Day 1 – Sunday 22 June 2025: Depart the UK
We will depart Wales and travel down to Plymouth and board the 5.45pm overnight ferry to Santander in Northern Spain, arriving mid-afternoon the next day. Once on board the Pont-Aven you can enjoy the facilities, with a variety of entertainment and relaxation options that are usually only found on cruise ships. Facilities include an à la carte restaurant, café, bar, self-service restaurant and piano bar, cinemas, spa and treatment rooms and live entertainment. Enjoy your evening dinner which is included and then relax in one of the many bars and lounges before retiring to your ensuite cabin.
Day 2 – Monday – 23 June 2025: Arriving in Spain and travel to Suances
After a buffet breakfast on board which is included, there will be time to relax and enjoy more of the ships facilities before arriving in Santander at approximately 3:30pm. After disembarkation we will make the short drive to our hotel in the beautiful seaside village of Suances, our base for the next seven nights. On arrival we will be given a Welcome Sangria drink with Tapas. After check-in there will be time to relax before dinner at the hotel. The rest of the evening is at leisure.
Day 3 – Tuesday 24 June 2025: Cantabrian Coast and Villages
The medieval town of Santillana del Mar is sometimes described as a ‘film set’, such is the immaculate state of its preservation. It boasts a maze of cobbled streets, flower-filled balconies and tanned stone and brick buildings. The region is famous for its prehistoric cave art. Nearby is the world-famous Cave of Altamira, which features prehistoric paintings of bison, horses, deer and other animals. Continue to Comillas to visit El Capricho de Gaudí, a stunning architectural treasure built by Gaudi then on to the scenic fishing village of San Vicente De la Barquera. We will arrive back at the hotel at approximately 8.00pm in time for dinner.
Day 4 – Wednesday 25 June 2025: Free time in Suances
A free day today to relax in the hotel or explore the nearby town. Suances is a beautiful seaside town with nice sandy beaches around Dichoso Point, a natural harbour with cliffs. Its rich history dates back to Roman times when it was known as Portus Blendium. Now a major tourist town, it still retains its love of fishing and delicious food, and there are plenty of shops. Return to the hotel for dinner this evening.
Day 5 – Thursday 26 June 2025: Picos de Europa National Park
Our guide will meet us at our hotel for a 9.00am departure to the Picos de Europa National Park. This is one of the few truly pristine areas of the country. The craggy, dramatic peaks of the Picos de Europa mountains rise well over 8,000 feet. There are deep gorges, sparkling lakes and forests to add to the appeal of this unique spot. The Park is also home to several endangered species, including the golden eagle, the European brown bear and the asturcon, a long-haired wild horse. Our journey takes us to the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana where it is believed that a relic of the cross of Christ is kept. In Fuente Dé, there may be the option to take a cable car up to the summit (cost not included). You will get one of the most impressive views of the Picos de Europa. We return to the hotel for dinner and an evening at leisure.
Day 6 – Friday 27 June 2025: Full day Bilbao
Meet up with a local guide in Bilbao for a panoramic city tour by coach. Many historic and cultural highlights will be seen on the tour before spending the rest of the day at leisure. Perhaps enjoy a more in depth visit of the famous Guggenheim Museum or take the Artxanda Funicular railway from downtown Bilbao to the summit of the nearby Artxanda Mountain, which has a park, several restaurants, a hotel, a sports complex and panoramic views of the city. Other options would be to enjoy a relaxing river cruise or visit La Ribera Market, a beautiful building where you can sample a selection of pintxos and Txakoli wine. Return to the hotel for dinner.
Day 7 – Saturday 28 June 2025: Full day Anchovy factory, Cruise and Laredo Town
Drive to the world-famous fishing village of Santona to visit a local anchovy factory and learn about how the fishes are carefully hand prepared and packed, finishing with a tasting. Continue with a boat trip around the bay for beautiful views of the Cantabrian coast then visit the old town of Santona for some Pintxos, small finger foods served in local bars. Return via the resort of Laredo and Castro Urdiales, a charming, small seafaring village with a wonderful French Gothic-style church and traditional houses.
Day 8 – Sunday 29 June 2025: Cabárceno Wildlife Park
Located in an old open-mining pit near Santander, experience what it is like in the African jungle. Spend a memorable day surrounded by hundreds of species of animals that live in semi-freedom in a natural environment. It is also a conservation centre for species from 5 continents. We will travel through the various enclosures, past beautiful gorges, tranquil lakes, and striking rock formations on more than 20 kilometres of roads that criss-cross the park from the comfort of our coach, and we may see elephants, zebras and rhino’s. Maybe take the cable car across the site and see the animals from above (optional extra). There are several recreational areas, viewing points and restaurants.
Day 9 – Monday 30 June 2025: Santander Sightseeing and Overnight ferry to the UK
As the ferry does not depart until early evening, we will drive to Santander after breakfast and meet up with a local guide for an informative city tour on the coach, with a visit to its 'Jewel in the Crown', the Royal Palace of la Magdalena – which was the summer residence of King Alfonso XIII and Queen Victoria Eugenia. After the tour there will be some free time for lunch or more sightseeing at leisure – perhaps visit the famous Maritime Museum or wander along the narrow lanes of the old town which run parallel with the waterfront. Also worthy of a visit is the 13th century Santander Cathedral, home to the oldest monument in Santander, the Church of El Cristo.
From here we will make the short journey to Santander port for the early evening ferry (departure 6.30pm) and enjoy the relaxing cruise back to the UK, once again enjoying the onboard facilities and a buffet dinner.
Day 10 – Tuesday 01 July 2025: Arrival in the UK
After a buffet breakfast on board, there is more time to relax and enjoy the cruise before arriving in Plymouth at approximately 3.30pm. We then continue our homeward journey back to Wales.