Walking and Wine through Rioja, Navarra & the Basque Country – JUNE 08 Single Occupancy

Bilbao is famous for its Guggenheim museum, modern architecture and has won many international awards for it´s transformation in the last century from an industrial river-port city to a thriving art, architectural and cultural centre. We will transfer from the airport to the hotel. We will regroup in the afternoon for a meet and greet at the hotel.

Food: Meet and greet cocktails
Travel: Transfer from Bilbao Airport to your hotel
Sleep: Hotel **** Bilbao

We will transfer from Bilbao to Haro, the capital of the wine region, to visit this quaint town and enjoy a walking tour to the well known wineries in the vicinity, stopping at two wineries to enjoy a wine and aperitif. We will enjoy lunch in a Michelin Star recommended restaurant, followed by an exclusive opportunity to open an old age wine in their underground cellars (wines will date back to the 1950s), before we transfer to your accommodation. After check in, we will regroup for a relaxing in house dinner.

Food: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Travel: Bilbao / Rioja
Sleep: Boutique Hotel in Rioja

We walk in the Alavesa wine region, in the Basque Country which borders the Rioja province, to enjoy the picturesque country among the vineyards of la Rioja Alavesa. We visit the medieval town of Labastida, the 16th Century predominantly baroque style church, an impressive necropolis excavated in the rocks, and lastly, a dome-like ‘txoza’ where Rioja wine pickers would rest in the harvest season. In the vineyards, we will enjoy a gregarious wine tasting paired with Iberian cold meats, patatas a la Riojana and lamb chops on an open fire. From here, we will transfer to the fascinating village, Saint Vicente de la Sonsierra, and its impressive fortress that can boast of their spectacular views of la Rioja and the imposing Davalillo Castle, before we transfer to your hotel. We will regroup for an entertaining dinner in a local family winery.

Food: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Travel: Rioja
Sleep: Boutique Hotel in Rioja

We walk a portion of the pilgrimage pathway, Camino Ignaciano, to the medieval fortress town, Laguardia. The Ignaciano Way, recreates the path that Ignacio de Loyola made in 1522 from Loyola-Azpeitia to the city of Manresa, Catalonia. We will have the chance to see a dolmen, an example of this type of 6000 year old architecture in the middle of nature. Upon arrival at Laguardia, we will visit an ancestral underground wine cellar. This family-run winery has been making artisanal wines for more than 500 years. We will enjoy a sit down tasting menu at a Michelin Star recommended restaurant. Laguardia is perched on top of 300 cellars carved out of the rock and is a delightful town to discover and shop on your own in the afternoon. We regroup to return to the hotel to relax. Enjoy dinner on your own.

Food: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Travel: RIoja
Sleep: Boutique Hotel in Rioja

Rise and shine to a beautiful day in the Romanesque region of Europe. We will see some of the most impressive examples of regional medieval architecture. Get ready for the Gregorian chants mass – sung by the Gregorian monks in the Leyre Monastery, then we transfer to the 10th century Castillo de Javier, for a mid morning snack. Our journey then continues on along the Navarre wine route through vineyards and olive groves, an 11th Century Romanesque village ending in the best conserved 1st and 2nd Century Roman ruins in Navarra. We will enjoy wine tasting and aperitifs in a signature winery. Afternoon pleasures include a visit to the Olite castle, the castle that inspired the Disneyland logo. We return to Pamplona. Enjoy the evening and dinner on your own. We would be happy to make dinner reservations for you.

Food: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Travel: Rioja / Navarra
Sleep: Hotel **** in Pamplona

We spend the morning walking in the province of 5 Villas and Baztan, we like to call the Tuscany of Spain. Our route consists of a walk through the picturesque Navarre countryside and villages, admiring potokas, a Navarre breed of ponies, and the local woolly sheep breed, Latxas. Before lunch, we will enjoy the warm waters of a salt spring mountain spa session, followed by lunch in an outstanding lunch in a Michelin Star recommended restaurant. We will transfer to the Basque Country. We will check into the hotel in San Sebastian, then regroup for a get your bearings tour of San Sebastián. Enjoy dinner on your own.

Food: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Travel: Navarra / Basque Country
Sleep: Hotel **** in San Sebastian

Enjoy the city on your own. Today you take a break and feel free to shop, walk the gorgeous Concha Bay or enjoy a beachfront spa session. We would be happy to make lunch or reservations for you. We will regroup in the evening for a pintxos tour in San Sebastian’s historic quarter.

Food: Breakfast
Travel: Basque Country
Sleep: Hotel **** in San Sebastian

We will walk the Basque coast along the Camino de Santiago from San Sebatian to a Basque port town. Upon arrival, we will visit the Basque whaling boat museum to find out how thr Basque fishermen would sail across the ocean to North America. We have a mid-morning snack in a local fisherman’s tavern paired with a refreshing glass of cider. We take a traditional ‘txalupa’ across the tidal river and visit the other side of this peculiar port town and where our Michelin Star recommended restaurant awaits us. Afternoon pleasures include a historic walking tour of Hondarribia, then transfer back to San Sebastian where you can enjoy the evening on your own.

Food: Breakfast
Travel: Basque Country
Sleep: Hotel **** in San Sebastian

We will hike a portion of the Basque coast along the Camino de Santiago to Getaria. Along the way, we will visit a stellar winery that produces the local txakoli white wine, then continue on foot to the Getaria port and historic quarter to enjoy two foodie experiences. We will visit an anchovy factory, followed by a fisherman’s experience, where you will meet one of the last octopus fishermen families on the Basque Coast, learn how to cook octopus & enjoy Cantabrian octopus paired with regional white wine at the fisherman’s workplace. We will transfer to Bilbao. We will regroup for a farewell dinner in the historic quarter of Bilbao.

Food: Breakfast
Travel: Basque Country
Sleep: Hotel **** in Bilbao

We will transfer you from the hotel to the Bilbao Airport.

Food: Breakfast