Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

The hidden riches of Northern Spain

Post Thumbnail

Northern Spain has long lived in the shadows of her more popular sister regions of Catalonia and Andalucia. However, in these shadows there is more than meets the eye and Northern Spain might just steal your heart with its hidden treasures and unconventional charm.

Prepare for a perfect combination of picturesque settings, culture and wine as we take you through the highlights of this region.

1. Picos de Europa National Park

pico
Picos de Europa

With jagged peaks of Picos de Europa as a backdrop, this vast land offers sites of natural richness that make for an enchanting retreat from the daily rush. Its plunging river valleys, vivid green pastures, rocky crests, steep gorges, glacial lakes and lavish forests are nothing short of spectacular.

When in Picos de Europa we recommend taking the cable car from Fuente De to the top of the Picos Massif, visiting turquoise lakes of Covadonga and admire the famous Naranjo de Bulnes – a spectacular limestone peak towering alone above the surrounding mountains that has thrilled mountaineers for over a century.

2. Santiago de Compostella

sdc
The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

Destination to thousands of pilgrims each year, Santiago de Compostella is one of Spain’s most historic and fascinating cities with a labyrinth of narrow cobbled streets and architecture that makes you feel as if you have travelled back in time.

The romanesque cathedral at the cities’ heart – to which pilgrims have travelled to since the Early Middle Ages – is the alleged burial place of Saint James the Great.

3. Cíes Islands

beach
View of Rodas Beach and Faro Island

Cíes Islands situated off the North-West coast of Galicia are an archipelago of three islands and a part of Atlantic Islands National Park. Declared a nature reserve in 1980, they are highly protected and therefore uninhabited with only a few basic restaurants open during summer.

What the Romans called “islands of the gods “ and what now people call the “Galician Caribbean”, Cíes islands boast the beauty of unspoilt coastal ecosystems with white sand beaches, rich seabeds and rolling dunes being complimented by the crystal-clear lagoon.

4. The coast

coast
Zumaia coastal cliffs

Northern Spain’s coast also known as Costa Verde (Green Spain) spreads along the regions of Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and Basque Country, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

Take a trip along the coast to discover dazzling, diverse, and tranquil surroundings, observe miles of undeveloped sand and indulge in the charm of small local towns and fishing villages such as Comillas, Suances, Zumaia and Ribadesella – each one special in its own way.

5. The local culture

food
Seafood Paella

With an extensively lower number of tourists in Northern Spain than in more popular destinations, it is a truly special opportunity to get a real taste of Spanish culture and hospitability.

You can experience the flavours of traditional Spanish dishes with a local tweak in quirky restaurants and taverns, or if you are lucky enough you might even get invited to a Spanish family dinner and discover all the secrets about the area. Whichever it is, you can count on the excellent quality of fresh, locally sourced food and wine.

The Holiday

If you’re interested in a holiday like this we have a wide selection of European destinations – click here to view.