ASTURIAS & CASTILE CASTLES TOUR 2025#21/09/2025

For those travellers wishing to reach the first hotel on the tour from the UK by ferry, the departure is at 21:30 from Portsmouth on 19th September arriving at Santander at 08:00 on 21st September, 2025. After all the cars have disembarked the ferry, the drive will be to Asturias. There is a guided visit to “El Capricho”, in Comillas designed by Antoni Gaudí, considered one of the jewels of European modernism. As this unique building is on our way to Asturias, it's definitely worth a visit. Today, lunch will be in a local restaurant close to the hotel, where the stay will be the first 2 nights of the tour. A welcome dinner and briefing will take place tonight at the Palacio de Luces hotel 5*, a renovated palace with an innovative wellness area.

The group will enjoy a mountain stage through Mirador del Fitu, popular viewing point with more than 50 years celebrating an international mountain race along its astonishing roads. One of the most privileged corners of Asturias, located in a recreational area with a platform that provides 360-degree views. In the surroundings you will be able to observe the Sueve Natural Reserve, the Picos de Europa National Park and the Ponga Natural Park. Today dinner will be served at the hotel.

The route today will drive us to the Redes Natural Park, crossing incredible secondary roads, valleys and natural parks. A guided visit to the MUMI (Mining Museum) is scheduled before lunch, where we will have the opportunity to learn about the origin and evolution of Asturian mining. We will be able to recreate a descent into the mine using a hydraulic elevator with the best safety measures. After the visit, today´s lunch is not organised but in the Asturian mining basin there are countless small towns to enjoy local gastronomy. The next 2 nights we will stay at the Gran Hotel Las Caldas 5*, a spa resort only 5 miles away from Oviedo. Dinner will take place at the hotel.

Today´s route will take us to Monte Naranco, in Oviedo, where a guided visit is planned to the most important Pre-Romanesque buildings in Europe: Santa Maria del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo, both UNESCO protected. After the visit, we will return to the route towards the council of Siero, where lunch will be scheduled for the group at a typical Asturian cider house to enjoy local products. Dinner will take place at the same hotel.

We leave the principality of Asturias to enter into the community of Castilla - Leon to discover its landscapes, roads and heritage. The route will cross the imposing Somiedo park with impressive mountain roads. Our destination will be the city of Astorga where a guided tour of the Episcopal Palace, designed by Antonio Gaudí will take place after lunch. Lunch will be a picnic, so you can enjoy it during the route. Several recommended stops are in your road book to make the most of the route. The next 2 nights will be at Eurostars Via de la Plata 4*, a charming hotel that stands on the stones of the former Convent of San Francisco. Dinner will be served at the hotel.

Today is a day to enjoy the roads that will lead us to Las Médulas, a World Heritage Site since 1997. A spectacular landscape environment formed by the traces of the largest open-pit gold mine in the entire Roman Empire. A route designed to be done calmly, enjoying these impressive reddish mountains, their viewpoints and unique panoramic views for the exceptional nature of the environment. This magnificent route will end in the El Bierzo region, west of the province of León and surrounded by valleys of immense beauty. Lunch today will be free, so you can enjoy the local cuisine. In the afternoon, there is a guided visit scheduled to the medieval Templar Castle of Ponferrada. Dinner will be at the same hotel.

We have a day of empty roads ahead of us, along beautiful secondary roads that cross the moors of Castilla y León. We will discover one of the treasures that belong to the National Historical Heritage, the Castle of Valencia de Don Juan. A visit to the 15th century castle and its museum located in the valley of the Esla river, is planned before lunch. We will continue our way following roads that will never cease to surprise us, from some endless straights that cross small Castilian towns, to winding roads to reach Salamanca, World Heritage city since 1988. Our accomodation today will be at Hospes Palacio San Esteban 5*, located in the city center. Today's dinner will be in a local restaurant walking distance from the hotel. An evening guided visit to the city is scheduled after dinner.

We will begin the route straight to Medina del Campo, an essential city to visit to understand the history of Spain with an impressive historical-artistic complex. A private guided tour of the Mota Castle will take place, including the castle's interior, galleries and towers. After visiting the castle and its surroundings, the route will continue through the land of wine, heading to an internationally recognized winery. The group will enjoy a visit to its vineyards and underground cellars, and lunch will be served after the visit. Tonight, the stay will be at Castilla Termal Monasterio de Valbuena, a 5* hotel located amongst the vineyards in the prestigious Ribera del Duero wine region. Dinner will take place at the same hotel.

Our final destination is Santander and to get there we will travel through mountain passes and back roads that are among our favourites. On route, you will find some recommended stops in your road book, as Ojo Guareña, a "karst" complex made up of more than 110 km of galleries, declared a Natural Monument in 1996; or Frías, a charming medieval town on the border between Castile and the Basque Country. As it is the last night of this tour, we want it to be memorable, so the stay will be at Hotel Real 5* in Santander, a historic hotel with the best views of the bay. A cocktail & farewell dinner will take place in Santander.

Today we reach the end of the tour. The way back to Portsmouth by ferry will be from the port of Bilbao, which leaves at 13:00 p.m.