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  (Options: Optional Activities, Longer Stays, Custom Itineraries, Cycling Holidays)
Asturias, Spain - 6 nights
Available April to October
Join us for a 6-night walking and culinary journey in Asturias, the heart of Green Spain. Still largely "undiscovered" as a tourist destination, this magical corner of the world offers breath-taking landscapes, deeply rooted tradition and tasty regional gastronomy. It’s a paradise for walking: rolling hills, limestone spires, sandy shores and quiet coves. It’s a temptation for the gourmet: fresh seafood, artisan cheeses, apple cider and free-range beef. Our 7-day itinerary in Asturias is designed to make the most of the region’s incredible diversity, with a variety of activities included.
 You spend the first 4 nights at a 3-star hotel in Arenas de Cabrales, in spectacular surroundings just outside the Picos de Europa National Park. Enjoy excellent self-guided walks and stunning scenery – quiet woodlands, rushing streams, idyllic meadows, limestone peaks. Taste a traditional stew in an alpine hamlet, chat with friendly locals, discover fascinating traditional architecture. Learn the secret story behind specialties such as Cabrales blue cheese and natural apple cider. And breathe in the fresh air.
 The second part of your week will be spent at the coast, with 2 nights at a 3-star hotel near Llanes, a charming fishing village with a historic Medieval quarter.
Enjoy the tiny port, nearby beaches and a guided walk to natural blowholes on the cliffs. Savor seafood tapas on an outdoor terrace. Order the catch of the day. Visit a local market and ethnographic museum. Then celebrate your week in "paraíso natural" with a farewell dinner in nearby Ribadesella. ITINERARY Day One  Travel to Northern Spain
• Arrival in Arenas de Cabrales (the Picos de Europa, Asturias)
• Optional visit to the Cabrales Cheese Cave-Exhibit (walking distance)
• Meet your local guide at the hotel for a personal welcome over a glass of wine
• Dinner at your hotel Day Two  Valleys of the Picos de Europa (Los Valles)
• Self-guided walking excursion directly from your hotel (choice of walks)
• Picnic lunch
• Cheese-tasting session with expert commentary (local blue, Queso Cabrales)
• Dinner at an excellent local restaurant (walking distance), special gastronomic menu featuring regional specialties Day Three  Alpine villages of the Picos de Europa (Los Puertos)
• Cheese-making demonstration and visit to a natural cave where cheese is aged
• Lunch: authentic regional cooking at a family-run restaurant
• Free time in the village
• Dinner: design your own tapas and cider route for a light meal
Day Four  Middle elevations of the Picos de Europa (El Través)
• Cooking class in which you learn to make traditional local dishes
• Lunch: your own creations from the class (drinks not included)
• Free time (optional short self-guided walk) • Guided ethnographic itinerary on Asturian culture with traditional cider house meal
• Cider-pouring lesson included Day Five The Eastern Coast of Asturias: Llanes  • Taxi transfer to Llanes (30 min by car)
• Trip to local daily market to buy picnic provisions for today (not included)
• Guided walk on the cliffs and picnic lunch
• Free time (use of rental bikes included, optional trip to the beach) • Self-guided stroll around the village
• Dinner not included: seafood tapas or fresh fish in Llanes (with our recommendations) Day Six The Eastern Coast of Asturias: Ribadesella  • Self-guided walking excursion near Llanes, picnic lunch
• Visit to ethnographic museum in Porrúa (European villages representative)
• Excursion by train to nearby Ribadesella and stroll along the boardwalk • Farewell dinner at a well-known restaurant near the marina Day Seven Optional extra night - not included in standard program Depending on flight times, clients may wish to book an extra night. Oviedo, Gijón and Bilbao all have lovely historical quarters / lively atmosphere with options for tapas or formal dinner. Oviedo - Gothic Cathedral and Pre-Romanesque chapels.
Gijón – marina and boardwalk.
Bilbao - Guggenheim Museum. GROUP SIZE A minimum of 1 participant is required to run this tour and the tour is limited to a maximum of 16 participants. (*Please inquire regarding larger groups) (The number of participants refers to how many persons are required to run the tour, not to how many persons you must have in your party. Please inquire.) HOW TO ARRIVE Convenient airports: Bilbao (also Oviedo or Santander) Extension hotels: Oviedo, Bilbao *These details are provided as additional information. Please check below to see if transfers are included in this tour. Difficulty of walking routes: Easy to moderate walks of 1 hour to 5 hours following well-maintained dirt tracks, footpaths and cattle trails (some loose rock, occasional muddy sections). Max ascent-descent 500m. BOOKING INFORMATION
Double Room/US$1650
Single Room/US$2025
Solo Traveler/US$2700 (High Season/US$3100 - - July 8-September 9)
Optional Transfer Package (if not renting a car)/US$975 (per booking, for up to 4 persons) *Pricing may vary depending on market fluctuation After availability is confirmed, a 20% deposit and the completed and submitted registration form will secure your reservation. Final payment is due no later than 75 days before your arrival date. Available upon request with start dates from April 15 to October 31 STANDARD PROGRAM *Six (6) nights' accommodation at 3-star hotels
*All breakfasts
*Two (2) picnic lunches
*Two (2) full lunches
*Three (3) special dinners with wine
*One (1) very special farewell dinner with wine
*Introduction by local (bilingual) guide
*Welcome with wine
*One (1) private cooking class
*Cheese-tasting session with commentary
*Cheese-making demonstration
*Cider-throwing demonstration
*Visit to an ageing cave
*Ethnographic excursion with guide and traditional meal served in a cider house
*Guided walk on the coast
*Two (2) self-guided walking routes, one in the mountains, one on the coast
*Rental bikes for 2 days in Llanes NOT INCLUDED *Dinner on days 3 and 5
*Drinks at lunch on day 4
*Lunch provisions on day 5
*Entrance to museums
*Public transport (train on day 6)
*Return to hotel by taxi on day 6
*Rental car for the week For further inquiries or to register, click here. Click here to return to top of page. CANCELLATION POLICY Please contact us for cancellation policy information. Travel insurance is highly recommended. CLIENT REMARKS "We thoroughly enjoyed travelling through Green Spain with some memorable and excellent stopovers. The itinerary you planned for us was really great and we appreciated all the effort you went to and the information provided. We were able to sample the culture and take in the history and scenery. Thoroughly enjoyed the food and wine too!" "Last summer you arranged for us a 15-day walk in the Picos de Europa. We were very pleased with the arrangement and your helpfulness - it was a marvelous tour. We have been looking at your website for another trip this summer in July. . ." "We are very pleased we found your company, you have been so kind and helpful. " "We wanted you to know how much we enjoyed our trip in Asturias. The routes provided allowed us to see the wonderful natural beauty of the area along with the historic villages, with their many churches and squares. The directions were clear and easy to follow. The degree of difficulty was just right for our level of fitness. Each of our hosts at our accommodations along the way were friendly and the rooms and meals they provided were excellent. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip and we thank you for helping to arrange our vacation in Spain." MAP* This exciting region is depicted below. You can also access Google MapsTM by clicking HERE.  *In some cases mapping may give clients a general sense of location due to changes in venue. Please inquire about specific location. Click here to return to top of page. |
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