The first stop of our on the road trip in 3 sees Northern Spain as the undisputed protagonist. In 5 days we travel with our small van the roads that wind along the coasts of the country, to discover the Basque territory and the harsh Galicia.
This is our itinerary discovering Northern Spain.
• Day 1: San Sebastian
Before exploring the historic center of this pretty town overlooking the ocean, we stop for a walk on Mount Ulia.
From here, taking the start of the path overlooking the cliffs that connects San Sebastian to nearby Pasaia, you can admire a splendid panorama of the city, with the waves of the ocean crashing on Zurriola Beach, a destination for surfers.
View from Mount Urgull
We continue along the Playa de la Concha until we reach the intricate streets of the historic center of the city.
It’s time to try the famous pinxtos, the basque version of tapas from southern Spain, and taste txakoli, the white wine typical of the basque country.
Trying pinxots is one of the experiences not to be missed on a road trip in Northern Spain.
The Romantic area of the city with its beautiful Puente de Maria Cristina deserves a peek. Towards late afternoon we head towards Mount Urgull, from which you can admire a splendid sunset.
• Day 2: San Juan de Gaztelugatxe and Bilbao (distance traveled: 157 km)
We set the alarm early and in less than two hours we arrive at the island San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, made famous by the Game of Thrones television saga. There are two possible routes to reach San Juan de Gaztelugatxe by foot: the first from Urizzareta is shorter but more bristling; the second from Ermu, is longer (about 1,5 km from the information point) but less tiring. We decide to take the shortest route that is not found to be so tiring.
In the carpark are not allow vans and campers. The only solution is to reach the site by bus or park along the road.
The island is connected to the mainland by a narrow stone bridge which with its 241 steps leads zigzagging to the top of the rock, where there is a picturesque sanctuary and a bell tower.
Legend has it that San Giovanni reached the sanctuary from the mainland in three steps, the last of which, in the last step, is still marked by its imprint.
From the top you can admire a breathtaking view of the cliffs scratched by the waves of the ocean.
To avoid the crowds of tourists, a maximum number of visitors has been imposed on which access to the site is allowed. It’s necessary to make the reservation, completely free (for more informations: https://www.tiketa.eus/gaztelugatxe/).
During low season it’s possible make the reservation directly on site.
Although we traveled in the low season, to avoid inconveniences and possible queues, we made the reservation from Italy.
After the visit, we arrive in 40 minutes in the eclectic Bilbao ⇒ What to do in Bilbao
• Day 3: Comillas (distance traveled: 417 km)
We leave Bilbao in the early afternoon and head towards Comillas.
Two wonderful architectural monuments await us here: the Palacio de Sobrellano, with its impressive neo-gothic style, and El Capricho, one of the first significant works by the brilliant architect Antoni Gaudì.
This building is amazing: there are numerous nuances and symbolisms, some of which are easy to find, others hidden in difficult corners, each room is the result of laborious work and is full of different details and decorations that create games of light.
It’s worth admiring the suggestive facade of the building from the beautiful surrounding garden to try to decipher the messages that the architect leaves us.
We arrive in Ribadeo late in the evening and park the van for the night in the rest area of the Praia das Catedrais, directly on the ocean. We aim the alarm at dawn: a unique experience awaits us for the following day.
• Day 4: Praia das Catedrais (distance traveled: 313 km)
Praia das Catedrais is an experiences not to be missed in a road trip in Northern Spain.
This beach is a direct testimony of what the power of the sea and the strength of the wind are capable of: flying buttresses up to 30 meters high and caves with pinnacles along corridors of sand that see the light only during the low tide hours.
We start walking on the seafront during low tide hours; when the ocean water begins to reach our feet we continue the visit by walking along the wooden walkway with a view of the cliffs now covered by the sea.
We leave the beach and go to O Carballiño, famous for the traditional Octopus Festival which attracts thousands of people in August.
The culinary fame of this little city is well deserved. Here, in fact, we try the typical dish of the region, the Pulpo Gallego, which does not disappoint our expectations
Try it at Pulperia Fuchela.
In the evening we arrive in Vigo.
• Day 5: Cies islands
We set sail from Vigo in the direction of the Cies islands, home of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park.
Here we find crystal clear waters, fine golden sand, paths with impressive lighthouses overlooking the sea.
One of the routes we recommend is the zigzag climb on Mount Faro (7.4 km in total, round trip).
Access to the site is allowed to a limited number of visitors. So, it’s necessary make a reservation (for more information: https://autorizacionillasatlanticas.xunta.gal/illasr/iniciarReserva).
In order for the authorization to be valid, ferry tickets must be purchased.
NORTHERN SPAIN ITINERARY
It’s time to leave Norther Spain and start to visit the Portugal ⇒ Portugal itinerary
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