Reading Retreat in Northern Spain
A reading retreat at this Spice Escapes exclusive destination
Your holiday includes
- Flights including 10kg hold luggage
- Transfers
- 4 nights accommodation
- 4 continental breakfasts, 4 light lunches*, 4 evening meals
- Local wine, beer and spirits in the hotel just help yourself
- Tea/coffee available in the house throughout the day
- Minibus Excursions
NB - if on the 6 day Stansted flight included contents is increased by one
*Note-Lunch provided if at the property or a picnic lunch if walking or cycling, unless the guests wish to try local cuisine which will be at their own cost. .
Your holiday extras
- Personal Travel Insurance
- Ensuite supplement if required
- Change luggage allowance to 20kg checked in
- Optional excursions
- Lunches if you wish to sample the local restaurants
- Personal extras
Our priority on this retreat is to give you space and time to read. You can choose solitude or shared time with other readers during the daytime. There is plenty of space at Agara, indoors and out. If the weather is good, we could take our books to a beach. We can arrange local walks and maybe have lunch in a local restaurant. We can also arrange a trip to a nearby city on one of the days. We can be guided by the weather, but the focus will be on enjoying some of our TBR list either with physical books or a fully loaded kindle!
The evenings are where we all come together to enjoy home-cooked family-style food and take part in activities over food and laughter. Activities are likely to include a Murder Mystery event and a literary quiz, and anything else we can think of.
We hope you leave this retreat fully rested and with plenty of new book recommendations!
This is a wonderful opportunity to visit a less well trod area of Spain and enjoy a partially All Inclusive break at what we think is a bargain price at a wonderful time of year. The rooms are all available as sole occupancy so with 12 rooms this isn't a big trip!
Location & Itinerary
Wake up grab a coffee and your book and relax on the patio. Agara, where you will be staying really does lend itself to the chilled back life! The northern coast isn’t typical Spain as the weather isn’t as predictable as the Mediterranean south but this area has so much more to offer. Cantabria is a place where nature excels in expressing herself. The seasons are no exception - cold winters and warm summers. When the sun shines in Cantabria its hot; when it rains it pours but as we are there in July we certainly hope the former will be in the ascendance giving us some fantastic opportunities to relax with our chosen books and explore further afield should the urge take us.
Travel & Stay
‘Agara’ translated as Home in Sanskrit – your accommodation is a large house that was formerly used as a restaurant but has recently been renovated. It has completely new electrical and bathroom installations and a new kitchen. Despite the physical improvements to bring the house up to modern standards the owners have tried to retain the character of the house. This is a chance for a relaxing break in a home away from home where you can immerse yourself in the local area and culture – you won’t find a choice of bars and nightclubs on your doorstep so if you want a party you’ll have to do it in the house!
There are twelve bedrooms and eight bathrooms; three rooms have bathrooms en-suite and the rest share the remaining four and as we are only offering rooms as sole occupancy it's practically just two sharing a bathroom!
Provisional Flight Information
06/07/2025 London Stansted to Santander Dep: 0835 Arr: 1135
11/07/2025 Santander to London Stansted Dep: 1455 Arr: 1545
07/07/2025 Birmingham to Santander Dep: 0615 Arr: 0910
11/07/2025 Santander to Birmingham Dep: 1745 Arr: 1835
10kg hold baggage included - upgrade to 20kg hold luggage for £45
Availability & Pricing
Build Your Quote| Accommodation | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Single Room Shared Facilities | £0.00 | Available |
| Single Room En-Suite (5 day Birmingham) | £100.00 | Sold Out |
| Single Room en suite (6 days Stansted) | £125.00 | Sold Out |
| Flights | Price | |
| Own flight without transfers (5 days) | £505.00 | Available |
| Birmingham (5 days) | £635.00 | Available |
| London Stansted (6 days) | £755.00 | Available |
| Option | Price | |
| change luggage allowance to 20kg checked in | £45.00 | Available |
Not enough spaces left for you? Click here to join the waitlist
Passport validity
For UK passport holders your passport must be:
- Issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the ‘date of issue’)
- valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’)
You must check your passport meets these requirements before you travel. If your passport was issued before 1 October 2018, extra months may have been added to its expiry date.
ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System)
The rules of travel to most European countries have changed. Starting in the first half of 2025 UK citizens are required to have a travel authorisation to enter 30 European countries for a short stay.
ETIAS travel authorisation is an entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals travelling to a number of European countries. It is linked to a traveller’s passport. It is valid for up to three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. If you get a new passport, you need to get a new ETIAS travel authorisation.
With a valid ETIAS travel authorisation, you can enter the territory of these European countries as often as you want for short-term stays - normally for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. However, it does not guarantee entry. When you arrive, a border guard will ask to see your passport (and other documents if required) and verify that you meet the entry conditions.
NB - There is no official date for the ETIAS currently confirmed but when it is introduced it will be your responsibility to ensure that you have arranged this. We will update everyone when the ETIAS is required with information on how to apply for this online.
Travel Insurance
Please ensure that you have adequate personal travel insurance to suit your requirements in place before you travel.
A UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) gives you the right to access state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in the European Union (EU).
UK-issued European Health Insurance Cards (EHICs) are still valid and offer the same cover as GHICs in the EU.
Once your EHIC has expired, you’ll be able to replace it with a GHIC.
NB – A GHIC/EHIC is not a replacement for travel insurance!
FCO travel guidance for Spain
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain
Host & Everything Else
Included in your trip is a continental breakfast, light lunches (available if we are at the property or a picnic lunch if on a a walk or cycle ride) and evening meal everyday. Also, there will be complimentary tea/coffee available for you to help yourself to.
Locally sourced spring water will be available in the house so you won’t need to worry about getting bottled water unless you really want to. Finally local wine, beer and spirits will be available between 6-12pm every day (we will ask your favourite tipple before you travel to make sure we are well stocked!); these drinks will also be available at other times for a small charge and premium brands will also be available at any time for a charge.
Sample Menu (based on a 7 night stay - shorter trips will feature part of the menu)
Breakfast
Alternates between boiled eggs one day and fried eggs and bacon the next supported by yoghurt, muesli, cornflakes, toast, marmalade/marmite/peanut butter, fresh orange juice and endless tea and coffee.
Dinner
Day 1 – tapas and Cava/Prosecco round the fire followed by roasted salmon with buttery new potatoes.
Day 2 – Homemade courgette soup spiced with Ethiopian Berbere followed by Duck confit with duck fat roasted potatoes and wilted greens.
Day 3 – Fresh asparagus followed by curry choices. Chicken masala, curried chestnuts and spinach curry. All with rice and homemade lime pickle, mango chutney, green tomato chutney and yoghurt accompaniment.
Day 4 – Tomato and mozzarella salad followed by seared tuna and new potatoes with a choice of salads.
Day 5 – Avocado and smoked salmon followed by Cantabrian Mountain stew (Pork and butter beans in a rich gravy)
Day 6 – Melon and Serrano ham followed by Tudanca beef joint (Tudanca being a local breed of cow).
Day 7 – Grilled Sardines followed by slow cooked Pork belly with roasted potatoes and baby leaf spinach.
We work hard to cater for all types of allergies and preferences. Oat milk is always available and gluten free is also possible if we know in advance. If most of the group prefer less fish then we will adjust the menu (and we can do the reverse too!). Roast Salmon or Tuna might be substituted for slow roasted leg of mutton with herbs and garlic, as an example. We also work hard to cater for vegetarians and vegans and to date all the guests have offered really positive feedback on the food we provide. Its hearty and nutritious with an informal presentation – that’s Agara!
Just to say what a lovely few days holiday I had staying at Agara and visiting the beautiful locations in Cantabria. Thank you and Maria so much for making us feel at home from home and showing us around the stunning area. 'Anne Marie'
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