Visit northern Spain & Portugal 8 days from Madrid
PEPE TOURS
Visit northern Spain & Portugal 8 days from Madrid
PEPE TOURS
NORTHERN SPAIN & NORTNERN PORTUGAL - 8 Days
Northern Coast of Spain & Portugal from Madrid – 8 days tour package
Escorted coach holiday with English speaking guides along the Cantabrian Coast, a strech of land by the North coast of Spain, across the Bay of Biscay, between the Cantabrian Sea and the Cantabrian Mountains, to discover a great diversity of landscapes. We travel from the Basque Country, passing through Cantanbria, Asturias, Galicia and its magnificent estuaries and finishing at the Atlantic coast of Portugal. Coach tour to Northern Spain & Portugal departing from Madrid.
Departure days of the tour
Departures: Tuesday
Visit northern Spain & Portugal 8 days from Madrid includes:
Sightseeing tours in San Sebastian, Bilbao, Santiago de Compostela and La Coruña / Tour Escort throughout the whole holiday / Air conditioned modern motor-coach / Accommodation at 4* hotels / Daily breakfast buffet / Travel insurance.
Price details
PRICE PER PERSON IN EUROS (SEASON 2023 - 2024) | FIRST CLASS “A” |
DOUBLE ROOM | from 1425 € |
SINGLE ROOM | from 1370 € |
Day 1. (Wednesday) MADRID – ZARAGOZA – SAN SAN SEBASTIAN
Departure from Madrid towards Zaragoza, located on the banks of the Ebro River, one of Spain’s major cities and capital of the Region of Aragon. Free time to visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Pilar, Patroness of Hispanity and stroll through the old streets of Zaragoza to discover its impressive monumental legacy as Romans, Muslims, Jews and Christians left their mark on this place. Taste the typical dishes of the region and, of course, take part in one of the great traditions of the city, “going for tapas”: small gastronomic creations that delight anyone who tries them. In the afternoon we continue our trip to the Basque Country, a green paradise, land of great contrasts, to reach San Sebastian, one of the most attractive tourist destinations on the Cantabrian coast and known worldwide for its International Film Festival. Panoramic tour of this city of French and gentrified style whose landscape is dominated by the Bay of San Sebastian and La Concha Beach, framed by Mount Igueldo and the island of Santa Clara. Arrival at the hotel and accommodation.
Day 2. (Thursday) SAN SEBASTIAN – BILBAO – CASTRO URDIALES – SANTANDER
Breakfast at the hotel. We start our day with a climb to Igueldo Mountain, an unbeatable watchtower from where you can contemplate a magnificent view of San Sebastian. Continuation to Bilbao, capital of the Vizcaya province. Upon arrival we’ll do a panoramic tour of Bilbao. Next, we will enjoy some free time to admire the avant-garde building of the Guggenheim Museum. Design and architecture permeate this entire city. Our route along the Cantabrian Coast continues to Castro Urdiales, a charming sailor and fishing village of medieval origin, with its characteristic wooden balconies houses and narrow streets that invite you to stroll around. Brief stop to admire this beautiful enclave and continue to Santander, the capital of Cantabria, one of the most elegant and beautiful cities on the North Coast of Spain, which stretches along a wide bay overlooking the Cantabrian Sea. Arrival and free time to visit Santander’s old town, which includes a set of noble buildings, the Cathedral, one of the oldest buildings in the capital and which houses the tomb of Marcelino Menéndez Pelayo, the Porticada Square or stroll through the famous El Sardinero beach, one of the most beautiful promenades in Spain, with sumptuous buildings, such as the Gran Casino, which evokes the architecture of the Belle Époque. Arrival at the hotel and accommodation.
Day 3. (Friday) SANTANDER – SANTILLANA – COVADONGA – OVIEDO
Breakfast at hotel. Departure to Santillana del Mar, one of the most important historical artistic towns in Spain. It contains architectural treasures such as the Collegiate Church of Santa Juliana, a Jewel of the Romanesque Architecture in Cantabria. Later on, driving a twisty road that will slowly reveal a beautiful countryside made up of calm waters, unimaginable green carpets and mountain peaks which all seem to be almost within reach, we will arrive to Covadonga, where you will have free time to visit the Shrine, a place of worship and pilgrimage for the people of Asturias, where you will see the Patroness of Asturias our Lady of Covadonga. In the afternoon, departure to Oviedo, a city of an unquestionable medieval flavour. Free time to explore Oviedo, most of its streets are pedestrian, where you will be able to see World Heritage Sites like the Cathedral of Oviedo, a splendid example of gothic asturian architecture or the beautiful church of Santa Maria de Naranco, a jewel of the pre-romanic asturian architecture. Arrival at the hotel and accommodation.
Day 4. (Saturday) OVIEDO – LUGO – LA CORUÑA
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure to Galicia with its landscapes of lush valleys and stunning beaches, spectacular cliffs, charming fishing villages and incredible cities. Our first stop will be in Lugo, a city located on the banks of the Miño River, which preserves important traces of its Roman past, including its ancient wall, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Free time to stroll through its historic center with pedestrian streets, wide squares and garden spaces, where buildings such as the Cathedral, the Archbishop’s Palace and the Town Hall stand out. We continue the route to the stately city of A Coruña, with its beautiful houses of glazed galleries, cobbled streets that embrace the old city, the castle of San Anton or the Tower of Hercules, the oldest lighthouse in the world in operation and World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. We’ll enjoy a panoramic tour of the city and free time to explore at your own pace this beautiful historic city. In the afternoon your guide will offer an optional excursion alongside the Rias Altas Estuaries in northern Galicia overlooking the Atlantic with their spectacular cliffs, beaches and the fishing villages of Pontedeume, Betanzos, etc. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 5. (Sunday) LA CORUÑA – SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure to Santiago de Compostela, whose old town is a World Heritage Site, one of the most important monumental centers of Spain, one of the sacred cities of Christendom and end of the Way of Saint James pilgrimage route. Upon arrival we’ll enjoy a guided tour of Santiago visiting amongst others, the Plaza del Obradoiro, the point at which all roads into the city converge. We will visit, with entrance included, the symbol of the city, the Cathedral dedicated to the Apostle James the Elder, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ and brother of John, the Evangelist. Free time in the afternoon so you can continue visiting at your pace this historic city, discover its university atmosphere of joy and vitality, try the delicious cuisine that Galician tradition has preserved and its regional products, especially seafood, fish and beef. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 6. (Monday) SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA – RIAS BAJAS – LA TOJA – VIGO
After breakfast we travel to the most picturesque area of the Galician Estuaries, the Rias Baixas Estuaries. Through splendid landscapes of the Ría de Arosa, we will arrive at La Toja Island, universally known for its spa. Our route continues to Vigo, located in the middle of the estuary to which it gives its name, the southernmost estuary of the Rías Baixas and undoubtedly the most beautiful one, with beaches of great attraction. As an optional activity you can take an excursion to Mount Santa Tecla, a must-see place for its interesting archaeological, religious and landscape values. The Santa Tecla archaeological site is considered one of the most important examples of the Roman culture of the Iberian Northwest region. Arrival at the hotel and accommodation.
Day 7. (Tuesday) VIGO – VIANA DO CASTELO – BRAGA
Breakfast. Crossing the border with Portugal we will arrive at Viana do Castelo, one of the most beautiful cities in Northern Portugal. Free time to visit the old town with cobbled streets, emblazoned palaces, churches and convents. In the heart of the city you will find Praça da República with the chafariz, a monumental fountain of Renaissance-style mugs surrounded by imposing buildings: Igreja da Misericórdia (Church of Mercy) and the old town hall Paços do Concelho. We will continue to Braga, known as the city of the archbishops and the third biggest city in Portugal. Free time to discover the essence of Braga, its narrow and labyrinthine streets that hide historical places of interest, original monuments and traditional family businesses. You can visit the medieval Cathedral of Braga, which houses the Museum of Sacred Art and the Gothic-style Chapel of the Kings, the imposing Archbishop’s Palace and the beautiful Garden of Santa Barbara. We recommend tasting the exquisite gastronomy of Braga, among its typical dishes, stand out the Braga style cod fish, the roast lamb and the Abade de Priscos pudding. Arrival at the hotel and accommodation.
Day 8. (Wednesday) BRAGA – SALAMANCA – MADRID
Breakfast. We’ll head back to Spain driving the Silver Way (Autovía de la Plata) to Salamanca, the university city par excellence. Free time to explore at your own pace this World Heritage Site of great artistic wealth. A stroll around the pedestrian streets in its historic centre will take you to Plaza Mayor, one of the most beautiful squares in Spain, you may visit Salamanca’s two cathedrals (the old cathedral dating from the 12th-13th centuries of Romanesque style, and the new one from the 16th century), the House of Shells, the Baroque style Clerecia church and the University with its beautiful Plateresque façade. In the afternoon we’ll continue to Madrid. Arrival and end of services.
Summary
- Departure city: SPAIN, Madrid
- Returning city: SPAIN, Madrid
- Cities where we will travel through: Mondonedo, picos-de-europa-en, Avila, Ciudad Rodrigo, Covadonga, La Toja, Lugo, Madrid, Oviedo, Porto, Salamanca, San Sebastian, Santander, Santiago de Compostela, Santillana del Mar, Zaragoza
- Countries where the tour goes: PORTUGAL, SPAIN
- Nº days of the tour: 8
- Departure day of the tour: Tuesday
- Price: from 1425 €
- Tour code: 01252-100M00000-01-MADMAD-E
Please note that
Exceptionally, the itinerary and the order of the excursions could be altered and modified for organizational reasons. Depending on hotel availability or in case of last minute reservations, the provided hotels may be replaced by others of the same category (see list of planned hotels at Scheduled Hotels).