2020 TOADS' PICOS MOUNTAINS + RIOJA TOUR
DATES: 9 DAY TOUR 2020 August 30th-September 8th ( 9 nights )
SHARING A DOUBLE/TWIN ROOM AND FERRY CABIN
COSTS: 2,295€ per person, based on two people per car sharing a ferry cabin and hotel bedroom
SINGLE ROOMS AND FERRY CABIN
COSTS: 2,950€ per person, based on two people per car but with separate ferry cabins and separate hotel bedrooms
CABIN UPGRADE OUTWARD FERRY
Increase for upgrade to Deluxe cabin from Club Cabin £130 per cabin on outward ferry
Increase for upgrade to Commodore cabin from Club Cabin £150 per cabin
CABIN UPGRADE RETURN FERRY
Increase for upgrade to Deluxe cabin from Club Cabin £116 per cabin on return ferry
Increase for upgrade to Commodore cabin from Club Cabin £150 per cabin
The price is in euros due to the uncertainty of predicting sterling to euros conversion rates
The costs include the following:
Accommodation in 4 star or 5 star stylish hotels ( 7 nights )
- Breakfast daily
- 3 course dinners, ( 7 nights )
- Overnight Brittany ferry from Plymouth to Santander with club cabin
- Return Ferry Santander to Portsmouth with club cabin
- Rally plate
- Comprehensive road book with daily itineraries and detailed route notes
- Highlighted Michelin map of Northern Spain
NOT INCLUDED ARE THE FOLLOWING :
- Lunches, snacks, coffees, etc.
- Drinks with dinner including bottled water and coffee
- Entry to places of interest
- Autoroute tolls
SUMMARY DESCRIPTION
A 9-day tour to the Picos Mountains and the Rioja region in Northern Spain. Our tour starts with an overnight ferry from Plymouth arriving in Santander at mid-day on Monday. We then drive southeast to the Rioja wine region where we spend two nights in a stylish hotel with a 2* Michelin restaurant. The next day we explore the local area visiting wine caves and museums. On the third day we drive west on a scenic mountain route to the Picos mountain region where we spend a night in a Parador hotel overlooking a lake. The following day we drive into the Picos mountains and visit Fuente De where there is an option to take the cable car up the mountain. We then drive north up the eastern slopes of the Picos to Panes then turn west along the northern Picos to Cangas de Onis where our Parador hotel for the night is located. The next day we drive south on a scenic road down to Riano exploring the western slopes of the Picos mountains. We then return northwest to Colunga, near the coast, where our Relaix et Chateaux hotel for the next three nights is located. The following day we relax at our hotel. The next day we explore the nearby coastline driving to Ribadesella, our lunch stop. On our final day we drive back to Santander to catch the afternoon ferry to Portsmouth which arrives the following day.
Sunday 30th August afternoon ferry 15.45 from Plymouth to Santander, northern Spain
Our afternoon ferry leaves Plymouth at 15.45 and arrives Monday at mid-day in Santander
Day 1 Monday 31st August
Santander to Ezcaray, ( 130 miles )
Our ferry arrives in Santander at 12.30 pm
After disembarking in Santander we head southwest on a scenic mountain route to Vitoria Gasteiz where we take the motorway to Santo Domingo de la Cazada. From here it's just a few miles south to Ezcaray, a sleepy village in the Rioja wine region.
Here our hotel for the next two nights, the Echaurren, is located.
The hotel, with a 2 star Michelin restaurant, is opposite a church
Tonight we eat in the hotel's Michelin 2* restaurant
Day 2 Tuesday 1st September
Ezcaray, local excursion Rioja wine region ( 60 miles )
After a leisurely breakfast we enjoy a local excursion in the Rioja wine region. We initially drive north for 10 miles to our morning coffee stop, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, a pretty medieval town.
We then drive 20 miles to Laguardia in the Rioja wine region.
Next, we visit the nearby Bodegas Ysios housed in an amazing building designed by Santiago Calatrava
Here there is an option at 1.00 pm to enjoy a guided tour.
We then drive 15 miles east to Briones where we visit the Museum Vivanco dedicated to wine production.
Our afternoon coffee stop is 6 miles away in Estacion famous for its local bodegas where we can visit local wine producers.
Late afternoon we return 20 miles to Ezcaray.
Dinner tonight is in the hotel's a la carte restaurant
Day 3 Wednesday 2nd September Ezcaray to Cervera de Pisguera ( 115 miles )
We leave Ezcaray and drive east into the Sierra de Demanda mountains for 40 miles to Burgos where we then take the motorway north for 5 miles before joining a country road to our morning coffee stop, Montorio, a sleepy village nestling in the hills.
After coffee we continue north, deviating to drive through the pretty village of Urbel del Castillo.
Our route then takes us to Cervera de Pisguera south of the Picos mountains where our Parador hotel is based in the outskirts of the town nestling in the hills overlooking a lake.
Dinner, tonight, is in the hotel's restaurant.
Day 4 Thursday 3rd September Cervera de Pisguera to Cangas de Onis ( 115 miles )
Our scenic route takes us north to Potes where we turn west to our morning coffee stop, Fuente De, in the heart of the Picos mountains.
Here, there is an option to take a cable car up to the mountain summit from where there are stunning views of the Picos Mountains.
We then return to Potes then turn north along the eastern slopes of the Picos to Panes.
Our route from Panes takes us west along the northern Picos towards Cangas de Onis deviating to Covadunga our afternoon coffee stop.
We then drive through the town of Cangas de Onis where our Parador hotel awaits us.
Dinner tonight is in the hotel's restaurant
Day 5 Friday, 4th September Cangas de Onis to Colunga ( 160 miles)
The next day we drive south on a scenic road down the western slopes of the Picos mountains to Riano, our lunch stop, overlooking a lake.
We then head northeast and then take a scenic mountain loop into the heart of the Picos driving anti-clockwise to Puerto del Ponton.
From here we retrace our route back to Sames, just south of Cangas de Onis then drive northwest to Colunga, near the coast.
Our 5* hotel is located in nearby Luces and is a member of the Relais et Chateaux group
Dinner, tonight is in the Hotel's restaurant
Day 6 Saturday 5th September no driving today
After 5 days on the road, today we relax around the hotel
Dinner, tonight is in the Hotel's restaurant
Day 7 Sunday, 6th September Colunga to Ribadesella, local excursion
Today we explore the local coastline with a drive east to Ribadesella, our lunch stop.
Dinner, tonight is in the Hotel's restaurant
Day 8 Monday, 7th September Colunga to Santander ( 95 miles )
We leave Colunga and head east to Santillana del Mar, our morning coffee stop, where we visit the pretty village.
After coffee, we continue east to Santander where we catch the afternoon ferry at 15.15 to Portsmouth
