Spanish Basque Country Food & Wine
Description
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Main Grape Varieties
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Visit the highlights of Spain’s Basque Country. San Sebastian combines French-inspired elegance with coastal relaxation. It is known as the center of modern Basque gastronomy, with the most 3 Michelin star restaurants in Spain. Bilbao, the traditional center of Basque industry, has undergone a transformation from an aging shipbuilding hub to a thriving cosmopolitan city. We will immerse you in exclusive private experiences in San Sebastián and on the Basque Coast, from a private cooking experience in Basque Gastronomic club to a Basque country “breakfast” with wine in the hills overlooking the Cantabrian Sea to hiking the verdant Basque hills to a family-owned Txakoli winery. Indulge in Basque cuisine with Michelin star dinners and a private pintxos tour with a local insider.
Txakoli (pronounced CHA-KO-LEE) is a mildly effervescent and refreshing wine low in alcohol and high in acidity, unaged and meant to be drunk within the year of its production. Txakoli was traditionally made in the home and dates back to at least the eighth century. Today three regions boast a Txakoli Denomination of Origin in the Basque Country. Two main grape varieties are used: white Hondarrabi Zuri and red Hondarrabi Beltza. Harvest takes place typically at the end of September, after which vinification occurs either in oak barrels or stainless steel vats. At some point, every visitor to Basque country sees how Txakoli is traditionally poured, with the glass low to the ground and the bottle poured in a bubbly stream from on high. The locals say this helps to bring out the light salty flavor of the wine.
Highlights
- Tour San Sebastian’s historic center and bustling Pintxos bars
- Lunch at a private gastronomic club
- Visit a picturesque Txakoli winery and taste the superb wines
- Countryside breakfast at a Basque farm
- Dinner at a three-starred Michelin restaurant
- Taste artisan Basque products with the producers
- Private visit the Guggenheim museum in Bilboa
Suggested Itinerary 6 days
Itineraries are hand crafted with extra care to create the right mix of food, wine, and culture for a memorable and unique experience. Here are some ideas and a sample itinerary. Contact us to get started.
Day 1 – San Sebastian
- Arrive in San Sebastian
- Enjoy a walking tour of San Sebastian’s historic center
- Overnight in San Sebastian
Day 2 –San Sebastian
- Head to the local market to buy products for lunch
- Step inside the members-only gastronomic club, where they will prepare lunch using the ingredients you purchased
- Overnight in San Sebastian
Day 3 – San Sebastian & Getaris
- Start today in the hills above the nearby fishing village of Getaria
- Taste artisan Txkoli wines at a local winery
- Lunch in Getaria for grilled fish by the water
- Overnight in San Sebastian
Day 4 –Espelette / Saint Jean Pied de Port/Irouleguy Wine
- Join your guide for a leisurely hike through the Basque countryside
- Arrive at a local farmers house where you will have a traditional Basque breakfast prepared using local ingredients
- Enjoy a three-star Michelin dinner in San Sebastian
- Overnight in San Sebastian
Day 5- San Sebastian & Basque Countryside
- Discover Basque artisan products with two local producers
- Visit an Idiazabel sheep cheese producer
- Share lunch with a sustainable charcuterie producer who raises native Basque pigs
- Overnight in San Sebastian
Day 6 – Bilbao
- Travel to the revitalized port city of Bilbao
- Visit the Guggenheim Museum, the Frank Gehry-designed modern art museum
- Watch the chef at work during dinner in Bilbao’s smallest Michelin starred restaurant
- Overnight in Bilbao
Day 7 – Depart
- Private transfer to Bilbao or Biarritz to depart
Options
- Visit filming locations from Game of Thrones, including the spectacular hermitage of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe on an islet off the Basque coast
- Sail out into La Concha Bay and have a wine tasting on the boat facing San Sebastian
- Private cooking class in a local gastronomic club where you will learn to make classic Basque dishes
- Slip across the border into the French Basque Country and visit the beautiful villages of Biarritz and Saint Jean de Luz before a seafood lunch on the coast
- Join a Michelin starred chef at a local market to buy ingredients. Return to his restaurant for a tailor-made dinner prepared using the ingredients you bought
- Out to pasture in the Basque hills with the local long-haired Letxa sheep, which provide milk for Idiazabal cheese
- Add three days in the nearby Rioja wine region, visiting select wineries with private tastings
- Explore the fishing villages dotting the coast between San Sebastian and Bilbao
- Visit an artisan anchovy curing house on the Basque coast