The Basque region is one of Europe’s great gastronomic heartlands — a place where tradition runs deep, identity is fiercely protected, and food is nothing short of a sacred ritual. With its own language, customs, and character, this ancient land stretches from the vineyards of Rioja Alavesa to the dramatic cliffs of the Cantabrian Sea, crossing fluidly into the French Basque Country. Here, gastronomy is an expression of life itself — a celebration of nature’s bounty, savoured with reverence and joy. Rural heritage weaves effortlessly with innovation and modern flair. Our journey begins with a landing in Madrid, followed by a leisurely lunch in a charming courtyard and an afternoon stroll through stately Lerma, where we spend the night in a 17th-century Renaissance palace. The following day takes us to historic Burgos before heading into Rioja — a region synonymous with noble wines and storybook landscapes. In Laguardia and Haro, we sip bold reds in centuries-old cellars carved beneath the earth, dine at a beautifully situated winery in the heart of Rioja, and admire avant-garde vineyard architecture. We visit a world-class wine museum, explore a surreal salt valley with a 7,000-year history, and enjoy a lunch of oven-roasted lamb in a century-and-a-half-old restaurant. There’s a surprise tasting of sloe liqueur in an aniseed distillate, a pinchos tour (the Basque answer to tapas), a cider tasting with a local cooking class, and hands-on experiences crafting traditional cornbread and cheese. In a shipbuilding workshop, we uncover the Basques’ deep-rooted maritime legacy before slipping across the border into the French Basque Country — where Biarritz and Bayonne greet us with golden beaches, pastel façades, and Belle Époque charm. Chasing txakolí — the region’s crisp, dry white wine — leads us to the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum in his coastal birthplace, also the hometown of Juan Elcano, one of the few sailors to return from the world’s first circumnavigation. Before diving into San Sebastián’s illustrious culinary scene, we ride a funicular to take in the fairytale view of La Concha Bay, watched over by a palace with a silhouette that might just have inspired Disney. Our days flow between timeworn fishing villages like Hondarribia and the cosmopolitan pulse of Bilbao — a journey through flavour, history, and the soul of the Basque Country.

Let’s not pretend — this is for the gourmands, the wine lovers, those who’ve long since surrendered to the magic of flavour and terroir. If you find joy in authentic, off-the-beaten-path experiences, preserved from the crowds — come along. We have places to show you that still feel like well-kept secrets.
Maybe you’re drawn to the Guggenheim effect, or these landscapes are already etched in your mind from Game of Thrones. Perhaps high fashion stirs your soul — then you’ll find even more to love in the Basque Country, not only for its food, but for its people, its rhythm, its rugged beauty and cultural depth.
Food, fun, culture, and nature — these are the four pillars of our journey.
If any of this stirs something in you, pack your bags and join us for a rich and flavourful adventure. Our curated expedition takes you through parts of northeastern Spain and southwestern France, united by an ancient language, deep folklore, and proud independence.
From the colour-splashed art scene of Bilbao, through the vineyards of historic Haro, to the coastal charm of San Sebastián and Biarritz — by the end of the week, you’ll be well acquainted with the customs, the character, and the world-famous cuisine of this singular region.
The Basque Country will leave you with many things — but indifference is not one of them.
We travel as a small group — no more than eight guests — in a comfortable van, forming friendships and sharing moments as we go. The landscapes change like a deck of painted postcards: Renaissance palaces, Gothic cathedrals, bold modern and traditional wineries, and chalet-style houses in white and deep red or green, scattered across lush hills. The Pyrenees rise over the Atlantic, while surfers and sardines dance in the same waves. Our handpicked stays are as memorable as the places themselves: A 17th-century Renaissance palace in Lerma, steeped in nobility. A boutique hotel near the iconic Biscay Bridge in Bilbao — designed for seekers of culture, gastronomy, and the art of slow living. No wonder it once hosted royalty, including empress and King Alfonso XIII. In Laguardia, a vineyard-side retreat with a 1,000-square-metre spa offering wine and olive oil rituals. And in San Sebastián, a design-forward hotel housed in a beautifully restored tobacco factory, now home to a contemporary cultural centre.
Come with an open heart and an appetite — this journey will feed you in every way that matters.

• Visit with tasting in a salt mine with over 7,000 years of history
• Welcome lunch on the outskirts of Madrid
• Lunch with wine tasting at a winery in Rioja
• Lunch with a “full-length” menu at a restaurant in the heart of Rioja Alavesa
• Lunch with local delicacies in a Pyrenean town
• Lunch with a tasting menu in Hondarribia
• Lunch with typical chuletón steaks in Lekeitio
• Panoramic tour with pintxos tour of Vitoria-Gasteiz
• Evening pintxos tour in San Sebastián
• Experience: “Cooking and the secrets of Navarre liqueur”
• Wine tasting in an underground cellar
• Wine tasting at the largest wine museum in Spain
• Cheese tasting from the Pyrenees
• Visit with tasting at a txakolí winery
• Visit with tasting at a Bayonne ham factory in Bayonne, France
• Visit with tasting at a chocolate workshop in Bayonne, France
• Corn flatbread cooking class
• Panoramic tour of the most famous Rioja wineries
• Visit to a shipyard
• Ascent of Monte Urgull by funicular
• Visit to the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum
• 2 of the most beautiful towns in Spain under UNESCO in the region of Castile and León
• 5 of the city centres of the Basque Country
• 2 stops in north-western France
• 2 of the most breathtaking beaches in the Basque Country – La Concha and Biarritz
• 10 captivating and diverse Basque towns
• And, as always, a few surprises along the way

13 July – 20 July 2025
27 July – 03 August 2025

*This journey is guaranteed — no minimum number of travellers required.
*Whether you’re joining solo or with a companion, the adventure is set to depart. Travelling with family, friends or colleagues?
*Basque Culinary Scene can be tailored into a fully private itinerary — an ideal choice for intimate groups or bespoke corporate retreats.
* Looking to deepen the experience? This itinerary pairs beautifully with our companion programme Galician Explorers & Castilian Tasters, creating a full two-week summer immersion into the flavours, stories, and soul of Northern Spain — at the best time of year to be there.
*A deposit of one third secures your place, with the balance payable in two instalments, up to one month before departure.
*This is a fully original, handcrafted programme, created by passionate travellers for curious souls.

– Round-trip flights: Sofia – Madrid | Bilbao – Madrid – Sofia
– All transfers throughout the journey, with guide and full translation
– 1 night with breakfast in a charming hotel in Lerma
– 2 nights with breakfast in the heart of Rioja
– 3 nights with breakfast in iconic San Sebastián
– 1 night with breakfast in a boutique stay near Bilbao
– All tastings (8 in total), entrance fees and experiences listed in the programme
– All meals specified: 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 2 dinners
– Travel insurance coverage up to €10,000

• Single supplement: €490
• Personal expenses and meals not listed above

We touch down in Madrid and begin our journey with lunch in a charming restaurant on the city’s outskirts — a menu designed as a culinary map of Spain. Then, we travel north to Lerma — a noble town ranked among the most beautiful in the country. Though it’s our only night outside the Basque Country, it’s the perfect prelude. Lerma was conceived as a whim — and preserved as such. In the late 16th century, a flamboyant nobleman was named the first Duke of Lerma and dreamt of creating his own aristocratic court. The result is a town frozen in time: timber-framed façades, stone arcades, and the grand Plaza Mayor, crowned by the Palace of the Dukes — our hotel for the night. Built in the 17th century atop a medieval fortress, the palace once stirred envy in the royal court. Tonight, it welcomes us with grace and grandeur. After all, who doesn’t dream of sleeping in a Spanish palace?

Today is a feast for the senses. Rioja Alavesa unfolds in every direction – a tapestry of vines, hilltop towns, and proud winemakers. We begin with a stroll through a town wrapped in vineyards, then visit a Wine Museum with a Garden of Bacchus, where over 220 grape varieties grow in silent harmony. Our panoramic route through the region’s legendary bodegas includes rustic stone cellars and cutting-edge architectural marvels — Rioja’s unique blend of tradition and innovation. In the capital of Rioja Alavesa, we lunch in a 150-year-old tavern famed for its wood-fired lamb. The afternoon is yours to relax at the hotel’s luxurious spa. In the evening, we’re welcomed into a charming guesthouse kitchen to cook a traditional dinner with our hosts – learning culinary secrets and tasting a Navarrese liqueur made with sloe berries and anise.

Our journey begins in the Salt Valley of Añana – a dazzling landscape shaped by 7,000 years of continuous salt harvesting. We explore its history and taste the terroir through salt samplings and sensory games of scent, texture, and flavour. Next, we arrive in Vitoria-Gasteiz, the green capital of the Basque Country, known for its beautifully preserved medieval centre and commitment to sustainability. Here, lunch is a whirlwind tour of pintxos — bite-sized masterpieces, the essence of Basque cuisine. We continue through the lush valleys of Gipuzkoa to a renowned artisanal cheese farm. With sweeping views of the Pyrenees, we taste award-winning cheeses paired with Txakolí, the region’s fresh, lightly sparkling white wine. And then, San Sebastián – vibrant, seductive – awaits.

Our day begins in a traditional shipyard, once the heart of Europe’s whaling expeditions. The Basques’ maritime legacy runs deep here, in a natural harbour long shaped by salt air and wind. Next, Hondarribia – a jewel-toned fishing town of colourful balconies, rich heritage and warm hospitality. We lunch in its old quarter, enjoying a multi-course tasting menu that reflects the region’s generous soul. Following the Atlantic coast, we arrive in Biarritz – once a humble whaling port, later the summer playground of royals. They called it “the queen of beaches and the beach of kings.” And here, in mid-20th-century waves, surfing was introduced to Europe. Tonight, we return to San Sebastián for a pintxos crawl with a local guide – hopping from bar to bar, discovering why this city is hailed as a culinary capital of the world. For one night, you’re the food critic. Taste boldly.

We follow a breathtaking coastal route to Getaria, a proud port town that gave the world two legends: explorer Juan Sebastián Elcano, who completed the first circumnavigation of the globe, and couturier Cristóbal Balenciaga – whose name is synonymous with avant-garde design. We visit Balenciaga’s striking modern museum, connected to a palace where he began his journey. Then, climbing higher into the hills, we find a winery blanketed in vines that tumble towards the sea. Here, Txakolí is made – kissed by sea breeze, zesty and bright – and paired with exquisite marinated seafood. We lunch in the picturesque fishing village of Lekeitio and visit Gernika, a place sacred to the Basque identity. And finally, we reach San Juan de Gaztelugatxe – a mystical islet made famous by Game of Thrones, yet enchanting long before the world took notice. Back in Bilbao, those who wish can end the day at the Guggenheim Museum – Frank Gehry’s titanium-clad masterpiece that reshaped a city and became a global icon of architectural reinvention.

Travel with us