El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo, Northern Spain

El Transcantábrico luxury trains have been travelling through Cantabria, Castille, Asturia and the extraordinary Picos de Europa for 25 years.

Either going from Santiago de Compostela to San Sebastián, or from San Sebastián to Santiago, the magic of northern Spain awaits the traveller; from Galicia to the shores of the Bay of Biscay.

Gastronomy, art, monuments and landscapes are presented to the voyager from the comfort of a five-star train hotel, El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo.

Routes & Map

Itinerary: Santiago de Compostela – San Sebastián

Meeting Point: 12.00hrs  Santiago de Compostela, Parador Nacional de Los Reyes Católicos,  Plaza del Obradoiro, 1     Telephone: +34 981582200

Day 1, Saturday

• Santiago de Compostela
• The Praza or Plaza do Obradoiro, the Platerias (full of silvermiths’ shops) and the Cathedral
• Lunch in Santiago de Compostela
• Ferrol by coach to meet the train
• Viveiro

Day 2, Sunday

• Breakfast aboard the train to Ribadeo
• Lugo’s coast, with Las Catedrales beach
• Lunch in Ribadeo
• Luarca, “The White Town of the Green Coast”
• Dinner and overnight in Luarca

Day 3, Monday

• Candas
• Gijon with city tour
• Oviedo and its Pre-Romanesque monuments
• Dinner and overnight in Oviedo

Day 4, Tuesday

• Arriondas, the heart of Asturias
• National Park of Picos de Europa
• Covadonga Lakes and the Sanctuary of Covadonga
• Cangas de Onís
• Lunch on the train
• Llanes, fishing village on the east coast of Asturias
• Dinner and overnight in Llanes

Day 5, Wednesday

• To Cantabria, through the La Hermida Pass
• Santo Toribio de Liebana sanctuary and Potes
• Cabezon de la Sal
• Comillas, the archbishop’s palace
• Lunch in Potes
• Dinner and overnight in Cabezón de la Sal

Day 6, Thursday

• Santillana del Mar
• Museum of Altamira
• Lunch in Santillana del Mar
• Santander
• The Casino on El Sardinero
• Dinner and overnight in Santander

Day 7, Friday

• Bilbao, in the Basque Country
• The Guggenheim Museum (open July – August)
• Lunch on the train
• Balmaseda
• Dinner and overnight at Balmaseda

Day 8, Saturday

• San Sebastián
• City tour and journey’s end

Departures:  March 31;  May 12, 26;  June 9, 23;  July 7, 21;  August 4, 18;  September 1, 15.

Itinerary: San Sebastián – Santiago de Compostela

Meeting Point:  12.00hrs.   San Sebastián Londres & Inglaterra Hotel, Calle Zubieta, San Sebastián         Telephone: +34 943 440 770

Day 1, Saturday

• San Sebastián
• Reception and city tour
• Coach to Bilbao to board the train
• Balmaseda
• Dinner and overnight in Balmaseda

Day 2, Sunday

• Bilbao
• Guggenheim Museum (open July – August)
• Lunch on the train
• Santander
•  The Casino on El Sardinero
• Dinner and overnight in Santander

Day 3, Monday

• Unquera
• Coach to La Hermida Pass
• Potes and Santo Toribio de Liebana sanctuary
• Lunch in Potes
• Cabezon de la Sal, by train
• Comillas
• Dinner and overnight in Cabezon de la Sal

Day 4, Tuesday

• Santillana del Mar
• Altamira caves and the medieval town
• Lunch in Santillana
• Llanes
• Arriondas
• Dinner and overnight in Arriondas

Day 5, Wednesday

• National Park of Picos de Europa
• Covadonga Lakes and the Sanctuary of Covadonga
• Cangas de Onis
• Lunch on the train
• Oviedo with city visit
• Dinner and overnight in Oviedo

Day 6, Thursday

• Gijón
• Visit and lunch in Gijón
• Luarca, ‘The White Town of the Green Coast’
• Dinner and overnight in Luarca

Day 7, Friday

• Ribadeo in Galicia
• Las Catedrales beach
• Landscape of Las Rías Altas
• Lunch in Ribadeo
• Viveiro
• Dinner and overnight in Viveiro

Day 8, Saturday

• Ferrol
• Coach to Santiago de Compostela
• Plaza do Obradoiro, the Platerias, the Cathedral
• Journey’s end

Departures: May 5, 19;  June 2, 16, 30;  July 14, 28;  August 11, 25;  September 8, 22;  October 6, 20;  December 1.

Cabin Accommodation

El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo is stationary overnight, allowing a good night’s rest and an opportunity to enjoy the nightlife of the nearby towns.

Each Suite on the Gran Lujo has:

• 150×200 cm Double bed
• Sofa, convertible into a bed
• Large bathroom with sauna / steam shower, hairdryer and hydro-massage
• Writing desk and telephone with outside line
• Inidivudal controls for music and lighting
• Computer with Internet, videogames, TFT TV, DVD player, game console
• Hardwood panelling and individual air-conditioning
• Large windows with curtains

The Dining Car

The elegant but simple dining car serves a fine buffet breakfast and an occasional other meal.

Most dining, except breakfasts, takes place in local restaurants, enabling passengers to sample northern Spanish cuisine from the Asturias, Cantabria, Galicia and the Basque country, using the finest ingredients, frequently locally-sourced.

The prices include all meals, wines, and other drinks served during dining.

Lounge Cars

El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo has 4 lounge cars, made more than a century ago.

These include the bar car with its own dance floor, with entertainment every night.  A second bar car provides a more quite atmosphere in which to enjoy a drink.  The remaining two lounge cars are for watching the scenery go by, reading or socialising with friends.

There is a library with newspapers and magazines; DVDs and television are available on board.

General Information

Dress Code

Smart leisure wear for the day.  Smart casual for the evening.

Luggage

There is limited storage space  inside the cabin for luggage storage.   Soft-topped luggage is easier to store.

Prices  2012

Booking & Reservations

To find out more, or to book El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo please call us on +44 (0)1249 890176.   We’ll be happy to answer any questions and make all your arrangements for you.