Northern Spain: Cantabrian & Asturian Coasts
7 nights from €1075
4.86An enchanting journey through the coastal landscapes, valleys, and charming villages of Cantabria.
On this tour of Northern Spain, you will enjoy a beautiful ride along the Cantabrian and Asturian coasts. The rich, green countryside contrasts with the blue sea and the magnificent unspoilt beaches.
Picturesque villages with flower bedecked houses, fishing harbours, and the magnificent backdrop of the Picos de Europa are a few of the tour's highlights. Beginning in the charming village of Santillana, you cycle on country lanes beside the coasts to San Vicente.
Other stops along the way include Llanes, Somo, Bay of Santander, and Miera Valley. Fully experience all Northern Spain has to offer on this tour!
An unexpected delight
“My husband and I took a week out of a 3-month tour of Western Europe to do this ride. We were very pleased with the staff, routes, accommodations and bicycles. Compared to the…” Full Review
“My husband and I took a week out of a 3-month tour of Western Europe to do this ride. We were very pleased with the staff, routes, accommodations and bicycles. Compared to the rest of our trip, we hardly had to think about anything except which charming village to explore. Between the online information, the print-outs provided, and the tour preview from the staff, we navigated easily and had many points of interest to choose from. I ride an electric bike at home and am glad I got one for this ride. My husband tackled the rolling hills, which were much more challenging than the terrain at home, on a manual bike. I was pleasantly surprised when the staff reached out before a rainy day to tell offer us a ride to the next town (my husband chose to ride and I was happy to be warm and dry). A word to the wise: The hotels provided hearty breakfasts, but pack snacks and fruits for the rides and hotels with limited food options.” Less
—Cheryl B
What a wonderful experience seeing Northern Spain!
“This may be our favorite bike trip yet! The routes were beautifully crafted for maximum scenic views, minimal traffic, and wonderful towns. The hotels were all exceptional and…” Full Review
“This may be our favorite bike trip yet! The routes were beautifully crafted for maximum scenic views, minimal traffic, and wonderful towns. The hotels were all exceptional and unique. I love that we had 2 days in 3 places, so it gave us a little more opportunity to experience those regions. The drivers for pick up and drop off were super friendly, communicative, and prompt. The weather was just a little cooler than we would have liked for our trip, but it absolutely did not hinder us from enjoying every moment.” Less
—Susanne Graham
Perfect way to experience northern Spain
“This was a great way to be introduced to Northern Spain. The hotel accommodations were all great. The bicycles were in great condition and fit perfectly; they were great for the…” Full Review
“This was a great way to be introduced to Northern Spain. The hotel accommodations were all great. The bicycles were in great condition and fit perfectly; they were great for the climbs. We really appreciated having two nights in some of the towns. Gave us time to explore the area after a good night's rest.” Less
—Evelyn Landry
Daily Program
Day 1: Transfer to Santillana
Pick up from arrival point (Bilbao or Santander) and transfer to the charming medieval village of Santillana del Mar. Introduction to bikes and route briefing. Spend the rest of the day walking round the cobbled streets of this beautiful village, visit the modern museum of the Altamira Caves or enjoy a ride around the country lanes and down to the coastline.
Overnight in Santillana.
Day 2: Santillana – San Vicente
21 miles/36 km or 36 miles/62 km
Leaving Santillana, the route heads westwards through green meadows and the hills and valleys of Cantabria with its marvellous unspoilt coastline and beaches nearby. You soon arrive at the charming village of Novales, set amidst lemon groves, featuring fine typical and rural architecture.
The next stop is the seaside village of Comillas. Here a visit to the fine beach, the small harbour and the pretty village square with its pavement tapas bars and restaurants is a must, not to mention the architectural sights of El Capricho by the famous Catalan architect Gaudí and the Palace of the Marqués de Comillas.
After leaving Comillas, cycle through the Parque Natural de Oyambre and along the beautiful beaches of Oyambre and Merón. You are finally greeted by the stunning view of San Vicente and the Picos de Europa in the distance.
Overnight in San Vicente.
Day 3: Free day in San Vicente
route suggestions provided
Spend time getting to know this pretty fishing village with its many seafood restaurants and magnificent setting. Take a ride on one of the free day routes, or visit the lovely mountain village of Carmona. Alternatively, enjoy a ride through the unspoilt hill country behind the village, or you may just prefer to spend a lazy afternoon on the beach.
Overnight in San Vicente.
Day 4: San Vicente – Llanes
29 miles/47 km
Leaving San Vicente the route heads westwards along the coast. After a short distance, you cycle around the beautiful headland of Pechón with its magnificent views of the coastline. Crossing the River Deva in Unquera you enter the province of Asturias. The village of Colombres is home to the sumptuous villas of the indianos, emigrants to the Americas who made their fortune and then returned.
From here, the route continues between the coast and the dramatic mountain backdrop of the Sierra de Cuera, foothills of the Picos de Europa. A beautiful descent through eucalyptus forests brings us back to the coast, where we cycle past beautiful and unspoilt beaches to arrive at the charming fishing village of Llanes.
Overnight in Llanes.
Day 5: Free day in Llanes
route suggestions provided
Cycle westwards and visit a string of fine beaches, including the incredible landlocked beach of Gulpiyuri. Another beautiful route takes us through the most beautiful hills and valleys behind Llanes. Alternatively, you can give the bikes a rest and take a canoeing trip on the Deva or Sella Rivers, or a hike through the dramatic and renowned Cares Gorge in the very heart of the Picos de Europa.
Take a train to Ribadasella and visit the Caves of Tito Bustillo with their prehistoric paintings, before cycling back to Llanes. Enjoy the busy atmosphere of the fishing village of Llanes, so popular with Spanish tourists.
Overnight in Llanes.
Day 6: Llanes – Somo
27 miles/43 km
Today's ride begins with a transfer to the Cantabrian Mountains, where it begins with a descent to the Miera Valley, on the way to the final stop in Somo. Pick up after breakfast and drive to the starting point at 2,697 feet (822 m) above sea level. From here, a marvelous ride through the stunning limestone valley of the River Miera takes us down to the farmland around Somo and the Bay of Santander. Visit the mountain village of San Roque de Riomiera and the spa village of Liérganes with its charming old quarter.
Overnight in Somo.
Day 7: Free day in Somo
route suggestions provided
Enjoy the marvellous beach, miles of golden sand. Take a short boat ride across the Bay to visit the lively and elegant city of Santander, capital of the province of Cantabria. Enjoy the belle époque atmosphere of El Sardinero, the beach resort of the city where Alfonso XIII and his court spent the summer months in the early 20th century. Or stroll around the town center for some last minute shopping.
Take one of the free day routes to visit the beautiful beaches of Loredo, Langre or Galizano. Ride through the green country lanes, where a surprise awaits you round every corner, to the village of Ajo where the specialty of the restaurants is that classic Spanish dish, paella. Try the freshly grilled sardines in the seaside restaurants of nearby Pedreña.
Overnight in Somo.
Day 8: Transfer Somo – departure point
End of trip. Pick up from Somo hotel and transfer to departure point, either Santander or Bilbao.
Please note that differing pick up times may require some degree of customer flexibility.
Hotels
These are sample hotels and may vary based on availability.
The accommodations on this tour are 2- and 3-star hotels.
Santillana del Mar: Casa del Organista
San Vicente de la Barquera: Hotel Faro de San Vicente
Llanes: Hotel Don Paco
Somo: Hotel Torres de Somo
Interested in visiting other areas before or after your tour? Visit our hotels page to learn more about lodging options.
Bikes
Standard trekking bikes
Trek FX
Good all-purpose bike. Fitted with mudguards, rear rack etc.
48/38/28 chainring – 11/32 cassette – 27 speeds
Available in male and female frame
Carbon road bikes
Cube Attain GTC
A quality carbon bike with comfortable 32/34 gearing.
50/34 chainring - 11/32 cassette – 22 speeds
Electrically assisted bikes
Various models depending on availability and size. You can choose a low step frame to mount with ease. Over the last few years, the e-bike has revolutionised cycle touring. Tours are made so much easier and differences between riders’ abilities are minimized.
*More about electrically-assisted bikes >
Accessories
Additional bikes available to rent (pricing and details available on request):
- Tandem bikes
- Children's bikes
- Child seats
You may bring your own bikes – this will incur a €65 bike case transfer supplement.
Standard and e-bikes come equipped with the following at no extra cost:
- Rear rack with panniers (on standard bikes)
- Seat post bag (on road bikes)
- Handlebar bag/map holder (on standard bikes)
- Helmet (obligatory in Spain)
- Cycle odometer
- Pump
- Spare inner tube and basic toolkit
- Water bottle
- Bike lock
- Lights and toe clips available on request
Pedals:
The bikes will have flat pedals. You may also request Shimano SPD Road or Look keo peadl at no additional cost. If you want to bring your own pedals, please bring your own shoes and also the necessary equipment to change the pedals.
Helmets:
Helmets are provided with bike rental. For safety and hygiene purposes, we recommend that you bring your own helmet.
Bike Protection:
Bike protection can be purchased at the time of booking. You can read more about that HERE.
Surface and terrain
Gently rolling hills along the coast and then a fine mountain descent along the River Miera. This tour takes place on country roads with very little traffic. The surface will be entirely paved throughout the tour.
How to get there
Tour start and end
Nearest airport: Bilbao or Santander, Spain
Nearest train station: Bilbao or Santander, Spain
Santander airport is closer to the tour start/end, but it is smaller than Bilbao airport and therefore has fewer connections.; Bilbao Airport, further to the east, has more flight options but transfers to/from Bilbao Airport take longer.
Please note that the transport to/from the airport/train station and the tour start/end is included in the tour price. Usually, the transfer points include Bilbao or Santander airports, ferryports, railway stations, or bus stations.
Tips on getting to and from your tour
Reviews
- ★★★★★ Cheryl B
An unexpected delight
My husband and I took a week out of a 3-month tour of Western Europe to do this ride. We were very pleased with the staff, routes, accommodations and bicycles. Compared to the rest of our trip, we hardly had to think about anything except which charming village to explore. Between the online information, the print-outs provided, and the tour preview from the staff, we navigated easily and had many points of interest to choose from. I ride an electric bike at home and am glad I got one for this ride. My husband tackled the rolling hills, which were much more challenging than the terrain at home, on a manual bike. I was pleasantly surprised when the staff reached out before a rainy day to tell offer us a ride to the next town (my husband chose to ride and I was happy to be warm and dry). A word to the wise: The hotels provided hearty breakfasts, but pack snacks and fruits for the rides and hotels with limited food options.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- ★★★★★ Robert Hamilton
Nice quiet roads, very good hotels
Many of the roads were through farm country and there were a lot more cows than cars, which was lovely.
The hotels were all very nice in all ways, and overall this was a very good cycle tour.
3 times during the week we stayed in a hotel for 2 nights instead of moving every day, which was nice.
I would recommend this tour to others. (this was my 8th one week cycle tour in Europe) - ★★★★★ Susanne Graham
What a wonderful experience seeing Northern Spain!
This may be our favorite bike trip yet! The routes were beautifully crafted for maximum scenic views, minimal traffic, and wonderful towns. The hotels were all exceptional and unique. I love that we had 2 days in 3 places, so it gave us a little more opportunity to experience those regions. The drivers for pick up and drop off were super friendly, communicative, and prompt. The weather was just a little cooler than we would have liked for our trip, but it absolutely did not hinder us from enjoying every moment.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- ★★★★★ Evelyn Landry
Perfect way to experience northern Spain
This was a great way to be introduced to Northern Spain. The hotel accommodations were all great. The bicycles were in great condition and fit perfectly; they were great for the climbs. We really appreciated having two nights in some of the towns. Gave us time to explore the area after a good night's rest.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5-10
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- ★★★★★ Jayhawkersara
Awesome! Highly Recomend!
Amazing Service, excellent accommodations, I would highly recommend this tour company for any tour they have. From pick up to the route to the drop off at the airport, it was amazing. Best tour ever. Traveled with several experienced people who had used multiple bike tours and they all said this was the best.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 9/1 - 9/6
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- ★★★★★ MBest
Gorgeous countryside; great hotels
The hotels and inns were all top notch and quaint. Bikes were high quality. Scenery was absolutely gorgeous. Staying overnight 2 days in some of the stops gave you options to explore the town. Staff was very courteous and helpful. This is not, however, a level 2 ride. Many hills. Get an e-bike unless you are an experienced and strong biker.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 9/17/19
- How many tours have you completed?
- Five
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- ★★★★★ Marc and Lin
Beautiful green scenery and rolling hills
Great discovery of northern Spain. With 2-night layovers in 3 cities, we could ride everyday or take off up to 3 days during the week. Excellent support when needed.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 8 - 15
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8 in Europe
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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