Self-Launched North of Spain: Barcelona to Madrid Independent Adventure
8 days · Northern Spain
VPT Tours charges £1,100
No-markup version: ~£665 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of VPT Tours' 8-day coach circuit through northern Spain — Barcelona, Zaragoza, Pamplona, San Sebastián, Bilbao, Santander, Santillana del Mar, Covadonga, Oviedo, A Coruña, Santiago de Compostela, the Rías Baixas, Vigo, León and Salamanca, finishing in Madrid. Instead of a rigid bus schedule that rushes the best bits, you travel on Spain's excellent public trains, regional buses and one budget flight, staying in hostels and family-run pensiones. You get longer in the places that deserve it (San Sebastián, Bilbao, Santiago) and skip the filler stops. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget-traveller rates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Barcelona → Zaragoza → Pamplona
Pamplona
Skip the 7:45am coach departure and take a mid-morning AVE or Alvia train from Barcelona Sants to Zaragoza (approx. 1h30, £25-35 booked in advance on Renfe). Spend 2-3 hours wandering the Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar and the old town, then continue by regional train or ALSA bus to Pamplona (approx. 2h, £12-18). Check into a hostel in the Casco Antiguo, grab pintxos on Calle Estafeta and walk the San Fermín bull-run route. Unlike the tour, you actually get an evening in Pamplona rather than just dinner at a hotel.
🚌Renfe train Barcelona Sants→Zaragoza (~£30), then train/bus Zaragoza→Pamplona (~£15)
🛏Hostel or pensión in Pamplona old town (e.g. Aloha Hostel, Hostel Hemingway) — dorm £20-28 / private £35-45
- →Basílica del Pilar, Zaragoza (free entry, small fee for tower lift)
- →Pamplona old town & San Fermín route self-walk
- →Pintxos crawl on Calle Estafeta
Pamplona → San Sebastián (full day) → Bilbao
San Sebastián / Bilbao
Take an early ALSA or La Burundesa bus to San Sebastián (approx. 1h, £7-10). Spend a proper half-day: walk La Concha beach, ride the Monte Igueldo funicular (£3.50 return) for the bay views the tour mentions, and crucially explore the Parte Vieja old town — something coach tours skip. Lunch on pintxos in the old town. Late afternoon bus to Bilbao (approx. 1h15, £8-12). Overnight in Bilbao's Abando or Casco Viejo.
🚌Bus Pamplona→San Sebastián (~£8), bus San Sebastián→Bilbao (~£10)
🛏Hostel in Bilbao (e.g. Ganbara Hostel, Moon Hostel) — dorm £22-30 / private £40-55
- →La Concha beach & Monte Igueldo funicular
- →San Sebastián Parte Vieja pintxos
- →Bilbao Casco Viejo evening walk
Bilbao (Guggenheim) → Santander
Bilbao / Santander
Unlike the tour, which only did a drive-past of the Guggenheim — and hit it on a Monday when it's closed — give Bilbao a full morning. Book a Guggenheim ticket online via GetYourGuide or the museum site (~£15) and check opening days first (closed Mondays). Wander the Artxanda funicular viewpoint and the Ría riverside. Mid-afternoon bus to Santander (approx. 1h45, £10-14). Evening stroll along the Sardinero seafront and El Promontorio gardens. Check bus days — some northern routes are limited on Sundays.
🚌Bus Bilbao→Santander (~£12)
🛏Hostel or pensión in Santander (e.g. Santander Central Hostel) — dorm £20-28 / private £35-48
- →Guggenheim Museum Bilbao (~£15, book ahead)
- →Artxanda funicular viewpoint
- →Santander seafront & Sardinero beach
Santander → Santillana del Mar → Oviedo
Santillana del Mar / Oviedo
Take a regional bus or FEVE train towards Santillana del Mar (approx. 45 min-1h, £4-6) — the preserved medieval 'town of three lies' the tour visits. Optionally continue to the nearby Altamira Museum. Then travel onward by ALSA bus to Oviedo (approx. 2h, £12-16). If you want Covadonga, it's most easily reached as a day trip from Cangas de Onís rather than a rushed group stop — a detour worth an extra night if you have it. Overnight in Oviedo's old town.
🚌Bus Santander→Santillana del Mar (~£5), bus Santillana/Cangas→Oviedo (~£14)
🛏Hostel or pensión in Oviedo (e.g. Oviedo Old Town Hostel) — dorm £20-28 / private £35-45
- →Santillana del Mar medieval village walk
- →Altamira Museum (optional, ~£3)
- →Oviedo old town & Catedral de San Salvador exterior
Oviedo → A Coruña → Santiago de Compostela
A Coruña / Santiago de Compostela
Bus or train west into Galicia to A Coruña (approx. 3h30-4h, £20-28). Do the self-guided seaside walk past the Tower of Hercules lighthouse and the glass-fronted Avenida de la Marina. Continue to Santiago de Compostela (approx. 1h, £6-9). Join a free 'pay-what-you-wish' walking tour of the old town (book on GetYourGuide or GuruWalk) covering Plaza del Obradoiro and the Cathedral. Evening: soak up the pilgrim atmosphere in the Praza do Obradoiro.
🚌Train/bus Oviedo→A Coruña (~£24), bus/train A Coruña→Santiago (~£8)
🛏Hostel or albergue in Santiago (e.g. Albergue Seminario Menor, Hostel Revolta) — dorm £18-28 / private £40-55
- →Tower of Hercules & A Coruña promenade
- →Free walking tour of Santiago old town
- →Santiago Cathedral & Plaza del Obradoiro
- →Pilgrim-watching in the old town
Santiago → Rías Baixas / O Grove (mussel & oyster farms)
O Grove / Vigo
The standout day from the original tour, done independently. Catch a bus from Santiago to Pontevedra or O Grove (approx. 1h30-2h, £8-12). Book the catamaran tour to the floating mussel and oyster farms at O Grove directly or via GetYourGuide (~£18-25), including mussels and Ribeiro wine tasting. Optionally ferry or bus to La Toja Island. Finish by continuing to Vigo (approx. 1h, £6-9) for the night. Book the boat ahead in summer — it sells out.
🚌Bus Santiago→O Grove (~£10), bus O Grove→Vigo (~£8)
🛏Hostel or pensión in Vigo (e.g. Vigo Center Hostel) — dorm £20-28 / private £38-50
- →Rías Baixas catamaran to mussel & oyster farms with tasting (~£20)
- →La Toja Island (optional)
- →Vigo old town & seafood dinner
Vigo → León
León
Long transfer day west-to-east back across northern Spain — by train via a change at Ourense or by ALSA bus (approx. 5-6h total, £30-40). You trade the tour's bus-with-50-people for a booked train seat and a real station lunch. Arrive León in the evening. If you have energy, visit the Gothic Cathedral (one of Spain's finest stained-glass collections, ~£6) and stroll the Barrio Húmedo for tapas — the tour's optional León stop, done properly.
🚌Train or bus Vigo→León (~£35)
🛏Hostel in León old town (e.g. León Hostel, Albergue de Peregrinos) — dorm £18-26 / private £35-48
- →León Cathedral (~£6)
- →Barrio Húmedo tapas crawl
- →Old town evening walk
León → Salamanca → Madrid
Salamanca / Madrid
Morning train or bus to Salamanca (approx. 3h, £20-28). Spend 3-4 hours exploring: Plaza Mayor (arguably Spain's most beautiful square), the golden-stone University old town and the two cathedrals. Then take a fast train or bus on to Madrid (approx. 2h30 by train, £25-35). Trip ends independently at Madrid Chamartín or Atocha — the tour finishes at VPT's office, but you're free to end wherever suits you.
🚌Bus/train León→Salamanca (~£24), train/bus Salamanca→Madrid (~£30)
🛏Not included (own arrangement) — Madrid hostel dorm £20-30 if staying on
- →Salamanca Plaza Mayor
- →University old town & cathedrals
- →Self-guided Salamanca walk
Self-launched vs. VPT Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | VPT Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£665 | £1,100 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £435 per person (40%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more VPT Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£665
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 North of Spain: Barcelona to Madrid Independent Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £665 per person for 8 days in 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 VPT Tours?+
Yes — VPT Tours charges around £1,100 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £665 — a saving of roughly £435 (40%) per person.
How long is the Northern Spain trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through 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 culture, budget, backpacker trip through 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.