A Taste of Northern Spain: Catalonia and the Basque Country

Welcome to Bilbao, the vibrant gateway to the Basque Country. Surrounded by green hills and a blend of modern and traditional architecture, this cultural hub is the perfect place to begin our journey. Upon arrival, there's time to settle in at leisure, with no planned activities until the evening. At 6pm, our tour leader will host a welcome meeting in the hotel reception, providing an opportunity to meet fellow travellers and receive an overview of the tour. For those arriving early there's the chance to visit the iconic Guggenheim Museum (open until 7pm), a stunning work of art itself, housing world-class modern and contemporary collections. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive at Bilbao Airport (BIO), which is around a 20-minute drive from the hotel. Should you miss the meeting, our tour leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up.

After breakfast, we set off along the coast to the charming fishing village of Getaria. Here, we'll stop at a local fishery to learn about traditional anchovy canning, a staple of Basque cuisine, and take the opportunity to taste a few. Then it's on to San Sebastian, a foodie paradise. We'll walk up to Monte Urgull for sweeping views before heading into the old town's narrow streets where we'll enjoy a relaxed lunch (included). The afternoon is free to explore, stroll La Concha promenade, relax on the beach, or take the funicular up Monte Igueldo for another scenic lookout over San Sebastian's iconic curving bay. We return to Bilbao in the early evening.

This morning, we travel south by charter bus to La Rioja Alavesa, a Basque corner of the Ebro Valley that has a long tradition of producing quality Rioja wines. Our first stop this morning is at a local bodega to learn more about modern life as a wine producer in Rioja and to sample some of the famous wines. After hearing about the history of the family business, we descend to the cellars to see the production line at work, including the testing of the wines in their various stages. The tasting comes next, with red and white on offer. We stop in the village of Laguardia around lunchtime. This hilltop village dates back beyond the Romans to the Celts, and became an important medieval fortress whose walls still stand today. It is also a key player in the Rioja wine trade, so we're likely to see wine on the menu from the producer we've just visited. After a short drive we then arrive at The Church of Saint Mary of Eunate, a 12th-century Romanesque church located on the Camino de Santiago, or St. James Way, an ancient Christian pilgrimage route that leads to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, final resting place of Saint James. We plan to join the pilgrim route from Obanos village and walk a two-to-three kilometre (one-to-two miles) section of the Camino to Puente La Reina. This town has been heavily influenced by the Pilgrim's Route, and devotees have crossed its medieval five-arched bridge since the 14th century. We then drive to Pamplona, arriving in the early evening.

We enjoy a leisurely morning before diving into Pamplona's culinary culture on a food tour with our local expert. We'll visit the lively central market, sampling regional cheeses, cured meats, and seasonal delights, while learning about local traditions. Given its location in the Navarre region, the Basque influence is strong, with robust, hearty flavours. Meat dishes are prominent with a focus on high quality beef and pork products, typically accompanied by a glass of Rioja. There's time for final sightseeing before we head southeast to Zaragoza. Arriving in the late afternoon, we'll take an orientation walk, with its Roman roots and Mudejar design, Zaragoza is a fascinating mix of old and new.

We begin our day in Agramunt, home to the deliciously thick, traditional 'xocolata'. The word itself is comes from the Aztec name for chocolate and was brought back to Spain during the time of the Conquistadors. At a working factory, chocolate is still pressed and wrapped by hand - and of course, we'll taste it too, paired with fresh churros. Later, we ride the rack railway up to Montserrat, a dramatic mountain range with jagged peaks and a sacred Benedictine abbey perched high above the valley. There will be plenty of time to explore the monastery and soak in the sunset views over Catalonia.

After breakfast, we make the short journey to Barcelona, dropping our bags before exploring the city on foot. Our walking tour takes in the Gothic Quarter, trendy El Born, and the seaside district of Barceloneta. We'll visit historic food markets along the way and introduce you to some Catalan specialities. The afternoon is yours to explore.

Enjoy a relaxed morning in Barcelona before we head to our hands-on paella-making class. You might want to check out Gaudí's Park Guell or visit the iconic Sagrada Familia (we recommend pre-booking, for further details see the optional activities section of the trip notes). Together, we'll learn the secrets to preparing this iconic Spanish dish - from selecting the best ingredients to perfecting the socarrat, the golden crust at the bottom of the pan. After cooking, we'll sit down and enjoy the fruits (or rice!) of our labour at our farewell dinner.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Barcelona. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from Barcelona-El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport (BCN), which is around a 30-45 minute drive away.