Paradors of Northern Spain: Burgos to Santiago

Your tour of northern Spain begins early this morning at London St Pancras, where we meet the Tour Manager before boarding the Eurostar to Paris. Travelling in spacious Eurostar Plus class with a light meal served at our seats, in Paris we continue by First Class rail to the town of Hendaye on the border of France and Spain.

On arrival in Hendaye this evening, we are met by our coach driver and taken the short distance across the border to our first Parador hotel, the restored 10th-century castle of Hondarribia. Situated on Spain's famous culinary coastline, the town of Hondarribia has a Basque heritage and is renowned for its traditional cuisine. Our distinguished Parador accommodation is set in the heart of the Old Town, on the cobblestoned Plaza de Armas, overlooking the estuary between France and Spain and beyond to the Cantabrian Sea.

After checking in, we head straight to dinner at the town's renowned Restaurante Zeria, a short walk away. Established in 1965, this popular restaurant has an extraordinary history, and its four-course menu offers a choice of creative, freshly produced dishes, typical of the Galicia region.

• Eurostar Light Meal
• Dinner

Waking in the grand restored 10th-century castle, the Parador de Hondarribia, your day is free to explore this characterful town and its surroundings at your own pace.

Just below our hotel is the attractive La Marina, a vibrant neighbourhood whose pedestrianised avenues are lined with traditional Basque houses, featuring brightly painted shutters and balconies overflowing with geraniums. La Marina has a lively but laid-back atmosphere with a great mix of restaurants serving high quality cuisine. You might choose to enjoy a leisurely lunch, and could take a walk around the town, following the ancient walls back up to our Parador accommodation.

This area of Spain is celebrated for its pintxos. Indulging in these small but tasty portions of food, usually served on a skewer, is so much a part of the local culture, it even has its own name - 'El Txikiteo' - a tradition which involves socialising while snacking. This evening, we experience pintxos for ourselves, sampling them at different restaurants.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Heading inland and west into the Castile region by coach, this morning we follow the ancient pilgrimage route to Burgos where we enjoy a two-hour guided tour including entrance to the beautiful Burgos Cathedral. Awarded World Heritage status in the 1980s - the only cathedral in Spain to have been awarded this distinction by UNESCO, independently of its town - the façade of the cathedral is typical of French Gothic style while its decorative elements include Renaissance and Baroque.

Burgos is also a UNESCO City of Gastronomy and, after a tapas lunch here, we continue our journey to our next Parador. Set on the crossroads of ancient pathways, halfway between the historic cities of León and Zamora, the Parador de Benavente occupies what was once the Castle of Los Pimentel. Surrounded by gardens, and offering spectacular views over the El Tera and El Órbigo valleys from the hotel terraces, the Parador's defining interior feature is its Renaissance-era Torre del Caracol - the only surviving part of the original castle - which has a magnificent Mudejar ceiling and houses a bar. We are greeted with a welcome drink and there's time to unwind and enjoy the hotel facilities before we sit down for dinner this evening.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After a buffet breakfast, we set off to the city of León by coach, whose impressive cathedral is a key stopping point on the Camino de Santiago. The first impression as you walk inside the cathedral is the brilliance of its colourful stained-glass windows - one of Europe's most extensive and best-preserved collections of medieval stained glass. Our tour includes a talk on the symbolism of the Camino de Santiago, followed by a short experience of the actual Camino walk. You may spot the scallop shell symbol, used as a way marker on the Camino for centuries which is often worn by pilgrims. We hear about the significance of the shell, commonly found on the Galician coast, during our tour.

After our tour, there is some free time in this marvellous city - to look around and maybe choose a restaurant for an independent lunch.

We drive back to our Parador this afternoon where the rest of your afternoon is at leisure - to luxuriate in the lovely surroundings and maybe enjoy a dip in the pool before dinner in the restaurant.

• Breakfast, Dinner

You are free to explore the scenery and town centre of Benavente, from our prestigious Parador, which is a local landmark in its own right. Overlooking Benavente, the town's main plaza is around ten minutes' walking distance from our accommodation and you could sample local cuisine at one of the atmospheric bars or restaurants which surround the square. Local specialities to try in Benavente include cheeses, honey and local wines.

Set in the province of Zamora, between the cities of León and Zamora, the town's position has made Benavente a key stopping point for pilgrims who walk the Camino de Santiago. There are two historic churches, from the 12th and 13th centuries. You could also visit the Hospital de la Piedad, which once served pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela - this historic building has a beautiful sandstone façade, an early example of Spanish Renaissance style. Alternatively, visit the Casa de Solita palace, a modern example of regional architecture.

When dining independently this evening, you'll find several highly rated restaurants in and around the main town square.

• Breakfast

Today, we head to the Ribeira Sacra wine region, a hidden gem in Galicia, whose winemaking history dates back to the Roman period. This rugged hill country is typified by deep gorges, dense forest and canyons, where steep, terraced vineyards make it difficult for vines to be harvested manually.

Amid this stunning landscape, we enjoy a guided tour and wine tasting of Ribeira Sacra, a red wine which has been produced in this region for centuries, followed by a lunch of traditional Galician cuisine at a historic cellar. After our lunch, we enjoy a relaxing boat trip along the picturesque Sil River.

We continue our journey to the next wonderful location - the Parador de Santo Estevo, one of the jewels of Spain's Parador network. Set in the heart of the Ribeira Sacra, this updated Benedictine Monastery has panoramic views over the ancient forest and the River Sil. After a welcome drink, we enjoy dinner in the restaurant, acclaimed for its Galician gastronomy. Stars of the menu are chestnut, fish and Galician beef.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

For a highlight of the tour, we board a train to visit the Galician capital, Santiago de Compostela. Following the path of thousands of pilgrims, we visit the end point of the Camino, entering the city's legendary cathedral - believed to be the burial place of the relics of James the Apostle.

Since medieval times, it has been customary for pilgrims who returned from the cathedral to carry home a Galician scallop shell as proof of their completion of the journey. A more modern tradition is based on the belief that the best view of the cathedral is experienced from lying on the ground in Plaza del Obradoiro. After a guided tour of the cathedral, there is free time to explore. With many visitors passing through the city all year round, Santiago de Compostela's World Heritage historic quarter has countless restaurant and bars. The city also has some peaceful parks and a variety of museums including contemporary art galleries.

Later, we retrace our journey by rail and coach back to our Parador, where you are at leisure until dinnertime.

• Breakfast, Dinner

After a free morning to make the most of our sumptuous surroundings, our destination this afternoon is the town of Monforte de Lemos, and its glorious Parador. On arrival in the town, you are free to soak up the vibrant atmosphere and wander around the cobbled streets of the Old Town. Railway enthusiasts could visit the Galician Railway Museum, which outlines the history of the railway in this region.

At the end of the afternoon, we make our way to the striking neoclassical Parador de Monforte de Lemos, situated at the highest point of the town, for dinner. Situated within the Monastery of San Vicente do Pino and the Palace of the Condes de Lemos, the buildings form the complex of San Vicente do Pino.

At this fourth Parador of our tour, we enjoy a Galician farewell dinner this evening. The Parador de Monforte's restaurant presents traditional Galician cuisine, particularly that of the town of Lugo in the interior of the Galicia region. Later we return to our accommodation at Parador de Santo Estevo.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Over the last eight wondrous days we have explored the unique culture, traditions and cuisine of northern Spain, on our gastronomic exploration, based in three of the region's luxurious Parador hotels. Following part of the ancient pilgrimage route, the Way of St James - the Camino de Santiago - we have encountered the stunning cathedrals of Burgos, León and Santiago de Compostela, and enjoyed an array of culinary experiences.

After breakfast and a morning at leisure, we transfer by coach to Porto, just two and a half hours away in Portugal, where we board out flight to London Heathrow. On arrival, your holiday reaches its conclusion and you are free to make your way home.

• Breakfast