Santander to Gijón - Along the Coast

Santander to Gijón follows the coastline of "Green Spain" from Cantabria into Asturias, linking bay-front Santander with the smaller city of Gijón via a string of fishing villages and beach towns. The route runs along the waterfront and El Sardinero beaches out of Santander, past the unspoilt beaches of Liencres and along a stretch of the Camino de Santiago pilgrim trail, before reaching the medieval village of Santillana del Mar.

Riders continue west through lemon groves and the Modernist architecture of Comillas, including Gaudí's El Capricho, and through Oyambre Natural Park to San Vicente de la Barquera. Crossing into Asturias near Pechón, the route passes the emigrant villas of Colombres and the Sierra de Cuera before reaching Llanes, then a string of beaches, including the landlocked Gulpiyuri, to Ribadesella.

The final stages pass dinosaur footprints and the Jurassic Museum at Colunga en route to Villaviciosa, heart of Asturian cider country, before finishing in Gijón.

Highlights:

• The elegant seaside resort of Santander
• Tapas of Santander, anchovies of Cantabria, cider of Asturias, cheeses from the Picos de Europa
• Mountain and ocean views from the fishing village of San Vicente de la Barquera
• The charming fishing villages of Asturias: Llanes, Ribadesella, Lastres
• Dinosaur footprints and the Jurassic Museum of Colunga

Surface and terrain:
Coastal route through Cantabria and Asturias, hilly at times but with no long climbs; rated generally easy to intermediate. Daily distances 36-54 km. Carbon road, trekking, e-road and e-hybrid bikes offered; own bike accepted (transfer supplement applies).

Weather:
Season runs 28 March-25 October, spanning Cantabria and Asturias' mild, changeable coastal climate; no specific temperature or rainfall figures published.

Suitable for:
Self-guided cyclists comfortable with easy-to-intermediate coastal riding and short hilly sections, daily distances up to 54 km. Own-bike and e-bike riders catered for; helmets compulsory in Spain.