Self-Launched Cycling Tour of Cantabria & Asturias
13 days · Cantabria & Asturias, Northern Spain
IberoCycle Tours charges £1,245
No-markup version: ~£700 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of IberoCycle Tours' 13-day self-guided cycle route from Santillana del Mar to Somo, linking the Cantabrian coast with the Picos de Europa. You book your own bike hire, guesthouses and pensiones, move luggage by local taxi or simply travel light, and follow the same villages and passes using free GPS routes and regional FEVE narrow-gauge trains as a backup. Expect coastal lanes, the Cares Gorge, mountain passes of the Sierra de Cuera and green Liébana valleys — all at a fraction of the operator price.
Day-by-day
Arrive Santillana del Mar
Santillana del Mar
Fly or ferry into Bilbao or Santander (Ryanair/easyJet to Santander from Stansted, or Bilbao from several UK airports). Take the ALSA bus to Santillana del Mar (~£5-7, 45 min from Santander, ~1h45 from Bilbao). Check into a village pensión and pick up your hired touring bike — book in advance with a local shop (e.g. outlets in Santander or Torrelavega, ~£20-28/day, weekly rate ~£140-180) or bring your own. Spend the evening wandering the cobbled medieval lanes and eating at a cider house.
🚌ALSA bus from Santander/Bilbao airport to Santillana del Mar (~£5-7)
🛏Pensión / small guesthouse in Santillana del Mar (~£30-40 double, £20-25 solo)
- →Walk the cobbled streets of Santillana del Mar
- →Altamira Neocave Museum (book timed ticket, ~£3)
- →Collect hired bike and fit racks/bags
Santillana del Mar to Llanes (via Comillas & Oyambre)
Llanes
First riding day, ~70km with rolling climbs. Head through Novales and down to Comillas to see Gaudí's El Capricho and the Sobrellano Palace (~£5 entry each). Continue through the Oyambre Natural Park past the beaches of Oyambre and Merón, then climb gently to San Vicente de la Barquera for a late lunch before crossing into Asturias and rolling into Llanes. Book a pensión in the old town.
🚌Own bike; FEVE train San Vicente–Llanes (~£3) as a bail-out option
🛏Pensión in Llanes old town (~£25-35 pp)
- →Cycle through Novales and Comillas
- →View El Capricho and Palacio de Sobrellano
- →Ride Parque Natural de Oyambre and Merón beach
- →San Vicente de la Barquera harbour
Llanes loop day
Llanes
Rest day with options. Ride a short hilly loop inland to the mountain hamlet of Carmona, or head to the Deva river for a self-booked canoe trip (local operators ~£20-25 for 2-3 hrs). Otherwise beach day at Playa de Toró or Sablón. Eat seafood at a harbour restaurant in the evening — fabada and catch of the day ~£12-15.
🚌Own bike / on foot
🛏Pensión in Llanes (~£25-35 pp)
- →Ride to Carmona hamlet
- →Canoe the Deva river (local hire ~£22)
- →Beach time at Playa de Toró
- →Seafood dinner in Llanes
Llanes to Arenas de Cabrales (via Pechón & Colombres)
Arenas de Cabrales
~65km with two solid climbs over the Sierra de Cuera. Follow the coast to Pechón headland, cross the Deva at Unquera into Asturias, and detour to Colombres to see the indianos' villas (Archivo de Indianos museum ~£5). Climb inland through eucalyptus forest and descend into the Cabrales valley. Stay in a casa rural in Arenas de Cabrales.
🚌Own bike; regional bus Unquera–Arenas de Cabrales (~£3) as backup
🛏Casa rural in Arenas de Cabrales (~£25-35 pp)
- →Pechón headland viewpoint
- →Cross the River Deva at Unquera
- →Colombres indianos villas & museum
- →Sierra de Cuera climb
Llanes side-trip day (Gulpiyuri, Cares Gorge, Ribadesella)
Llanes
Note: the operator's schedule loops back here — a common quirk of the route. Use the day for the headline attractions you can reach flat: cycle to the tiny inland beach of Gulpiyuri and Playa de Cuevas del Mar, or take the FEVE train to Ribadesella (~£2.50) to see the Tito Bustillo cave art (pre-book, ~£10) and stroll the fishing harbour. Late lunch of cachopo ~£14.
🚌Own bike + FEVE narrow-gauge train Llanes–Ribadesella (~£2.50)
🛏Pensión in Llanes (~£25-35 pp)
- →Gulpiyuri beach and coastal lanes
- →FEVE train to Ribadesella
- →Cuevas de Tito Bustillo (book ahead, ~£10)
- →Llanes fishing port walk
Llanes to Arenas de Cabrales via El Mazuco pass
Arenas de Cabrales
The hardest riding day: ~70km with the El Mazuco pass and the Sierra de Cuera ridge. Reward is constant Picos de Europa views and Asturian pasture country before a long descent into the Cabrales valley. Alternatively take the coast road and catch the bus inland. Evening: Cabrales blue cheese and cider in the village.
🚌Own bike
🛏Casa rural in Arenas de Cabrales (~£25-35 pp)
- →Climb El Mazuco pass
- →Sierra de Cuera ridge ride
- →Picos de Europa viewpoints
- →Descend to Cabrales valley
Arenas de Cabrales — Picos day
Arenas de Cabrales
Pick your walking day: cycle up to Sotres (steep, ~14km) or leave the bike and take the local bus/taxi to Poncebos for the Ruta del Cares — a 12km gorge walk one-way, free, allow 4-5 hrs return part-way. Alternatively ride the funicular up to Bulnes (~£8 return). Back in Arenas for a long dinner.
🚌Own bike, local taxi Poncebos–Arenas (~£10-12 shared)
🛏Casa rural in Arenas de Cabrales (~£25-35 pp)
- →Ruta del Cares gorge walk (free)
- →Bulnes funicular (~£8)
- →Ride to Sotres village
- →Explore Arenas de Cabrales
Arenas de Cabrales to Potes via La Hermida gorge
Potes
~55km following the River Cares and Deva through the dramatic La Hermida gorge, then over to Panes and up into the Liébana valley. Quiet roads, big limestone walls. Arrive in Potes, a stone-built market town with bridges and tower houses — good base for two nights.
🚌Own bike; ALSA regional bus Panes–Potes (~£3) backup
🛏Hostal / pensión in Potes (~£25-30 pp)
- →La Hermida gorge ride
- →Panes and River Deva valley
- →Sierra de Cuera viewpoints
- →Arrive Potes, old town walk
Potes — Fuente Dé cable car & Liébana villages
Potes
Ride the quiet valley road to Fuente Dé (~23km) and take the cable car up to 1,823m (~£15 return) for an easy high-mountain walk. On the way back detour to the Monastery of Santo Toribio (free entry) and the Romanesque church at Piasca. Return to Potes for a menú del día (~£12).
🚌Own bike (~23km each way), or local taxi ~£20 one-way
🛏Hostal in Potes (~£25-30 pp)
- →Fuente Dé cable car (~£15)
- →Hike at the Picos plateau
- →Monastery of Santo Toribio
- →Piasca Romanesque church
Potes rest day / Picos loop
Potes
Slow day. Wander the Thursday market (if it lines up), ride a short loop through Liébana's hamlets, or spend the afternoon at a river swimming spot. Use the time to plan the transfer day ahead and confirm bus times from Potes or Unquera toward Santander.
🚌Own bike / on foot
🛏Hostal in Potes (~£25-30 pp)
- →Potes market and old town
- →Short Liébana village loop
- →River swim / rest
- →Plan and confirm next-day transport
Potes to Somo via Miera Valley
Somo
Big transfer-plus-ride day (~85km, or use the bus). Climb out of Liébana over the Cantabrian mountains, drop into the Miera valley via San Roque de Riomiera, stop at the spa village of Liérganes for lunch and its old quarter, then ride to the Bay of Santander and cross to Somo. If you'd rather not ride it, ALSA bus Potes–Santander (~£8, 2h) then the Somo ferry (~£3) works well with bikes.
🚌Own bike; ALSA bus Potes–Santander ~£8 + Somo ferry ~£3
🛏Surf hostel / guesthouse in Somo (~£25-35 pp)
- →Cantabrian mountains crossing
- →Miera valley descent
- →Liérganes old quarter
- →Ferry across the Bay of Santander
Somo beaches & Santander
Somo
Easy flat day. Ride the sand lanes to Loredo, Langre and Galizano beaches, or take the ferry over to Santander for El Sardinero promenade, the old town and shopping. In Pedreña, eat grilled sardines at a waterfront chiringuito (~£8-10). Return bike in Somo or Santander if hired locally.
🚌Own bike + Los Reginas ferry Somo–Santander (~£3 each way)
🛏Surf hostel / guesthouse in Somo (~£25-35 pp)
- →Somo and Loredo beaches
- →Langre and Galizano clifftop lanes
- →Ferry to Santander, El Sardinero
- →Grilled sardines in Pedreña
Depart from Santander or Bilbao
Somo / Santander
Return bike if hired (arrange pickup/drop-off at the coast in advance), then ferry to Santander and bus or train to the airport. Santander airport is ~£3 by bus from the centre; Bilbao is ~£10-12 by ALSA bus or ~£8 by FEVE train from Santander.
🚌Somo ferry ~£3 + Santander city bus to airport ~£3 (Bilbao ~£10-12)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Return hired bike
- →Ferry to Santander
- →Transfer to airport
Self-launched vs. IberoCycle Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | IberoCycle Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£700 | £1,245 |
| Duration | 13 days | 13 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £545 per person (44%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more IberoCycle Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£700
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Cycling Tour of Cantabria & Asturias cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £700 per person for 13 days in Cantabria & Asturias, Northern Spain. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with IberoCycle Tours?+
Yes — IberoCycle Tours charges around £1,245 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £700 — a saving of roughly £545 (44%) per person.
How long is the Cantabria & Asturias, Northern Spain trip?+
This itinerary runs 13 days, covering 13 day-by-day stops through Cantabria & Asturias, Northern Spain.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, hiking, slow-travel trip through Cantabria & Asturias, Northern Spain, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.