Travel/ CRUISE
SPAIN: Costa Verde Express
by Monique Delanoue-Paynot
Cruise on rails in green Spain
This train connects in six days Galicia to the Basque Country by crossing valleys and vertiginous gorges! A journey through time lived by Consultants Immobilier, unforgettable and spectacular.
The renaissance? Come aboard the oldest Spanish luxury train! Art Deco style and old world charm guaranteed. From Santiago de Compostela, a place of pilgrimage, to Bilbao, capital of the province of Vizcaya, everything is an invitation to nature, culture and gastronomic delights. The Iberian Peninsula is unique. Full of mountains and green forests, valleys and picturesque villages, caves and medieval walls. Bordered by the gray foam of a tumultuous Cantabrian Sea. To the great displeasure and joy of surfers. Here, the maritime cities follow one another: Santander, Gijón. The art manifests itself there: Guggenheim ! Emblematic of a Bilbao nostalgic for the American’s architectural talent Frank O. Gehry. The exhibition of the cars of the British architect, Norman Foster, in the heart of the iconic museum, is just breathtakingly beautiful. Let yourself be tempted…<br/>And experience a week immersed in the golden age of great travels on board a train-hotel that offers its 46 passengers, between contemplation and stopovers, remarkably comfortable transport conditions.
Belle Epoque glamour exults in absolute comfort and attentive service.
The living room cars ? Delicate marquetry, lacquered panels, geometric engravings with plant motifs speak to us of another time, another way.A tourist train like no other ?
After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Renfe is returning to the luxury rail market. The Spanish railway company, which already has two other first-class services, La Robla Express in Castilla y León and Al Andalus in Andalusia, invites us to test the Costa Verde Express in its classic version.
The objective? To celebrate the Holy Year of Compostela and to discover the enchanting landscapes of northern Spain. We immediately choose the “Grand luxe” option: The Transcantábrico ! So named in Castilian. This exceptional railway jewel will be true to its promises. As much in its beauty as in its amenities. The journey is offered in both directions: from Bilbao to Santiago de Compostela and/or vice versa, offering four magnificent regions as it rolls along: the Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia. With a special feature: « This train runs on metric tracks, i.e. with a track width that allows it to pass in places where normal trains cannot access », says Dominique Krauskopf in his superb book, “Les plus beaux trains du monde”. *
A feast for both the eyes and palate!
Rushing into the most beautiful natural corners, the landscape scrolls behind the windows. At each stop, an ultra-sophisticated bus with a French-speaking guide takes us to sites classified as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. From the maritime city of Santander to the caves of Altamira de Santillana del Mar, from the national park ofPicos de Europa, in Asturias, to the pre-Romanesque monuments ofOviedo, from the old town of Gijón to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the unusual is omnipresent. During an enchanting journey, our eyes are filled with wonder and our taste buds are delighted by the renowned paradores, (ed: hotels of great comfort, with starred restaurants, fitted out in houses of character), tasty specialties of northern Spain. Always accompanied by the best wines! As soon as the program is over and the keys to our suites are given in the sumptuous and historical setting of the Parador of Santiago (Hostal dos Reis Católicos), the parador of the Catholic Kings, place of reception of the pilgrims, it is offered to us a memorable and greedy lunch. The beginning of a long series of gastronomic places. At our table, an elegant couple from Madrid, an Italian woman accustomed to solo travel, two English friends, journalists from South America (Argentina) … Conversations are going well: to imagine a luxury hotel on rails that revives the golden era of the trains of the last century without renouncing the technology and comfort of the twentieth century. Can’t wait!
We dine in the luxurious restaurant car where sympathy settles in with fellow passengers from all over the world.
Best-seller: the famous fresh scallop au gratin in the oven, a delight! Served with a Vino blanco y tinto con D.O.A joyful and creative kitchen brigadeA true railway palace between glamour and modernity
Dating from the 20s, El Transcantábrico combines the charm of the past with the luxury of today. Composed of four elegant lounge cars that are admired as much for their interior decoration as for their finishings, the train is made up of 23 air-conditioned double rooms. All rooms are equipped with the comfort of a four-star service. Precious wood, double bed, bathroom with hydromassage shower, private toilets, mini-bar, safe, storage, desk, toiletries. Available to travelers? A library with television and video library. Breakfast and dinner are prepared daily by the cheerful and creative chef. And served with attention in the restaurant cars with old-fashioned charm.
« Everything is there to make your trip a pleasure », this is the message from the crew when they welcome you on board. Champagne! The bubbles are sparkling, the passengers are arriving from all over the world, the uniformed staff is busy filling the glasses, the smile is benevolent and totally devoted to the lounges tinted with muted colors and soothing velvet. The adventure begins and continues in the muffled atmosphere of the cars decorated with bell lamps, hooded with Art Deco style shades in the shape of flowers. It’s as old-fashioned as you want it to be. Every night, the train is stopped at the station to offer an optimal rest. Previously, music, concerts and dances delight a cosmopolitan audience, enamored with history, travel and legends. Welcome aboard!■
Luxury suite: a true jewel of railway heritage.
First class accommodation in Art Deco style and old world charm: mahogany, rosewood, violet wood or sycamore.We reserve :
Dates of departure from Santiago de Compostela for the 2023 season: from April 15 to October 28.
COSTA VERDE EXPRESS : 6 days/5 nights from 4480€ per person
EL TRANSCANTABRICO GRAN LUJO : 8 days/7 nights from 8400€ per person.
For more information, please contact Spanish Tourist Office:
www.spain.info
[email protected]
www.renfe.com/trenesturisticos
Spanish Tourist Office in Paris : 6 Rue Halévy, 75009
Tel : 01 45 03 82 50
*« Les plus beaux trains du monde », 220 pages, 41 euros. Editions Vilo. The author Dominique Krauskopf is also the creator and editor-in-chief of the portal: Voyager-magazine.fr
Guggenheim Bilbao: "Immersions," a sound and light show (December 3-11) to mark the museum's 25th anniversary.
The Transcantábrico Gran Lujo is a mixture of comfort, glamour, gastronomy, culture, rest and pleasure. Eight days of luxury and a journey through time that you will never forget.
