7 days /6 nights
Avid
Private Group
Kingdoms of Navarra
The Basque Lands
This round trip tour combines the best of cycling, gastronomy, culture, and refinement. We road bike through Navarra and into the Basque Country with a final day on the coast in the elegant city of San Sebastian. Outstanding road biking along secondary and tertiary roads, we find serenity deep in the hills of northern Spain. The countryside is alive with activity, as we pass by hamlets and villages of white-washed stone houses, grazing sheep, and sun-dappled forests. Meanwhile, dine on world-renowned cuisine, relax at spas, and sleep in luxurious surroundings.
May, June, August, September, October, November
● Go on food and wine tours, dine on local gastronomic delicacies, and in Michelin-recommended restaurants.
● Sail along the Cantabrian Coast to La Concha Bay in San Sebastian.
● Cross the Civil War smuggler’s route over the border into France.
● Cycle through Navarra’s charming landscape to the French Basque Country.
● Luxuriate in the salty hot springs spa and top it off with a massage.
This enchanting territory and our immersive adventure tours are well worth the discovery, but if you really want to find out how to make your vacations unique, special and memorable, you will have to join us on one.
May, June, July, August, September, October, 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.
We begin with a meet and greet welcome, a chance to size up your bikes to fit and take you for a spin in the direction the Navarra Pyrenees. Our cycling journey begins with a culinary experience show cooking in a private gastronomy club to learn how to make and then enjoy traditional Navarran dishes.
Food: lunch and dinner
Ride the best portion of: Pamplona and surroundings
Sleep: Four Star Hotel ****
How far:4,3 miles / 7 km, elevation gain: 200 meters
We road bike out of Pamplona northward bound through the Baztan Valley which is considered by many to be the most beautiful region of the north. We cycle through a magical thousand-year-old beech forest and pass by pastures of grazing cattle and latxa sheep. The route climbs north up a slowly rising, winding, mountain pass that culminates in a truly idyllic landscapes of green meadows, rolling hills, and picturesque white-washed Basque farm houses. From here, we descend to the town of San Esteban. Enjoy the salty hot springs spa, massage session and a well-deserved rest in the heart of the Malerreka Valley. Then, dinner is in a Michelin-recommended Navarra fusion restaurant.
Food: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Ride the best portion of: Pamplona / Ituren / Elgorriaga / San Esteban
Sleep: Three Star Hotel + Spa ***
How far: 37 miles / 61 km, elevation gain: 576 meters up / 873m descent
Even farther: 21 miles / 80 km, elevation gain: 1200 meters up /1500 descent
Today our journey takes us to the lush green landscape of the French Basque coast. We climb a spectacular mountain pass in the serenity of a quiet winding road shaded by enormous trees where we ride over the border to France. The reward is reaching the summit with views of the long coast from France to Spain. We travel down to the French Basque coast and into the narrow streets of St. Jean de Luz. The seaside route takes us along the coast with a pitstop for fresh oysters and mussels and some refreshing sparkling white before we take a little boat across the channel to Hondarribia. Take time to explore the hotel or the town of Hondarribia or simply exchange your bike for a beach towel, then re-group for dinner. We sit down for a seafood feast and toast with a glass of local txakoli, the local sparkling wine.
Food: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Ride the best portion of: Santesteban / Hendaya / Hondarribia
Sleep: Four Star Hotel Parador ****
How far: 31 miles / 50 km, elevation gain: 400 meters up / 500 m descent
Even farther: 21 miles / 80 km, elevation gain: 1200 meters up /1300 descent
This is a semi rest day. We ride along the Cantabrian coast from our hotel to a quaint fishing port where we have a light seafood snack and then, we jump on a beautiful sailboat and sail west from the port of Hondarribia to the Concha Bay in San Sebastian. San Sebastian with its elegant French architecture and picture-perfect beach is a city that still retains its aristocratic feel of a bygone era. Feel free to indulge in a swim in the salty Cantabrian or a snooze on the beach. Once we dock in San Sebastian. Take time to explore the city and enjoy on your own the notorious pintxos and wine in San Sebastian’s historic quarter. We regroup for dinner for a private show cooking with our local hero and master Chef Montxo.
Food: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Ride the best portion of: Hondarribia / San Sebastian
Sleep: Four Star Hotel ****
Active rest day 11 miles / 18 km, elevation gain: 300 meters up / 300 meters descent
After a day on the beach front city of San Sebastian, we are revitalized and ready to make our way up the Cantabrian coast northward, dip into the Basque French lands and find ourselves once again in Navarra, and the Baztan Valley. We ride to the village of Amaiur and to our Basque Navarra palace accommodation. Highlights of the afternoon are a walk to the nearby fortress which was one of the key medieval strongholds of the Kingdom of Navarra and resistance against the Spanish (Castilian-Aragonese) push. Enjoy a sit down dinner in the mystic town of Elizondo.
Food: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Ride the best portion of: San Sebastian / Amaiur
Sleep: Three Star Hotel Palacio ***
How far: 40 miles / 68 km, elevation gain: 700 meters up / 600 meters descent
This is the last ride of our adventure into the Northern region, so it has to be memorable in every way. After a hearty breakfast, we begin with a slow and steady ascent, gaining altitude as the morning progresses, and culminating in a beautiful mountain pass that takes us back to the Pamplona Basin. Back in Pamplona for our goodbye dinner will be in our private gastronomy club – a true Hemingwayesque location for a memorable evening of divine cuisine and awesome camaraderie.
Food: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Ride the best portion of: Amaiur / Eugui / Pamplona
Sleep: Four Star Hotel ****
How far: 36 miles / 58 km, elevation gain: 951 meters up / 737 m descent
Even farther: 21 miles / 80 km, elevation gain: 1134 meters up /1100 descent
After a fine breakfast, we will assist in arranging your transportation to the nearest airport or train station for your onward travels.
Food: Breakfast
Travel: Pamplona
* NST itineraries may be subject to slight route changes, hotel substitutions, and other modifications, like restrictions in natural parks, protection areas, and reserves we travel through.
The Hotel de Londres is a pretty boutique hotel in San Sebastián with a La Belle Epoque feel. It has views to the Concha Bay and the city center. Luxury, modern facilities and a high level service make this historic building one of the best hotels in San Sebastián.
This hotel is located in the cinco villas region, surrounded by valleys and mountains, it is nestled in one of Navarra’s prettiest landscapes. Their mantra is Water, Nature and Silence, making this hotel the perfect reward after a morning of exercise. Its natural springs contain with the highest salinity in Europe and the thermal circuit and massage hit the spot.
This pretty Navarra Palace Hotel is an emblematic building, cataloged by the Prince of Viana Institute as an Historic Heritage Building. Maintaining its characteristic red stone, this hotel has an air of holding within its stately walls rich stories of the past.
With views to the Bay of Biscay coast, this hotel is a 10th century castle fortress. Also known as the Castle of Charles V, you will feel as if you are in an authentic medieval fortress. The imposing entrance and its thick damages stone walls by cannon fire set the tone. The inner patio crowned by adorned arches, wrought iron and coffered ceilings make this hotel unique.
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”.
