Cantabria Coast & Valleys Cycling Tour

Day 1: Arrival in Santillana del Mar
You will be picked up from your arrival point and transferred to the medieval village of Santillana del Mar. After an introduction to your bike and a route briefing, the rest of the day is yours: wander the cobbled streets of the village, visit the Altamira Caves museum, or take a first easy ride along the country lanes down to the coast.

Day 2: Santillana del Mar – San Vicente de la Barquera (36–62 km)
You will ride west through green meadows, hills, and unspoilt coastline. Novales sits amid lemon groves, and Comillas welcomes you with a fine beach, a harbour, and the architectural sights of Gaudí's El Capricho and the Palace of the Marqués de Comillas. The route continues through the Parque Natural de Oyambre and along the beaches of Oyambre and Merón, with views of San Vicente and the Picos de Europa in the distance.

Day 3: San Vicente de la Barquera – Picos de Europa (56–70 km)
You will cycle around the headland of Pechón, crossing the River Deva at Unquera into Asturias. Colombres reveals the grand villas built by the indianos, emigrants who returned wealthy from the Americas. You will follow the Deva Valley through the rocky gorge of La Hermida, with mountains rising around you as you approach Potes and the valley of La Liébana, where you will spend two nights.

Day 4: Picos de Europa (free day)
You will have a full day to explore the three valleys that meet in Potes. The cable car at Fuente Dé offers sweeping views over mountains where brown bear and wolves still roam. Choose between hiking the green valleys or higher peaks, browsing the market village of Potes, or cycling up to the Monastery of Santo Toribio or the country monastery of Piasca. You can choose to stay in Potes itself or in Cosgaya, near the cable car, when booking.

Day 5: Picos de Europa – Cabuérniga (92 km)
You will head back towards Potes along the River Deva and then down the valley, with a long, gentle ascent towards the pass of Piedrasluengas and the border with Castile. From here you will journey through equally beautiful scenery to the village of Carmona, one of the best-preserved in Cantabria, before a final ascent and descent to your hotel in the valley of Cabuérniga.

Day 6: Cabuérniga – Villacarriedo (60–85 km)
You will ride across four river valleys on the way to Villacarriedo. The River Saja flows through the green meadows and villages around Cabuérniga, before a rise leads to the River Besaya and the medieval village of Riocorvo. Another climb brings you to the valley of the River Pas and the spa village of Puente Viesgo, and a final valley, that of the River Pisueña, leads to Villacarriedo.

Day 7: Villacarriedo – Santander (59–106 km)
You will climb to the limestone valley of the River Miera, then enjoy a marvellous descent to the mountain village of San Roque de Riomiera and the spa village of Liérganes. The route continues through farmland around Somo and the Bay of Santander, and a final boat trip across the bay takes you to Santander, the capital of Cantabria, with its seafront, tapas bars, and beaches.

Day 8: Departure from Santander
You will be transferred to the departure points of Santander or Bilbao.