Page 17 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

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Wild Spain: Cantabria,
Asturias and Galicia
• Duration 10 days, or add
this itinerary to Bilbao and
the Basque Lands for a
17-day tour covering a large
swathe of Northern Spain.
• Airports The nearest is in
Santander, also a major ferry
port with services from
the UK. The airport is 5 km
(3 miles) from the city
centre, and linked by bus.
• Transport This tour is
designed to be done by car.
The verdant valleys and majestic mountains of the Parque Nacional de los Picos de Europa
Onís (p111), which enjoys a Day 7: Oviedo
Day 1: Castro Urdiales spectacular mountain backdrop. Spend a day in handsome
and Lardeo Nearby Covadonga (p112) is Oviedo (pp110–11), a historic
Enjoy two of Cantabria’s also worth a visit, a charming city gathered around a splendid,
prettiest and most popular mountain town that is the main Gothic cathedral. Famous across
beach resorts, Castro Urdiales gateway to the stunning Parque Spain for its vibrant cultural
(p117) and Laredo (p117). Each Nacional de los Picos de Europa. life, it has Pre-Romanesque
has a delightful Old Quarter and churches located on the hills
some spectacular beaches. Day 5: Parque Nacional de overlooking the city.
Though the town beaches get los Picos de Europa
busy in summer, you’ll find You could spend weeks in this Day 8: Costa Verde
breathtaking, emptier stretches national park (p112). In one day Head west along the coast
on either side of the towns. you can at least enjoy a fantastic road which skirts the glorious
hike, some rock climbing or Costa Verde (pp108–9). With its
Day 2: Santander simply a picnic among some of cliffs and coves, verdant hills
Next up is the Cantabrian the most spectacular mountain and picturesque villages, this is
capital Santander (p117), which scenery Spain has to offer. easily one of Spain’s loveliest
was completely rebuilt in the and least spoiled stretches of
1940s after a devastating fire Day 6: Gijón coastline. Stop off and explore
destroyed its historic heart. Still Continue west to Gijón (p109), charming towns like Castropol,
an atmospheric port city, it has a port city with a charming old Luarca and Cudillero.
good seafood restaurants and town piled up on a narrow
some wonderful beaches. isthmus. It has some great Day 9: Lugo
restaurants, long beaches and Cross the border into Galicia,
Day 3: Santillana del Mar and a few museums, which are and aim for the ancient city of
the Cuevas de Altamira worth visiting. Lugo (p103). Once an important
Drive west to Santillana del Mar Roman settlement, Lugo is
(p116), which, despite its name, still ringed by spectacular
is not on the coast but set a and remarkably intact Roman
few kilometres inland. It is an walls, which you can climb
enchanting and beautifully to enjoy fabulous views. Within
preserved town, replete the walls, the old city is a
with churches, palaces and charming jumble of narrow
mansions. Then visit the streets and pretty squares –
Cuevas de Altamira (p116), perfect for a wander.
site of prehistoric cave art just
a couple of kilometres from Day 10: Santiago de
Santillana del Mar. Although you Compostela
can’t visit the original caves, the End your journey in the magical
paintings have been re-created city of Santiago de Compostela
in the excellent museum. (pp94–7) – the goal of pilgrims
for more than 1,000 years. An
Day 4: Cangas de Onís enchanting city built of cool
and Covadonga grey stone, it is dominated by its
Stroll around the ancient Beachcombers soak up the sun at Playa del magnificent cathedral, said to
Asturian capital of Cangas de Camello, Santander contain the bones of St James.

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