Tour Date: 12 to 20 June, 2026Location: Spain
We invite you to join us on a eight-night tour in Asturias and the Basque Country. For the first three nights we are based in the four-star Hotel NYX Bilbao, centrally located near the Old Town, tram, metro and railway. Over the next seven days we’ll explore some of the most scenic railway lines in the Basque Country and Asturias, as well as two excellent railway museums. We begin with the Basque Railway Museum, including a ride on a steam train, and the following day you have the option of a free day in Bilbao or joining David on an out-and-back day trip to Santander.
We move on to León via the long scenic line served by one train per day each way with an overnight break in the journey at Cistierna, where dinner is included. In León we have an afternoon guided walking tour to explore this under-rated city and the following day we travel to Oviedo on the last remaining train that still goes over the top of the mountains rather than through the new tunnel. We spend three nights in Oviedo with two days out on some of the very scenic railways. On the last day we take a high-speed train south to Madrid, this time through the new tunnel, with suburban rail connections to Madrid Airport from where we fly out.
If you have not explored Asturias and the Basque Country, you are in for a very pleasant surprise.
Your Tour Manager for this trip is David. Should you have any queries about the itinerary or if you wish to have a chat with him about the trip, please feel free to e-mail him on david@ptg.co.uk.
- Holiday is fully escorted from arrival into Bilbao until Madrid on your homeward journey.
- A maximum group size of 20
Availability
Tour Highlights
Day 1 – Friday 12 June, 2026
We have flights from Gatwick or Mancheter to Bilbao, from where we transfer to our city-centre hotel, our home for the next four nights. Overland option available, departing London St Pancras. It may also be possible to sail from Portsmouth or Plymouth to Bilbao or Santander. Please ask for details of the rail and sail options. Evening free to settle in.
Day 2 – Saturday 13 June (B, L)
This morning, we travel by coach to the Basque Railway Museum at Azpeitia. Here we find a wonderful collection of narrow-gauge locomotives, carriages, trams and even an ex-London Transport trolleybus. There is also a steam crane which is still operational, and they run one of the trams along a very short section of track. After time to look around this excellent museum and ride on the tram, we join our steam-hauled train for a trip along the 5 km line to Lasao station. Though short, the line has nice views of the River Urola which we follow for much of the journey. At Lasao the loco runs round and we head back to Azpeitia. Lunch in a local restaurant is included, then we return to Bilbao, with a trip on the La Reineta Cable Car, which takes us up to 400 metres above sea level, giving spectacular views across the city. After travelling back down, our coach will take us back to our hotel.
Day 3 – Sunday 14 June (B)
A choice of activities today. Either spend the day exploring the city of Bilbao, with its many museums and excellent transport system, or join David on an out-and-back train ride to Santander. Train services are limited on this line, so you will be able to have a quick lunch and return in time for dinner in Bilbao, or spend several hours exploring this modern city with a late evening arrival back in Bilbao.
Day 4 – Monday 15 June (B, D)
The Bilbao to León line passes through some beautiful, and at times unusual, scenery and mountain formations, and there is no better way to see this than by train. With a departure from Bilbao just after lunch, we travel as far as the little town of Cistierna, with an evening arrival in time for dinner at the small hotel located right next to the station.
Day 5 – Tuesday 16 June (B)
We finish our journey to León this morning and will drop our luggage at the hotel. Walk with David to Plaza San Marcelo, with a break for lunch and then we meet our guide for a walking tour around the most attractive parts of the historic centre. A great way to stretch our legs after the long train journey! León has a very attractive centre, with a cathedral and The Casa Botines, dating from the late 19th century, a modernist building designed by Antoni Gaudí. We finish the walk in Barrio Húmedo, a charming area, where you can find many bars and restaurants. Don’t miss the breathtaking stained glass windows in the cathedral – amongst the best in the world.
Day 6 – Wednesday 17 June (B)
We head to Léon main-line station today to catch our morning train that takes us over the old mountain route to Oviedo, with some breath-taking scenery. We arrive in Oviedo in time for lunch and we will have a guided walk in the Asturian capital in the afternoon. Oviedo contains a very rich architectural history, with many buildings dating back to the early medieval period. In particular, look out for the Cathedral of San Salvador, which was erected in 1388 over the previous cathedral, which itself was founded in the 8th century. The Tower on the south side of the church was erected in 1556. The north tower was never completed. Also look out for the La Foncalada fountain from the 9th century. It is the only preserved Pre-Romanesque civil work in the whole of Europe.
Day 7 – Thursday 18 June (B)
Oviedo is served by two suburban rail networks, the “Cercanías” broad gauge lines and the metre gauge former FEVE lines. Today we experience both of these. We will travel out to El Entrego on the FEVE lines to visit the excellent MUMI mining and industrial museum, with its own railway allowing us to experience the railway journeys made daily by the miners. At the end of the afternoon, we return to Oviedo on the Cercanías line.
Day 8 – Friday 19 June (B,D)
Our last day, and we take a trip on the region’s FEVE lines to the coastal town of Gijon and its railway museum. The railway museum is located next to the station and has more than 1,000 objects, of which 140 are rolling stock including steam and diesel locomotives, wagons, trams and other material related to the history of trains in Spain. It is arguably the most interesting railway museum in Spain. Alternatively have a wander through Gijon’s Old town, or, if you feel like sunbathing, Playa de Poniente beach is right next to the railway museum!
You can return to Oviedo on the direct line we used this morning or join David on a more circuitous route along scenic lines to Pravia and back to Oviedo from there. Tonight, we have our farewell dinner in a local restaurant a 15-minute walk from the hotel.
Day 9 – Saturday 20 June (B)
We join our high-speed train at Oviedo and head south to Madrid, this time using the new tunnel. At Chamartín station we catch a suburban train to the airport for our flights home.
This tour does have a fair bit of walking, including hills and steps. By its nature, on this trip you need to be able to walk around locations with steep hills, stairs and cobbled streets, keeping up with the main group. On certain days you need to be able to walk between hotels and railway stations with your luggage.
Holiday Prices (per person)
- 9-day trip from Bilbao to Madrid: £1,650
- 9-day trip with flights from London Gatwick: £1,895
- 9-day trip with flights from Manchester: £1,895
- 11-day trip with flights from Bristol: £2,075
- 11-day trip overland by rail from home UK station: £2,245
(book early to get first class and Eurostar Plus)
* overland travel includes a First Class Interrail ticket which can be used from your home UK station to London (on day of tour or day before) and return from London to home station today. Overland price also includes a night each way at a hotel in Hendaye.
Options
- Main hotels single use room supplement: £390 (£510 for overland option)
- Alternative hotel (in Bilbao only), single use supplement: £250 (£370 for overland option)
Deposit
- £400 own flights or £700 including flights. £1,000 if travelling overland
Online Booking
Please note that you cannot book a flight inclusive trip on our website but if you select the flight option you prefer then we will contact you with the flight details and convert your booking into a flight inclusive package.
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We recommend you also check the FCO website for the latest travel advice https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
Travel from UK
By air:
- Vueling 15:00 Gatwick to Bilbao (arr 18:05)
- Easyjet 06:45 Manchester to Bilbao (arr 09:55)
Or Overland by rail:
- 11/06 – rail travel from your local UK railway station in first class (can be day before)
- 11/06 – 10:24 St Pancras to Paris Nord (arr 13:58)
- 11/06 – 16:05 Paris Montparnasse to Hendaye (arr 20:47)
- 11/06 – Overnight in Hendaye hotel
- 12/06 – 10:03 Hendaye (Euskotren* station) to San Sebastian (Donostia) 10:43
- 12/06 – 11:50 San Sebastian (Euskotren) to Bilbao (Matiko) arr 14:25
*Euskotren is the Basque meter gauge railway which runs along the north coast of Spain.
Return to UK
Flight Options:
VY6634 15:00 London Gatwick to Bilbao (arr 18:50)
IB1863 18:40 Madrid to London Gatwick (arr 20:00)
EZ2005 06:45 Manchester to Bilbao (arr 09:55)
IB1893 17:05 Madrid to Manchester (arr 18:35)
No direct outward from LHR to Bilbao but return from Madrid is fine:
Ib723 16:50 Madrid to London Heathrow (18:15)
11 June: EZ2737 13:20 Bristol to Bilbao arr 16:10 (for pre-tour night in Bilbao)
21 June: FR154 21:10 Madrid to Bristol arr 20:25 (includes extra night in Madrid)
Or overland by rail:
- 20/06 – 14:46 Madrid Chamartin to Irun (arr 21:09)
- 20/06 – Overnight in Hendaye hotel
- 21/06 – 09:32 Hendaye to Paris Montparnasse (arr 14:20)
- 21/06 – 16:13 Paris Nord to London St Pancras (arr 17:30)
- 21/06 – onward travel by rail to any UK railway station in first class
Hotels
- Bilbao (3 nights): Hotel NYX Hotel NYX Bilbao
- Cistierna (1 night): Hotel Spa Puerta Vadinia
- León (1 night): Hotel My Palace Hotel My Palace
- Oviedo (3 nights): Hotel AC Oviedo Forum