The train in Spain… four routes to try

A MODERN PILGRIMAGE New for 2023, this tour from Inntravel begins in Bilbao with a visit to Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum, which this year focuses on the museum’s own collections with a 25-year retrospective. From there, it is a train ride to historic Burgos – don’t miss the tomb of the medieval knight El Cid in the gothic cathedral, or the 16th-century Arco de Santa Maria gateway. The journey continues across the interior to Leon. The city is known for the stained glass in its cathedral and also for Gaudi’s Modernist Casa Botines. Santiago de Compostela, the terminus, is reached by train via Monforte de Lemos, with a night in a 17th-century parador. Inntravel (01653 617001; inntravel.co.uk) offers the Journey along the Camino de Santiago tour from £1,095pp, based on two sharing, including nine nights’ B&B in mostly threeand four-star hotels

A PEACEFUL RETREAT

One favourite destination for day-trippers from Barcelona is Nuria, reached by a narrow-gauge rack railway from Ribes-Enllac station at Ribes de Freser, served by trains from Barcelona-Sants. There are no roads to the large mountain and ski resort, where the complex includes an exhibition about El Cremallera (“The Zip”), which climbs more than 3,000ft over seven miles. Go in spring and explore the Nuria Valley (valldenuria. cat), full of waterfalls and blooming with flowers. Return local fares from

Ribes de Freser to Nuria start at £24

A GRAND TOUR

Using Eurostar and TGVs to reach Spain, this 11-day tour begins in Madrid before continuing by train to the cultural and architectural jewels of Andalucia: Seville with its hulking cathedral; Granada with the Alhambra; and Cordoba, where Roman and Moorish architectural styles fuse in the iconic mosque-cathedral (La Mezquita). Afterwards, there are two days in Barcelona before taking the train home.

Great Rail Journeys (01904 521936; greatrail.com) offers trips from £2,895pp, based on two sharing, including 10 nights’ B&B and five dinners in mostly three- and four-star hotels

A TWO-NATION TREAT

This 12-day itinerary begins with the train journey from London to San Sebastian before continuing across northern Spain for a full day in Santiago de Compostela. The tip of Spain at Vigo is reached by local train, and a full day there allows exploration of the city’s many museums and galleries before moving on to Porto. After three days in the Portuguese city, the train to Pinhao along the beautiful Douro Valley begins the return to Spain, with nights spent in Salamanca and Girona. Tailor Made Rail (020 3322 7741; tailormaderail.com) specialises in bespoke independent journeys, and can offer a similar itinerary from about £1,549pp

i Visit Nuria on a day-trip by train from Barcelona