Holidays in Northern Spain

WHY GO

Northern Spain has half the land area of southern Spain (Andalusia), but double the kilometres of coastline: Galicia, Asturias and Cantabria bring the mountains and the sea closer together.

It's perfectly possible to visit a medieval cathedral and get completely and beautifully off the beaten track on the same day; to go from an ancient hamlet in a beech wood to playing in waves at an uncrowded beach half an hour later.

There's plenty to keep young and not-so-young interested and contented.

You can hike alpine mountains, visit cathedrals, monasteries and museums, dipping into local history and pre-history; drive the exciting coastline, stopping at sandy beaches and little coves along the way and sample fine seafood in fishing villages; try local cheeses, ciders and wines, learn curious local traditions, explore National and Natural Parks, trek a thousand-year old forest, see cave paintings, cycle through leafy gorges, take a boat to paradisiacal islands, plant your feet in dinosaur footprints, scan the mountains where the last brown bears still live, take a narrow-gauge train ride or a cable car, see rare horse and bird species, swim in the Bay of Biscay or the Atlantic Ocean, in your private swimming pool or natural river pools.

And no matter where you are, there's almost always some weekend fair, especially between Easter and September, when saints are fêted and culinary specialities are celebrated.

Compared with the flamboyant south, where the population is increasingly international and large expanses can be monotonously agricultural or even desert, the north is home to a more traditional Spain with landscapes of rich, green countryside, mountain and sea. Its people are more reserved and home-loving, their way of life more resistant to change.

For many, Northern Spain and its climate represent a relief from the mass tourism of built-up Mediterranean costas and the southern heat that some find simply oppressive, although summer temperatures are often around 30⁰C.

Self-catering accommodation in Northern Spain, in Galicia, Asturias and Cantabria, range from villas with pools and traditional farmhouses to stone cottages, converted mills and village houses. Nature lovers can wake up in the spectacular Picos de Europa, children on an organic farm, others to the gentle sounds of pastoral village life.

Airports for Northern Spain at La Coruña, Santiago de Compostela, Vigo, Asturias, Santander and Bilbao are supplemented by ferrries to Santander and Bilbao.

A few locations in particular are far dryer and sunnier than others.

Southern Galicia, for example, is considerably sunnier and warmer than the far north and Asturias and Cantabria. This is why it is common to find villas with pools in Galicia. Elsewhere in northern Spain, swimming pools are something of a rarity. Southern Galicia is generally very mild. It has 30% more hours of sun per year than London or Munich, for instance. The fact that the region produces excellent wine, including some reds, demonstrates a very inviting climate.

Northern Galicia, although a little sunnier than other areas of Northern Spain such as Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque country, is nevertheless not as mild and dry as the south.

In Asturias and Cantabria, weather conditions are more uniform than in Galicia, but there is one special microclimate that stands out.

The Liebana region in Cantabria is a vast valley sheltered from westerlies by the impressive Picos de Europa massif. The winds blow themselves out against the protective mountains, depositing their rain outside the region. Mild temperatures here have created a wonderful mix of Mediterranean and Alpine forest. It is incredibly beautiful and green, yet the rainfall is half that of the nearby Cantabrian coast.

Read our holiday guide to Liebana in Picos de Europa, Cantabria.

Northern Spain is such a marvellous region of Europe, many-varied and natural, that prospective visitors are hearty recommended not to let concerns about less than picture-perfect than weather dissuade them.

CAR HIRE

Our holiday villas in Northern Spain tend to be in rural locations which are not served by buses and a car is generally essential. Unless you're taking the car ferry to Santander or Bilbao, you'll need to rent a car.

It's practical, convenient and needn't be expensive. It often works out cheaper than taking a taxi and is then invaluable for shopping, eating out, visiting places of interest, days out at the beach, and making an easy return trip at the end of your stay.

The road network is good and there are some very scenic routes. Bear in mind that country lanes are often narrow, so we wouldn't recommend a bulky vehicle.

Driving times from airports your holiday property are shown on the villa's property page. You will receive a map with detailed directions to your villa as one of your holiday documents from Rustical Travel.

Rustical Travel doesn't have a professional arrangement with any particular car hire company and we suggest you shop around for car hire using a broker such as rentalcars.com or similar.

It's easy to compare prices of rentals with companies that operate at the airport you fly into, and all the reputable agencies have online payment for advance booking these days.

You don't have to use the broker. If you prefer, you can check the car hire companies own websites, compare prices, and book direct.