Green Spain: the Atlantic North Coast

San Sebastián combines a royal coastline with a high density of bars full of pintxos. In the historic Parte Vieja, counters are filled with these small bites that you eat standing at the bar. From the 181-meter high Monte Igueldo, you see La Concha bay lying like a perfect crescent. On the east side, the waves of the Bay of Biscay roll against the quay of surf beach Playa de Zurriola. The atmosphere is elegant when the lights of the Belle Époque facades reflect in the seawater.

Zumaia is known for the Flysch, a geological formation of vertical rock layers that reveals over 100 million years of Earth's history. You can see these layers from the cliffs near the sixteenth-century Ermita de San Telmo or on Itzurun Beach. The coastal path is part of the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela and leads past tidal pools that become visible between the rock slabs at low tide.

Bilbao is the largest city in the Basque Country and is known for the Guggenheim Museum, a design by Frank Gehry from 1997. In the medieval Casco Viejo, also known as Las Siete Calles, you will find the nineteenth-century Plaza Nueva and bars with local pintxos. You can walk along the Nervión river over the Zubizuri Bridge by architect Santiago Calatrava for a view of the skyline and the surrounding green hills.

Santander is the capital of Cantabria and is located on a natural bay on the Cantabrian Sea. On the Magdalena Peninsula, you can visit the Palacio de la Magdalena, which was built between 1908 and 1912 as a summer residence for the Spanish royal family. Stroll along the beaches of El Sardinero or see the Centro Botín, an art center designed by Renzo Piano that hovers above the harbor waters.

Santillana del Mar is a medieval village in Cantabria known for its cobbled streets and sand-coloured mansions. In the centre stands the twelfth-century Colegiata de Santa Juliana, a Romanesque collegiate church with a well-preserved cloister. Near the Plaza de Ramón Pelayo, you can visit the Museo de Altamira, which displays replicas of the prehistoric cave paintings from the nearby cave.

The Picos de Europa draw attention with steep limestone walls that sharply contrast with the green meadows. The Fuente Dé cable car takes you to 1823 meters for panoramic views of the mountain peaks. Those who hike the Garganta del Cares walk along a narrow path through a deep gorge beside the river. The striking rock peak Naranjo de Bulnes towers over the landscape with vertical walls. On the quiet mountain paths, herds of chamois often graze among the grey rocks of the Vega de Urriellu.

Stately mansions and medieval walls adorn the old town of Llanes above the rugged coastline. In the harbour lie the Cubos de Memoria, painted concrete blocks by Agustín Ibarrola on the sea wall. Those who walk uphill stroll along the Paseo San Pedro, a wide grassy promenade with views over the cliffs. Near the centre is Playa del Sablón, a sheltered city beach against the city wall. The lively atmosphere in the streets blends with the smell of fresh fish at the terraces around the quay.

Oviedo is the capital of Asturias and is home to ninth-century pre-Romanesque architecture on the slopes of Mount Naranco. The monuments Santa María del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo date back to the time of the Kingdom of Asturias, while the Gothic Catedral de San Salvador dominates the car-free centre. In the local sidrerías, you can taste the traditional apple cider that waiters pour into the glass from a great height.

Praia das Catedrais owes its reputation to the massive rock formations that tower like Gothic arches above the beach. At low tide, you can walk on the sand between the Arcos de piedra and explore the deep Cuevas marinas along the Cantabrian Sea. The beach of Praia de Augas Santas shows the immense power of the water with thirty-meter-high stone pillars. Because access is regulated during busy periods, you experience a serene tranquility here between the towering walls.

A Coruña is a city of glass balconies and a Roman lighthouse. The Torre de Hércules, a 55-meter high Roman lighthouse from the second century, dominates the peninsula. In the center, the galerías on Plaza María Pita surround the city with their glass balconies. A walk along the Paseo Marítimo connects city beaches like Playa de Riazor with viewpoints on Monte de San Pedro. Experience the city's lively maritime atmosphere during walks along the waterfront, with views of the Atlantic Ocean.

Santiago de Compostela is the capital of Galicia and the place where pilgrims gather at the tomb of the apostle James. The Catedral de Santiago on Praza do Obradoiro dates from the eleventh century and displays a mix of Romanesque and Baroque architecture. You can wander through granite streets past the sixteenth-century monastery San Martín Pinario and taste Galician specialties such as seafood and Tarta de Santiago at the local markets.

The Costa da Morte is a coastal region in northwestern Galicia where the Xallas River plunges forty meters down into the Atlantic Ocean at the Cascada de Ézaro. At Cabo Vilán, you'll find Spain's first electric lighthouse from 1896, situated on a hundred-meter-high cliff face. From the headland of Faro de Fisterra, you can look out over the water from a point that the Romans considered the end of the world.