Flavours of Spain's Basque Country & La Rioja

Day 2 Bilbao

After breakfast, our Bilbao discovery begins with a guided tour showcasing the city’s remarkable transformation from industrial heavyweight to cultural hotspot. We’ll walk through the lively central district and continue with a stroll along the Nervión River to visit the dazzling Guggenheim Museum.

The remainder of the day is yours to explore at a leisurely pace. Step inside one of the pintxos bars to sample one of these delicious Basque bites, visit modern galleries, or simply soak up the city’s atmosphere.

Day 3 Hondarribia

Today we leave Bilbao, and we venture deeper into Basque country. Our first visit is to one of the most colourful fishing villages, Getaria. Cradled along the Bay of Biscay, this coastal gem is known for its seafood traditions, txakoli wine (a refreshing, slightly sparkling white wine), and local heroes like explorer Juan Sebastián Elcano – the first person to circumnavigate the globe.

Surrounded by rolling vineyards, we’ll visit our first bodega to learn the craft of txakoli production and enjoy a tasting. Afterwards, we’ll continue eastward to San Sebastián where we’ll enjoy a guided walk through this elegant city that includes a scenic stop at Mount Igueldo where panoramic views stretch across the Bay of Biscay towards the French coast before continuing to our hotel in the medieval town of Hondarribia.

Dinner this evening will be at the historic Restaurant Zeria, built in 1575 and restored in 1965. A fascinating detail that welcomes visitors at the entrance of the restaurant, is the skeletal remains of a whale that was discovered during the restoration – a conversation starter from Spain’s seafaring past.

Day 4 The French Basque Country

This morning, on a short tour, we’ll explore Hondarribia, admiring its colourful shuttered houses, narrow streets and ancient stone buildings that transport you back centuries.

It’s then time to cross into the French Basque Country, the scenery retains its Basque identity, but the French pastries take on a noticeably flakier character. We’ll journey through quaint villages including Saint-Jean-de-Luz with its Belle Époque appeal, the coastal resort of Biarritz, and the picture-perfect villages of Espelette and Ascain. These settlements, surrounded by the pastoral mountain landscape of the Pyrenees, captivate visitors with their traditional red shuttered houses, cobbled squares and timeless charm.

Later, we’ll return to the hotel where the rest of the day has been left free for you to explore at leisure. This region moves at a gentler pace, and we encourage you to embrace it.

Day 5 Pamplona and La Rioja

After breakfast, we’ll travel to Pamplona, a city immortalized by Ernest Hemingway’s literary adventures. We’ll enjoy a short walking tour, strolling through its charming medieval streets before heading into the heart of Rioja wine country, one of the world’s most celebrated wine regions.

We'll immerse ourselves in wine production with a visit to the Bodegas Eguren Ugarte, a family winery located in Laguardia dedicated to producing wines that reflect the authentic terroir of Rioja Alavesa. We’ll also stop for a moment to admire the contemporary architectural design of the Ysios winery that perfectly complements the Cantabria mountains behind.

This evening we’ll arrive in Logroño, our home for the next three nights. Famed throughout Spain for its tapas culture and welcoming wine bars, this is the perfect base for continuing our wine journey.

Day 6 Haro

Today we'll explore Haro, a town in Rioja Alta. Walking through La Herradura, Haro’s vibrant tapas quarter, we’ll see some of the town’s most important landmarks such as Plaza de la Paz, Plaza de San Martín, and the Church of Santo Tomás, and along the way there’s an abundance of perfectly preserved buildings with striking facades.

We continue our tour with a visit to Bodegas Marqués de Riscal, one of the region’s most prestigious wineries. Following this, we’ll enjoy lunch and wine-tasting at the charming Bodega Baigorri.

We’ll return to the hotel where the rest of the day is free for you to make your own discoveries

Day 7 San Millán de la Cogolla

Today we’ll take a closer look at La Rioja's heritage with a visit to the UNESCO-listed Monastery of San Millan de Yuso – the birthplace of the Spanish Language and a centre of faith and culture. This masterpiece of architecture is famous for being the site where the first written evidence of Castilian was recorded, and it holds a significant library of ancient manuscripts and religious artifacts.

After lunch, we’ll return to Logroño for one final winery visit and tasting. Later this evening we’ll come together for a farewell dinner.

Day 8 Logroño - UK

Enjoy one last Spanish breakfast as you reflect on a trip filled with history, exceptional flavours, cultural discovery and the genuine warmth of the Basque people, before heading to the airport for your return journey to the UK.