Riding the ridge near Mirador de la Cardosa, Cantabria, on the IMTBike Essence of Northern Spain Tour.

The landscape of northern Spain erupted with jagged peaks and rolled along lush green hillsides. Farms folded across every nook, and waves pounded the Atlantic coast. Mile after mile of smooth, tight curves were waiting to be savored. The evidence was all around: Northern Spain is a rider?s paradise. 

This past September, I joined IMTBike?s Essence of Northern Spain Tour. Leaving the planning to the pros at IMTBike, I simply arrived with my gear in Bilbao up north in the País Vasco (Basque Country) and enjoyed the ride. Over eight days, I explored new places with new friends, and fabulous riding connected every experience. This tour strung together curvy backroads through vast open spaces, rural pastoral lands, dense forests, and stunning coasts.
The tour frequently visits Spain?s Atlantic Coast, like here in Colunga, Asturias.

?Essence? tours like this one are new weeklong versions of longer IMTBike tours. Riders who can only get a week off from work can now enjoy full?­on tours of northern Spain, southern Spain, Portugal, or Morocco with a shorter time commitment.

IMTBike has been perfecting the art and science of motorcycle tours for 27 years. Initially, the focus was the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal). Today, it also offers tours of Morocco, France, Italy, and the Alps; exclusive MotoGP tours in Catalunya, Jerez, and Valencia; global tour...