Even just leaving the ferry port is an excuse for a stunning motorcycle ride through the Picos mountains

The CL-629 in the Cantabrian mountains. Busy, isn’t it?

Finding great riding near the ports of Santander and Bilbao is as easy as A,B,C… Asturias, the Basque Country and Cantabria (and La Rioja as well). There are the twin attractions of the coast, with its sleepy fishing villages and golden beaches, and the mountains. The chain of Cantabrian mountains — which includes the Picos de Europa — delivers spectacular scenery, as grey-tipped peaks rise above verdant slopes, with fabulously twisty roads climbing passes and cutting through limestone gorges.

WHERE TO STAY

LAREDO

Midway between Bilbao and Santander is the Cantabrian resort of Laredo – famed for its massive sandy beach. It should be famous for the quality of the riding in the hills around it. Routes 3, 4 & 5

Hotel tip: Hotel Montecristo

POTES

A picturesque stone-built town nestled in the heart of the Picos, within an easy ride of the Santander ferry. A great base for exploring the mountains, with plenty of hotels and restaurants in its traditional centre. Routes 1 & 2. Hotel tip: Hotel Valdecoro

ZARAUTZ

This small Basque beach town attracts hordes of surfers in summer and has a suitably laid-back atmosphere. An easy ride from Santander or Bilbao. Routes 6, 7 & 8. Hotel tip: Hotel Zarautz

OFF THE BIKE

COVADONGA

The tiny village of Covadonga, high in the Picos was where the Christian reconquest of Spain began, evicting the Moors. There’s a spectacular church and even-more-beautiful lakes. A real must-visit destination.

COVALANAS CAVE

Beat the heat with a trip into the cool of the huge, spectacular Covalanas Cave, featuring prehistoric paintings. Tours cost just €3, last 45 minutes and leave once an hour. Short but steep walk from the parking area to the entrance. Best booked in advance.

FUENTE DÉ

A spectacular cliff-lined bowl at the foot of a peak – with a difference. For €17 you can ride Europe’s longest single-span cable car all the way to the top, over a belly-flipping 753m drop… The views are incredible in this region.

GUERNICA

Immortalised by Picaso’s painting, the Basque town of Guernica was savagely bombed in the Spanish Civil War. Now rebuilt, it has became a symbol of reconstruction and peace. Make sure to visit the Biscayan Assembly House.

GUGGENHEIM BILBAO

For high culture, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is on another level. The spectacular modernist building sets the tone for the exhibitions it houses. Admission cost is €10.

LAGUARDIA

Laguardia is a fabulous medieval walled town perched on a low hill, its towered church visible from miles away. Packed with surprises — from caves to cafés — it’s a great daytrip destination. Don’t skip the nearby Ysios Bodega.

LOGROÑO

La Rioja is filled with lovely towns, but the capital of the region has the most to see and do. Eat tapas on Calle Laurel and visit the museum. Or splash out on a vineyard tour and wine-tasting (from €38 – plus taxi!) Must-ride road N-621 Potes to Riaño, Puerto de San Glorio Fabulous views, incredible corners – no wonder it’s one of the most popular riding roads in the Picos.

Map of motorcycling routes in Spain's Eastern Picos and Basque Country

OUR MOTORCYCLE ROUTES

1 POTES TRIANGLE
Start/finish Potes
Distance 125 miles
Riding time 4 hours
One of the most famous rides in the Picos de Europa: Potes to Riaño to Cangas de Onís and back to Potes. Mountain passes, gorges, lakes and amazing views – there’s no wonder it’s so popular.
Route map, Download GPX file

2 POTES — COAST AND PASSES
Start/finish Potes
Distance 215 miles
Riding time 6.5 hours
This longer day’s ride reverses some of the roads from the Potes triangle, heading out to the seaside town of Ribadesella for lunch before heading even higher into the Picos mountains.
Route map, Download GPX file

3 LAREDO LONG LOOP
Start/finish Laredo
Distance 245 miles
Riding time 7.5 hours
From the beautiful coastal town of Laredo, this long day’s ride swoops through the beautiful coastal mountains all the way to the plains — and back again. An epic ride.
Route map, Download GPX file

4 LAREDO LOOP 2
Start/finish Laredo
Distance 175 miles
Riding time 6 hours Think mountain roads aren’t pillion-friendly? Think again: this is a full day on wide, well-surfaced roads with spectacular mountain scenery.
Route map, Download GPX file

5 LAREDO LOOP 3 – WILD CANTABRIA
Start/finish Laredo
Distance 155 miles
Riding time 6 hours
This one’s not really pillion friendly as it uses some challenging single-track roads to unlock some of the wildest, most spectacular areas of the Cantabrian mountains.
Route map, Download GPX file

6 ZARAUTZ ROUTE 1
Start/finish Zarautz Distance 155 miles
Riding time 5.5 hours
The well-wooded slopes of the mountains of the Basque Country are packed with fiendishly twisting roads — and many offer a sea view. This route also passes Guernica, if you want to take time off to visit the peace museum.
Route map, Download GPX file

7 ZARAUTZ ROUTE 2
Start/finish Zarautz
Distance 145 miles
Riding time 5 hours
Another route through the spectacular mountains of the Basque Country, taking in Arala park and hugging the foothills of Aizkorri, the highest peak.
Map route, Download GPX file

8 ZARAUTZ ROUTE 3 — WILD BASQUE COUNTRY
Start/finish Zarautz
Distance 150 miles
Riding time 6 hours Throwing single-track roads into the mix opens up some of the wildest and most beautiful scenery in Basque Country.
Route map, Download GPX file

Please note: This page contains the route files for The RiDE Guide to motorcycle touring in Spain and Portugal which came free with RiDE magazine in July 2018. These website page are not regularly updated, so please check all critical information before you travel. All route files are in .gpx format. Garmin and BMW users can download the main file, which contains all the routes and our recommended hotels as separate waypoints. TomTom users can download the individual routes and use the Tyre software to convert them. For many routes we also have Google Map links. However, as Google Maps will not plot routes over seasonally closed high Alpine passes (such as those in the Pyrenees) when they’re shut, these may not work for every route all year round.