The warmest & driest months are July-September. You should still be prepared for occasionally cool conditions in the mountain areas, and the chance of rain at any time.

Seawater is cool and locals swim from Mid June to end of September. May tends to be showery but is also one of the most beautiful months to visit.

June and September are probably the best months all around and October is changeable but benefits from the beautiful autumnal forests.

July and August are holiday time for Spanish and everything is more busy, but never crowded.

Altitudes range from sea level to 2,500m. In Spring & Autumn temperatures range between 10°c – 18°c; in summer 12°c – 28°c.

How do I get there?

Most people fly from London Stansted to Santander (Ryanair) or Asturias (Easyjet) at the start of the trip and fly out of Santiago (Ryanair) at the end.

There are options in addition to flying: ferries to Santander & Bilbao, trains and driving are also options.

For train routes see the fantastic Man in Seat 61 website: www.seat61.com

How active?

Entirely up to you. Since you have the freedom of your own car, you can take the holiday at your own pace.

Walking is the main activity but you can also relax on the beach, explore cultural and historic sites, canoe, or ride bikes or horses.

How comfortable?

Small rural inns and hotels with 12 rooms or less combining character and comfort.

The star rating system is somewhat redundant when it comes to classifying small rural hotels in Spain since stars are often allocated for uniforms, telephones in bathrooms,etc.

As a guide, the hotels used on this holiday are equivalent to what one would expect of small three and four star boutique properties.

How independent?

With your own car, you’re completely independent and flexible but with support available if you need it. We provide you with all the maps, walking notes and local information you will need.

You have a Pura Aventura guide for a full day. We usually include this on your first full day to help you plan your time.

How responsible?
Pura Aventura is passionate about the places it visits. To help preserve the integrity of these destinations we:

• Keep groups small to minimise environmental impact.

• Work with local guides so that our holidays are more interesting for clients and more beneficial locally.

• Work directly with local businesses and organisations to directly benefit local economies. We use small, locally owned hotels and restaurants.

Pura Handmade Holiday

This walking holiday in Spain is a Pura Aventura Handmade product and is unique to us.

We have designed and deliver this holiday using our own people and carefully selected local suppliers to create a Pura Handmade holiday.

You are looked after by a Pura team on the ground in the Picos and they are always on hand in case you need them.

The route followed takes you through some really quite stunning scenery as you travel between little known mountain ranges and a remote coastline.

Pura have invested a great deal of time in searching out the best small hotels en route.

The selection of walks we provide are designed to give you an insight into the landscapes and culture of the region. Do not expect to see other tourists for much of this journey.

The northern branch of the Camino de Santiago is a stunning combination of mountains and coastal scenery. Each has its own distinctive and well-preserved cultural identity.

Although our route along the coast of Asturias and Galicia is far prettier than the main ‘Camino Frances’, it attracts few visitors.

With our self drive holidays, we include your car hire, accommodation, walking notes, maps and local information as well as a day of private guiding to start your holiday.

This means that you travel equipped to make the most of each day with the luxury of choosing your own agenda day to day.

Spend the day exploring the mountains or coast as actively as you want. In the evening settle down in your very comfortable hotel and enjoy delicious meats from the mountains or wonderful fish and seafood from the coast.

What is a Pura Self Drive Holiday?

At the heart of the concept is an independent holiday with the guesswork taken out.

What Pura do is book your cars and hotels so that you have the basic structure of your holiday set out. We then give you the information to fill the days in a way that suits you best. That means that you travel with detailed information about the areas you are visiting. This ranges from advice on the best beaches, market days, our favourite restaurants, what to do on a rainy day, etc.

You also have a series of walking scale maps with our own walking notes. You will invariably have more walking notes than days to walk so you can choose which ones to do and which ones to save for a return visit.

To help you make the best choices, at the start of your trip you spend a full day with a Pura guide.

Here in the UK we tailor the itinerary to your needs as closely as possible. Of course, once you are actually on holiday you can choose to stick to the letter of the itinerary or change it as you go along.

Your Pura guide also helps you map out the best possible holiday according to weather forecasts, local festivals, your energy levels, etc. They can also help you make any calls you need to book optional activities. Think of it as a bit of fine-tuning. Freedom and flexibility without the guesswork.

The cars we book for you are good sized cars. Because you are generally going into mountain environments, we make sure that the cars are suitably powerful.

The hotels we use are generally small and family run. The standard varies from luxurious, boutique style to simple, comfortable rustic type places. Rooms are en suite.

We always believe that when you wake up you should know where in the world you are so we place character, location and comfort at the top of the list. If you want uniformed staff, look elsewhere!
h3. Useful Links

As you already know, Pura Aventura is dedicated to safe and responsible travel. The links below provide useful content and more information about Spain. Please call us of any special requirements on 01273 676 712.

Country Information

FCO

The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office provides useful travel advices on Spain.

BBC News

BBC News provides useful information about Spain. Read more about it.

Official Government website

Find out more about Spain, by visiting its official government website.

Prepare your holiday

Health

Before you go on your holiday to Spain, please ensure you have the correct vaccinations. Check out the NHS website for advice, visit your GP or a travel clinic.

Currency Exchange

For the latest information on the €uro currency, visit the ICE website.

Weather

For the forecast in Spain, visit wunderground.

Pura’s Amazon shop

Browse our Spain selection in Amazon.co.uk for a wide range of travel essentials, such as books, gadgets, clothing, etc. in preparation for your upcoming holiday.

Flight deals

Find the best flight deals for your holiday to Spain with Skyscanner, Expedia.