Spain: San Sebastian, Bilbao & Basque Country

Walking tour of Bilbao; 3 miles, easy

Breakfast is included at your hotel. Your guide(s) meet you at 9:00 a.m. in the lobby of your Bilbao hotel. Your guide(s) will be wearing a Country Walkers shirt. Please be dressed for walking.

Following introductions and a welcome briefing, you will walk to the world-renowned Guggenheim Museum, designed by acclaimed architect Frank Gehry. Enjoy a 90-minute informative tour given by one of the museum guides regarding the building’s architecture and the current works on display. At the end of the tour, you board a tram with your guides to Bilbao’s Old Town, where you will have free time for lunch on your own.

Later this afternoon, join your guides on a walk and discover how this city has reinvented itself, with its host of modern sites designed by world-renowned architects. The city’s metro system, for example, is a combination of architectural craft and engineering prowess by Britain’s famed architect Sir Norman Foster. You will readily see his dramatic, curved-glass metro entrances, which are locally known as fosteritos, or “little Fosters.” Other masterpieces include Philippe Stark’s La Alhandiga, which is an old wine warehouse converted into a multicultural center, and Iberdrola Tower, the tallest tower in the Basque country, designed by Cesar Pelli.

This evening, get to know your fellow travelers and guides during a welcome reception and dinner.

Accommodation: NH Collection Villa de Bilbao, Bilbao
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Way of St. James from Mount Jaizkibel to Hondarribia; 6.5 – 10 miles, moderate

Trek a historic seaside route, the “Way of St. James,” marveling at sweeping coastal views on the way to the summit of Mount Jaizkibel. After lunch, tour the cobblestone streets of Hondarribia with your guide.

Enjoy breakfast, then transfer (approximately 90 minutes) to the start of today’s walk along the historic “Way of St. James.” The coastal route is considered to be the oldest of the paths leading to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, where many believe St. James is buried. Your path dates back more than 1,000 years and is believed to be the first institutionalized route used by religious pilgrims. The natural beauty of today’s walk—featuring vistas of the Bay of Biscay and small, rugged coves—will become even more spectacular as you reach the summit of Mount Jaizkibel. Continuing downhill you will reach the Sanctuary of Guadalupe, where a 15th-century Black Madonna is kept. Your trek continues through local vineyards to the Restaurante Oilurta Azpi where you can sample the region’s white wine—txakoli. After the visit, you may choose to shuttle to the hotel or continue on a path through the vineyards, gardens, and the Rio Bidasoa marshlands, to Hondarribia and your hotel.

There is free time on your own in Hondarribia, followed by a city tour with a local guide, who will acquaint you with the history of your home base for the next three nights. Hondarribia is a town with two identities: one belonging to the lower port town and the other to the 800-year-old medieval walled city above, with its balcony-lined cobblestone streets and magnificent vistas of the sea, the Bidasoa River, and neighboring France.

This evening, you can choose from among Hondarribia’s many gourmet restaurants for dinner on your own.

Accommodation: Hotel Rio Bidasoa, Hondarribia
Included Meals: Breakfast

Hondarribia walking tour to fishing port & marina; 5.5 miles, easy

After breakfast, walk to Hondarribia’s marina and fishing port where you’ll see many holiday boats and fishing trawlers on the water. Continue your exploration of Hondarribia along Calle San Pedro and the city wall, before ending this morning’s journey at the hotel. Later, you may explore the town’s restaurants and shops or simply relax at the hotel’s lovely gardens or swimming pool.

This evening, you will have the special privilege of being a guest at a members-only, private gastronomic society, or txoko, as it is known in Basque. Txoko members tend to be mostly men who have shared interests in cooking creative meals for their guests. When Basque culture was suppressed under the reign of Francisco Franco, txokos became safe havens where members could share their language and traditions as well as their love of cooking. Women used to be banned from the society; today, however, they are welcome to dine with the men.

Accommodation: Hotel Rio Bidasoa, Hondarribia
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Coastal walk St. Jean-de-Luz to Hondarribia; 4 – 9 miles, easy to moderate

Today, you’ll shuttle to St. Jean-de-Luz, one of the most attractive towns on the French Basque coast. There are many sites to visit in this idyllic town, such as the Maison Louis XIV, a temporary residence of the Sun King, who came here in 1660 for his marriage to Maria Theresa. You can also visit the nearby church where the pair was married, which is the largest Basque church in France. Or, explore the town’s picturesque harbor, open-air market, and pedestrian-friendly streets. Enjoy lunch on your own in one of the many outdoor cafés.

Fueled by your satisfying lunch, you begin your walk back to Hondarribia by joining a narrow dirt path meandering past stunning cliffs, scenic coves, and the seaside resort town of Hendaye with its long stretch of beach. Saying au revoir to France, a five-minute ferry ride takes you across the Bidasoa River back to Spain. A short walk leads to your hotel in Hondarribia.

Tonight, you’ll learn how to replicate the flavors of Basque Country in our own hotel kitchen during an exclusive cooking demonstration, followed by a dinner in the hotel.

Accommodation: Hotel Rio Bidasoa, Hondarribia
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Basque rural walks on country roads and forested paths; 4.5 – 8, easy to easy-moderate

Once you’ve enjoyed breakfast, you’ll transfer 45 minutes to the town of Tolosa, located on the Oria River. After a brief tour of Tolosa, a short shuttle ride into the surrounding hills brings you to the quaint village of Bidania. Today, your path will be a mostly steady incline through lovely forested hills and valleys. Stopping for lunch, you’ll have the opportunity to feast on a Basque specialty: alubias de Tolosa, or Tolosa beans—purple-black legumes that turn red when cooked and are celebrated for their rich, buttery flavor. You’ll also have a chance to sample the local sidra (hard apple cider). Following lunch, you have the option to shuttle or continue walking through the lovely countryside to your accommodation—a hotel within a restored, 17th-century jauregia (palace).

This evening, meet the jauregia’s owner and learn about the history of, and future plans for, this unique property. Enjoy dinner on your own in the hotel or, perhaps, for a walk into the village for a simple dinner at the local pub.

Accommodation: Iriarte Jauregia Hotel, Bidania
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Loop walk from hotel to the Urdapilleta´s family farm; 2.5 – 5 miles, easy

Today’s walk immerses you in Basque country life as you meander through a series of hamlets on lesser-traveled (but paved) roads, past peaceful pastures nestled amid valleys. You’ll hear tinkling cowbells and see sheep grazing as you walk beneath the shade of apple trees. A charming stone farmhouse will be the setting for lunch. Our hostess is Maite, wife of Pello Urdapilleta, whose family has raised Euskal txerria—a breed of pig found only in the Basque region—for generations. Maite will introduce us to the rural culinary delights of this region of Spain. After an included lunch, you have two options: you can shuttle back to your hotel, or you can return by foot, retracing your morning path.

There will be a farewell dinner at the jauregia this evening with a delicious meal created by the palace’s renowned chef.

Accommodation: Iriarte Jauregia Hotel, Bidania
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

San Sebastián walk; 3 miles, easy

This morning, you’ll transfer to San Sebastián. Upon arriving at this beautiful seaside town, take an easy stroll along the two-mile-long beachfront promenade, which offers views of La Concha Bay. You will soon discover why Queen Isabella II and other wealthy aristocrats spent their summer holidays in this scenic corner of Spain. To help get your bearings, you’ll ride the funicular to the lookout atop Monte Igueldo, which will give you a great perspective on this scenic seaside resort town. After saying goodbye to your guides, you may want to continue with your exploration in the Casco Viejo (Old Town), which dates back to the 12th century. Here you can have lunch on your own in one of the many restaurants. You may want to sample local pintxos, the Basque form of tapas. Given the Basque passion for cuisine, these delectable small plate morsels are usually more substantive and complex than their Spanish tapas counterparts.

The remainder of the day is free for you to explore this vibrant city at leisure. Perhaps enjoy an afternoon walk to the summit of Monte Urgull, where you will find Castillo de la Mota. The castle was built to defend the city from attackers and allowed San Sebastián to prosper during the Middle Ages. Later, check-in at your seaside hotel (official check-in time is 3:00 p.m. and rooms may not be ready until that time). Dinner tonight is on your own in this gastronomic city. Based on the number of Michelin-stars per capita, San Sebastián ranks number two among the world’s best dining cities.

Country Walkers provides you with City Information including recommendations on what to see and do in San Sebastián during your stay.

Accommodation: Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra, San Sebastián
Included Meals: Breakfast

Walking tour of Bilbao; 3 miles, easy

Your guide(s) meet you at 9:00 a.m. in the lobby of the designated meeting point hotel in Bilbao. Your guide(s) will be wearing a Country Walkers shirt. Please be dressed for walking.

Following introductions and a welcome briefing, you will walk to the world-renowned Guggenheim Museum, designed by acclaimed architect Frank Gehry. Enjoy a 90-minute informative tour given by one of the museum guides regarding the building’s architecture and the current works on display. At the end of the tour, you board a tram with your guides to Bilbao’s Old Town, where you will have free time for lunch on your own.

Later this afternoon, join your guides on a walk and discover how this city has reinvented itself, with its host of modern sites designed by world-renowned architects. The city’s metro system, for example, is a combination of architectural craft and engineering prowess by Britain’s famed architect Sir Norman Foster. You will readily see his dramatic, curved-glass metro entrances, which are locally known as fosteritos, or “little Fosters.” Other masterpieces include Philippe Stark’s La Alhandiga, which is an old wine warehouse converted into a multicultural center, and Iberdrola Tower, the tallest tower in the Basque country, designed by Cesar Pelli.

This evening, get to know your fellow travelers and guides during a welcome reception and dinner.

Accommodation: NH Collection Villa de Bilbao, Bilbao
Included Meals: Dinner

Way of St. James from Mount Jaizkibel to Hondarribia; 6.5 – 10 miles, moderate

Trek a historic seaside route, the “Way of St. James,” marveling at sweeping coastal views on the way to the summit of Mount Jaizkibel. After lunch, tour the cobblestone streets of Hondarribia with your guide.

Enjoy breakfast, then transfer (approximately 90 minutes) to the start of today’s walk along the historic “Way of St. James.” The coastal route is considered to be the oldest of the paths leading to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, where many believe St. James is buried. Your path dates back more than 1,000 years and is believed to be the first institutionalized route used by religious pilgrims. The natural beauty of today’s walk—featuring vistas of the Bay of Biscay and small, rugged coves—will become even more spectacular as you reach the summit of Mount Jaizkibel. Continuing downhill you will reach the Sanctuary of Guadalupe, where a 15th-century Black Madonna is kept. Your trek continues through local vineyards to the Restaurante Oilurta Azpi where you can sample the region’s white wine—txakoli. After the visit, you may choose to shuttle to the hotel or continue on a path through the vineyards, gardens, and the Rio Bidasoa marshlands, to Hondarribia and your hotel.

There is free time on your own in Hondarribia, followed by a city tour with a local guide, who will acquaint you with the history of your home base for the next three nights. Hondarribia is a town with two identities: one belonging to the lower port town and the other to the 800-year-old medieval walled city above, with its balcony-lined cobblestone streets and magnificent vistas of the sea, the Bidasoa River, and neighboring France.

This evening, you can choose from among Hondarribia’s many gourmet restaurants for dinner on your own.

Accommodation: Hotel Rio Bidasoa, Hondarribia
Included Meals: Breakfast

Hondarribia walking tour to fishing port & marina; 5.5 miles, easy

After breakfast, walk to Hondarribia’s marina and fishing port where you’ll see many holiday boats and fishing trawlers on the water. Continue your exploration of Hondarribia along Calle San Pedro and the city wall, before ending this morning’s journey at the hotel. Later, you may explore the town’s restaurants and shops or simply relax at the hotel’s lovely gardens or swimming pool.

This evening, you will have the special privilege of being a guest at a members-only, private gastronomic society, or txoko, as it is known in Basque. Txoko members tend to be mostly men who have shared interests in cooking creative meals for their guests. When Basque culture was suppressed under the reign of Francisco Franco, txokos became safe havens where members could share their language and traditions as well as their love of cooking. Women used to be banned from the society; today, however, they are welcome to dine with the men.

Accommodation: Hotel Rio Bidasoa, Hondarribia
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Coastal walk St. Jean-de-Luz to Hondarribia; 4 – 9 miles, easy to moderate

Today, you’ll shuttle to St. Jean-de-Luz, one of the most attractive towns on the French Basque coast. There are many sites to visit in this idyllic town, such as the Maison Louis XIV, a temporary residence of the Sun King, who came here in 1660 for his marriage to Maria Theresa. You can also visit the nearby church where the pair was married, which is the largest Basque church in France. Or, explore the town’s picturesque harbor, open-air market, and pedestrian-friendly streets. Enjoy lunch on your own in one of the many outdoor cafés.

Fueled by your satisfying lunch, you begin your walk back to Hondarribia by joining a narrow dirt path meandering past stunning cliffs, scenic coves, and the seaside resort town of Hendaye with its long stretch of beach. Saying au revoir to France, a five-minute ferry ride takes you across the Bidasoa River back to Spain. A short walk leads to your hotel in Hondarribia.

Tonight, you’ll learn how to replicate the flavors of Basque Country in our own hotel kitchen during an exclusive cooking demonstration, followed by a dinner in the hotel.

Accommodation: Hotel Rio Bidasoa, Hondarribia
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Basque rural walks on country roads and forested paths; 4.5 – 8, easy to easy-moderate

Once you’ve enjoyed breakfast, you’ll transfer 45 minutes to the town of Tolosa, located on the Oria River. After a brief tour of Tolosa, a short shuttle ride into the surrounding hills brings you to the quaint village of Bidania. Today, your path will be a mostly steady incline through lovely forested hills and valleys. Stopping for lunch, you’ll have the opportunity to feast on a Basque specialty: alubias de Tolosa, or Tolosa beans—purple-black legumes that turn red when cooked and are celebrated for their rich, buttery flavor. You’ll also have a chance to sample the local sidra (hard apple cider). Following lunch, you have the option to shuttle or continue walking through the lovely countryside to your accommodation—a hotel within a restored, 17th-century jauregia (palace).

This evening, meet the jauregia’s owner and learn about the history of, and future plans for, this unique property. Enjoy dinner on your own in the hotel or, perhaps, for a walk into the village for a simple dinner at the local pub.

Accommodation: Iriarte Jauregia Hotel, Bidania
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Loop walk from hotel to the Urdapilleta´s family farm; 2.5 – 5 miles, easy

Today’s walk immerses you in Basque country life as you meander through a series of hamlets on lesser-traveled (but paved) roads, past peaceful pastures nestled amid valleys. You’ll hear tinkling cowbells and see sheep grazing as you walk beneath the shade of apple trees. A charming stone farmhouse will be the setting for lunch. Our hostess is Maite, wife of Pello Urdapilleta, whose family has raised Euskal txerria—a breed of pig found only in the Basque region—for generations. Maite will introduce us to the rural culinary delights of this region of Spain. After an included lunch, you have two options: you can shuttle back to your hotel, or you can return by foot, retracing your morning path.

There will be a farewell dinner at the jauregia this evening with a delicious meal created by the palace’s renowned chef.

Accommodation: Iriarte Jauregia Hotel, Bidania
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

San Sebastián walk; 3 miles, easy

This morning, you’ll transfer to San Sebastián. Upon arriving at this beautiful seaside town, take an easy stroll along the two-mile-long beachfront promenade, which offers views of beautiful La Concha Bay. You will soon discover why Queen Isabella II and other wealthy aristocrats spent their summer holidays in this scenic corner of Spain. To help get your bearings, you’ll ride the funicular to the lookout atop Monte Igueldo, which will give you a great perspective on this scenic seaside resort town.

Your luggage will be stored for your pick-up at the nearby Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra where your walking tour will end at 1:00 p.m. Please note: The hotel will help you book a taxi at your own expense to your next hotel, the train station, or the airport.

Included Meals: Breakfast