Costa Verde Express: Routes
 

2024 Season!

REGULAR TRIPS (6 days / 5 nights)

Green Spain Route: Bilbao – Santiago de Compostela (6 days - 5 nights)

Dates of departure from Bilbao, 2024 season:

  • May (peak season): 18
  • June (peak season): 1, 15 and 29
  • July (off-peak season): 13
  • September (peak season): 7 and 21
  • October (off-peak season): 5

 

Day one (Saturday): Bilbao-Santander

Reception at Concordia-Bilbao station, at 10 a.m., followed by presentation of the crew and rooms on board the train. Panoramic tour of the city and visit to the Guggenheim museum. Lunch on board while the train leaves for Santander. In the afternoon tour of the city, free time and dinner in a restaurant. Overnight in Santander.

Day two (Sunday): Santander-Llanes

While having breakfast on board, we will arrive at Cabezón de la Sal, from where the bus will take us to the cave of Altamira and the medieval town of Santillana del Mar. Food in Santillana del Mar. After lunch, the train will enter the Asturias region. Tour, Dinner on board and overnight stay in LLanes.

Day three (Monday): Llanes-Oviedo

After breakfast the bus will take us to the first capital of the Kingdom of Asturias, Cangas de Onís, then we will go into the heart of the Picos de Europa featuring Covadonga Sanctuary and Lake Enol. Later we will return to the train that will set off for Oviedo while we eat. Tour, dinner and overnight stay in Oviedo.

Day four (Tuesday): Oviedo-Luarca

After breakfast we will visit the vibrant coastal city of Gijón where will have some free time to wander around, followed by lunch. In the afternoon the train will take us to Luarca for a tour, dinner on board and overnight stay.

Day five (Wednesday): Luarca-Viveiro

While we have breakfast we will arrive at Ribadeo, the first Galician enclave on our route. Visit, free time and food in Ribadeo. In the afternoon, the train will take us to Viveiro. Visit, dinner and night at Viveiro.

Day six (Thursday): Viveiro-Santiago de Compostela

On our last day, while we are eating breakfast we will arrive in Ferrol, where we will say goodbye to the crew and travel to Santiago de Compostela by bus, capital of Galicia. Visit and lunch at the Parador Reyes Católicos, where we will say goodbye around 4 p.m.

 

Green Spain Route: Santiago de Compostela - Bilbao (6 days - 5 nights)

Dates of departure from Santiago de Compostela, 2024 season:

  • May (peak season): 25
  • June (peak season): 8 and 22
  • July (off-peak season): 6 and 20
  • September (peak season): 14 and 28
  • October (off-peak season): 12

Day one, Saturday: Santiago de Compostela-Viveiro

Reception at the Parador Reyes Católicos de Santiago de Compostela at 10 a.m. Tour of Santiago and lunch. In the afternoon by bus we will arrive in Ferrol where the train will be waiting for us. Presentation of the crew and accommodation. Visit to Viveiro, free time, dinner and night in Viveiro.

Day two, Sunday: Viveiro-Oviedo

While we have breakfast on board the train, it will arrive at Ribadeo, for a visit, free time and lunch in Ribadeo. In the afternoon the train will take us to the first Asturian enclave, Luarca, the 'White Town of the Green Coast'. Tour. Dinner on board and overnight stay in Oviedo.

Day three, Monday: Oviedo-Llanes

After breakfast we will take the bus to visit Gijón. In the afternoon we will visit the capital of the principality, Oviedo. Visit and free time. Late in the afternoon the train will set off for Llanes. Dinner on board and overnight stay in LLanes.

Day four, Tuesday: Llanes-Cabezón de la Sal

After breakfast we will take the bus to the heart of the Picos de Europa, Covadonga Sanctuary, Lake Enol and the first capital of the Kingdom of Asturias, Cangas de Onís. Lunch. In the afternoon, we will visit the village of Llanes, and then leave for Cantabrian lands. We will have dinner on board and spend the night in Cabezón de la Sal.

Day five, Wednesday: Cabezón de La Sal-Santander

After breakfast we will visit the Neocave of Altamira and the Medieval Village of Santillana del Mar. After lunch the train will arrive in Santander. Visit, free time and dinner in a typical restaurant. Overnight in Santander.

Day six, Thursday: Santander-Bilbao

During breakfast the train will head for the Basque region, arriving at the Biscayan capital, Bilbao. Visit and food. After lunch we will go back to La Concordia station, where the trip will end around 4 p.m.

 

MICRO-TRIPS (3 days / 2 nights)

Special micro-trip: Oviedo - Bilbao (3 days - 2 nights)

Dates of departure from Oviedo, 2024 season:

  • May: 1
  • September: 4

Day one, Monday: Oviedo - Picos de Europa - Llanes

Welcome on board the train at Oviedo station at 10:00. Passengers are taken to their rooms, followed by a visit to the historic centre of Oviedo. While we dine on board, we will arrive at Arriondas, from where we will depart on the bus to Picos de Europa, Lakes of Covadonga, Santuario and Cangas de Onís, first Spanish capital after the Reconquista. Dinner and night in Llanes. 

Day two, Tuesday: Llanes - Santillana - Santander

During breakfast, the train will arrive at Cabezón de la Sal, from where we will depart to visit the cave of Altamira, its museum and an accurate reproduction of the best example of Upper Palaeolithic rock art. Next stop is Santillana del Mar, a town with its magnificently preserved medieval historic centre. After lunch, we will head to Santander by train, the elegant capital of Cantabria. Visit to the city and spare time. Dinner and night in Santander. 

Day three, Wednesday: Santander - Bilbao

During breakfast, the Costa Verde Express will head off to Bilbao, saying farewell to the crew and train on, to visit this young and lively city, which has managed to reinvent itself after the decline of its traditional heavy industry. The tour to the city includes the entrance to the famous Guggenheim Museum, symbol of this new Bilbao. After the visit, we will finish the trip at approximately 14:00 at La Concordia station. 

 

 

Special micro-trip: León – Bilbao (3 days - 2 nights)

Dates of departure from León, 2024 season:

  • May: 9

First day (Thursday): León - Valporquero - Cistierna

The group will be welcomed at Hotel Real Colegiata de San Isidoro, León, at 10:00. Visit to the monumental city of León and lunch. In the early afternoon, we will take the train at San Feliz. Presentation of the crew and passengers taken to their rooms while the Costa Verde Express arrives at Matallana. During the evening, the bus will cross the spectacular Hoces de Vegacervera, arriving at Valporquero to visit its caves, famous for their stalactites, stalagmites and flows of whimsical shapes. Next, we will return to the train to travel to Cistierna where we will have dinner and stay overnight.  
 

Second day (Friday): Cistierna - Románico Palentino - Espinosa de los Monteros

While enjoying your first breakfast on board, the train will take us to Guardo, a beautiful town in Palencia. We will then travel by bus to visit the Roman Villa of La Olmeda, with its magnificent collection of mosaics, before discovering one of the best sites of Romanesque art in Europe, in the middle of the Camino de Santiago. Saldaña, Carrión de los Condes and Frómista, where we will have lunch. After visiting the impressive temple of San Martín and the Canal de Castilla, we will head back to the train to travel to Espinosa de los Monteros, a beautiful village of the Merindades in Burgos, followed by dinner and spending the night in Espinosa. 

Third day (Saturday): Espinosa de los Monteros - Bilbao

While you have breakfast, we will travel through the incredible landscape of the Valley of Mena to reach Balmaseda. Short visit to Encartaciones, before arriving on the bus at Bilbao. We will then visit the city and the universally known Guggenheim museum. Spare time, to end the trip at approximately 14:00 at La Concordia station. 

 

Special micro-trip: Bilbao - Oviedo (3 days - 2 nights)

Dates of departure from Bilbao, 2024 season:

  • July: 26
  • October: 18

First day: Bilbao – Santander

Passengers welcomed at La Concordia station – Bilbao at 14:00. Passengers will collect their luggage and be taken to their rooms on the Costa Verde Express train. Welcome drink as the train heads to Santander. Visit to the city and spare time. Dinner and night in Santander.
 

Second: Santander – Santillana – Llanes

While having breakfast on board, the train we will arrive at Cabezón de la Sal, from where we will head to visit the cave of Altamira and then the medieval town of Santillana del Mar. Food on board while the train leaves for Llanes. Visit, dinner and night in Llanes. 

Third day: Llanes – Picos de Europa – Oviedo

After breakfast, we will travel up to the Sanctuary of Covadonga and Los Lagos by bus, then travel to Cangas de Onis, first capital of the Kingdom of Asturias. When we get back to the train, we will have lunch on board while the Costa Verde Express heads to our final destination, Oviedo, where we will finish the trip at the Oviedo Renfe station at approximately 18:00.