Travel on the luxurious vintage Transcantabrico Train, enjoy gastronomic specialties and stay at luxury historic hotels during this unique Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Along the way visit Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum and old quarter, the isolated La Hermida Gorge and Saint Toribio Monastery, and the Covadonga Shrine in the Picos de Europa National Park; enjoy medieval towns, fishing villages, and local wineries. Wrap it up with a visit to Santiago's Cathedral and the customary "hug" to Apostle St. James. Come and enjoy this St. James Pilgrimage program!
DAY 1: Arrive in Madrid: Unfasten, unpack, unwind...
Upon arrival at the airport in Madrid, you will be greeted by our local crew and escorted to your hotel in the city. Join your personal guide for a fresh cup of coffee or tea and leisurely plan the days ahead before retiring to your room for some deserved rest. This afternoon we have arranged a soothing massage session so your body and mind can start tuning in to your restful holiday ahead. Dinner is a private affair. Your guide will share his favorite spots and let you delve into the culinary delights of this ancestral land. Overnight.
Your Exclusive Agenda includes:
- Airport transfers
- Meeting with your personal guide
- Soothing massage
- Accommodations for three nights in Madrid
DAYS 2/3: Madrid
Originally the enclave of an Arab fortress which spurred an ugly dispute with neighboring Christians, Madrid became (once the Christians took over the fortress) an unassuming, small town until a cunning king decided to move his Court from the intrigues of nearby Toledo and build Madrid as the capital of his vast empire. Unlike other Spanish cities, studded with Roman and Arab relics, Madrid stands out as one of Europe's most beautiful neoclassic cities, with its grand squares, broad boulevards, monumental fountains and graceful palaces. Beyond its architectural façade, Madrid is a feast for the senses, a melting pot of Spain's regional cuisines, a kaleidoscope of taverns, inviting cafes and posh restaurants, a never-ending entertainment affair and one of the world's cultural capitals thanks to its impressive museum collections. Lively, elegant, vibrant, glowing, and fashionable, its philosophy of life could be best summed up in the final words of Luis Candelas, Madrid's most famous bandit and ladies' man: "Be happy, my beloved city".
Your Exclusive Agenda includes:
- Breakfast daily at your hotel
- Your choice of:
A walking tour in the historic district
A rolling panoramic tour and visit to the Royal Palace OR
A private shopping tour
- Tapas and Flamenco Evening
"Spice up Your Exclusive Journey" ideas in Madrid (at extra cost):
- Gastronomic experience: Cooking class with a private chef
- Touring the museum of your choice with a private curator
- Watch a premier league soccer match with a true aficionado
- Let a fashion expert lead you on a unique shopping tour
- Private excursion to Toledo
DAY 4/5: San Sebastian
San Sebastian, summer resort of kings, awaits with its gorgeous beach, rich culinary traditions and renowned chefs, arguably the world's best. It is time to meet our fellow travelers and join the Transcantabrico's expert guides for an introductory city tour, lunch and visits to nearby quaint towns and fishing villages. The Transcantabrico is a luxury vintage train featuring posh accommodations as well as four cars for entertainment including restaurant, bar, ballroom, library, and reading/lounge area. Your private room comes equipped with private bathroom, air conditioning, panoramic windows and all the amenities of a first class hotel.
Your Exclusive Agenda includes:
- Breakfast daily
- Airport transfers in Madrid and San Sebastian
- One lunch at a local restaurant in San Sebastian
- One dinner aboard the train
- Accommodations for two nights in San Sebastian (first night at hotel, second night on the Transcantabrico Train)
- Guided city tour
DAY 6: The Journey begins: First stop Bilbao
While having breakfast the train will take us to Bilbao. Once a busy industrial city and commercial port, Bilbao bloomed into a new tourist destination with the opening of the highly acclaimed Guggenheim Museum. Rivaling the Museum's popularity, the revamped old quarter has achieved a reputation as one of Spain's cuisine temples. We will visit them both and then return to the train for a wonderful lunch on our way to Santander. This elegant coastal town well deserves a stroll along El Sardinero district to admire its beautiful architecture and the stunning casino building, where you can try your odds tonight.
Your Exclusive Agenda includes:
- All meals aboard the train
- Accommodations on the Transcantabrico Train
- Visit to the Guggenheim Museum and Bilbao's Old Quarter
DAY 7: Santander – Cabezon de la Sal
This morning we depart for Unquera, where we board a luxury motorcoach for a fascinating excursion through the dramatic La Hermida Gorge into the isolated Liebana Valley. This natural treasure enjoys a Mediterranean microclimate and is home to Saint Toribio Monastery, where a piece of Christ's Cross is zealously kept, medieval villages, Romanesque churches, spectacular scenery, and hearty stews carefully crafted with locally-grown produce. In the afternoon we continue to Cabezon de la Sal.
Your Exclusive Agenda includes:
- Breakfast and dinner aboard the train
- Lunch at local restaurant in Liebana Valley
- Accommodations on the Transcantabrico Train
- Excursion to Liebana Valley and Cabezon de la Sal
DAY 8: Medieval towns and Prehistoric Caves
Santillana del Mar is next. A journey back in time, the town's quiet medieval atmosphere is enhanced by its cobblestone streets and austere, stately buildings, all built between the 12th and 17th centuries. Nearby prehistoric Altamira caves with its famous Palaeolithic paintings will offer a rare look at the artistic skills of our ancestors. In the afternoon, after lunch in Santillana, we head towards Asturias along green fields and the passionate Cantabrian Sea, passing along enchanting fishing villages where old customs are still in vogue.
Your Exclusive Agenda includes:
- Breakfast aboard the train
- Lunch at local restaurant in Santillana del Mar
- Dinner at local restaurant in Cangas de Onis
- ccommodations on the Transcantabrico Train
- Excursion to Santillana del Mar and Altamira Prehistoric Caves
DAY 9: Picos de Europa National Park and Covadonga Shrine
Nearby Covadonga, famous for the stunning pink cathedral and cave shrine, is a mandatory excursion. From the shrine, a hair-rising road leads up to a natural landscape of grandiose proportions, with two glacier lakes shimmering against the backdrop of snowcapped peaks and millenary forests. This is Picos de Europa, Europe's largest and always surprising national park. Back in the valley, we will stroll through quaint Cangas de Onis before leaving for Gijon, a coastal town with a beautiful marina and beach promenade.
Your Exclusive Agenda includes:
- All meals aboard the train
- Accommodations on the Transcantabrico Train
- Excursion to Covadonga Shrine and Picos de Europa National Park
DAY 10: Discovering Asturias, the Heart of the Green Coast
Rural scenes of grazing cows, produce markets, and small farms, and the famous green of Asturias countryside will accompany you on your way to Oviedo, the region's capital city. A beautiful seigniorial town featured in Woody Allen's movies, Oviedo allures visitors with its perfectly preserved old quarter, exquisite cuisine, historic monuments, and shopping opportunities along its several pedestrian streets. Discovering its rich gastronomic offer of local cheeses, cider, the highly acclaimed "fabada" stew, and homemade desserts will have you craving for a longer stay. After lunch, we depart for Luarca, a charming fishing village reinvented as a quaint summer resort.
Your Exclusive Agenda includes:
- All meals aboard the train
- Accommodations on the Transcantabrico Train
- Excursion to Oviedo
DAY 11: Luarca to Viveiro: A journey back in time
Today we arrive in Galicia, a seafaring region famous for its exquisite seafood, Celtic traditions, and rich folklore, including the omnipresent meigas, or local witches. But before reaching Galicia, we will board a motorcoach and drive up into the mountains, to Taramundi, a small hamlet where knives are still made by artisans following centuries-old traditions. Back on the train, we will ride along Galicia's fjords (Rias Altas), till we reach our final destination for today: the medieval walled city of Viveiro.
Your Exclusive Agenda includes:
- Breakfast and dinner aboard the train
- Lunch in Ribadeo
- Accommodations on the Transcantabrico Train
- Excursion to Taramundi
DAY 12/13: Santiago, where the pilgrims rest
A short ride will bring us to Ferrol, end of our train adventure, where we will board a motorcoach to Santiago. Once in Santiago, a walking tour will introduce you to the Obradoiro Square, heart of the city, the imposing cathedral, where the pilgrimage ends with the traditional hug to Saint James statue, the 16th-century university, and many other historic buildings. An international college town, you will find Santiago's atmosphere far from austere, with a lively nightlife cherished by students from all over the globe. On your last day, a leisure private excursion will introduce you to Galicia's wines and ancestral traditions as you tour around dramatic fjords, visiting boutique wineries and ancient manor houses.
Your Exclusive Agenda includes:
- Breakfast daily
- Accommodations for two nights in Santiago
- Wine tour and visit to traditional hacienda with lunch
DAY 14: Return home, energized and wiser
Time to bid farewell to this ancestral land. Your guide will drive you to the airport in time for your return flight. We hope you have enjoyed your Exclusive Journey and look forward to hosting you again in the near future. Safe journeys...
Your Exclusive Agenda includes:
- Breakfast at your hotel
- Airport departure transfer
Included:
- All land transportation at the destination
- Lodging
- Breakfast daily
- Other meals per itinerary
- Private guide services except as indicated
- Excursions per itinerary
- Hotel taxes
- English-speaking assistance
Not Included
- International flights
- Domestic flights
- Airport departure taxes
- "Spice up" ideas
- Meals not specified in itinerary
- Incidentals at hotels
- Souvenirs
- Tips and gratuities
* Itineraries subject to change.