El Transcantábrico: San Sebastián to Santiago de Compostela

On arrival, you'll be transferred to San Sebastián, where you can relax after checking in to your hotel. Extend your stay in Spain's gastronomic capital with a two-night stay in San Sebastián, and you can get to know the area better on one of our optional excursions - available at a supplement.

This morning, spend some time getting to know San Sebastián better on a guided tour, before enjoying lunch at a local restaurant. Later, you travel by coach along the coast to Bilbao.

In Bilbao, the magnificent El Transcantábrico train awaits. The crew onboard will welcome you aboard with a drink while you get accustomed to your luxurious surroundings, and then you'll be shown to your accommodation to relax and get comfortable.

When the train sets off to Carranza, you'll enjoy your first sumptuous dinner onboard in one of the retro dining cars, followed by entertainment this evening. The train will rest for the night in Carranza as you spend your first night onboard.

Waking aboard El Transcantábrico, your day begins with an à la carte and buffet breakfast in one of the vintage restaurant cars. Then, you'll journey to Bilbao to view some of the world's most well-regarded modern art at the Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Gehry, and discover the delights of this vibrant city.

Over lunch, your opulent rail journey continues to Santander, where you'll take a tour of the city before some time at leisure. This coastal city was a favored destination for royals at the end of the 19th century and has many reminders of its regal past, including the Magdalena Palace, which blends English and French architectural styles.

When you've enjoyed dinner, you could visit the Gran Casino de Santander, before returning to your cabin for the night.

As you enjoy breakfast onboard El Transcantábrico, you'll travel onward to the town of Unquera. From here, you'll take the coach to Potes, a charming village in Cantabria, crossing the stunningly beautiful Hermida Gorge, one of the natural wonders of the Picos de Europa, on the way. Next, you'll head to the Hotel Balneario de la Hermida where you can spend some time in the thermal spa.

After lunch, your journey continues to Comillas, where you'll visit the mansion of El Capricho, a 19th-century villa designed by famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. You'll then continue onto Cabezón de la Sal, where you'll enjoy dinner and spend the night aboard the train.

Today you will visit Santillana del Mar, a historic town that provides a window into life in Cantabria during medieval times. The center of town is perfectly preserved time capsule of this period, with rustic stone buildings lining cobblestone streets. It's a fascinating place to wander around and soak up the historic atmosphere, and is considered to be one of Spain's most beautiful villages.

Next, get ready to be amazed as you step even further into the past during a visit to the Altamira cave complex. Here, you can view prehistoric cave art dating from the Upper Paleolithic period more than 36,000 years ago. The polychrome paintings feature representations of animals including bison. After lunch, your luxury train travels onward to coastal Llanes, where you'll enjoy dinner and spend the night.

Following breakfast onboard, you'll take the coach to the Picos de Europa National Park. Spiky, jagged and elemental, this breathtaking mountain range is one of Spain's oldest national parks. On an exploration of this beautiful part of northern Spain, you'll visit Lake Enol and the sanctuary of Covadonga, which is a sacred place for Asturians.

At lunch time you'll return to the train, dining as you travel on to Oviedo, the capital of Asturias. Here, you set out on a guided tour of the city, before free time to explore on your own. At the center of this historic city is the Cathedral of San Salvador, the complex of which contains an 8th-century chapel built to house holy relics.

Dinner is back onboard El Transcantábrico as the train rests for the night in Oviedo.

Your first stop today is coastal city of Gijón, which sits on the shores of the Cantabrian Sea. You'll enjoy lunch here before continuing along the coast to Luarca. This small fishing village huddles round a harbor, but also has some stunning architecture. At the mouth of a steep river valley, Luarca's charm is revealed in its white buildings that reflect its seafaring heritage.

You'll be given a guided tour of the town before returning to the train for dinner and overnight in Luarca.

This morning you'll cross into Galicia in the very northwest of Spain. From Ribadeo, you'll take the coach along the coast to Lugo to visit Playa de Las Catedrales, one of the most photographed beaches in Spain due to its spectacular rock formations. You'll then take a tour of Ribadeo, uncovering a popular town of galleried and stone houses.

After lunch in Ribadeo, you'll board the train once more and head to Viveiro. Here, you'll have a guided tour of the town, and some free time to discover more on your own. With splashes of history, this is a popular coastal town for Spaniards and has an authentic air in its attractive streets. Dinner will be served back onboard the train, and you'll spend the night in Viveiro.

Enjoy your final breakfast aboard El Transcantábrico, while the beautiful scenery passes your window on your way to Ferrol. On arrival, the coach will be waiting to take you to Santiago de Compostela. Here, you'll visit the historic center of this incredible city, the destination of pilgrims making their way along the Camino de Santiago for hundreds of years. Historically important buildings and monuments line its ancient streets and charming square, including its magnificent cathedral.

After the visit, you'll head to your perfectly located hotel, said to be one of the oldest hotels in Spain, where you'll round off this wonderful tour of northern Spain.

You may wish to extend your stay, and spend two nights in Santiago de Compostela, and take advantage of our optional excursions available at a supplement.

Your epic journey aboard the luxurious El Transcantábrico has revealed through northern Spain's most beautiful destinations. Experiencing gastronomic delights, breathtaking nature and hidden gems, this scenic route has taken you from San Sebastián to Santiago de Compostela.

Waking in your historic hotel, your incredible trip ends today. Before a private transfer takes you from your hotel to the airport, you'll have some free time in Santiago to take a walk, do any last-minute shopping, or simply and watch the world go by.