Cycling Experience Cantabria
Self guided tour crossing Cantabria and passing through Santander, Picos de Europa and Somo beach in 5 – 8 days
- Distance: 300 - 600 km
- Time required: 5 - 8 days
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Bike type: Tourbike, MTB
The region of Cantabria has all the natural and cultural beauty you can imagine and there is no better way to find out than by e-bike while sleeping in the best hotels and eating in the best restaurants!
PRICE for 2 people: €1500,- to €2500,- (excluding flights, prices depending on high or low season). Including: e-bike rental, transport from and to airport, breakdown service, hotels with double/twin rooms.
DURATION: 5 – 8 DAYS. Choose the distance, days and week and contact with Dream Bikes Cantabria to check the availability.
AVAILABLE DISTANCES (see maps below for more details): 330km and 4500 altimeters / 440km and 7500 altimeters / 600km and 10.000 altimeters
AVAILABLE WEEKS IN 2025: Every week from Monday to Monday between the 28th of April and the 29th of September.
Contact Hilde for more information and personalized routes.
Distances and maps
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5 – 8 DAYS – 330km – 4500 altimeters
Passing through: Castro Urdiales, Covalanas Caves, Alto de la Escrita, Mirador del Nacimiento del Río Asón, Puerto de Alisas, Palacio de La Magdalena Santander, Faro Cabo Mayor, Santillana del Mar, Cueva de Altamira, El Bosque de las Sequoyas, Comillas, San Vicente de la Barquera, Cueva el Soplao, Cabezón de la Sal, Puente Viesgo, Parque Natural de Cabárceno, Somo.
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5 – 8 DAYS – 440km – 7500 altimeters
Passing through: Castro Urdiales, Covalanas Caves, Alto de la Escrita, Mirador del Nacimiento del Río Asón, Puerto de Alisas, Palacio de La Magdalena Santander, Cabo Mayor Lighthouse, Santillana del Mar, Altamira Cave, El Bosque de las Sequoyas, Comillas, San Vicente de la Barquera, La Hermida, Cueva el Soplao, Cartes, Puente Viesgo, Selaya, Puerto De La Braguia, Alto del Caracol, Liérganes, Alto de Fuente Las Varas, Somo.
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8 DAYS – 600km – 10.000 altimeters
Passing through: Castro Urdiales, Covalanas Caves, Alto de la Escrita, Mirador del Nacimiento del Río Asón, Puerto de Alisas, Palacio de La Magdalena Santander, Faro Cabo Mayor, Santillana del Mar, Cueva de Altamira, El Bosque de las Sequoyas, Comillas, San Vicente de la Barquera, Puentenansa, La Cohilla reservoir, Puerto de Piedrasluengas, Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana, Potes, Alto de San Cipriano, La Hermida, Cueva el Soplao, Cartes, Puente Viesgo, Selaya, Puerto De La Braguia, Alto del Caracol, Liérganes, Alto de Fuente Las Varas, Somo.
Itinerary 8 days:
Day 1: Arrival at Bilbao airport and transport to hotel in Castro Urdiales where you can enjoy the Spanish nightlife along the port with local pinchos and wine.
Day 2: Castro Urdiales – Ramales de la Victoria (60km)
At 9 a.m. the bike will arrive at the hotel and after the bike fitting and GPS installation you can start cycling. The route of the day follows the coastline, river Asón, and climbs into the mountains and cave region of Euskadi and Karrantza to Ramales de Victoria. If you start early, you have time in the afternoon to visit some of the oldest caves in Europe, one of the most famous hotspots in Cantabria.
Day 3: Ramales de Victoria – Villaverde de Pontones (100km)
Today the route starts climbing with mountain views, through green forrest until you reach the source of the river Asón, an impressive waterfall over 50 meters high. After enjoying the decent, you start climbing over Puerto de Alisas with 674m of altitud. The ocean views are amazing and in the small village Villaverde de Pontones, you can enjoy of a good night of sleep.
Day 4: Villaverde de Pontones – San Vicente de la Barquera (110km)
After 10 kilometers you reach the Bay of Santander and it takes 30 minutes to take a small boat for a cross over to Santander. In this unknown pearl you can enjoy some of the Royal history of Spain, before the route takes of to the most famous coast villages of Cantabria, Suances, Santillana del Mar and Comillas. Today you have many options to enjoy a visit to the beach, museums and restaurants in small historical towns. During the ride there are so many picture spots of the rocky coastline, that it will be hard to choose. In San Vicente de la Barquera you will find a good place to take a rest and have a good dinner.
Day 5: San Vicente de la Barquera – Potes (100km)
Natural Park of Picos de Europa is one of the most famous destinations for outdoor lovers. Although hiking is very popular, the environment is also suited for some nice bike rides! The beautiful and quiet ride to Puerto de Piedrasluengas (1355m) will give you amazing views of the autonomic regions of Cantabria and Castilla y León. After the main climb of the day your 25km long descent to Potes gives you the energy to enjoy it’s beautiful and famous mountainous village in the heart of the Picos. Time to have another Spanish dinner.
Day 6: Potes – Cartes (90km)
After waking up in the silence of the mountains the route of today goes downwards, crossing some famous climbs out of the Vuelta de España before reaching the famous cycling region of Rio Saya. Here cycling is famous for it’s local heroes and competitions and thousands of cyclist who visit the area on road and MTB each year. The day will end in a wonderful hotel in Cartes, the village that’s on the list of Spain’s Cultural Heritage.
Day 7: Cartes – Somo (110km)
The region you can’t miss after crossing Cantabria by bike is Saja Natural Park where indigenous forest and cooling rivers are the norm. After crossing the beautiful village of Puente Viesgo you climb up to the mountain village Selaya, famous for its locally produced cakes called ‘Sobaos’. After climbing Alto de Caracol and La Braguia you start to descent to the coastline. The last kilometers of this cycling week are through gree hills, forest and some beautiful spots to see the rocky coastline. Somo, the village where surfing in Spain was born and where surfers are always ready to catch the best waves, is your last place to sleep. Here you can meander about the fantastic week of cycling through Cantabria, while you take a dip in the ocean or enjoy a drink on a sunny terrace.
Day 8: Departure to the airport in Bilbao.
In the morning the Dream Bikes Cantabria taxi will pick up the bikes and you to bring you to the airport in Bilbao.