Spaniards argue about many things; that the north eats best is not usually one of them. The Costa Verde Express crosses three distinct food cultures in six days — here is your eating order.
First: the Basque bar counter
Bilbao's pintxos are miniature architecture — a gilda's spear of anchovy, olive and pepper; crab salpicón on bread; foie with apple. Move every two bites; standing still in a pintxo bar is amateurism.
Then: Asturias, cooking for the mountains
Fabada — buttery fabes beans, chorizo, morcilla — was engineered for miners and shepherds and remains gloriously unapologetic. After it: fifty artisan cheeses, Cabrales the blue king, and cider from our drinks guide to cut through everything.
Finally: Galicia and the Atlantic pantry
Octopus dusted with pimentón, scallops in their Camino shells, barnacles pried off lethal rocks, and almond tarta de Santiago for the finish. Much of it is eaten steps from where it was landed.
On the train
Menus in the dining car track the same regional progression — how meals split between train and shore is explained in our dining guide, and everything is in the fare (inclusions). Palace Tours can advise on dietary needs for any departure on the dates page.
