Converging paths of myth and belief transformed Christ's apostle James the Greater into the patron saint of Spain, and spoken fables and an epic poem made El Cid its warrior savior. The towns with which they are identified commence and wrap this tour, and along the way you'll discover a green Spain of cool summers and Celtic mystery you might not have known existed.

After a suitable period in Madrid, drive due north on the N-1, a limited-access highway for the first 30 miles that narrows as it rises to cross the Guadarrama mountains. There are widely separated towns along the way–Aranda de Duero is a possible lunch stop–but this is the largely empty land of the great central plateau called the Meseta, so you'll probably want to hurry along.

In less than three hours, Burgos (see hotels) appears. At its heart is a magnificent Gothic cathedral, its towers and turrets virtual filigrees in stone. Buried within is El Cid, the Lord Conqueror of the 11th century. One of the nation's most cherished military heroes, legend has obscured the fact that he was a mercenary, at various times in the employ of both Catholic kings and Moorish emirs. Walking the constricted streets around the cathedral is most rewarding, especially for the fine examples of historic architecture. Stopping in at taverns along the way, you may well encounter a tuna or two. That's a traditional singing group of young men in Renaissance garb of velvet and lace playing mandolins and flutes.

The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain

The next day, the A-1 and A-68 autopistas (highways) take you quickly to Bilbao (see hotels) on the Bay of Biscay. Until a few years ago, Bilbao was off the tourist track, but that changed when the vision of American architect Frank Gehry came to fruition. That was the Museo Guggenheim, a building of bending, undulating shapes covered in silvery skin that has inspired millions of words of critical approval and attracted tens of thousands of visitors to this gray industrial port. The museum already has more than 6,000 artworks in its collection, most of them produced in the past 50 years.

This is Basque Country, home to the country's most honored regional cuisine, so by all means stay for lunch. But then move on west along the scenic coast road toward Santander (see hotels), a pretty city on a bay bordered by beaches. This stretch of coast was a popular summer refuge for wealthy vacationers and government leaders escaping the heat of Madrid.

Should you prefer a less urban setting, continue down the highway to the delightful medieval village of Santillana del Mar, stoutly resisting change to its rows of storybook farmhouses and seignorial mansions. Sheep, goats, and cattle are still herded along its streets at dusk, returning to stables from their grazing meadows outside the town. The famous caves of Altamira are nearby, but you'll need to request permission to enter them at least a year in advance.

A bedroom in Hotel de los Reyes Católicos

On the main plaza is the Parador Gil Blas. It's in two sections, the first a converted manor house dating from the 16th Century, the second a modern extension in harmonious style.

Heading west, you leave Basque Country and enter Asturias province. Stick to the road that plays tag with the Costa Verde–Green Coast–a gorgeous strip of terrain largely unknown to foreign travelers. Look south as you drive and you will glimpse another surprise, the snow-dusted Picos de Europa mountain range. (You might want to consider a detour to get a closer look.) Fishing villages, modest resorts, Romanesque churches, and rivers tumbling to the sea are the attractions on the way to Gijón, a bustling medium-sized city on a knob of land with a harbor on one side and a scimitar of beach on the other. The Parador Molino Viejo incorporates the old mill for which it is named and occupies a place at the east end of the strand, next to a large park. Even if you don't stay the night, the dining room is open to the public and features regional specialties.

With another couple of hours of leisurely drive time, make it to Ribadeo and its Parador de Ribadeo, a structure reflective of the rustic maritime feeling of its setting. Views are of the Eo River and pine-covered mountains. The river forms the border between Asturias and Galicia, the four-province region that occupies the northwestern corner of the peninsula, above Portugal.

A highly scenic route wanders west around the corner of the peninsula, hugging the rims of the narrow fjord-like bays called rías. Its eternal twists and turns slow your passage to a crawl, though, so you might prefer to cut south on the direct route to Santiago de Compostela. That way takes a little over two hours, not counting a lunch stop at the Parador Condes de Vilalba, a former castle in the town of the same name.

Dining hall of the Hotel de los Reyes Católicos

During the Middle Ages, millions of devout Catholics made the same journey you have just taken, but they came across the Pyrenees from northern Europe, most of them on foot. Their goal was Santiago de Compostela, named for the apostle St. James, whose remains are purportedly buried there. Pilgrims, who continue to arrive even today, bear scallop shells, the symbol of the saint, and that motif is repeated everywhere--farmhouses in the region often use the real thing as siding, like shingles.

Poignant evidence of the early Celtic inhabitants of Galicia abound, for they lived here before migrating to the British Isles. In the hills are round buildings with thatched roofs reminiscent of cottages in County Cork. Sounds of the gaita, a simple bagpipe, bounce off the walls of the compact old town. Visitors sometimes catch the performance of a sword dance similar to those seen in Scotland.

The centerpiece of Santiago, though, is the cathedral that dominates the ceremonial main plaza. Essentially a Romanesque church of the 12th century wrapped within a Baroque exterior, it is a place of joyous celebration rather than solemn devotions. The main event involves the botafumeiro, a giant censer set in motion by several priests tugging on ropes from the ceiling. As it gathers steam, swinging back and forth across the nave in ever-greater arcs and trailing streams of incense, the congregation whoops and laughs in appreciation.

All across Spain you can walk past tapestries and gilded antique cabinets, sleep beneath a canopy and behind brocade drapes. Marketing Ahead can make it happen.

Itinerary 1
Barcelona to Madrid: Artistic Catalunya and the Pyrenees

Itinerary 2
Madrid to Lisbon: Across Old Castile to the Ocean

Itinerary 3
Madrid to Santiago: Heroes and Saints on the Way of St. James

Itinerary 4
Madrid to Seville and Granada: The Glories of Andalucía