Not every corner of Spain looks like the postcards promise. In the north, along the Atlantic coast of Spain, the country turns green: rolling pastures, limestone gorges, fishing villages, and the jagged wall of the Picos de Europa rising almost straight out of the sea. Locals call it España Verde — Green Spain — and it is one of the most rewarding, least crowded places to cycle in the country.
This guide covers five self-guided cycling tours through Cantabria, Asturias and the Picos de Europa, ranging from a compact six-day introduction to a nine-day route that starts inland in Castile.
Why cycle Green Spain
Green Spain earns its name from the weather that shapes it: Atlantic fronts roll in off the Bay of Biscay year-round, keeping the hills lush and the rivers full even in summer. It is a different kind of Spanish cycling holiday — closer to Ireland or the west of England in feel than to the sun-baked Mediterranean coast further south, with meadows, dairy farms, fishing ports and limestone peaks instead of vineyards and orange groves.
The riding follows the coast road and country lanes through Cantabria and Asturias, with the option to climb into the Picos de Europa, a compact mountain range that rises almost straight out of the sea to peaks above 2,600 metres. Villages here are small and little-visited by comparison with southern Spain, and the food changes accordingly — Cantabrian cocido, Cabrales blue cheese, Asturian cider, fresh anchovies and grilled sardines from the fishing ports along the way.
Choose your Green Spain route
Green Spain Bike Tour: the six-day introduction
The shortest of the five routes, this six-day, five-night tour is a compact loop from Santillana del Mar to Somo. It combines the medieval village of Santillana del Mar and the Altamira Caves museum with the coast road through Novales' lemon groves and Comillas, home to Gaudí's El Capricho, before a free day in San Vicente de la Barquera and a descent of the Miera Valley from 822 metres above sea level down to the golden sands of Somo beach.
Coast of Green Spain: eight days along the Cantabrian and Asturian coast
This eight-day, seven-night version extends the same Santillana del Mar to Somo loop westward into Asturias, adding a stage to the fishing village of Llanes through the Sierra de Cuera and a free day with the option of a hike through the Cares Gorge or a train ride to see the prehistoric paintings of the Tito Bustillo Caves, before returning east for the Miera Valley descent to Somo.
Green Spain & Picos de Europa: mountains over coast
Also eight days and seven nights from Santillana del Mar to Somo, this route trades the Asturias coast road for a push inland to Potes and the Picos de Europa, riding through the dramatic gorge of La Hermida into the mountain-ringed valley of La Liébana. A free day here means the cable car at Fuente Dé, hiking trails into the peaks, or simply the market village of Potes itself, before the same Miera Valley descent to Somo closes the loop.
Cantabria & Asturias Cycling Tour: the nine-day deep dive
The longest of the coastal routes, this nine-day, eight-night tour follows Santillana del Mar through Comillas and Llanes into Asturias, then turns inland along the Cares Gorge to the cave of El Soplao and the rural valley of Cabuérniga, known for its cocido montañés bean stew, before finishing at the spa town of Puente Viesgo, with its cave paintings at El Castillo and a vía verde cycle path along the River Pas.
Castile to Santander: from the source of the Ebro to the sea
The only route in this guide that starts away from the coast, this nine-day, eight-night tour begins in Campoo, close to the source of the River Ebro in Castile y León, and rides south through Aguilar de Campoo and the reservoirs around Cervera de Pisuerga before crossing the mountain pass of Piedraluengas into Cantabria. From there the route descends through the gorge of La Hermida to Potes and the Picos de Europa, then follows the coast through San Vicente de la Barquera and Santillana del Mar to finish in the city of Santander.
When to cycle Green Spain
This is an Atlantic, not a Mediterranean, climate — rain is part of the deal, especially outside the summer months, and it is exactly what keeps the landscape green. The riding season runs from spring to autumn; summer (July–August) brings the warmest, driest weather and the best chance of clear views from the Picos de Europa, while spring and early autumn are quieter, cooler, and just as green.
Ready to ride Green Spain?
From a compact six-day loop around Santillana del Mar to a nine-day traverse from inland Castile to the Cantabrian coast, Green Spain offers a quieter, cooler alternative to the rest of the country. Browse the full cycling tour catalogue or talk to a consultant for recommendations on dates and routes.
