for visiting, see our complete guide to this colourful town.

After lunch, it’s time to jump back in the car for the next stop: the windswept cliffs of Cabo Vidio, just 10 km from Cudillero. Rising up eighty metres above sea level, they tower over the powerful waves of the Atlantic Ocean, the years of erosion leaving caves and a dramatic coastline in its wake.

The lighthouse here is the main attraction due the vistas out from it; these were nothing short of spectacular in the golden glow of that early autumn afternoon.

There’s also a short and easy hike that you can take along the cliffs for exceptional views over Punta de Estaca de Bares (the northernmost point of the Iberian Peninsula), as well as Cabo de Peñas.

From Cabo Vidio, it’s an east 25 minute drive to Luarca. Depending upon how today has gone time wise, there’s the option to either explore Luarca in the late afternoon, or early next morning.

Where to Stay | The beautifully restored 17th-century Casona El Gurugu or Hotel Villa de Luarca. As one might expect, there aren’t a huge number of Airbnbs in the small town of Luarca, but if you’d prefer an apartment take a look at this duplex in Luarca harbour or this one-bed in the centre.

Driving Time | 45 minutes from Oviedo to Cudillero, or 35 minutes from Gijon, then 15 minutes to Cabo Vidio. From Cabo Vidio driving time is around 25 minutes.

Distance Travelled | 95 - 100 km

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Day 8 | Luarca, Praia das Catedrais, and Santiago de Compostela

For a variety of reasons, many of the nights on this trip will include overnight stays in cities, so it’s important when possible to slow down a tad and enjoy the hospitality of smaller towns and villages along northern Spain’s coast.

The white-washed town of Luarca is a perfect option for this.

Whether viewed from above whilst exploring the beautiful cemetery, lighthouse or small chapel, or taking the short loop from the harbour to the edge of town (not missing the spectacular stone bridge along which passes Spain's most luxurious of tourist trains), Luarca is a wonderful place to lose an hour at the end of the day - and a must-do for those that love experiencing a fishing village that despite the passing years, retains all of its charm.

If you took yesterday slowly, take advantage of check-out time to explore Luarca for a couple of hours before setting off towards Galicia.

Today is a driving day, but a slow day none the less. And whilst Santiago de Compostela is the final destination, you should take your time getting there; choose coastal roads over highways and take the chance to pull over and admire a view or explore hidden coves that low tide has revealed in time for your arrival.

One beach you absolutely should stop at however is Praia Das Catedrais - Cathedral Beach - so called because of the extraordinary 90 rock formations that resemble the towering arches found in Gothic cathedrals.

Only revealed at low tide (so try and time your visit), the popularity has meant that in high season visitors are limited to 5,000 per day and, whilst remaining free to enter, you do need to buy a ticket (online here).

Should you be keen to squeeze in a little exercise before arriving in Santiago, there are two small hikes within Galicia (and not too far from the above mentioned Cathedral Beach) that caught our eye:

Fervenza do Toxa Waterfall Hike | This 1.6 km loop takes around 75 minutes to complete and ends at a 60m waterfall. You can find full details here.

Fuciño do Porco Hike | A footbridge hike that allows you to walk between cliffs, with spectacular views out over the Cantabria Sea. Free to access but often requires a reservation - see the official site for more information.

Where to Stay | Given Santiago's position at the end of the Camino, it has an abundance of accommodation options to suit all budgets - so many that we probably need to write a separate post just covering this topic. A couple of hotels that caught our eye are The Tailor's Garden and Hotel San Miguel.

Airbnbs are also plentiful but as parking can be a bit problematic in Santiago, we’ve limited our picks to those that include parking: Hórreo 54, Galeras Park Apartment A, Galeras Park Apartmennt B, and this excellently located, modern three-bedroom.

Alternatively, if you're looking for somewhere a little special outside of the city, we can highly recommend Hotel Spa Relais & Chateaux a Quinta da Agua, a supremely romantic four star boutique hotel or Pazo de Galegos, the oldest vineyard in Galicia which also operates as a beautiful hotel.

Driving Time & Distance Travelled | Depends upon which route you take to Santiago de Compostela.

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Day 9 | Santiago de Compostela

For centuries, Santiago de Compostela has been much more than simply a city.

Enshrined within the walls of the magnificent cathedrals are the remains for the apostle, St James, and for more than a thousand years, this final resting place has marked the end of the Camino de Santiago, a 500-mile trek across the Spanish countryside.  

Thankfully however, you don't have to be a hiker, or indeed a pilgrim, to visit Galicia's capital. Santiago de Compostela hosts an abundance of activities, eateries, and touristic sites to keep even the most sedentary traveller occupied for the day (or longer!).

We’d recommend taking a full day to explore the city slowly, and either opting for a night flight this evening or alternatively an early morning one the next day.

Things to do in Santiago:

// Visit the Cathedral. Be sure to take the tour up to the roof for spectacular views out over the city! For a more in-depth experience, consider joining this highly-rated guided tour which also includes your entry.

// Wander the Old Town. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, Santiago’s ‘zone Vella’ is a rabbit warren of winding granite streets and pretty squares, Romanesque churches and museums, plus plenty of places to eat & drink.

// ‘De Viños’ Wine Trail. Definitely one to check out if you’re opting for that second night in Santiago, the wine trail extends from Rúa do Franco, all the way to the Obradoiro Square and is the best place to drink local wine, try Galician cuisine and be merry!

// Hit up Mercado de Abastos. We love a good local market and this one in Santiago’s Abastos area has a wonderful local - but make it cool - vibe.

// Combine history with Galician foodie treats on this popular gastronomic tour.



Driving Time & Distance Travelled | Should you take a night flight, you’ll be pleased to know that the airport is easily accessible from the city, with a driving time of around 15 minutes.

Day 10 | ?

You may be wondering what happened to day 10 of this northern Spain road trip…

Well, because we appreciate that not everybody likes to cover ground at an epic pace (this is a holiday after all), we always like to leave a free day within our itineraries for serendipitous moments, route planning inspiration or - as is often the case with us when traversing parts of the world with beautiful beaches - the chance to plonk your towel atop golden sand and relax, eat good food and have a few glasses of wine, cider, beer, or all of the above!

 
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With amazing landscapes, beautiful beaches, great food & wine and more cute towns and villages than you can shake a stick at, northern Spain is an incredible place for a road trip! This 10-day itinerary has your next adventure covered.
 

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