Basque Country for Foodies - private tour
5days/4nights, San Sebastian/Bilbao
2020 depart: year round
4* from: $3620 pp twin share for 4 participants minimum
Supplements applicable for 2 participants. Special rates for more participants
Single supplements on request
Please get in touch with us for other culinary tours!
day 01 San Sebastian
Own arrangement to your elegant 4 star hotel overlooking the spectacular La Concha Beach. You will meet there your local English-speaking expert guide for a guided Pintxos tour, a gastronomic stroll through the old city centre stopping at selected bars to taste Pintxos, the delicious Basque version of Tapas.
day 02 San Sebastian
Start the day with a guided visit to La Brecha food market, the colourful vegetables from the Caseríos (Basque farmhouses) and the fresh seafood from the nearby fishing villages will definitely open your appetite! Join in a culinary tradition unique to the Basque Country: you’ll be welcomed to cook at a members-only Gastronomic Societies. You will learn about these ancient institutions while cooking traditional Basque recipes with the help of the cook of this Society.Then sit down with some fine Spanish wine and enjoy the dishes prepared as lunch.
day 03 El Peine de los Vientos-Guetaria-San Sebastian
Start your day visiting El Peine de los Vientos, to admire these impressive sculptures by Basque artist Eduardo Chillida and their spectacular setting by the sea. From there you will enjoy a panoramic coastal route to the fishing town of Guetaria, well known for its Txakoli white wine, the perfect match for the remarkable variety of local seafood. Learn all about it on a private visit to a family-run Txakoli winery, set on the green hills of this beautiful wine region, overlooking the Atlantic sea. After tasting this local wine, enjoy a delicious lunch at a traditional fish and seafood tavern by the harbour, savor the day’s grilled fresh fish in this genuine setting. Before you return to San Sebastian, discover the old fishing tradition of this picturesque town, birthplace of Juan Sebastián Elcano – the first sailor to complete a round-the-world naval voyage.
day 04 Bilbaoand Europes largest food market
Today you’ll be moving on to Bilbao (just over one hour drive from San Sebastian), home of the spectacular Guggenheim Museum. Check-in at a modern hotel, with elegant and contemporary interior design, conveniently located facing the Museum. Meet our local English-speaking guide for a walking tour of the winding streets of the historical city centre. You will visit La Ribera, the largest indoor food market in Europe, showcasing the best of local produce, including codfish (one of Bilbao´s main specialties), and an astonishing selection of meats. Top off your visit with a Pintxos tasting menu with a modern twist at a specialized restaurant, a different way of enjoying these irresistible little bites.Take some free time to rest, shop, or perhaps consider visiting the Guggenheim museum or the impressive art collection of the local Bellas Artes museum.
day 05 Bilbao
Your tour comes to an end after breakfast.
Inclusions: 4 nights’ accommodation at a 4* elegant classic hotel in San Sebastian and at a 4* fashionable hotel in Bilbao, breakfast daily, local English-speaking expert guides, private chauffeured transportation as per the itinerary, breakfast daily, 3 lunches (1 at the cooking class) and 1 dinner in the form of a Pintxos Tour with fine Spanish wines, private cooking class, dossier with recipes in English for you to practice at home, private visit to a Txakoli winery tasting included, other culinary and cultural visits and activities as per the itinerary, gourmet gift, all local taxes, our suggestions of additional local restaurants and activities.
Note: Airport transfers available on request