10 days / 9 nights
Casual
Fully Guided
Semi Guided
Self Guided
La Rioja
Kingdom of Navarra
The Basque Country
Discover the wine and gastronomy of three northern Spain regions of the Rioja, the Basquelands and Navarra. This journey highlights the regional wines of local businesses and families, who for centuries, have been diligently creating their exquisite wines matched for the rich and complex cuisine of this region. This route is studded with cultural gems and stunning landscapes and seascapes. As we meander from one stellar location to another, we enjoy the fresh air and the picturesque towns, while sampling the amazing cuisine for which this area is famous.
May through September
This enchanting territory and our immersive tours are well worth the discovery, and we can make your vacations unique and memorable, so come and join us on one when it’s optimal for you.
May through November
We customize to fit with fabulous experiences, the comfort of great accommodation, out-of-this-world gastronomy and a chance to discover this spectacular region.
Today you arrive to Bilbao. Afternoon pleasures include a locals tour of Bilbao and walk to Museum Guggenheim where you will enjoy a private visit of the Museum. We return on foot to the hotel, which is in the historic quarter of Bilbao and regroup for dinner in a funky yet elegant restaurant nearby.
Food: Dinner
Travel: Bilbao
Sleep: Hotel Tayko ****
We set out to explore the city, including a private tour of the world famous Guggenheim museum. We will have lunch in Bilbao before transferring to your hotel in La Rioja, which is home to renowned wineries that have been rated over 90 points by Robert Parker or Tim Atkins. We explore the region known for its truly world-class wineries. We will make a private visit to Bodegas Muga. We will also enjoy wine tasting in top winery wine bars. We will enjoy a Rioja cuisine menu at a Michelin recommended restaurant, which was once a 17th Century winery of the Marqués de Vargas, whose manor is also in that town. There, we enjoy an exclusive visit to their private wine cellar, where we open a bottle of aged wine that goes as far back as around 1950. We transfer to your hotel.
Food: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Travel: Bilbao / La RIoja Alta
Sleep: Hotel Aurea Palacio de Correos *****
We visit a centuries-old winery with winding tunnels deep underground and thousands upon thousands of bottles, sometimes referred to as the Sistine Chapel of wine. Hemingway himself loved to visit this winery and we can enjoy a tasting afterwards with high quality jamon de bellota. We will transfer to Laguardia for lunch Michelin Star recommended lunch in the Rioja Alavesa town of Laguardia, followed by a stroll through the town, which is perched on top of 300 cellars carved out of the rock. We transfer to your hotel to relax. We regroup to dine on pintxos (tapas) and wines in the festive streets of the historic quarter of the city of Logroño, the Capital of La Rioja, Logroño.
Food: Breakfast and lunch and dinner
Travel: La RIoja Alta
Sleep: Hotel Aurea Palacio de Correos *****
We take a stroll in the vineyards to encounter our private wine grower’s experience during the harvest season. This is followed by a a winery tour, including wine tasting and tapas, then a traditional lunch with lamb chops paired with equisite family wines. We transfer to your hotel. The afternoon is yours to enjoy.
Food: Breakfast and lunch
Travel: La RIoja
Sleep: Hotel Aurea Palacio de Correos *****
We transfer to the exclusive Navarre winery. We 4×4 through the estate vineyards for a light lunch of the best wines paired with Iberian cold meats, local sheep cheese – all while admiring the gorgeous panoramic views of a vast expanse of grapes. We transfer to your hotel, enjoy a walking visit of Pamplona’s historic quarter, then regroup for dinner. Get ready for a show cooking class with chef Nacho Gómara in his haute cuisine, who specialises in vegetables. Learn about the specific qualities and varieties of the vegetables of Navarra, then sit down to his tasting menu paired with Navarre wines.
Food: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Travel: Navarra
Sleep: Hotel Alma *****
Our journey then continues on along the Navarre Wine Route taking in a short hike through vineyards and olive groves starting at the ruins of the 11th Century Romanesque village Abaiz and on to the astounding 1st and 2nd Century Roman ruins of Santa Criz. These Roman ruins, tucked away in an area of low lying mountains, are considered to be among the best conserved Roman ruins in Navarra. We then visit the Michelin star menu boutique winery, Bodegas Caudalia, where we enjoy a wine and aperitif. Our next stop is for a sit-down meal in medieval Ujué, considered to be one of the most picturesque hilltop villages in all of Spain. We dip our spoons into the famous regional migas de pastor – Shepherd’s crumbs – and lamb chops, among other specialities of the house. High quality regional wines accompany this gourmet meal. The visit to Ujué concludes with a stroll to the historic Ujué Fortress Church. We transfer to Olite. Afternoon pleasures include a visit to the Olite castle (the castle that inspired the Disneyland logo). Transfer to Pamplona.
Food: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Travel: Navarra
Sleep: Hotel Alma *****
We visit the gorgeous coastal town of Hondarribia for a cultural tour of this historic town, followed by a seafood lunch in Hondarribia’s historic quarter, then transfer to San Sebastian and check into your hotel. We regroup for a pintxos and wine evening in the best bars of San Sebastian’s historic quarter, and of course, we will certainly be trying the classic ‘Txakoli’ which is the local sparkling white wine.
Food: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Travel: Hondarribia / San Sebastian
Sleep: Hotel Lasala****
We will visit a top Txakoli wine winery (Txakoli is the regional Basque wine, which is light and fizzy and delicious). We will visit the town of Getaria, famous for its world explorer Elcano. He was the captain of the one ship of Magellan’s that succeeded in circumventing the globe. You walk to the Artisanal anchovy factory where you view how they are prepared and taste their outstanding quality product, then try their anchovies accompanied by Txakoli wine. Lunch will be on the port in our hand-picked exquisite seafood restaurant (again, not a Michelin star but tops!). The afternoon is yours to enjoy in San Sebastian.
Food: Breakfast, and lunch
Travel: Getaria / San Sebastian
Sleep: Hotel Lasala****
We visit the coastal town of Bermeo, a truely Hemingway hotspot, followed by a visit to the now iconic 10th century hermitage Gaztelugatxe, backdrop to the Game of Thrones series. It’s a beautiful location for a fun walk out to the islet to ring the famous bell, with the Atlantic crashing around you. Then we will have lunch in a traditional yet avant-garde restaurant that blends into the gorgeous coastal setting near the Hermitage. We transfer to Bilbao. Enjoy the afternoon on your own.
Food: Breakfast, and lunch
Travel: Bermeo / Gaztelugate / Bilbao
Sleep: Hotel Tayko****
We will transfer you from the hotel to the Bilbao Airport.
* NST itineraries may be subject to slight route changes, hotel substitutions, and other modifications.
Alma Pamplona is an active travel friendly hotel. Modern and avant-garde, has its own personality, which seeks to surprise. This quiet enclave is where we luxuriate in the Spa and Treatment center, and chill at the gastro bar after a morning of activity.
Hotel Tayko is located in the center of Bilbao, about 70 meters from Arriaga Theater and the Plaza Nueva, among other points of interest, is in walking distance. But, best of all is that Tayko Hotel is a lifestyle hotel with 54 rooms with prime views of the Ria (estuary) or Merced Street.
Hotel Sercotel Calle Mayor is a four star hotel in the capital of the Rioja province. This design hotel occupies an 16th-century mansion in the historic center of Logroño. Traditional warm stone and authenticity with a modern interior. This charming hotel is in the heart of Logroño. The hotel offers a dinner menu that is adapted to seasonality and that is of course, accompanied by one of the most incredible wine lists you will ever encounter.
Stephanie, the dynamo of our organization, is a Canadian who has fallen in love with this region of Spain. She is enterprising, innovative and has an endless amount of energy to design unique outstanding travel plans, making her passion her profession. She has the firm conviction that until the product standards are exceptional, they should not be offered.
“Our goals are two: one is to dazzle our visitors and another is to share with them what we find so extremely enchanting about this region of Spain”.
Oliver is our greatest ambassador of Pamplona. Oliver has it all: charm, conversation and deep knowledge of his Basque culture. You will feel like you’ve made a new friend during one of his energetic tours. Oliver is always on the beat searching for the perfect pintxo and exciting, outside-the-box experiences. He is dedicated to designing the most exclusive events for our guests, such as the Hemingway to the Basque Coast tour, or a walking tour of the Running of the Bulls course with an international bull runner. He knows the all the best destinations and activities on the off-the-beaten cultural track.
“This is our essential hallmark that sets us apart from any other events agency”.
