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lernidee.de · Escorted rail journey

Zugreise entlang Kantabriens Küste (Santiago de Compostela - San Sebastián)

Luxury rail journey along Spain's Cantabrian coast on El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo

Illustration of Zugreise entlang Kantabriens Küste (Santiago de Compostela - San Sebastián)

Lernidee.de operates this eight-day luxury rail journey along Spain's Cantabrian coast, departing Santiago de Compostela and ending in San Sebastián aboard the El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo. You spend seven nights in deluxe suite cabins on the train, which remains moored at stations during the day while guides lead coach excursions to nearby cities, museums, and natural sites. The itinerary moves steadily eastward, with days typically following this rhythm: a morning or early-afternoon train journey between overnight stops, then a guided coach excursion to landmarks like the Cathedral in Santiago, the pre-Romanesque churches of Oviedo, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, and Picos de Europa National Park. Meals are abundant on board, with a full breakfast buffet and a multi-course dinner each evening, plus wine and soft drinks included. This trip suits luxury seekers, history lovers interested in medieval churches and cave art, repeat rail travellers seeking a specialized train experience, and anyone drawn to Spain's northern coast and Basque culture.

What to know before you look closer

  • The tour requires mobility for boarding the train, walking through cities, and boarding coaches; the operator advises it is generally unsuitable for people with reduced mobility.
  • Flights to and from Santiago de Compostela and San Sebastián are not included in the from-price.
  • Multilingual guides speak English and Spanish; German-language guiding is only partial and not guaranteed.
  • Optional pre- or post-tour hotel nights are available on request due to train schedules.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo (Viveiro)

    Samstag: Santiago de Compostela – Viveiro

    Mittags Treffpunkt in Santiago de Compostela, Besichtigung des historischen Stadtzentrums und der Kathedrale. Busfahrt nach Ferrol, wo der El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo wartet (Willkommensgetränk an Bord). Zugfahrt nach Viveiro, Besichtigung des historischen Zentrums.

  2. Day 2overnight: El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo (Oviedo)

    Sonntag: Viveiro – Ribadeo – Luarca – Oviedo

    Zugfahrt nach Ribadeo, Busfahrt an der Küste von Lugo entlang bis zum Strand Las Catedrales, Panorama-Fahrt und Mittagessen. Busfahrt nach Luarca, Stadtbesichtigung. Weiterfahrt mit dem Zug nach Oviedo.

  3. Day 3overnight: El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo (Llanes)

    Montag: Oviedo – Gijón – Oviedo – Llanes

    Besichtigung von Gijón, Mittagessen, Rückfahrt nach Oviedo (präromanische Kunst Asturiens), Rückkehr zum Zug nach Llanes.

  4. Day 4overnight: El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo (Llanes)

    Dienstag: Llanes

    Busfahrt in den Nationalpark Picos de Europa (Enol-See, Santuario de Covadonga, Cangas de Onís), Zugfahrt nach Llanes, Stadtbesichtigung und Freizeit.

  5. Day 5overnight: El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo (Cabezón de la Sal)

    Mittwoch: Llanes – Cabezón de la Sal

    Zugfahrt während des Frühstücks nach Kantabrien, Busfahrt nach Potes durch die Schlucht Desfiladero de la Hermida, optional Spa La Hermida, Mittagessen, Besichtigung der Villa El Capricho von Antoni Gaudí in Comillas.

  6. Day 6overnight: El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo (Santander)

    Donnerstag: Cabezón de la Sal – Santander

    Besuch von Santillana del Mar und des Altamira de Neocueva-Museums, Mittagessen, Zugfahrt nach Santander, Stadtbesichtigung und Freizeit.

  7. Day 7overnight: El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo (Carranza)

    Freitag: Santander – Bilbao – Carranza

    Fahrt nach Bilbao inkl. Besuch des Guggenheim-Museums, Mittagessen und Freizeit, Weiterfahrt und Übernachtung im Zug in Carranza.

  8. Day 8

    Samstag: Carranza – San Sebastián

    Letztes Frühstück an Bord, Fahrt nach Bilbao, Busfahrt nach San Sebastián, Stadtbesichtigung. Reiseende gegen Mittag.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 1Midday start in Santiago de Compostela with a tour of the historic centre and Cathedral; board the El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo in Ferrol with a welcome drink.
  • Day 2Coastal coach journey to Las Catedrales beach near Ribadeo, featuring natural rock formations and a panoramic drive through Lugo province.
  • Day 4Full-day excursion by coach into Picos de Europa National Park, visiting Enol Lake and the Covadonga Sanctuary.
  • Day 5Coach journey through the Desfiladero de la Hermida canyon to Potes, followed by a visit to Antoni Gaudí's Villa El Capricho in Comillas.
  • Day 7Day trip to Bilbao by coach with a visit to the Guggenheim Museum, lunch, and free time in the city.

Included

  • 8-tägige Fahrt mit dem El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo mit 7 Übernachtungen an Bord
  • Zahlreiche Mahlzeiten inkl. Wein/Kaffee, alkoholfreie Getränke aus der Minibar
  • Begleitete Ausflüge im komfortablen Reisebus
  • Mehrsprachige Reiseleitung (Englisch und Spanisch sprechend; teilweise Deutsch sprechend - keine Garantie)

Not included

  • Flüge
  • Trinkgelder
  • Wunsch-Ausflüge

Questions travellers ask

Is all travel by train?
No. Seven nights are spent aboard the El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo, but the itinerary also includes guided coach excursions to coastal and mountain sites, such as Picos de Europa and Las Catedrales beach.
What is included in the price?
The from-price of EUR 9,900 covers eight days and seven nights aboard the train, all meals on board (full breakfast buffet and multi-course dinner, plus wine and soft drinks), guided coach excursions, admissions to sites like the Guggenheim Museum and the Altamira neo-cave, and multilingual escorted guiding.
What is not included?
Flights, tips, and optional excursions are not included. Pre- or post-tour hotel nights are available but must be arranged separately.
Which train is used?
The El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo, a luxury train with Deluxe suite cabins (double rooms).
When does this tour run?
Lernidee.de offers 22 departures between April and October 2026, and April to October 2027, with prices ranging from EUR 9,900 to EUR 11,100.
Is this an escorted or independent tour?
It is fully escorted. Lernidee.de provides multilingual guides in English and Spanish (German guiding is partial and not guaranteed) and organizes all coach excursions and city tours.

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