Northern Spain

The most detailed guidebook available to this unique and compelling region of Iberia.

Northern Spain offers enormous variety. In a single trip, you could explore Celtic heritage in Asturias, feast on Atlantic octopus in Galicia, enjoy pintxos snacks before a traditional asador barbeque in the Basque Country, surf breakers in the Bay of Biscay, walk and watch wildlife in the mountainous Picos de Europa National Park, travel along the winding Feve narrow-gauge railway or the luxurious Transcantabrica Gran Lujo train, and enjoy a gentle bike ride along a 'Via Verde' (a disused railway line converted into walking and cycling routes). Hikers and pilgrims alike tread along three ancient trails that comprise the Camino de Santiago, with the shrines of Santiago de Compostela as their ultimate destination. La Rioja is Spain's most renowned wine region, where wineries include the mind-bending Marques de Riscal, designed by Frank Gehry—who also designed Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum.

Northern Spain is also a genuinely surprising region. Bagpipes are just as important a part of musical culture in some parts as they are in Scotland. In summer, homes in the wine-making region around Pontevedra are transformed into pop-up restaurants, with visitors invited to dine in garages, living rooms and homely kitchens—a traditional way of selling excess wine. Some medieval churches defy expectations, decorated with scenes that would be at home in the Kama Sutra. And if you're up for a challenge, why not try to speak Euskera, the unique Basque language with no known linguistic relatives?

With heatwaves increasingly characterising Spain's popular Mediterranean coast in summer, the country's north—known as 'Green Spain'—offers more clement conditions for a rewarding holiday. This deep dive into a hitherto under-rated region provides incisive context on modern history and environmental, social and economic issues, enabling you to take well-informed decisions about how best to experience this compelling corner of Iberia, extending from Galicia in Spain's far northwest, east through the Basque Country to Navarra.