The Northern Region

This region comprises northwestern Spain and the northern coast stretching as far as the French frontier. The two outstanding natural features are the Cantabrian Mountains and the Rías Gallegas estuaries in Galicia. The highest peaks are the Picos de Europa (2615m) in Asturias, favored by walkers, climbers and wildlife enthusiasts. There are excellent beaches along the entire coastline, mostly of fine sand, often surrounded by cliffs and crags. Much of the hinterland, however, is green, lush and forested. This is at least partly due to the climate, which is noticeably wetter than in the south.

Galicia

Galicia is a mountainous region with large tracts of heathland broken by gorges and fast-flowing rivers. The coastline has many sandy bays, often backed with forests of fir and eucalyptus, and deep fjord-like estuaries (rías), which cut into the land. Galicia has its own culture and language (gallego, influenced by Portuguese) and many of the roadsigns are in two languages. La Coruña is one of the largest towns in the region and is said to have been founded by the Phoenicians. Santiago de Compostela has been a center of pilgrimage since the early middle ages and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Roman town of Lugo is noted for having one of the finest surviving examples of Roman walls. Further south is the important port of Vigo, the center of a region of attractive countryside.

The Way of St James

During the Middle Ages, the tomb of St James at Santiago de Compostela was regarded as one of the most holy sites in Christendom and thousands of pilgrims traveled through Spain each year to visit the shrine. This route, the Way of St James, was lined with monasteries, religious houses, chapels and hospices to cater for the pilgrims. Many of these buildings still survive, and any traveller following the route today will find it an uplifting introduction to the religious architecture of medieval Spain. The route began in Navarre, at Canfranc or Valcarlos; from there, traveling west, the main stopping places were Pamplona, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, Logroño, Burgos, León, Astorga and Santiago de Compostela. The Saint’s feast day, 25 July (the term ‘day’ is a misnomer since the festival runs for a full week) is celebrated in vigorous style in Santiago de Compostela and accommodation should be booked well in advance.

Asturias

This small, once independent principality is predominantly mountainous although there are also large tracts of forest. The resorts are known collectively as the Costa Verde on account of the rich vegetation. Oviedo, the capital of Asturias, is an historic town with an outstanding 12th-century Gothic Cathedral. Asturias has a remarkably rich legacy of Romanesque churches, several of which can easily be visited from Oviedo. There are many good beaches along the coast, especially around the large fishing village of Ribadesella and Lastres.

Cantabria

The Cantabrian resorts make a convenient base for expeditions to the mountains. Cantabria (and Asturias) are important centers for skiing and winter sports. The main stations are at Alto Campo, San Isidro and Valgrande-Pajares. Santander is a busy traditional resort set in a beautiful bay ringed with hills. Nearby are the fine beaches of El Sardinero and Magdalena. Santander hosts an impressive music festival throughout August. There are a number of smaller beach resorts to east and west of Santander: Comillas, San Vincente (an old fishing port with a hill-top Gothic church and ducal palace), Laredo and Castro Urdiales (an attractive village with a fine harbor, overlooked by a medieval church and the remains of a Knights Templar castle.

The Basque Country (País Vasco)

Guipúzcoa, Vizcaya and Alava form the Basque provinces, to the east of the Cantabrian Mountains. The economy of this fertile region is based on agriculture, despite having been highly industrialized in the 19th century. The Basques are an ancient pre-Indo-European race and the origins of their language have baffled etymologists for centuries. The Spanish constitution allows the Basques a degree of autonomy, but Nationalist politicians are demanding a greater say in their own affairs. A large though declining port, Bilbao is the main city of the region. Bilbao’s pre-eminent attraction is Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum, hailed as a masterpiece of 20th-century architecture. The Palacio Euskalduna is Bilbao’s new congress and music center. The provincial capital of San Sebastián, situated very close to the French frontier, is one of the most fashionable and popular Spanish seaside resorts. Just 7km (4 miles) west of the town is Monte Ulia, which offers superb views across the countryside and the Bay of Biscay.

Navarre

Pamplona has been inundated with tourists ever since American writer Ernest Hemingway put the town on the map with his novel The Sun Also Rises (1927). His fascination was with the Corrida, the ‘running of the bulls’, at the Festival of San Fermín (Jul 6-14). During this week, brave or foolhardy visitors join the young men of the town in trying to outrun a large herd of bulls that stampedes through the town’s narrow, closed streets. Outside the fiesta season, Pamplona’s main attractions are its old walled quarter, Renaissance Cathedral and imposing Citadel.

Aragon

Aragon rose to prominence in the late 15th century when its kings resided at Zaragoza, now the regional capital. Situated on the River Ebro, it is a university town with a medieval Cathedral, a 17th-century basilica dedicated to the Virgin of Pilar (a focus of pilgrimage and celebrations in the second week of October) and the Aljafería, a Moorish palace dating from the 11th to the 15th centuries. Huesca, situated in the foothills of the Pyrenees, is an important market town. There are several attractions within easy reach, including the Ordesa National Park, excellent walking and climbing country; the popular summer holiday resort of Arguis in the Puerto de Monrepós region; the spa town of Balneario de Panticosa; and the high-altitude resort and frontier town of Canfranc. The third and southernmost province of Aragon is Teruel. The provincial capital is sited on a hill surrounded by the gorges of the Rio Turia.