13-Day Self-Launched Madrid, Northern Spain & Galicia Adventure
13 days · Spain & Portugal (Madrid, Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias, Galicia, Porto)
Julia Travel charges £1,650
No-markup version: ~£745 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Julia Travel's 13-day coach tour from Madrid through Zaragoza, San Sebastián, Bilbao, Santander, the Picos de Europa foothills, Oviedo, Lugo, Santiago de Compostela, Porto, Salamanca and Ávila. Instead of a 50-person coach with fixed hotel stops, you'll travel by Spain's excellent ALSA coaches and Renfe trains, staying in central hostels and family-run guesthouses and booking the same city tours, cathedral entries, Douro cruise and port-wine tasting yourself. Costs are backpacker/budget-traveller estimates in GBP and will vary by season and how far ahead you book.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Madrid
Madrid
Land in Madrid and take the Metro (Line 8 from Barajas, ~€5) or the Cercanías train to the centre. Settle into a hostel or guesthouse around La Latina, Malasaña or Sol — all walkable to the historic core. Spend the evening wandering Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor, and eat a menú del día or tapas at a neighbourhood bar in La Latina.
🚌Airport Metro/Cercanías to centre ~£4-5
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in La Latina / Malasaña (£20-30)
- →Evening walk Puerta del Sol & Plaza Mayor
- →Tapas dinner in La Latina
Madrid full day — royal & artistic Madrid
Madrid
Do the Madrid highlights self-launched: book a 'Madrid Old Town walking tour' on GetYourGuide or join a free (tip-based) Sandemans/Strawberry walking tour covering Barrio de la Morería, Plaza de la Villa and the Royal Palace exteriors. Pre-book a timed Prado Museum ticket (~£13-15, free entry in the last two hours some evenings) and walk the Gran Vía–Cibeles–Puerta de Alcalá axis yourself. Football fans can book a Santiago Bernabéu tour direct (~£25-30) or just see the stadium from outside.
🚌Metro/bus day pass ~£4
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse (£20-30)
- →Free/tip-based old town walking tour
- →Prado Museum timed ticket
- →Self-guided Gran Vía & Retiro walk
- →Optional Bernabéu stadium tour
Madrid → Zaragoza → San Sebastián
Zaragoza / San Sebastián
Take an early AVE or Alvia train Madrid–Zaragoza (~1h20, book on Renfe from ~£20-30 in advance). Drop bags and walk to the Basílica del Pilar and La Seo, then wander the old town and try a local ternasco or tapas near El Tubo. In the afternoon continue on an ALSA coach or Renfe train Zaragoza–San Sebastián (~4h, ~£25-30) and check into a hostel in the Parte Vieja or Gros.
🚌Renfe Madrid–Zaragoza ~£25 + coach/train Zaragoza–San Sebastián ~£28
🛏Hostel dorm or pensión in Parte Vieja / Gros (£22-32)
- →Basílica del Pilar & La Seo
- →Zaragoza old town & El Tubo tapas
- →Evening stroll in San Sebastián's Parte Vieja
San Sebastián & the Basque coast
San Sebastián
Walk the La Concha promenade, ride the 1920s funicular up Monte Igueldo for the classic bay view (~£4), and hit the pintxos bars in the Parte Vieja at lunch. In the afternoon, take the Euskotren or a local bus to Hondarribia and, if you have a passport, the ferry across to Hendaye in France — a cheap DIY substitute for the optional Biarritz/Saint-Jean-de-Luz excursion. Hike part of Monte Urgull for sunset.
🚌Funicular ~£4, Euskotren/local bus to Hondarribia ~£5
🛏Hostel dorm or pensión (£22-32)
- →Monte Igueldo funicular
- →La Concha beach walk
- →Pintxos crawl in Parte Vieja
- →Hondarribia & Hendaye day trip
San Sebastián → Bilbao → Castro Urdiales → Santander
Bilbao / Santander
Early ALSA coach to Bilbao (~1h15, ~£8-10). Walk the Guggenheim esplanade and, if art appeals, pre-book a Guggenheim Bilbao ticket (~£16-18). Continue by ALSA to Castro Urdiales (~45min, ~£5) for a fish lunch in the harbour, then on to Santander by coach or FEVE narrow-gauge train (~1h, ~£6). Evening stroll along El Sardinero beach.
🚌ALSA/FEVE coaches and train ~£20 total
🛏Hostel or budget hotel near Santander centre (£22-30)
- →Guggenheim Bilbao esplanade (optional entry)
- →Castro Urdiales fishing village
- →El Sardinero beach sunset
Santander → Santillana del Mar → Covadonga → Oviedo
Santillana del Mar / Covadonga / Oviedo
Bus to Santillana del Mar (~45min) for the cobbled medieval lanes and the Colegiata de Santa Juliana. Continue by ALSA to Cangas de Onís and on to Covadonga (buses run up to the Sanctuary, ~£2-3) to see the basilica and the Santa Cueva grotto. Finish the day with an ALSA coach to Oviedo (~1h30, ~£8) and check into a hostel near the old town.
🚌Multiple ALSA regional buses ~£18-20
🛏Hostel or pensión in Oviedo old town (£20-28)
- →Santillana del Mar old town & Colegiata
- →Covadonga Sanctuary & grotto
- →Evening in Oviedo's Casco Antiguo (pre-Romanesque churches nearby)
Oviedo → Mondoñedo → Lugo → Santiago de Compostela
Mondoñedo / Lugo / Santiago de Compostela
A long travel day: ALSA coach Oviedo–Lugo (~2h30, ~£12), with a stop in Mondoñedo for the cathedral quarter and a slice of the local Mondoñedo cake. Spend an hour walking the UNESCO Roman Walls of Lugo (free to walk), then catch an ALSA or regional bus/train to Santiago de Compostela (~1h45, ~£8-10). Arrive in the pilgrim city and check into a hostel in the old town.
🚌ALSA coach Oviedo–Lugo–Santiago ~£22-25
🛏Hostel or pensión in Santiago old town (£20-28)
- →Mondoñedo cathedral & cake stop
- →Walk the Roman Walls of Lugo
- →Arrival in Santiago's Praza do Obradoiro
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
Free/tip-based walking tour of the old town covering the Praza do Obradoiro, the cathedral exteriors and the market (or a GetYourGuide tour, ~£12-15). Pre-book a cathedral entry (the general visit is around £7-9; the Portico of Glory and rooftop tours cost extra). In the afternoon take a local bus to see the Pilgrim Office buzz or walk the Alameda park. If you're a seafood eater, try pulpo a la gallega.
🚌Walking; local bus ~£2
🛏Hostel or pensión (£20-28)
- →Santiago old town walking tour
- →Catedral de Santiago entry
- →Alameda park & pilgrim office
- →Galician seafood dinner
Santiago → Isla de La Toja → Porto
La Toja / Porto
Morning bus from Santiago to O Grove (~1h15, ~£6) and cross to the Isla de La Toja to see the Chapel of the Shells and the island's natural areas (the thalasso spa is optional and pricey). Return to Pontevedra or Vigo, then take a train or ALSA/Flixbus south into Porto (~2h30, ~£12-18). Book into a hostel in the Ribeira or Bolhão area and grab a francesinha or cheap tasca dinner.
🚌Bus to O Grove ~£6 + bus/train to Porto ~£15
🛏Hostel dorm or guesthouse in Porto centre (£20-30)
- →Isla de La Toja & Chapel of the Shells
- →Optional spa time
- →Evening in Ribeira district
Porto full day — river, wine & old town
Porto
Book a self-guided (or small-group) walking tour of Porto's Sé district and São Bento station (~£12) or download a free route. Pre-book a 6-bridges Douro cruise (~£15-18) and a port cellar tasting in Vila Nova de Gaia — the big-name lodges charge ~£15-20, while smaller lodges and a tasting at a Gaia cellar can be as little as £10. Cross the Dom Luís I bridge at sunset.
🚌Walking, tram/Metro ~£4
🛏Hostel dorm or guesthouse (£20-30)
- →Porto old town walk (Sé, São Bento)
- →Douro River 6-bridges cruise
- →Port wine cellar tasting in Gaia
- →Dom Luís I bridge sunset
Porto → Ciudad Rodrigo → Salamanca
Ciudad Rodrigo / Salamanca
Take the train or bus Porto–Salamanca (~4-5h via a connection, ~£20-25). Break the journey in Ciudad Rodrigo (regional bus/train connection) to walk the medieval walls and fortress. Arrive in Salamanca in the evening and enjoy the sandstone Plaza Mayor and a cheap student-area dinner.
🚌Regional bus/train via Ciudad Rodrigo ~£22-28
🛏Hostel or pensión in Salamanca centre (£20-28)
- →Ciudad Rodrigo medieval walls & fortress
- →Salamanca Plaza Mayor by night
Salamanca → Ávila → Madrid
Ávila / Madrid
Morning in Salamanca (optional cathedral or university entry ~£8-10). Then take a regional bus or train to Ávila (~1h30, ~£7-9) for free time walking the walls and old town — you can pay ~£5 to walk the ramparts. Finish with a Renfe or ALSA connection to Madrid (~1h45, ~£10-14) and check into a hostel for your last night.
🚌Bus/train Salamanca–Ávila–Madrid ~£20-23
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Madrid (£22-32)
- →Salamanca cathedral/university (optional)
- →Ávila city walls walk
- →Last-night tapas in Madrid
Departure from Madrid
Madrid
Breakfast and onward travel. Metro or Cercanías back to Barajas airport (~£4-5), or continue onward to your next stop by train.
🚌Metro/Cercanías to airport ~£5
🛏—
- →Departure
Self-launched vs. Julia Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Julia Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£745 | £1,650 |
| Duration | 13 days | 13 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £905 per person (55%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Julia Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£745
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.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does 13-Day Self-Launched Madrid, Northern Spain & Galicia Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £745 per person for 13 days in Spain & Portugal (Madrid, Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias, Galicia, Porto). 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 Julia Travel?+
Yes — Julia Travel charges around £1,650 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £745 — a saving of roughly £905 (55%) per person.
How long is the Spain & Portugal (Madrid, Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias, Galicia, Porto) trip?+
This itinerary runs 13 days, covering 13 day-by-day stops through Spain & Portugal (Madrid, Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias, Galicia, Porto).
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, foodie, city-breaks trip through Spain & Portugal (Madrid, Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias, Galicia, Porto), 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?
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