
Heming-WAY: Luxury Road Trips in Northern Spain

Article written by Stephanie Mutsaerts
If you’re dreaming of luxury travel in Northern Spain, there’s no better inspiration than Ernest Hemingway. The Nobel Prize-winning author fell deeply in love with the region’s raw beauty, fine wines, and warm hospitality.
Our Heming-WAY Semi-Guided Tour is your invitation to follow in his footsteps on a curated luxury road trip through Spain, exploring the Basque Country, the La Rioja wine region, and Navarra—our jewel in the raw. With private local guides in select destinations, exclusive wine tastings, and boutique stays, this is a luxury tour of Spain with soul.
The magazine ‘Hemingway Traveler’ describes the journeys taken by Hemingway in each region, featuring the places known as ‘Hemingway’. It explains the development of the American writer and Nobel Prize winner’s ties to his beloved and admired Navarra, during his stays in Pamplona for San Fermin, Aoiz, Burguete; Orreaga / Roncesvalles, Selva de Irati; Lekunberri, Sunbilla and Tudela. In Gipuzkoa, he visited San Sebastian, Tolosa, Hondarribia, Irun, Txingudi Bay, Zarautz, Zumaia, Loiola, Deba (with its geopark on the Basque Coast), Markina, Etxebarri, Eibar (Armera Industry Museum). In Bizkaia he traveled to Bilbao, Ermua, Gernika, Urdaibai, Mundaka, Bermeo and Orduña. In Álava, Vitoria and Ollauri. In Iparralde he walked through the streets of Hendaia, and in La Rioja his stays are recorded in Logroño, Haro and Calahorra. The magazine presents photographs of all the locations that the writer visited from 1923 to 1960. Along with the images you can read Ernest Hemingway’s phrases highlighting the main characteristics and annual events of those municipalities. Recipes from some of the oldest restaurants in each region is also included – Gipuzkoa, Alameda de Hondarribia (1880); in Navarre, the Benta Miguel, from Ventas de Arraitz (1800); in Bizkaia, Los Fueros de Bilbao (1878); in Álava, El Portalón de Vitoria, which has been a post house and inn since the 15th century; and in La Rioja, Casa Terete, in Haro (1877).
That the American writer and Nobel Laureate Ernest Hemingway was in love with Gipuzkoa and its bordering territories is no secret. uniqueness of Ernest Hemingway as the thread of its storyline, connects the links between Euskadi, Iparralde, Navarra and La Rioja through a variety of proposed trips and getaways. The places, people, parties, and customs that the Nobel Prize winner knew in these three neighboring autonomous communities left a strong mark on both his life and his writing. These experiences went beyond those of San Fermin which Ernest Hemingway made famous through the world with his first great novel, published in 1926 ‘The Sun Also Rises’ (titled ‘Fiesta’ in its Spanish version).
Hemingway had a gift for finding places with a unique flavour and identity of their own — and our “Heming-WAY” territory is no exception.
It spans three distinct cultural communities with more than 3,000 years of history to uncover, nestled in the angle formed by the Bay of Biscay and the Franco-Spanish border. In less than 300 kilometers, you’ll travel through:
Two UNESCO biosphere reserves
One of Europe’s best-preserved ancient forests
A European Cultural Capital and a European Green Capital
Some of the world’s most beloved festivals
A dazzling variety of landscapes — from Atlantic beaches to vineyard hillsides — plus a culinary scene renowned across the globe.
All this lies within a short trip from Europe’s great cities: 6 hours by train from Paris, 4 hours from Barcelona, 3.5 hours from Madrid.
From the Gipuzkoa Basque Coast to the rolling vineyards of La Rioja and the untamed Pyrenean valleys of Navarra, Hemingway discovered a Spain far from the tourist crowds—a place of deep tradition, authentic flavors, and landscapes that stir the imagination.
On this semi-guided luxury tour, you’ll enjoy the freedom of your own pace combined with exclusive experiences only possible through our insider network.
Begin in Pamplona with a private guided walking tour of the charming Old Town, tracing the legendary bull run route, visiting the Cathedral of Santa María la Real, and pausing at Hemingway’s favorite spots. Step inside the historic Café Iruña and a members-only 1920s gastronomy club for a welcome drink, then indulge in gourmet pintxos paired with Basque cider or fine Navarra wine.
Northern Spain Travel invites you not just to visit, but to experience the careful craft behind each cut of meat with rich marbling and natural flavor.
Semi-guided tours Spain
Contact us to book your seat on this unforgettable road trip experience.
Travel to La Rioja wine country, where Hemingway famously spent days exploring the vineyards. Visit handpicked wineries—some with centuries-old underground cellars—for intimate tastings of Gran Reservas and elegant blends. Savor a Michelin-worthy lunch at top hotels, surrounded by vineyard views.
Experience Navarra’s “jewel in the raw” as you follow Hemingway’s fishing trails along the Irati River. Enjoy artisanal sheep cheese and txistorra sausage in the village of Aribe, then dine on freshly caught trout at Hemingway’s favorite hotel in Burguete—still run by the same family who served him nearly a century ago.
Immerse yourself in Basque traditions before arriving in San Sebastian, one of Europe’s top luxury coastal destinations. Enjoy a private pintxos and wine tour, discovering why this city is a global gastronomic capital. Relax on La Concha Beach or stroll the elegant Belle Époque promenade.
Board a privately chartered antique sailboat from the fishing port of Pasajes. Cruise along the emerald Atlantic coastline toward San Sebastian, champagne glass in hand, just as Hemingway would have done. End the day with a curated bar hop to taste the city’s finest pintxos and wines.
Our Heming-WAY experience blends independent travel with exclusive guided moments, giving you the best of both worlds. You enjoy the freedom of a self-paced road trip, while we arrange the luxury stays, insider access, and gourmet experiences that make the journey unforgettable.
Photographs by Juan Antonio Garaikoetxea
Discover the heart of this magical region, where a perfect combination of first-class experiences, exceptional gastronomy and sensational accommodation gives you the most authentic Spanish experience.
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Walking
You love to push yourself and can handle a longer hike with some sustained inclines and steep uphills. Our trip may include 10-15 km (6 -10 miles) on terrain that can be quite hilly and rolling with a few steeper climbs thrown in for good measure. The views will blow you away.
Biking
Test your mettle on off-the-beaten-paths that will stun and delight, along with legendary cycling routes in the north of Spain. You are an avid rider who loves to push themselves and enjoy the challenge of a big climb or sustained inclines. Our trip may include over 60-80 km (37 – 49 miles) a day in rolling hills with frequent climbs and even longer options available. You will be the master of your universe.
Walking
You love to hike and are not afraid of a little sweat and some good uphills.
Our trip may include 12-15 km (7-10 miles) a day on various grades of terrain on a diversity of surfaces. Expect steeper climbs with phenomenal views and mountainscapes.
Biking
You love to bike at home regularly and can handle some sweat.
Our trip may include 40-60 km (25-40 miles) a day on rolling terrain with a few longer climbs rewarded with views and high points you will not want to miss.
Walking
You enjoy longer hikes with an incline or two and don’t mind pushing it a bit. Our trip may include around 6-12 km (4-8 miles) a day of walking on mostly flat terrain with a couple steeper but non-sustained climbs.
Biking
You ride your bike at home and are comfortable on a bike for a few hours. Our trip may include 40-60 km (25-40 miles) a day on mostly flat terrain and will include inclines and the occasional sustained climb.
Walking
You like to go on walks at home but nothing that works up a sweat. Our trip may include around 5-10 km (3-6 miles) a day of walking on mostly flat terrain, with an occasional hill on well maintained trails or walkways.
Biking
You are in decent shape but don’t habitually ride a bike at home. Our trip may include 30-50 km (20-30 miles) a day on mostly flat terrain with a few small and achievable inclines.
Your activity level will be exactly where you want it. Our itineraries are designed to accommodate everyone. For guidance, we have labeled each trip according to its activity level from Casual to Expert with four fitness grades.
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