Discover diverse landscapes, delicious food, and provinces bursting with personality.
Travelers who venture to northern Spain will discover well-preserved medieval villages, postcard-perfect mountains and beaches, and some of the best food the country has to offer. On this tour of the region, you’ll explore historical, cultural, and culinary treasures in Bilbao, San Sebastián, Santander, Oviedo, and Santiago de Compostela. Then, head south, to the Castilla and Leon region, where you’ll explore Salamanca’s 13th-century university and marvel at Segovia’s imposing Roman aqueduct before making your final stop in bustling, cosmopolitan Madrid.
Your tour package includes
10 nights in handpicked hotels
10 breakfasts
4 dinners with beer or wine
1 cider tasting
1 food tasting
8 sightseeing tours
Expert Tour Director & local guides
Private deluxe motor coach
Included highlights
Guggenheim Museum
San Sebastián
Altamira Cave Museum
Oviedo Cathedral
Asturias cheese tasting
Cidery visit & tasting
Lugo
Santiago de Compostela Cathedral
University of Salamanca
Alcázar of Segovia
Itinerary
Overnight Flight1 night
Day 1: Overnight flight
Board your overnight flight to Bilbao today.
Bilbao2 nights
Day 2: Arrival in Bilbao
Included meal: Welcome dinner
Welcome to Spain! Arrive in Bilbao, an industrial port city in the Basque Country that’s home to the iconic, Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim Museum, as well as a world-renowned dining scene. Get to know your Tour Director and fellow group members at tonight’s welcome dinner.
We handpick every hotel to strike the balance of comfort, location, and local charm. Specific accommodations will vary based on your departure date, but these are frequently used hotels for this tour and we're confident you'll be satisfied.
This contemporary hotel is located in Bilbao, Spain’s business district. Guests enjoy the gym, spa and wellness center, and tapas bar. Nearby you’ll find the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum, Albia Gardens, and Moyua Plaza.
Silken Coliseum
This unique hotel is set in a former cinema in the Santander. Guests enjoy the fitness center, on-site cafe, and overall charm of the building. Nearby you'll find the Museum of Modern Contemporary Art, Magdalena Palace, and...
Hotel Silken Monumental Naranco
This modern hotel is located in Oviedo's Losa de Renfe area. Guests enjoy the indoor pool, fitness center, and on-site coffee house. Nearby you'll find Plaza de España, the Old Town, and several cider bars.
Compostela Hotel
This modern hotel housed in a historic building is located in Santiago de Compostela's Plaza de Galicia. Guests enjoy the on-site restaurant, bar and coffee house. Nearby you'll find the Cathedral, the Museum of Pilgrimage, and...
Hotel Soho Boutique Canalejas
This boutique style hotel is located in Salamanca's Old Town. Guests enjoy the stylish rooms, on-site restaurant, and delicious breakfast. Nearby you'll find the Art Deco & Art Nouveau Museum, Jesuítas Park, and the Pozo de las...
H10 Tribeca
This industrial-inspired hotel is located close to Paseo de la Castellana in the business district of Madrid. Guests enjoy a restaurant, lobby bar, and library. Nearby, you’ll find the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Plaza de...
Round-trip flights are one more thing we handle to make your journey as smooth as possible. Our team of travel experts will find the best flight itinerary for you at a competitive rate, thanks to our partnerships with top airlines.
Add our airfare and you’ll get:
Round-trip flight for your tour
Airport transfers at your destination
A great price locked in today
24/7 support from our dedicated service team
Options for arriving early, staying longer, or requesting an upgrade
Flexible rebooking options if your tour itinerary changes
In order to enter Spain, U.S. and Canadian citizens need a valid passport with an expiration date extending at least six months beyond the date of reentry.
We recommend having at least one blank passport page for entry stamps.
Beginning in 2025, U.S. and Canadian passport holders must register for an ETIAS travel authorization in order to enter many European countries.
Passport holders from over 60 visa-exempt countries (including the U.S. and Canada) will need to apply for an ETIAS travel authorization in order to visit 30 European countries. That means that even if you’ve previously traveled to any of these European countries without a visa, starting in 2025, you’ll need to get ETIAS authorization to visit them again. If you’re traveling to multiple countries with this requirement, you only need to complete the form once. All Go Ahead travelers are responsible for obtaining their own ETIAS travel authorization before departure. For more details, please visit our Help Center.
If you are not a U.S. or Canadian citizen, you must contact your destination country’s consulate for your specific entry requirements.
You can see the most up-to-date entry requirements for the destination(s) you’ll visit on tour by going to goaheadtours.com/entry-requirements and searching the code NSP.
You will walk for at least two hours daily across moderately uneven terrain, including paved roads and cobblestone streets, with some hills.
Travelers should be healthy enough to participate in all included walks without assistance. Adding optional excursions may increase the total amount of walking on your tour.
You should feel comfortable managing your own luggage at times.
Go Ahead Tours and the Tour Director who accompanies your group are unable to provide special, individual mobility assistance to travelers on tour. The responsibility of the Tour Director is to ensure the group as a whole enjoys a relaxing and informative journey, and he or she cannot be relied upon to provide ongoing, individualized assistance to any one traveler.
If you have any mobility concerns or physical restrictions, please contact our Customer Experience Team.
Round-trip flights booked through Go Ahead Tours arrive in Bilbao and depart from Madrid. A representative from Go Ahead Tours will meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel. Please remain in the arrival lounge, as the representative might be escorting one of your fellow travelers to the bus at the time of your arrival.
Transfers to and from the airport at your destination are included for travelers who have purchased their flights through Go Ahead Tours. Travelers who purchase their own flights may request airport transfers with Go Ahead Tours for an additional cost.
All other included transportation on this tour is by private motor coach.
Please note that our travelers are limited to one checked bag and one carry-on bag per person due to storage limitations on motor coaches and other transfers, which may include train connections or flights.
Contact your airline(s) for baggage size and weight restrictions for your flights, which may include on-tour flights in addition to your round-trip flights to and from tour. Please note that your included on-tour flights may have more restrictive baggage limits.
Some airlines may impose additional charges if you choose to check any baggage or exceed baggage size and weight restrictions. Be advised that you are responsible for any baggage fees incurred on all flights.
Make sure you label your baggage and keep valuables, medication, and documents in your carry-on bag.
We recommend packing lightweight, loose-fitting clothing that can be easily layered to accommodate varying temperatures, as well as a light jacket or rainwear.
A sturdy pair of walking shoes or sneakers is recommended for sightseeing.
You may want to pack dressier attire if you plan to visit a high-end restaurant or attend a special performance.
It is preferable not to visit churches or other religious sites with bare legs and shoulders (and entrance may be denied on this basis).
At least 60 days prior to departure, check with your doctor or healthcare provider for the latest updates and entry requirements, or visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at cdc.gov.
If you take daily medication, be sure you have enough for each day of the tour as well as any possible delays encountered.
If you have dietary restrictions and/or food allergies, please notify Go Ahead Tours at least 30 days prior to departure by logging in to your account and updating your traveler info. To update this information closer to your departure date, please call our Customer Experience Team.
You can see the most up-to-date entry requirements for the destination(s) you’ll visit on tour by going to goaheadtours.com/entry-requirements and searching the code NSP.
In Northern Spain, enjoy breakfast like a local with just a pastry and coffee. Then, tuck into a three-course lunch featuring freshly caught seafood and other regional staples. Dinner is less hearty than lunch and is typically served late, between 9pm and midnight.
In Basque Country, pintxos—small, tapas-style snacks that are usually spiked with a toothpick to a piece of bread—are especially popular.
Spain produces a wide variety of both white and red wines throughout its many regions. Northern Spain’s Rías Baixas region is renowned for its white wines, which are made from Albariño grapes.
Spain operates on the European standard 220-240 volts and uses Types C, E, or F plugs with two small, round pins.
We recommend packing a universal adapter, as well as a voltage converter if you plan on using your own hairdryer or other device without a built-in converter.
The strength of the air conditioning in European hotels is often not as strong or as cool as what you might be used to in the U.S. or Canada. When air conditioning is available, it is usually regulated seasonally and controlled centrally by the hotel.
Your hotels may provide hairdryers, irons, and other small appliances. However, these amenities cannot be guaranteed.
Wi-Fi is available in most hotels, though some charges may apply.
There is no Wi-Fi on any of the motor coaches.
Please contact your mobile service provider for information on roaming charges.
Spain is one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and six hours ahead of Eastern Time (ET).
When it’s noon in New York, it’s 6pm on tour.
You will use the euro on this tour.
Better rates of exchange are usually available overseas, although it’s worth ordering some currency from your local bank to use when you first arrive.
We strongly advise that you take debit/bank cards and credit cards, which can be used to withdraw cash at local banks as needed.
You can use most debit/credit cards at ATMs on the international networks Cirrus and Plus, but make sure to check with your home bank about withdrawal fees.
Inform your bank and credit card company of your travel plans so that they won’t confuse your international purchases for fraudulent charges.
International banks and businesses primarily accept debit and credit cards that work with the EMV chip system. If you do not already have at least one debit or credit card with a chip in it, we strongly recommend requesting one from your bank prior to your tour.
At the conclusion of your tour, it’s customary to offer your Tour Director and driver a gratuity in local currency. Please keep current exchange rates in mind.
We recommend tipping the equivalent of $10USD to $12USD per person per day for your Tour Director and the equivalent of $3USD per person per day for your driver.
If applicable, we also recommend the equivalent of $2USD per local guide.
Tips can only be paid in cash.
Most optional excursions will be available for purchase while you are on tour.
Your Tour Director will only accept cash (in USD only), Visa, or MasterCard as payment for excursions.
Please be advised that if you pay for an excursion by credit card while on tour, it may take up to three months for your card to be charged.
Some optional excursions may only be purchased in advance. See page four of your tour itinerary for more information.
Beautiful places! Above-excellent tour guide, Alberto! Great bus drivers! And --- a nice group of fellow travelers!
Northern Spain
5 out of 5 stars
1st-time traveler Regina, traveled in Apr 2024
It was a nice overall trip. I learned a lot about Spain. Loved learning about the history and see all the historical sights in this country. I really enjoyed the people on the trip, we had a great group of people.
Northern Spain — a bucket list trip!
5 out of 5 stars
2nd-time traveler Carolyn, traveled in Apr 2024
Search YouTube and learn some greetings and courtesies in Euskara, the Basque language and use them in Bilbao. Try txakoli, a white wine of the region. Visit the Guggenheim Museum and modern Bilbao! Next, off to San Sebastian, Guernica (Gernika), and take a photo of the sunset...
Saint Alberto
5 out of 5 stars
1st-time traveler Andrea, traveled in Apr 2024
Tour Director, Alberto, was excellent. He is a very kind, patient and compassionate man in addition to being fully informed and enthusiastic about the tour. Bus drivers, Diego and Vanesa, were outgoing and helpful.
Poorly planned
3 out of 5 stars
5th-time traveler Mary Ann, traveled in Apr 2024
Hotels: mostly ok but one (Santander) was terrible and way out of the city center. I always felt rushed. We were in Spain during many holidays but they were not taken into account and planned around. Included meals were satisfactory. The tour felt disjointed. Very...
EF Go Ahead Tours
Mary Ann, thank you for your review. We are so disappointed that hotel accommodations and itinerary organization fell short of...
Not ready for primetime
3 out of 5 stars
8th-time traveler Anonymous, traveled in Apr 2024
This was our 8th EF TOUR AND OUR LAST. Was poorly planned and exhausting even tho rated as Moderate. Without taking optionals, city walking tours were difficult with all cobblestone streets and numerous hills. Arrived on a Sunday in Bilbao. Everything closed. Scheduled to...
EF Go Ahead Tours
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We were able to speak with you directly about your tour experience. It was a very...
