10-Nights Northern Spain

10 nights from: $3,350

Northern Spain
Go beyond the normal northern Spain trip and immerse yourself in the region’s distinctive culture and history. On this trip, you’ll trace the footsteps of pilgrims, witnessing breathtaking landscapes and timeless traditions.


Dining Summary

• 4 Dinner (D)
• 10 Breakfast (B)

• Oviedo: Say salut to traditional Asturian cider and enjoy a local Be My Guest dinner and cider tasting with the Castañón family at their Cider Mill near Oviedo.

• Madrid: Visit the Prado Museum in Madrid, where you'll have time to admire its extraordinary collection of European art dating from the 12th to early 20th centuries.

• Barcelona: With your Local Specialist, see Las Ramblas and the elegant Passeig de Grcia to take in some of the city's finest Modernist architecture. Journey past the beautiful façades of the Eixample district to see the exterior of Gaudi's extraordinary masterpiece, the mesmerizing Sagrada Família
• Pamplona: Spend time exploring this city, known for its annual Running with the Bulls festival.
• Luarca: Stop along the Way of Saint James at Luarca to appreciate the natural setting and historic charm of this quaint fishing village.
• Santiago de Compostela: Join a Local Specialist on a visit to Praza do Obradoiro and admire the cathedral façade festooned with architectural frills.
• Zamora: See the cathedral of Zamora and the 12th-century Church of Mary Magdalene during an orientation with your Travel Director.
• Salamanca: See the handsome arcaded Plaza Mayor, the honey-colored cathedral and the 16th-century university buildings as you explore the city with a Local Specialist.
• Madrid: See the highlights of the city with your Local Specialist. Visit the Old Town, traveling along the elegant Paseo de la Castellana, past the Cibeles fountain, Cervantes Monument and Royal Palace.
• San Sebastián: Stroll through San Sebastián's golden-hued Old Town and see the iconic Bahía de la Concha beach.
• Bilbao: See the architectural landmark Guggenheim Museum.
• Picos de Europa: Admire the stunning lush scenery and distant rocky peaks of the Picos de Europa.
• Picos de Europa: Visit the holy cave of Covadonga and see the tomb of Pelayo, the first King of Asturias, who is celebrated for winning the Battle of Covadonga.

• Barcelona: In Barcelona, the talented team at Mescladis, an initiative promoting work opportunities to people victim from social exclusion, introduces us to local and seasonal flavors during our Welcome Dinner. Your experience supports UN Global Goal 4 Quality Education and 10 Reduced Inequalities.

• Explore Barcelona, Santiago de Compostela, Salamanca and Madrid
• Discover Pamplona, San Sebastián, Bilbao and Oviedo
• Visit the Holy Cave of Covadonga, the fishing village of Luarca, St. James Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela and the Prado Museum in Madrid
• View La Sagrada Família in Barcelona, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the Cathedral and University of Salamanca

• An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
• Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
• All porterage and restaurant gratuities
• All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
• Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
• Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
• Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
• Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
• Optional Experiences and free time
• On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized.

Also known by its Basque name of Iruna, Pamplona, Spain, is a proud, prosperous, devout and usually conservative town with city walls and cobbled streets. The city, 195 mi/315 km northeast of Madrid, is the capital of the green province-region of Navarra, which borders France. Pamplona Travel
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The central square is the Plaza del Castillo, dominated by the Neo-classical Palacio del Gobierno de Navarra and also home to one of Spain's finest cafes, the Cafe Iruna. The streets of the old town fill the space between this square and the cathedral, largely Gothic in style but with a facade added in the 18th century. The other main sight not to miss is the Museo de Navarra in a converted hospital, which has some large Roman mosaics among its other historical and archaeological exhibits.

The town's sedate personality gets turned upside down during the fiesta of San Fermin that runs 6-14 July each year. Immortalized in Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, the fiesta's most famous event is the running of the bulls. Each day at 8 am, the brave, foolish or drunk take to the narrow, barricaded streets to run alongside (or away from) six fighting bulls.

Less dangerous (but still exhausting) are the other activities that run the full week of the festival, including parades of giant figures, marauding bands, fireworks, endless dancing and lots of drinking.

If you can handle only a day or two of such merriment, try to make it to the first day or two of the fiesta (the weekend is the busiest time). The celebration that explodes at noon on 6 July is an incredible sight (plan to be soaked by champagne).

If you hope to stay in the city, accommodations should be booked at least a year in advance—be sure to get a room facing away from the street because the noise is relentless. Temporary campsites are set up on the outskirts of the city, and shuttle buses provide transport into town. Note also that petty crime is rife at this time.

Pamplona makes a good base from which to explore the rest of Navarra. Highlights of the province are the restored fairy-tale castle at Olite, the carved portal of the church at Sanguesa, the medieval town of Estella (Lizarra), the pilgrim bridge at Puente La Reina, the two monasteries of La Oliva and Leyre, Javier Castle (birthplace of St. Francis Xavier) and, near the French border, the tiny town of Roncesvalles, a traditional starting point for pilgrims heading across northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia via the Saint James' Way.