Best of Northern Spain Barcelona, Pamplona, San Sebastian, Bilbao, Santander, Santillana del Mar, Picos de Europa, Santiago de Compostela, Leon, Valladolid, Castillo de Medina, Avila, Madrid
TOUR DETAILS Best of Northern Spain Price: $3,650 USD Discounts: 5% - Returning Volant Customer Duration: 16 days Date: March-October Difficulty: Easy Inclusions All internal flights (while on tour) All accommodations (2-3 star) All meals Transportation throughout tour Airport transfers Personal guide Exclusions International airfare (to Airport) Entrance fees to museums and other attractions not listed in Inclusions Personal items: Laundry, shopping, etc. Traveler s insurance Highlights Barcelona Sagrada Familia Casa Mila Basilica de Nuestra Senora del Pilar Pamplona La Concha Guggenheim Museum Santillana del Mar Cave of Altamira Covadonga Oviedo Picos de Europa Santiago de Compostela Cathedral Galician Coast Leon Valladolid Spanish Gothic San Pablo Church Castle of La Mota Salamanca Wall of Avila Madrid
Best of Northern Spain - 16 Days / 15 Nights Itinerary - DA Y 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 ACTIVITY International Flight Arrive: Barcelona El Prat Airport (BCN) Transfer to hotel and enjoy a warm welcome dinner Full day walking tour of Barcelona Explore gothic Quarter, Park Guell, Sagrada Familia, Casa Mila, La Rambla, and the Montjuic Continue discovering the wonders of Barcelona Visit the Barcelona Cathedral and the Barceloneta Train ride to Zaragoza (2hrs) Tour the Basilica de Nuestra Senora del Pilar, La Seo del Salvador & the Palacio de la Aljaferia Continue to Pamplona (2hrs) Visit the Plaza del Castillo, Cathedral & the Ciudadela de Pamplona Continue to San Sebastian (1hr) Enjoy a full day in San Sebastian Explore La Cocha, Urgull Hill, Monte Igeldo Mountains, Bay of Biscay, Buen Pastor Cathedral, Plaza de Guipuzkoa, Iglesia de Santa Maria del Coro & Old Town Transfer to Bilbao (90m) Tour Bilbao highlights; Guggenheim Museum & Basque Coast Continue to Santander (90m) Full day in Santander Explore the local beaches,palace, lighthouse & gorgeous Peninsula of Magdalena Day trip to Santillana del Mar (30m) Tour the Plaza de Ramon Pelayo, Collegiate Church of Santillana del Mar, Cave of Altamira Return to Santander (30m) Road trip to Covadonga and Picos de Europa National Park (1hr40m) Continue to Oviedo (1hr10m) Scenic road trip to Santiago de Compostela (3hrs) Half day walking tour of local highlights; Cathedral, Alameda Park & Old Town Day trip to Galician Coast Return to Santiago de Compostela Transfer to Leon (3.5hrs) Tour the Leon Cathedral, Basilica de San Isidora, Palacio Episcopal & the Arco de la Carcel Continue to Valladolid and tour the Spanish Gothic San Pablo Church (2hrs) Barcelona LOCATION - MEALS Welcome Dinner & Orientation Barcelona Barcelona Zaragoza - Pamplona - san Sebastian San Sebastian Bilbao - Santander Santander Santillana del Mar - Santander Picos de Europa - Oviedo Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela- Galician Coast Leon - Valladolid
DA Y ACTIVITY LOCATION - MEALS 13 14 15 Transfer to Medina del Campo (30m) Tour the Castle of La Mota Continue to Salamanca (1hr) Transfer to Avila (1hr) Tour the Avila Cathedral & the Wall of Avila Continue to Madrid (90m) Full day walking tour of Madrid highlights; Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Buen Retiro Park, Royal Palace of Madrid, Palacio de Cibeles, Prado National Museum & Paseo del Prado Castillo de Medina - Salamanca Avila - Madrid Madrid 16 Depart: Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) Madrid Breakfast
TOUR MAP NORTH ATLANTIC Palace of Versailles Rennes Fontainebleau Le Mans Angers Orléan Loire Valley Puy du Fou Tours OCEAN Bay of Biscay FRANCE Santiago de Compostela G a l i c i a Picos de Europa Santillana del Mar Santander Bordeaux Porto Oviedo C o r d i l l e r a C a n t a b r i c a León Burgos Guimarãres Valladolid Bilbao B a s q u e Pamplona San Sebastián Toulouse Pyrénées National Park P y r e n e e s ANDORRA Nîmes Montpellier Gulf of Lion Salamanca Castillo de Medina Sintra Lisbon Coimbra Tomar PORTUGAL Évora Segovia Ávila S i e r r a d e G r e d o s El Escorial Cáceres Toledo Merida Madrid SPAIN Albacete Zaragonza Buñol Valencia Balearic Sea Barcelona Menorca NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN Serra de Monchique Cadiz Tangier S i e r r a A r a c e n a Seville S i e r r a M o r e n a Ronda Cordoba Granada S i e r r a N e v a d a Málaga Rock of Gibraltar Nerja Alboran Sea Cazorla Natural Park Cartagena Mallorca Ibiza Mediterranean Sea Algiers Rabat Fes ALGERIA V Casablanca MOROCCO V O L A N T
ITINERARY DAY 1: BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY Board your overnight flight to BarcelonaBarcelona El Prat Airport (BCN) - not included. Your Volant guide will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. Enjoy a welcome dinner and a leisurely evening. Stroll through the streets to explore the nightlife or relax in your accommodations. DAY 2-3: BARCELONA Embark out on a full day walking tour of Barcelona. Stroll through the famous narrow alleys of the Gothic Quarter. Explore the unique gardens of Park Güell. Tour the Sagrada Familia, the Casa Mila and any other of Antoni Gaudi's architectural masterpieces. Discover Barcelona's most famous street, La Rambla, to get a taste of the hustle and bustle of Barcelona. Watch street performers, shop at the Boqueria Market and enjoy the many bars and restaurants along this iconic Spanish paseo. Scale Montjuic and visit the Palau Nacional. Make sure to experience the unique nightlife of this incredible city. Spend your second full day in Barcelona visiting any number of the sights that didn't fit into the day before. Pop over to the Barceloneta for pristine sights of the Balearic Sea. Tour the Museu Picasso to learn about this incredibly famous artist. Visit the Barcelona Cathedral or just relax and explore the delicious food culture in the area.
DAY 4: ZARAGOZA - PAMPLONA - SAN SEBASTIÁN Say goodbye to the Balearic Sea and climb aboard one of Europe's fastest trains. Spend time exploring Zaragoza and its many architectural wonders including the Basilica de Nuestra Senora del Pilar, La Seo del Salvador or the Palacio de la Aljaferia. After lunch continue to Pamplona. Tour the city famously known for its Running of the Bulls Festival, visit the Plaza del Castillo, the Cathedral and the Ciudadela de Pamplona. Transfer to San Sebastian for the evening. DAY 5: SAN SEBASTIÁN Enjoy a full day in San Sebastian. Stroll along the immaculate beaches of La Concha. Scale the Urgull Hill and witness sights of the Monte Igeldo mountains as well as the Bay of Biscay. Visit the Buen Pastor Cathedral, the Plaza de Guipuzkoa and the Iglesia de Santa Maria del Coro. For those who may be interested the Funicular de Igueldo offers sweeping views of the La Concha Bay and the city itself. In the evening head to Old Town to experience the best of San Sebastian's sizzling nightlife.
DAY 6: BILBAO - SANTANDER After a morning transfer to Bilbao hop over to the shimmering titanium Guggenheim Museum for a spectacular display of modern and contemporary art. Known to be one of the 12 Treasures of Spain, this museum is also one of the largest in Spain. Use the remainder of the afternoon exploring the city at your leisure or head to the Basque Coast for picturesque cliffs and beaches. In the evening transfer to Santander.
DAY 7: SANTANDER Set out for a full day tour of Santander. Explore the local beaches; Playa del Sardinero, Playa de Castaneda, and Playa de la Concha. Hike out to the lighthouse at El Sardinero for sweeping views of the coastline or explore the gorgeous Peninsula of Magdalena. The city itself offers intriguing cultural attractions but nothing compared to the picturesque beach scenes at Liencres. DAY 8: SANTILLANA DEL MAR Today will be dedicated to exploring a town known for containing some of the most well preserved medieval villages in all of Europe. Discover the "prettiest village in Spain" by wandering though the Plaza de Ramon Pelayo. Tour the Collegiate Church of Santillana del Mar and visit the Cave of Altamira. As the day comes to its end return to Santander for one final night. DAY 9: PICOS DE EUROPA - OVIEDO Transfer to Covadonga to discover the breathtaking Picos de Europa mountains. Declared a National Park in 1918 this area is centered around the Lakes of Covadonga. Witness the grand vistas and continue to Oviedo where you'll find yourself in the capital of Spain's Asturias region. Famous for its medieval old town, Oviedo contains gorgeous architecture and unspoiled scenery. Use the remainder of the day discovering the beauty in both the local culture as well as the local natural landscapes. Spend the evening at your leisure.
DAY 10-11: SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA - GALICIAN COAST Rise early and drive through northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Tour the stunning cathedral and follow the great pilgrimage that ends there. This pilgrimage, known as the Camino de Santiago, follows the historic path of the Biblical apostle St. John to his final resting place within the cathedral. Use the day to get acquainted with this historic area and visit Old Town, Botafumeiro, Plaza del Obradoiro and the Monasterio de San Martin Pinario. Day two in the area will be dedicated to the exploration of the Spain's Galicia region. Visit the many villages and beaches off the Galician Coast and if time permits stroll along the white sandy shores for a glorious sunset over the Atlantic. In the evening return inland and be sure to try Santiago de Compostela's most iconic dish: octopus. The seafood doesn't stop there, the entire Galicia region contains arguably the best seafood in Europe.
DAY 12: LEÓN - VALLADOLID Venture east of Santiago de Compostela and tour the city of Leon. Examine the local highlights such as the Leon Cathedral, the Basilica de San Isidora, Palacio Episcopal and the Arco de la Carcel. In the afternoon continue to Valladolid for a half day walking tour of the medieval religious landmarks such as the Spanish Gothic San Pablo Church. DAY 13: CASTILLO DE MEDINA - SALAMANCA Only a short drive south of Valladolid, the city of Medina del Campo is known for its Castle of La Mota. Tour the medieval fortress and continue to Salamanca for the night.
DAY 14: ÁVILA - MADRID A short drive from here brings you to the city of Avila. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 this Spanish town is famous for its perfectly preserved medieval walls. Visit this 12 century masterpiece and tour the Avila Cathedral. Continue to Madrid. DAY 15: MADRID Enjoy a full day walking tour of Madrid's highlights. Begin in the heart of this Spanish capital at Puerta del Sol. Heads towards Plaza Mayor to experience its iconic San Miguel Market. Wander through the green gardens at Buen Retiro Park. Tour the Royal Palace of Madrid, Palacio de Cibeles and the Prado National Museum to better grasp the history and culture of this city. Watch as the sun sets and locals emerge to celebrate life with great food, drink, music and company. Revel in the the sizzling nightlife scene and stroll along the iconic Paseo del Prado. DAY 16: TOUR ENDS -DEPART Although no group activities have been scheduled today your Volant guide will ensure timely arrivals to the Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) where you will depart home. Thank you for choosing Volant and safe travels.
CONTACT VOLANT ONLINE www.volant.travel CALL U.S. +1-801-651-7208 EMAIL Tour Specialist: John@Volant.Travel MAIL 4110 S Highland Dr. Suite #322 Salt Lake City, UT 84124