BMW The Ultimate Riding Machine

28 July-06 August 2013 (1,175 miles)

10 days / 9 nights (7 hotels / 2 overnight ferries)

Highlights:

• Ride the shipwreck littered “Coast of Death”, past tiny fishing villages amongst fjord-like inlets

• Oviedo, former capital of the Kingdom of Asturias and World Heritage Site

• Reach Spain’s most westerly point, Cape Finisterre, and most northerly point, Punta Estaca de Bares

• Stay for two nights on Isla La Toja to relax and enjoy the ocean views and surrounding countryside

• Ride the very best roads through the Picos de Europa, and spend a night at the heart of this wilderness region

A stunning ride through Galicia & Asturias, known as “Green Spain”, combining picturesque roads through rugged coastlines and jagged peaks, with a relaxed day off to take in the breathtaking views of the Atlantic from Isla La Toja.

From Santander we head inland to the ancient capital of Asturias, Oviedo, and then on to the magnificent Roman city of Lugo. Then we ride north as far as we can go to Spain’s most northerly point, Punta Estaca de Bares, and onto La Coruna (where the Spanish Armada left from), through the coastal regions of Rias Altas. Galicia’s coastline is delightful, made up of lots of tiny fjord-like inlets, with a backdrop of tree covered hills punctuated by little fishing villages. After La Coruna it’s the ‘Coast of Death’, so named because of its many shipwrecks and home to Cape Finisterre.

We’ll spend two nights at La Toja, sipping drinks as we watch the sunset over the Atlantic and having a day to use the spa, stroll along the beach or take a ride out to Baiona, where Colombus himself landed with news of reaching the New World.

Then it’s back inland to Ponferrada, before one of the highlights of the tour; the Picos de Europa, one of the most wild and spectacular mountain ranges in the Northern Hemisphere. Soaring to nearly 9,000ft above the nearby Atlantic Ocean, the twisting bends and swooping passes of the Picos are adelight to experience on a motorcycle. Our final night is spent at the heart of the Picos, in Parador Fuente De, before riding to Santander for our ferry home. If you want a tour that’s a bit more off the beaten track, and combines spectacular ocean views with the soaring granite peaks, this is it!

Price:Single Rider (Single room)£1,759 •Single Rider (Shared room)£1,359 •Rider & Pillion (Sharing room)£2,259