We will be open at 9:00 am. Call 020 7664 2264
San Sebastian

Northern Spain

Coastal, culinary & cultural delights

Spain tailor-made holidays & self-drives

Introduction

From sleepy fishing villages, mountain walks and quiet beaches to world-class vineyards, near-ancient cathedrals and look-at-me contemporary architecture, the charms of northern Spain are wonderfully diverse. Having visited regularly, our Spain specialists will happily share their tips and tailor an itinerary to take in the very best of the region, from self-drives to walking tours of the Camino de Santiago.

Basque Country

And the fiercely proud Basque Country is a microcosm of it all. Introductions are made at its Bilbao showpiece, a city whose industrial past has been shrugged off in a skyline defined by great modernist sweeps. Even the Renaissance buildings of its delightful old town seem to shine with new enthusiasm.

A view across Bilbao and the Guggenheim Museum, Basque region, Northern Spain
Bilbao, Basque Country

From here, continue along the dramatic coast, past cliff-perched villages to reach San Sebastián’s heady mix of white sands, pintxo bars and Belle Époque grandeur. It’s all a postcard-perfect front to rolling vineyards, stone villages and such pretty medieval towns as Vitoria. The Basque Country even has the most Michelin stars per capita in the world.

Galicia

In fact, perhaps northern Spain’s only common thread is a shared love of good food. Whether it’s delicately spiced chorizo, peppers stuffed with salted cod or hearty albondigas meatballs, expect every inch of your tapas table to be quickly covered. No more is this true than in Galicia, whose fertile natural world of fishing-village-lined beaches and rolling, vineyard-capped hills produce some of Spain’s finest dining experiences.

It’s the idyllic backdrop to everything from prehistoric settlements to medieval fortifications, best taken in on the Camino de Santiago. This ancient pilgrims’ trail ends at Santiago’s cathedral, its Romanesque spires reaching skywards in grandeur only matched by its gilded interior.

The cathedral of Santiago de Compostela at dusk, Galicia, Spain
The cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Galicia

Navarra & Rioja

There are also the neighbouring delights of Navarra and La Rioja. Moving out of the citadel-bound Navarran capital, Pamplona, and its world-famous ‘Running of the Bulls’, this is your chance to head off the beaten track. Lose yourself in Pyrenean peaks, centuries-old monasteries, castle town mazes and, yes, a seemingly endless collection of vineyards.

Vineyards in Spain's Rioja wine region
Rioja wine region

 

Read more

Special offers in Northern Spain

Costa Verde Express

Costa Verde Express: Bilbao to Santiago de Compostela

8-day luxury rail journey from £4,160 pp incl. flights

Special
offer

2025 departures early booking savings – Save up to £110pp
Book by: 31 October 2024

From the industrial splendour of Bilbao to the medieval quarters of historic Santillana del Mar, this luxury rail journey offers a taste of authentic Spain in style.

Top itineraries in Northern Spain

San Vicente de la Sonsierra, La Rioja

Rioja & Navarra Wine Route

5-day tailor-made self-drive from £870 pp incl. flights

Taste your way through two of Spain's finest wine regions as you explore the quieter, rural charm of the country's north on super-scenic drives and stays in historic accommodation.

Hacienda Zorita, Salamanca

Salamanca Wine Experience‬‬ at Hacienda Zorita

6-day tailor-made self-drive from £1,095 pp incl. flights

Staying in a 14th-century country manor among the vineyards of the Duero Valley, you'll enjoy sommelier-led tastings, spa treatments and the chance to explore Salamanca’s heritage charm.

Santiago de Compostela

The Way of St James - Camino de Santiago Self-Drive

10-day tailor-made self-drive from £1,325 pp incl. flights

This gorgeous road trip links together the medieval wonders and historic charms of northern Spain, following the centuries-old Way of St James. Along the way, you’ll stay in converted monasteries and castles as you call into pretty coastal towns and some of the region's famed wineries.

Picos de Europa National Park, Asturias, Spain

Best of Northern Spain

9-day tailor-made self-drive from £1,365 pp incl. flights

Explore northern Spain by car, linking lofty mountains, verdant vineyards and spectacular seascapes. Along the way, you’ll stay in historic parador hotels, taking in everything from national parks to modernist Bilbao and Santiago's medieval wonders.

See all itinerary ideas

Top places to stay in Northern Spain

View of city Bilbao, Spain

Hotel Miro, Bilbao

Contemporary hotel

This artsy boutique hotel, the creation of fashion designer Antonio Miró, has simple design-driven rooms that serve as a blank canvas for the real asset: the up-close view of Bilbao’s main attraction, the Guggenheim. It’s a four-star hotel, but with five-star guest service

Hotel Saiaz, Getaria

Hotel Saiaz, Getaria

Traditional hotel

Escape to the Basque coast with this pretty medieval town and its 15th century stone tower – the Hotel Saiaz. Here, sweeping sea views are complemented by a charm both historic and contemporary.

Casa de los Arquillos, Vitoria-Gasteiz

Casa de Los Arquillos, Vitoria-Gasteiz

Traditional hotel

Housed in stone walls that back to the early 1800s, this is contemporary freshness among heritage charm. It’s ideal for longer stays, too, with apartment-sized rooms featuring full kitchens.

El Transcantabrico

El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo, Northern Spain

Luxury train

Across its original 1923 Pullman carriages, the Gran Lujo hosts gourmet dinners, cocktail evenings and splendid private suites, realised in polished woods and brass fittings.

See all places to stay

Where to go in Northern Spain

San Sebastian

San Sebastian

San Sebastián is an attractive city on the northern coast of ‘El País Vasco' - the Basque Country - with a glorious natural setting on the curving beach of La Concha (‘the shell'), with the Bay of Biscay beyond. Its stunning sandy beaches have made San Sebastián the Basque region's most popular sea…

Pamplona, Spain

Pamplona

Pamplona is the capital of Navarra, situated in the foothills of the Pyrenees. An ancient city with a vivacious appetite for its traditions, it's among Pamplona's cobbled streets that one of Spain's best-known festivals takes place - the Fiesta de San Fermín, a colourful and heady occasion.

The Sanctuary of Loyola, near Bilbao

Bilbao

Bilbao is a sprawling city with a strong Basque identity and rich heritage, which has rapidly transformed into a buzzing cultural capital bursting with civic pride.

La Rioja, Spain

La Rioja & Navarra

La Rioja and Navarra are neighbouring regions in Northern Spain. Both are noted for their winemaking, although La Rioja is better known internationally, amid landscapes of gorgeous rural countryside dotted with old stone towns and villages.

See all places

When to go to Northern Spain

Average temperature (℃)
Average rainfall (mm)
  • 30
  • 20
  • 10
  • 0
  • 120
  • 90
  • 60
  • 30
  • 0

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Max temp Min temp Rainfall
See regional weather

Northern Spain articles

  • Madeira, Portugal

    10 driving holidays in Spain & Portugal

    From wild coastlines and beach curves to mountain peaks and rolling countryside, the charms of the Iberian Peninsula are seemingly endless. To help point you in the right direction our destination experts have put together the following self-drive routes that showcase the best of it all.

  • Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

    Six no-fly holidays to take in 2022

    Save yourself the hassle of heading to the airport and cut down your carbon emissions by choosing one of these flight-free breaks as your next getaway.

  • Gardesana Occidentale road near Tremosine, Lake Garda

    Four of the best European road trips

    Between the headline acts and lesser-known gems, these are the finest self-drives on the continent.

  • Local food in Galicia, Spain

    The best things to do in A Coruña

    From still-operating Roman lighthouses and Picasso masterworks to delicious seafood and ultra-modern funiculars, discover the secret gems of northern Spain's A Coruña.

See all articles

Meet our Northern Spain experts

Speak to a tailor-made specialist on 020 7664 2264

Meet the team

Why book with Wexas Travel?

At Wexas, we specialise in bespoke travel experiences. Our itineraries are just samples of what we can arrange, and can be changed depending on your precise needs, finances and ideas by our experienced destination specialists.

Contact one of our consultants on 020 7664 2264 to discuss how we can tailor your holiday.

Learn why Wexas is the leader in creating luxury holidays. What is tailor-made travel?

Expert advice & support

Visit us in our London office

Let our travel specialists curate the perfect holiday:

  • Inspirational ideas based on experience
  • Established for over 50 years
  • Tailor a holiday to your precise requirements
  • Personalised quotes and documentation

Every step of the way

Every step of the way

Our services are with you from start to finish:

  • Dedicated personal consultants
  • Free airport lounges on qualifying bookings
  • Care and guidance pre, post and during holiday
  • Full financial security: ATOL & ABTOT protected