The North Spain Journey
The Spain that does not look like Spain: an unbroken green belt between the sea and the mountains, with a temperate climate and the cooking widely held to be the country's finest — the face of Spain most Arab visitors never see.
The trip at a glance
Base cities
- Madrid2 nights
- San Sebastián3 nights
- Santander3 nights
- Oviedo3 nights
Dates
7 May 2027
1–12 Dhu al-Hijjah 1448 AH
Dates shown in Riyadh time
Arrival and departure
Arrival: MAD
Departure: MAD
Meals
One daily meal is included for every traveller, in addition to breakfast at the hotel, along with the welcome dinner, the farewell dinner and the festive Eid table. Northern Spanish cooking is among the country's most celebrated, and the table here is part of the reason for coming rather than a detail of the programme.
About this journey
The Spain that does not look like Spain
No heat, no desert, no palms. An unbroken green belt between the sea and the mountains — Atlantic coasts, peaks that meet the ocean, fishing villages and elegant cities. It is the face of Spain most Arab visitors never see, because they always go south.
1 · A climate that does not keep you indoors
While the south passes thirty degrees, the north stays between ten and twenty — wholly green, temperate, and walkable all day. May is one of its best months: after the spring rains and before the summer crowds.
2 · Only four base cities
Madrid one night · San Sebastián three · Santander three · Oviedo three · then Madrid one night. Four hotels in twelve days. No packing every night, and no hotel changing before you have learned the way to your room. Every other town — Bilbao, Burgos, León, Santillana, Comillas, Llanes and Gijón — is visited as a day trip from the base city.
3 · A hotel on a mountain summit
In San Sebastián both groups stay together, in one hotel chosen for a single reason: its position on the summit of Monte Igueldo, with a full view over La Concha bay, the city and the sea. No other hotel in the city offers that view, whatever its rating. When you come back from the day's touring and see the bay from above at sunset, you understand the choice. The difference between the groups here is the room type, not the hotel. Your confirmed hotel is named in your booking confirmation.
4 · The cooking held to be Spain's finest
The Basque Country is a reference point in Spanish cooking, with Asturias and Cantabria immediately behind it. One daily meal is included, at restaurants we choose ourselves: starters, a main course, dessert and coffee. The seafood here is the widest and the best in all of Spain — and it is what we build our tables around.
5 · A different kind of landscape
The Lakes of Covadonga — two mountain lakes in the heart of the Picos de Europa, among the best-known sights in northern Spain. Cabárceno — a vast open reserve toured by coach among animals in their own setting, one of the most successful days we offer families. And the green coast — from Castro Urdiales to Llanes and Ribadesella: painted harbours, cliffs and beaches.
6 · Cities that resemble nothing else
San Sebastián — La Concha bay and the elegance of the old town. Bilbao — the Guggenheim, whose building became a work of art in its own right. Santander — the Magdalena Palace and the seafront. Oviedo — ninth-century pre-Romanesque monuments, among the oldest surviving architecture of that period in Europe. Santillana del Mar and Comillas — preserved stone villages, and in Comillas one of Gaudí's earliest works. Burgos and León — two of the great Gothic cathedrals, on the way out and the way back.
7 · Eid with us
Eid al-Adha falls on the tenth day of the journey, while we are in Oviedo. Our team arranges the Eid prayer, its place, its time and the transport to it; a festive breakfast is held at the hotel and a special Eid table in the mountains. We say this plainly at registration, so that each traveller can decide what suits them.
8 · An easy rhythm that does not exhaust
Tours begin at 10:00 within the base city · lunch by 2:00 pm at the latest · open time every day for rest, shopping or cafés · the programme is built around prayer times, with dedicated stops for them.
Weather in May
Between ten and twenty degrees, with scattered rain — which is why the region is green. Bring layers, a light waterproof coat, a small umbrella and comfortable walking shoes.
Level of effort
The long road days are the second, the fifth and the eleventh. The rest involve moderate walking in towns and on slopes. Tell us of any mobility difficulty when you register.
Prayer and food
The locations of mosques and prayer rooms in the four cities are in the trip booklet, and meals accommodate halal, seafood and vegetarian options — and we tell you plainly what is halal and what is not; we do not claim a certification we do not hold.
A journey after this one — for those who wish to continue
After two rest days, the Al-Andalus Journey begins — ten days in Toledo, Córdoba, Carmona, Seville, Niebla, Granada and Málaga. The two together: 21,500 SAR for the 5-star group · 18,400 SAR for the 4-star group, and the combined price includes accommodation on the two rest days and the transfers between the journeys. Twenty-two nights in Spain, from the green Atlantic coast to the heart of al-Andalus.
Prices
Per person
| Category | Double room | Single room |
|---|---|---|
| 5-star group | SAR 11,650 | SAR 13,900 |
| 4-star group | SAR 10,150 | SAR 11,800 |
- The number of single rooms is limited and is allocated in order of registration.
Highlights
- Green northern Spain between ten and twenty degrees in May — no heat and no crowds
- San Sebastián and La Concha bay, staying on the summit of Monte Igueldo
- Bilbao and the Guggenheim
- The Lakes of Covadonga in the heart of the Picos de Europa
- Cabárceno — an open reserve toured by coach among the animals
- Oviedo and its ninth-century pre-Romanesque monuments
- Eid prayer and the festive Eid table with the group
- Only four base cities in twelve days — no packing every night
What's Included
- 11 nights in the chosen hotel category
- Breakfast daily
- One daily meal at selected restaurants
- Welcome dinner and farewell dinner
- The festive Eid table
- The Eid prayer arranged — place, time and transport
- All transfers by premium touring coach
- Reception and farewell at Madrid airport
- A tour manager with the group throughout
- A guest-services and information host
- Official local tour guides
- Tickets for every visit listed
- Audio headsets for group commentary
- Water during tours
- The printed trip booklet
- The welcome bag and travel gifts
- A hotline for contact and emergencies
- A private group chat and a daily digital programme
What's Not Included
- International flights
- The Schengen visa and its fees
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Personal expenses, the minibar and room service
- Any service not listed
Day-by-Day Itinerary
- 1
Arrival in Madrid
MadridReception at Madrid Barajas airport and transfer to the hotel. The rest of the day is open for rest after the flight. Welcome dinner with the group.
Dinner - 2
Burgos and its cathedral · on to San Sebastián
Burgos · San SebastiánNorth by road with a stop in Burgos and its cathedral, among the greatest works of Gothic architecture in Spain. Then on to San Sebastián on the Basque coast.
BreakfastLunch - 3
San Sebastián · La Concha bay and the old town
San SebastiánA day in San Sebastián: the full arc of La Concha bay, the lanes of the old town, and the seafront. Open time in the city.
BreakfastLunch - 4
Bilbao and the Guggenheim · the Ribera market
BilbaoA day trip to Bilbao: the Guggenheim, whose building became a work of art in its own right, the Ribera market on the riverbank, and the old town. Return to San Sebastián.
BreakfastLunch - 5
The Cantabrian coast and Castro Urdiales · on to Santander
Castro Urdiales · SantanderWest along the Cantabrian coast with a stop in Castro Urdiales, its harbour and the church above the sea. Then on to Santander.
BreakfastLunch - 6
Santillana del Mar and Comillas · Santander tour
Santillana del Mar · Comillas · SantanderTwo preserved stone villages: Santillana del Mar, and Comillas with one of Gaudí's earliest works. Then the Santander tour — the Magdalena Palace and the seafront.
BreakfastLunch - 7
Cabárceno and the edge of the Picos de Europa
Cabárceno · Picos de EuropaCabárceno — a vast open reserve toured by coach among animals in their own setting, and one of the most successful days we offer families. Then the edge of the Picos de Europa.
BreakfastLunch - 8
The Asturian coast · Llanes and Ribadesella · on to Oviedo
Llanes · Ribadesella · OviedoWest along the green coast: Llanes with its painted harbour and cliffs, and Ribadesella at the river mouth. Then on to Oviedo.
BreakfastLunch - 9
Oviedo and its pre-Romanesque monuments · Gijón
Oviedo · GijónOviedo's ninth-century pre-Romanesque monuments, among the oldest surviving architecture of that period in Europe. Then Gijón on the sea.
BreakfastLunch - 10
Eid day · Eid prayer · the Lakes of Covadonga
Oviedo · CovadongaEid al-Adha. Our team arranges the Eid prayer, its place, its time and the transport to it, and a festive breakfast is held at the hotel. Then the Lakes of Covadonga — two mountain lakes in the heart of the Picos de Europa, among the best-known sights in northern Spain — and a special Eid table in the mountains.
BreakfastLunch - 11
León and its cathedral · return to Madrid
León · MadridThe road south with a stop in León, its cathedral and its stained glass. Then Madrid, and the farewell dinner.
BreakfastDinner - 12
Departure from Madrid
MadridBreakfast at the hotel and farewell at Madrid Barajas airport.
Breakfast
Travel Information
Duration
12 days / 11 nights
Destination
Spain
Destinations
- Madrid, Spain(2 nights)
- San Sebastián, Spain(3 nights)
- Santander, Spain(3 nights)
- Oviedo, Spain(3 nights)
Flights
Not included
Difficulty
Moderate
Available Dates
Requirements
Visa
Required
The journey enters the Schengen area and requires a valid visa for those who need one. Begin the process as soon as your booking is confirmed — appointments can take weeks in peak season. We provide the booking letter, the programme and the hotel confirmations your file needs. For travellers joining both journeys, the visa is requested for the two trips and the two rest days together. We strongly recommend travel insurance that covers a visa refusal.
Terms & Conditions
The journey begins at the start of the Eid al-Adha holiday, and Eid falls on the tenth day, while we are in Oviedo. The number of single rooms is limited and is allocated in order of registration.