Green hills of Santillana del Mar, Cantabria, Spain. Photo via Flickr:Guillen Perez

Beaches of San Vicente de la Barquera, Cantabria, Spain. Photo via Flickr:Nacho Castejon Martinez

Green Coast of Spain

Spain Bike Tours

Bike tour from Santander to Gijón through Spain’s verdant coastal countryside

This self-guided bike tour is a cycling journey exploring the spectacular green northern coast of Spain from Santander to Gijón. This area of Spain enjoys a very appealing mild and balanced climate all year around, making it an ideal holiday destination for those people who prefer more moderate heat.

You will bike carefully selected small country roads close to the coast to provide excellent views of the sea and the many coves and beautiful cliffs. This area is famous for its stunning yellow sand beaches and you will have plenty of opportunities to enjoy some of the best.

Each night you will stay in a different, interesting, and beautiful location including fishing villages, medieval towns, or historic city centers. And at night you will be able to enjoy the rich cuisine that this area is renowned for.

Highlights:

  • The belle-époque elegance of Santander´s El Sardinero beach
  • Perfectly preserved medieval jewel, Santillana del Mar
  • The town of Comillas with its lovely golden beach and tiny fishing port
  • Quaint fishing village of San Vicente de la Barquera
  • Coastal town of Llanes
  • Santa Marina beach
  • Villaviciosa

For a list of all of our bike tours in Spain click here.

Where You’ll Stay

An eclectic mix of 3 * accommodations from modern to rustic to historic, some located on the sea, and others, in the heart of the villages.

What’s Included

  • 7 nights’ accommodation with breakfast
  • Luggage transfer
  • Detailed maps
  • Route descriptions and tourist information
  • 24 gear hybrid bike with odometer, rear panniers, map carrier, bottle cage, helmet, pump, puncture repair kit with tools
  • Emergency support
  • Activity insurance

What’s Not Included

  • Lunches
  • Dinners (can be included for a supplement

TourBike
TypeSelf Guided
SkillModerate
Length8 days
From€800 Rates
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Tour Dates

Daily departures from April 1 to October 31, 2016

Skill Level

This is a moderate, self-guided bike tour on rural, paved roads

Day-To-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival to Santander
Day 2: Santander to Santillana del Mar, 33 mi. (53 km)
Day 3: Santillana del Mar to San Vicente de la Barquera, 27 mi. (43 km)
Day 4: San Vicente de la Barquera to Llanes, 35 mi. (56 km)
Day 5: Llanes to Ribadesella, 32 mi. (52 km)
Day 6: Ribadesella to Villaviciosa, 34 mi. (54 km)
Day 7: Villaviciosa to Gijón, 32 mi. (52 km)
Day 8: Departure or extra nights

*All distances are approximate.

Day 1: Arrival to Santander
Individual arrival and a chance to explore the belle-époque elegance of Santander along the famous El Sardinero beach.

Day 2: Santander to Santillana del Mar, 33 mi. (53 km)
On this first cycling day, you will have the bicycle handover in the morning and then your adventure begins. Following bike lanes, you will leave  the city and cycle through the verdant countryside following the coast. Your overnight this evening will be the beautifully preserved and historic Santillana del Mar. There is an old saying that this town is The Town of Three Lies it is not holy (santi), flat (llana) or by the sea (mar)! But, you will not be disappointed. This town is a jewel with its bright cobbled streets and lovely little houses passed from one generation to the next.

Day 3: Santillana del Mar to San Vicente de la Barquera, 27 mi. (43 km)
Leaving Santillana, first on the agenda is the internationally famous Altamira Caves, containing  Spain´s finest prehistoric art, the wonderful 13.000- 35.000-year-old paintings of bison, horses, and other animals. The town of Comillas, first inhabited in prehistoric times when the caverns that are plentiful in the area were used as shelters will be an excellent place to stop for lunch and spend some time exploring. This full day will end in the fishing village of San Vicente de la Barquera where you will be able to enjoy wonderful fresh fish and seafood for dinner.

Day 4: San Vicente de la Barquera to Llanes, 35 mi. (56 km)
From San Vicente to Llanes, the route is totally on secondary roads near the coast with stunning beaches dotting the way. The beautiful coastal town of Llanes awaits you with its small medieval core and bustling harbor.

Day 5: Llanes to Ribadesella, 32 mi. (52 km)
You will cycle along the coast following a succession of wonderful sandy beaches, pretty coves and cliffs. Your day´s cycle ends in the small port town of Ribadesella with another stunning beach.

Day 6: Ribadesella to Villaviciosa, 34 mi. (54 km)
From Ribadesella to Villaviciosa you will see many orchards as this is the area where much of Asturias´ famous cider is produced. More beautiful beaches and estuaries will take you to the quaint small town of Villaviciosa.

Day 7: Villaviciosa to Gijón, 32 mi. (52 km)
One final cycling day along small country roads following the coast will take you to your final destination: the small city of Gijón. Gijón has emerged from its industrial past and has given itself a facelift with pedestrianized streets, parks, seafront walks, cultural attractions and a very lively food and drinks scene.

Day 8: Departure or extra nights
Extra nights in Gijón, Santander or return.

Be sure to check out all of our featured bike trips, and specials, or check out all of our bike tours in Europe.

Email or Call 800-951-4384 +1 570-965-2064

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