The great mountain chain of the Península, natural and cultural border and at the same time link with Europe, offers the most variety of activities, cultures and landscapes you can find in the Península.

Travelling along the range from the Cantabrian sea to the Mediterranean you can explore from sea level to over 3000 m, enjoy sun and lush forests, dramatic peaks and gentle foothills, pristine rivers and blossomed meadows, pre-historical paintings and Medieval churches…all of this while you hop from National Park to National Park and from old kingdom to old kingdom, hearing three out of the four official languages of Spain.

Odysgea is based at the foothills of the Pyrenees, so we are at home here. The combinations we can play with to design travel experiences in the Pyrenees are endless: the full variety of activities is available at is best , whether you choose to explore only the high Central Pyrennes, combine it with the unique pre-Pyrenean ranges or embark in the great traverse from Bilbao to Barcelona.

Top Activities in the Pyrenees: Hiking and mountaineering in National Parks, Wildlife spotting (Bearded Vulture, Wallcreeper, Chamois, Marmots..), Romanesque churches, Medieval hill-top villages, water sports, mountain biking, meet the shepherds, Somontano wine.

The Cantabrian area of Spain includes the Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia. They all share a combination of mountains and coast and a humid weather that gifts a beautiful green landscape that contrasts with the rest of Mediterranean Spain.

Asturias and the Picos de Europa

Our home for decades, here is where we fell in love with mountains. Asturias is the land of green pastures, craggy peaks and semi nomadic shepherds, of brown bears and wolves, of rough seas and pristine beaches, of cider and cheese.

With the Picos de Europa National Park as axis we can go as deep as you want into the landscapes and rural culture of Asturias and its neighbour regions of Cantabria and Castilla y León. From calmed itineraries walking from village to village to time spent with the last traditional shepherds, from demanding traverses on the moon-like high terrain to gentle walks along the meadows of the foothills, from a summit in the morning to a swim in the ocean in the afternoon…all this is possible in Asturias.

Along the Cantabrian range

With a rich history that goes from some of the best palaeolithic paintings to the origin of Christian Spain and the Camino de Santiago, the Cantabrian region offers an alternative image of Spain. Rural life is still alive in the region and is best experienced when sharing time with a shepherd and his flock, making cider or cheese tasting as you make your way to Galicia and Santiago de Compostela. The mountains run parallel to the wild coast, so you can combine them as you travel along. The Cantabrian mountains also offer some of the best wildlife experiences in Spain. From Bearded vultures to Brown Bears and wolves, we can provide a great wildlife holiday with an insight into the conservation projects.

Top activities in the Picos de Europa and the Cantabrian range: Hiking and mountaineering in the Picos de Europa National Park, walk along the Camino del Norte, meet the shepherds, a world of cheese, Wildlife spotting (Brown Bears, Wolves and Bearded vultures), wild beaches.

A transition area in both cultural and natural characteristics, Navarre expands from the green pastures and forests of the Western Pyrenees to the fertile Ebro valley. The north of the region has a strong Basque cultural identity maintained in its many valleys and isolated villages, whilst the south opens to cereal fields and vineyards as it approaches the Ebro river. The rich history of the Kingdom of Navarre is visible in its many castles, as well as the importance that the Camino de Santiago had in the development of many of its most interesting towns. Pamplona is a destination on itself, where a bar crawl to taste its infinite number of “pintxos” is probably as good as the iconic running of the bulls and Hemingway´s heritage.

Neighbouring Rioja region has all the fame of its wine, produced in a beautiful landscape of vineyards over rolling hills and spotted with hill-top villages. But there is more than wine and great food to Rioja for those willing to explore into the secondary roads that will take you to authentic mountain villages and historical sites linked with the origin of the Spanish language.

Top activities in Navarre and Rioja: Pamplona, Hike along the Camino de Santiago and in the in the lush forests of the Pyrenees, Birdwatching, Castles and Monasteries, Rioja wine, cycling.

The Camino is the generic name for the pilgrim paths leading to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia from all corners of Europe and the Peninsula. Therefore, there is not one single Camino to Santiago de Compostela but a collection of them, followed by millions of pilgrims from the 9th century, who created a net of paths that have been recognized as one of the cultural pillars of the European continent.

At Odysgea we have travelled The Way many decades ago as pilgrims, but we don´t organize pilgrimage tours. We organize hiking tours along the different Caminos as they are an amazing cultural highway full of interest, and a great way to experience the variety of landscapes of Spain and Portugal. Our rule is to walk only sections that are interesting to walk, offer a variety of landscapes and combine it with the main cultural sites.

Besides the most popular French Camino there are quite a few other Caminos worth exploring, so we offer tours either along the Camino Francés or a combination of this most popular route with sections of the Camino del Norte, Camino Vadiniense, Camino Lebaniego or Camino de Invierno, as well as the Camino Aragonés from France to Pamplona and sections of the Portuguese Camino.

The Caminos offer a great opportunity to experience Self Guided trips for the first time, as they are easy to navigate and we facilitate the smoothest private transfer support. But it is also a great opportunity to have one of our expert guides enhancing the experience, whether they act as drivers or even more if they walk along with you.

Once in Santiago, the region of Galicia has a lot to offer, whether its an exploration of its roughed Costa da Morte or an exploration of its unique wine regions. Santiago offers also a great opportunity to link with the North of Portugal to explore farther.

Top Activities along the Camino: Hiking, historical cities, wineries, pintxos tour in Pamplona.

The region that became the icon of Spain due to its exotic Islamic Heritage has a well earned fame. Its mix of wonderful climate, historical cities and lively culture on top of a varied landscape of mountains, rolling hills and Mediterranean coast has a lot to offer.

It´s easy to combine all of these themes in any tour, or focus in one of them. Seville is easily linked with beautiful hiking areas in the Aracena Natural Park or between the white villages in the mountains around Ronda before enjoying the wild coast of Cádiz. On the Eastern end of Andalucía the magic of the Alhambra in Granada combines perfectly with the Sierra Nevada National Park and the historical paths of the Alpujarras before enjoying the hidden beaches of the Cabo de Gata Natural Park. In between these two focus areas, lots more to explore as you discover the Mosque of Córdoba, the endless olive tree orchards of Jaén or the Subbética Natural Park.

All of this combined with foodie experiences around olive oil, wine, fresh fish markets and much more in an experience best lived with the support of our local guides who will transform a postcard destination into a true insight into the life of Andalusia.

Top actvities in Andalucia: Islamic Heritage, Seville, Granada, Córdoba, White villages, hiking from village to village, Mediterranean food, tapas, sherry, pristine beaches,

The unofficial second capital of Spain is world famous for a reason. With many history layers and iconic artists and architects like Gaudi or Picasso, the city is also a vibrant city that mixes the strong Catalonian identity with an international look to it.

Catalonia is a large varied region with lots to offer. South of Barcelona, the inland regions of Rriorat, Monsant and Terra Alta produce some of the most renown wines in the country in a landscape of hills dotted with medieval villages and monasteries. To the north, the province of Girona is a destination on itself, combining the beauty of its capital city with the gentle beauty of the Ampurdá countryside, the volcanic range of Garrotxa at the foothills of the Pyrenees or Mediterranean coves of the Costa Brava. All this to be topped with the high mountain paradise of Aiguestortes and San Maurici National park in the neighbour province of Lérida.

Top Activities in Catalonia: Modernist and Art Noveau in Barcelona, Girona´s medieval corners, hiking in the high Pyrenees at Aiguestortes National Park, hiking along the Costa Brava, water activities at the Mediterranean, Romanesque churches and paintings in the Boi valley, gourmet food and wine.

Costa Brava

The coast north of Barcelona still keeps some corners where the best of the Mediterranean can be enjoyed. Small coves of turquoises waters, beautiful weather and great seafood at picturesque villages. Whether is just to relax, explore the rich historical heritage of Mediterranean cultures or explore actively along coastal paths or paddling along the coast, the Costa Brava is a great place to combine with hiking trips in the inland of Girona or the foothills of the Pyerenees, and there is no other better end to a traverse of the Pyrenees than to swim where the range sinks in the Mediterranean.

Mallorca

The iconic Mediterranean island of small coves, hills dotted with olive trees and rocky mountains is famous for a reason. The variety of landscapes between the Tramuntana hills and the coast makes it a fantastic hiking destination to be combined with beach time and good weather. The great quality and variety of accommodations allows for great resting time. You just need a bit of local knowledge to avoid the crowded touristy areas and enjoy the hidden Mallorca.

Menorca

A small island proud of its well preserved landscape and alternative offer to the more famous sister Mallorca. Menorca has one of the most enjoyable hiking routes of the Mediterranean as you can follow the entire coast of the island following the Camí de Cavalls. The size of the island is such that you can do from a centre base in one of its beautiful rural hotels or from a combination of them, without forgetting that both Mahón and Ciutadella deserve some time in the historical towns of the island.

Cabo de Gata

The hidden treasure of the Mediterranean coast of Andalusia, one of the few areas of the coast that was saved from overdeveloping and still today offers a unique landscape of African flavor, with its dry volcanic landscapes, small fishing villages and wild beaches. Beach time can be combined with some great hikes along the cliffs and sea kayak in its pristine waters, and is a great location to rest after a few days hiking in the Alpujarras of the Sierra Nevada.

Top activities in the Mediterranean: Hike along the coast to hidden coves, enjoy iconic white fishing ports, beach time and water sports.

Madrid is a lively capital, vibrant with cultural and social activity and a great place to get introduced to the country. Its world famous museums with the masterpieces of Velazquez, Goya or Picasso, and its famous street ambiance make it an ideal arrival destination for any trip in Spain. On top of that, Madrid can be easily combined with day tours to iconic towns full of history like Toledo or Segovia, easily reachable by train. Madrid is also the best connected city in Spain, with fast train communications towards Andalucía, the Pyrenees and Catalonia. It is also the best arrival point to explore Extremadura and Castile.

Castile and León is the region north of Madrid, heiress of the two Medieval kingdoms that dotted the landscape with fortresses as they fought each other and the Muslims in the Christian Reconquest of the Peninsula. Region of stunning beauty from the vineyards of Ribera del Duero to the canyons of Burgos or the unknown mountains of León and Palencia, one of the top destinations in Spain for wildlife spotting (wolves, brown bears, wild cats and golden eagles). These are landscapes seldom visited and full of cultural interest, from the Medieval castles and Romanesque and Gothic churches to the Camino de Santiago.

The region of New Castile to the East and South of Madrid hides some unknown gems for the curious traveller…from small towns like Cuenca to natural tresors like the Cabañeros National Park or the Alto Tajo Natural Park. For wildlife lovers, here you can find the best opportunities to spot the elusive and unique Iberian Lynx.

Top activities in Central Spain: explore vibrant Madrid, world-class museums, off-the-beaten track Spanish historical towns ( Toledo, Segovia, Salamanca, Cuenca…), Ribera del Duero wines, wildlife spotting, hike along the Camino de Santiago, hike along the Ebro river canyon.

The old Kingdom of Aragon offers one of the most authentic and varied combinations of Spanish landscapes and towns within one region. From its capital in Zaragoza, the true hidden gem of the historical Spanish cities, the region offers the greatest variety of landscapes and climates. From desert  to beech forests, from glaciers to Mediterranean forests, from its Roman heritage to the Romanesque and Islamic architecture.  Hiking in Ordesa National Park, enjoying the flight of the Bearded vultures, swimming in the river pools of Sierra de Guara, exploring the Mediterranean landscapes of the Matarraña or the town of Albarracín are just some of the infinite possibilities of this region.  If you want to see real Spain away from the tourist classic routes, exploring Aragón will give you a memorable experience.

Top activities in Aragon: hiking  and mountaineering, mountain biking and water sports in the high Pyrenees, Romanesque and Mudejar art heritage, Somontano wines, desert landscapes, varied birdwatching, sheparrd culture.

The region of Extremadura is probably one of the most beautiful spring destinations in Spain, when its open forest “dehesas” bloom and provide the most stunning background to its historical cities and great birdwatching and gentle hiking opportunities. Weather you follow the old historical route of the Via de la Plata, explore the Roman heritage of the region or enjoy the flight of the black storks in Monfragüe National Park, Extremadura is a great opportunity to discover an off the beaten track Spain with the help of our local expert guides.

Top activities in Extremadura: hike along the Via de la Plata, birdwatching in Monfragüe Natural Park, historical towns.