Basque Food & Wine Tour

Arrive at Bilbao airport, where your chauffeur driven Mercedes will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel, and my are you in for a treat; your ultra-luxurious 5-star hotel, the Gran Domine Bilbao sits just across the street from the Guggenheim. Check in and check out your amazing view. (Please note, that the best start day for this tour is a Saturday.) You will have time to freshen up before you head for your welcome lunch at Nerua at the Guggenheim. This is a sublime start to your Basque gourmand experience, as Nerua proudly writes on their webpage “we cook with the freedom to create pleasure and enjoyment”. Faithful to our principles, we defend our environment and the producers who make our goal possible: to be at the cutting edge and to innovate without losing the flavor of our roots.” This is so true of Basque cuisine in general, they are innovative to the max if not to say risqué and you will experience combinations of ingredients and flavors that you wouldn’t have paired in your wildest dreams, but it works! Prepare for some utterly provocative concoctions such as “Prawn consommé, coconut milk and curry”, “Monkfish liver, artichoke puree and black olive juice”, Quail with txoricero, pepper and thyme or “ Avocado cream, chervil, grapefruit and banana ice cream” All meticulously created by Head Chef Josean Alija, who has a fascinating story- having always wanted to be a chef he started studying at the tender age of 14, but a terrible motorcycle accident put his career temporarily on hold as he lost his sense of smell and taste. Not allowing this tragedy to put an end to his career and passion he worked on analyzing food from a different angle, discovering different approaches which have led to him gaining a Michelin star and positioning Nerua in 56^th position of the World’s Best Restaurants list. read more

This morning your guide will meet you in the hotel lobby at 10 a.m. make sure you have your comfy footwear on as you are going to discover the best of Bilbao by a privately guided walking tour. First stop will naturally be the Guggenheim, probably Frank Gehry’s most admired work of contemporary architecture. Your guide will lead you through the collection of European and American 20^th Century to Contemporary paintings and sculptures. Next up is the Ribera Market, this huge covered market is fascinating with more than 60 posts with fresh meat, fish, shellfish, cheeses, cooked meats, and vegetables. Then you will meander through the streets of the old town the “casco Viejo” or “las 7 calles” the seven streets as it is known locally, these seven streets being what formed the original medieval town. Narrow streets full of bars and taverns and highlights include St. James Cathedral, the Plaza Nueva and the Bidebarrieta Municipal Library. read more

Your chauffeur will collect you at 10 a.m. for a 45-minute drive west to another castle, the striking “Castillo de Butrón”, it can only be visited from outside, so enjoy the view and grab a photo, before continuing to your first winery of the day, Crusoe Treasure. Now, this is an unusual concept, where they produce a limited-edition boutique wine aged at the bottom of the sea in what is the first underwater cellar and artificial reef in the world. Your enthusiastic hosts will take great pleasure in showing you how the idea came about and how it works as well as talking you through the tasting of their unique liquid. read more

Today you are in for some terrific views, a day of sightseeing in this enchanting part of the Basque country. You will tour the dramatic Western Basque coast, and see why many places have featured in the Game of Thrones television series. Dragonstone, or rather Itzurun near the town of Zumaia, will be your first stop. A guided walk along the Flysch coast is a highlight with the striking cliffs, fascinating rock formations, glistening waters and an immensely diverse array of wildlife. Then move on to San Juan de Gaztelugatx, its name literally meaning “castle rock” in Basque, is quite something with its zigzag walkway out to the little island. The 241 stone steps are worth the effort, being rewarded with the most impressive views and a little extra good luck, as legend has it that when you reach the church on top of the island you should ring its bell 3 times and make a wish. The church, steeped in history, is unfortunately not the original, having been burned down and rebuilt several times over the centuries. It was used as a convent for a while and later as a castle and defensive lookout. read more

Sightseeing in charming villages and artisan cheesemakers today. Your first stop is at the lively Ordizia farmers market, it is one of the oldest markets in Spain, having been held weekly since 1512. Today it still remains the most significant market for local producers as well as the abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables, the stands are brimming with delicious local cheeses, wines, preserved fruits, and honey. There is also an interesting Nutrition and Gastronomy center with information on the Idiazabal cheeses and local top chefs. Talking of cheese, next you will move on to Aranburu for a visit and cheese tasting.  Family run and proud Gold winner of the World Cheese Awards, here you will sample their exquisite range which includes both natural and smoked varieties with differing maturation. Then you will have the opportunity to get to know the wooly friends responsible for producing the creamy milk used in the production of Ondarre cheeses, tour the installations and picturesque grounds, before a sublime tasting, of course. read more

A 10 a.m. collection and you have a short 40-minute drive to the Txomin Etxaniz winery. This family-run estate goes back centuries and has been actively involved in the D.O. Getariako Txakolina. They have 35 hectares of beautiful sloping vineyards, looking out over the Getaria coast, planting both Hondarrabi Zuri (90%) and Hondarrabi Beltza (10%). They produce three wines a Txakoli; Txomin Etxanix, Eugenia their bubbly and Uydo, their sublime late harvest which pairs equally with savory and sweet dishes. A great aperitif to get your taste buds watering because next is lunch at the fabulous Elkano, another totally hedonistic experience for foodies. In the heart of the fishing village, Getaria,   simplicity is key and whole grilled fish is the specialty, careful selection of the only the best quality raw materials and then grilled to perfection, providing a subtle smoked flavor to the fish, it just melts in your mouth! read more

Less than a 30-minute drive from San Sebastian and you are in the French Basque country, quite different from the Spanish side, and apart from glitzy Biarritz most villages and small towns are beautifully rustic with their whitewash stone and red-timbered houses scattered along the rugged coastline, utterly charming. Your driver will first take you to the Chateau d’ Abbadia a fascinating neogothic Chateau observatory built on the cliffs of Hendaye by Viollet le Duc for Antoine d’Abbadie, ethnologist, geographer, and scientist. You will then move on to Ciboure, separated from St Jean de Luz by the harbor, Ciboure is an idyllic seaside town, lovely for a stroll, taking in the 16th-century Saint-Vincent church and sipping a coffee or glass of wine in one of the numerous cafes around the harbor. read more

Make the most of a free morning to relax, potter around, hit La Perla Spa right on La Concha and then at 1 p.m. your bubbly local guide will meet you in the hotel lobby and take you on a fun walking tour, which will take in many of the best bars and taverns to enjoy the tapas and pintxos, washed down with a glass or two of wine of course. The rest of the afternoon is yours at leisure, maybe to get in some last minute shopping, before returning to your hotel to freshen up and get ready for your finale dinner. read more

Enjoy a terrific breakfast at your luxurious hotel and at your preferred time your private chauffeur will take you to Bilbao airport (or other port of call) for your outbound transfer. read more