The Great North is our flagship self-guided motorcycle tour of northern Spain: 8 days, 7 riding days and around 2,400 km of mountain passes, coastal roads and empty twisties, starting and finishing in Bilbao.
You conquer the Picos de Europa triangle, trace the source of the Ebro, cross Asturias to the Atlantic, ride the wild coast of Galicia to Cabo Ortegal and Finisterre, and dip into Portugal’s Peneda-Gerês National Park before heading home through the Ribeira Sacra and Castilla y León.
Every night is spent in hand-picked high-end hotels and Paradores, chosen for their character and location, with secure parking and breakfast included. You ride a BMW GS with unlimited mileage, and follow our day-by-day digital route guide with GPS routes that avoid motorways and tolls.
Prefer a guided tour? We can also run this route as a guided tour for your group. Get in touch and we will plan it with you.
Welcome to Bilbao. We meet you at your hotel for a meet and greet, hand over your BMW and run through the tour, the digital route guide and the bike. The rest of the day is yours to explore the city. Overnight in Bilbao.
About 6 h 15 min of riding. Head west into the mountains past the viewpoint over the source of the río Asón, the caves of the Monumento Natural de Ojo Guareña and the source of the río Ebro. The Balcón de la Cardosa and the Mirador Asomada del Ribero open up the first big views before you arrive at Fuente Dé, at the foot of the Picos de Europa.
About 6 h of riding on one of Europe’s great motorcycle loops. Ride north to Panes and Cangas de Onís, then climb over the Puerto del Pontón to the reservoir at Riaño and on to Potes, before finishing in Cangas de Onís, on the river Sella.
About 6 h 35 min of riding. Today goes high into the Cantabrian mountains over the Puerto de Pajares and the Mirador del Acebo, then down to the Atlantic coast at Ribadeo on the Eo estuary. Start with a full tank: fuel stops are few in the mountains.
About 7 h of riding along Galicia’s wild coast. Ride the Ruta Pena Abaladoira, with an optional detour to the cliffs of Cabo Ortegal (+2 hours), then on to Santiago de Compostela and the lighthouse at Finisterre, once the end of the known world. Finish with the view from the Mirador del Monte de la Muralla before arriving in the Rías Baixas.
About 6 h 45 min of riding. Cross into Portugal for the granite peaks and reservoirs of the Peneda-Gerês National Park, return past the Vilariño de las Furnas dam and the Leonte waterfall, and finish in the canyons of the Ribeira Sacra above the river Sil.
The longest day, about 7 h of riding east across León via the Mirador de Cabezoás, La Robla and Cervera de Pisuerga, closing the loop back at Fuente Dé beneath the Picos.
About 5 h 20 min of riding with four great viewpoints: Mirador La Piquera, Mirador Asomada del Ribero, Mirador de Vega de Pas and the Mirador del Puerto de Orduña, before dropping your bike back in Bilbao. End of the tour.
Expect a big, varied week in the saddle: long days of 300 to 445 km on mountain passes, coast roads and quiet back roads, with every route planned to avoid motorways and tolls. The Great North suits experienced riders comfortable with full days riding.
Prices are per rider on a BMW F450GS in a shared room. Use the cost calculator below to add a bigger GS, a pillion or a single room. Final pricing depends on motorcycle and hotel availability for your dates.