Itinerary

Day 1 (Sat):
Arrive Santillana

Pick up from arrival point in either Bilbao or Santander and transfer to Santillana del Mar. Spend the rest of the day walking round this charming medieval village or enjoy a ride around the country lanes and down to the coastline.

Day 2 (Sun):
Santillana – San Vicente, 23 miles (37km)

Leaving Santillana your route heads westwards through green meadows and the hills and valleys of Cantabria with its marvellous unspoilt coastline. Through the seaside village of Comillas with its fine beach, small harbour and pretty village square and on to San Vicente with stunning views of the Picos de Europa in the distance.

Day 3 (Mon):
Free day in San Vicente

Free day in San Vicente. Either spend time getting to know this pretty fishing village with its many seafood restaurants and magnificent setting or take a ride on one of the free day routes, or visit the lovely mountain village of Carmona.

Day 4 (Tue):
San Vicente – Llanes, 28 or 36 miles (45 or 58km)

Leaving San Vicente the route heads westwards along the coast. Crossing the River Deva you enter the province of Asturias and continue between the coast and the dramatic mountain backdrop. A beautiful descent through eucalyptus forests brings you back to the coast to arrive at the charming fishing village of Llanes.

Day 5 (Wed):
Free Day in Llanes

Free day in Llanes. Either enjoy the busy atmosphere of this fishing village, so popular with Spanish tourists or cycle westwards and visit a string of fine beaches including the incredible landlocked beach of Gulpiyuri. Alternatively you can take a canoeing trip on the Deva or Sella Rivers, or a hike through the dramatic and renowned Cares Gorge.

Day 6 (Thu):
Free Day in Llanes

Another free day in Llanes to relax

Day 7 (Fri):
Llanes – Cabrales – Potes, 39 miles (62km)

After breakfast you take a short transfer to the head of the Valley of Cabrales at 420 metres / 1378 feet. From here you begin a fine descent with the most spectacular scenery as you follow the course of the River Cares, the Sierra de Cuera to the left and the imposing Western, Central and Eastern Massifs of the Picos de Europa to the right. In Panes, the Cares flows into the Deva and you follow the latter upstream to the mountain village of Potes. Suddenly the sides of the valley close in and the route runs through the incredible rocky gorge of La Hermida. Mountains tower around you as you cycle to Potes through the valley of La Liébana, completely encircled by mountains. This is a longer stage but easy – downhill to Panes and then a barely perceptible ascent to Liébana and the village of Potes.

Day 8 (Sat):
Free Day in Potes

Cycle along any of the three valleys that meet in Potes. Take a trip on the cable car at Fuente Dé to enjoy breathtaking views of the Cantabrian Mountains, where the brown bear and wolves still roam. Enjoy a walk through the lush green valleys or the higher mountains. Spend time in the bustling market village of Potes with its peculiar mix of local farmers, tourists and mountaineers. Visit the many other picturesque villages dotted around the area. Cycle up to the Monastery of Santo Toribio, home to the largest surviving fragment of the True Cross or to the charming country monastery of Piasca. There’s no shortage of things to do in this magnificent setting.

Day 9 (Sun):
Free Day in Potes

Another free day in Potes to relax.

Day 10 (Mon):
Potes - Miera Valley Descent – Somo, 28 miles (45km)

Today you transfer high into the Cantabrian Mountains, and begin your descent of the Miera Valley to your final stop in Somo. You will be picked up after breakfast and driven to the starting point at 822 metres / 2697 feet above sea level. From here, a marvellous ride through the stunning limestone valley of the River Miera takes you 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.

Day 11 (Tue):
Free Day in Somo

Enjoy the marvellous beach with its 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. Stroll around the town centre 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, famous for its paellas. Visit the Nature Park of Cabárceno with wild animals from all over the world, and bizarre scenery resulting from its one time use as a Roman mine. Eat freshly grilled sardines in the seaside restaurants of Pedreña, birthplace and home of the famous golfer, Severiano Ballesteros.

Day 12 (Wed):
Free Day in Somo

Another free day in Somo

Day 13 (Thu):
Transfer from Somo to departure point

End of trip. You will be met at your hotel in Somo and transferred to your departure point.