Santander Trip Overview
The northern regions of Spain are often less spoiled by tourism and less known to foreign visitors, however, the north of Spain boasts some of the most fascinating places in the country – amazing mountainous landscapes to charming beaches, friendly people, top-notch gastronomy and expansive nature preserves. This tour takes you to some of the finest places to visit in Spain for an incredible northern adventure.
Additional Info
* Duration: 6 days
* Starts: Santander, Spain
* Trip Category: Outdoor Activities >> 4WD, ATV & Off-Road Tours
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What to Expect When Visiting Santander, Cantabria, Spain
The northern regions of Spain are often less spoiled by tourism and less known to foreign visitors, however, the north of Spain boasts some of the most fascinating places in the country – amazing mountainous landscapes to charming beaches, friendly people, top-notch gastronomy and expansive nature preserves. This tour takes you to some of the finest places to visit in Spain for an incredible northern adventure.
Itinerary
Day 1: ARRIVAL SANTANDER
Pass By: Santander, Santander, Cantabria
Collect your car upon arrival at the airport by heading to the hall and meeting an OK Rent a Car representative. Then climb into what will be your mode of transportation for this holiday and drive to your first hotel accommodation in Santander, the beautiful capital of Cantabria, where you will spend the two following nights. Overnight in Santander. Accommodation: Abba Santander or similar, 3* hotel on a BB basis.
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Abba Santander or similar, 3* hotel on a BB basis.
Day 2: SANTANDER
Pass By: Santander, Santander, Cantabria
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before heading out to explore this glamorous city. Santander is, without a doubt, one of the most elegant and beautiful cities on the northern coast of Spain. Both the sea and the mountains are continually present in this city, captivating you with its aristocratic atmosphere, 19th-century buildings, charming outdoor terraces and spectacular bay – considered one of the most beautiful bays in the world! There are several beaches and harbours on the northern side of the city and a charming old quarter. In the 19th century, the city used to be a renowned tourist resort for Spanish politicians, aristocrats and other members of the upper class. The city still contains wonderful palaces and promenades, bay-type architecture with white buildings, old cafés and a famous casino. Overnight in Santander . Accommodation: Abba Santander or similar, 3* hotel.
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Abba Santander or similar, 3* hotel.
Day 3: SANTANDER – SANTILLANA DEL MAR – COMILLAS – SANTANDER (120km – 2h)
Pass By: Santillana del Mar, Santillana del Mar, Cantabria
Drive to Santillana del Mar after breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a bit of leisure time in this exquisite and charming cobblestoned town. Use the opportunity to visit the famous Cave of Altamira and Museum, renowned for its many prehistoric cave paintings. The museum showcases the work of one of the oldest cave paintings known to man, dating back 13,000 to 22,000 years. Continue to Comillas, a designated historic-artistic site. It has cobbled streets and squares with ancestral houses as well as some modernist buildings, such as the stunning ‘El Capricho’, which was designed by Antoni Gaudi. After that, return to Santander. Overnight in Santander . Accommodation: Abba Santander or similar, 3* hotel on a BB basis.
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Abba Santander or similar, 3* hotel
Day 4: SANTANDER – BILBAO (100km – 1h30)
Pass By: Bilbao, Bilbao, Province of Vizcaya, Basque Country
Wake up to breakfast at the hotel before saying goodbye to Santander and leaving for Bilbao. Although the capital of the autonomous region of Euskadi – also known as the Basque Country – is Vitoria, the port city of Bilbao is, in fact, the largest of all Basque cities. The renewal of this industrial city has been continuous since the opening of the Guggenheim Museum in 1997, with various projects designed by famous architects, including a new tram system, a subway system designed by Sir Norman Foster, a pedestrian bridge, the Zubizuri bridge by Santiago Calatrava, a jagged glass-fronted public health building, and the reconversion following the indications of well-known designer Philippe Starck of a disused warehouse turned into a public multifunction building, the Alhóndiga. Overnight in Bilbao . Accommodation: Bilbao Ercilla or similar, 4* hotel on a BB basis.
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Bilbao Ercilla or similar, 4* hotel on a BB basis.
Day 5: BILBAO – GUERNIKA – SAN SEBASTIAN – BILBAO (230km – 3h)
Pass By: San Sebastian – Donostia, San Sebastian – Donostia, Province of Guipuzcoa, Basque Country
After breakfast at the hotel, drive to the small town of Guernica, famous for Picasso’s well-known black-and-white painting. Continue to the seaside cosmopolitan city of San Sebastian and explore this fabulous city. Enjoy a stroll down the promenade at La Concha beach to the sculpture named ‘El Peine del Viento’ (‘The Comb of the Wind’) from renowned artist Eduardo Chillida. Take the funicular up to the top of Igueldo hill for a panoramic view over the city and try the famous Basque “pintxos” (tapas/snacks) in one of the many bars in the old town. Wrap the day up by returning to Bilbao. Overnight in Bilbao. Accommodation Bilbao Ercilla or similar, 4* hotel on a BB basis.
Pass By: 48300 Guernica, Biscay, Spain
After breakfast at the hotel, drive to the small town of Guernica, famous for Picasso’s well-known black-and-white painting. Continue to the seaside cosmopolitan city of San Sebastian and explore this fabulous city. Enjoy a stroll down the promenade at La Concha beach to the sculpture named ‘El Peine del Viento’ (‘The Comb of the Wind’) from renowned artist Eduardo Chillida. Take the funicular up to the top of Igueldo hill for a panoramic view over the city and try the famous Basque “pintxos” (tapas/snacks) in one of the many bars in the old town. Wrap the day up by returning to Bilbao. Overnight in Bilbao. Accommodation Bilbao Ercilla or similar, 4* hotel on a BB basis.
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Bilbao Ercilla or similar
Day 6: BILBAO – SANTANDER AIPORT (100km – 1h30)
Pass By: Santander, Santander, Cantabria
Bid farewell to Bilbao after breakfast at the hotel and drive back to Santander airport to drop off the car. You’ll be told the return procedure and exact designated area by OK Rent a Car when you pick up the car on arrival day. The OK Rent a Car shuttle service will transfer you to the terminal for you to catch your departure flight back home.
Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.
