DAY 1
Fly from Dublin to Santiago de Compostela, capital of Galicia and the end point of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route. Once you arrive in Santiago, collect your exclusive rental car at the airport and make your way into the centre of Santigo de Compostela. Your hotel for the next 2 nights is the 4* Eurostars Gran Hotel.
After check-in, visit the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral Museum to learn about its significance for pilgrims. Admire its collection of relics and sacred art or take a guided tour to the rooftop. Watch out for the famous Botafumeiro which swings dramatically across the church, dispensing incense as it goes.
You will be hungry after all your travels today. Galician food is hearty fare. Think cockles to start, roasted lamb for mains, and a chocolate fondant with red wine sorbet for dessert.
DAY 2
Start your day in the most delicious way at the city’s famous Mercado de Abastos food market. Be sure to try some Galician honey. You have two options for your first full day in Spain. You could visit the Convent of Santo Domingo de Bonaval in the Old Town. Built in 1220, it now houses the Museum of the Galician People. Next door is the Centre for Galician Contemporary Art, displaying more than 1,200 works of modern art.
Alternatively, you could leave Santiago and visit a winery. The city is at the heart of Rias Baixas, home of the albariño grape, and there are excellent wineries within an hour’s drive. Some – such as the Bodegas del Palacio de Fefiñanes – have been involved in wine making for centuries. Others – such as Paco and Lola – are less than 20 years old. But all showcase the famous Galician grape.
In the evening, sample the nightlife - Santiago style. There are lots of tapas options and plenty of traditional bars close to the hotel.
DAY 3
Say adios to Santiago and drive along Spain’s northern coastline to Oviedo, the elegant capital of the Asturias region. If it is low tide, make a pitstop at As Catedrais Beach, otherwise known as Cathedrals Beach. The dramatic natural arches and caves that make up the coastline here can only be viewed when the tide is out.
Oviedo is the starting point of the Camino Primitivo (the oldest Camino de Santiago) and has attracted religious pilgrims for centuries. In recent years, it has gained recognition for its fine arts museum, exciting gastronomic scene, and traditional cider bars known as siderías.
Once you have settled in your accommodation, make for the old town and the extraordinary Catedral de San Salvador. Its major attraction is the UNESCO-listed ninth century chapel containing two jewel-studded medieval crosses and a cloth that is said to have covered Christ’s face. Soak in the atmosphere of Plaza Alfonso II outside, then meander your way through old Oviedo, with its town hall, university, and opera house.
Make Calle Gascona your ultimate destination. This so-called Cider Boulevard is packed with siderías, where you can sample local cider, sip on artisan cocktails, and tuck into traditional Asturian fare such as fabada (a rich pork and bean stew).
Your hotel for the next 2 nights is the 4* NH Oviedo Principado.
DAY 4
Start with a visit to the food market at Plaza del Fontán. This is the perfect spot to discover Asturian produce such as pungent Picos de Europa cheese. You will also find one of the most popular flea markets in Spain here on Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings.
Feed your artistic senses by visiting the Museo de Bellas Artes de Asturias. Housed in two opulent palaces, it features works by Goya, El Greco, and other Spanish masters. Its award-winning extension – the Ampliación – houses works from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.
Our last three recommendations are architectural wonders. The parish church of San Julián de los Prados is a UNESCO World Heritage Site half a mile northeast of town and two miles to the northwest on Monte Naranco, you will find the Palacio de Santa María del Naranco and the Iglesia de San Miguel de Lillo. Both are key examples of the architectural style that developed in Asturias in the eighth and ninth centuries.
DAY 5
Depart Oviedo and set off for San Sebastian, which was once the summer capital of Spain. The Spanish monarchy had their summer residence here and the city still has so much to offer discerning holidaymakers.
If you desire, you could take a detour into Bilboa and visit the iconic Guggenheim Bilbao.
After you have settled in your accommodation, take a stroll along the two-kilometre promenade that overlooks Playa La Concha, one of the city’s three urban beaches. Walk barefoot on the sand, clear away the cobwebs with a dip in the ocean or relax with a drink in one of the beachside bars.
The Basques have invented their own unique version of tapas – culinary creations known as pintxos – which they pair with local beverages such as red Riojas and fizzy txakoli wine. Make for Parte Vieja (the old part of town) on your first evening and hop from bar to bar, sampling bite-sized morsels as you go.
Your hotel for the next 3 nights is the 4* Barcelo Costa Vasca.
DAY 6
Do as the locals do and start your day in the water with a surfing lesson on Playa de la Zurriola. It does not matter if you have never set foot on a surfboard, lessons will be tailored to your level.
You will be ravenous after an adrenaline-filled morning in the water. Just as well as lunch has been booked at Mirador de Ulia, a fabulous Michellin Star restaurant overlooking the city.
Work off those calories with some sightseeing and shopping. The former bullring of Plaza de la Constitucíon is at the heart of Parte Vieja, a maze of cobblestone streets that is now a charming mix of historic buildings and shops selling local fashions, homewares, and perfume. Do not miss the Iglesia de San Vincente with its gold altarpiece and stained-glass rose windows.
Aim to finish your ambling on the beach to the north of the city centre. Follow the promenade to Monte Urgull. Climb to the top for a sunset view and descend for another evening of pintxo hopping.
DAY 7
Your day begins at the foot of steep Monte Igueldo. Do not worry - you do not have to climb it. Take the funicular to the top instead, where you will savour panoramic views of the curving coastline and surrounding mountains. Take a ride on the traditional wooden rollercoaster at the old-fashioned Parc de Atracciones while you are here.
Stop at La Concha Beach on your way back into town. From here, you will take a boat out to the 32-metre-wide island in the middle of the bay. Santa Clara may be tiny, but it is renowned for the natural swimming pools hidden in its sheltered nooks. While away a few hours swimming, strolling, and enjoying a drink at its sunny seaside bars.
Back on dry land, your next stop is the International Centre for Contemporary Culture, also known as the Tabakelera. This former cigarette factory has something for everyone with its exhibitions, hands-on workshops, libraries, and shops.
DAY 8
Return home with indelible memories of the beauty, culture and fabulous food and drink of Northern Spain.