The Basque Country
Some highlights
By invitation only, enter a Basque Gastronomic Society and uncover the secrets of the extraordinary quality and success of Basque cuisine.
Find out why the city is a gastronomic heaven on our Insider’s Fun & Foodie Tour of San Sebastian.
Led by the hand of an art expert, the Chillida-Leku outdoor sculpture park is a must-visit for art and nature lovers, as it beautifully combines monumental modern sculptures with a serene natural environment.
Savor the essence of Basque cuisine with an Insider’s Pintxos experience, steering clear of the tourist trails.
For the real explorer in you, visit the salt valley at Orduña near Bilbao. It’s a unique cultural, historical, and natural attraction and can be followed by lunch at a local's farm washed down by the native Txakoli wine!
And you can’t visit the Basque Country without seeing the Guggenheim Museum, an iconic cultural landmark boasting revolutionary architecture, and housing cutting-edge contemporary art. Remember, we work with the best guides!
Beyond the titanium of the Guggenheim Museum, gain exclusive access to two local artists, masters of their craft and well loved by locals. In the studio they’ll share their own beloved personal collection.
For the active travelers, saddle up with a professional cyclist and explore the breathtaking hills surrounding San Sebastián. Or opt for a hiking adventure along rugged cliffs. Or surf at “off-the-beaten-path” beaches.
Fashion aficionados will be captivated by the Balenciaga Museum in Getaria, where you can delve into the life and legacy of the legendary designer once hailed by Christian Dior as “the master of us all.”
We love the Basque Country. And as from spring 2025 United Airlines will have non-stop flights to/from Bilbao so planning to include the Basque Country into a trip just got a whole lot easier!
Wonderfully situated on the north coast, surrounded by rolling hills, San Sebastián sits on a stunning circular bay known as La Concha. Apart from its aesthetics, the city is famous for having more Michelin stars per capita than any other in the world.
For the active travelers, San Sebastian and surrounds offer a fantastic range of outdoor activities, so it’s not all about food! You’ll be surprised at what we can set up for you especially for hikers and cyclists who seek extra mileage and authenticity than from the usual Backroads itineraries.
On the coastal road between San Sebastian and Bilbao, Getaria is a must.
In Bilbao itself, don’t miss the spectacular Guggenheim Museum – a hugely impressive feat of construction and an extraordinary combination of interconnecting shapes.
And for wine lovers, Spain’s most famous wine region La Rioja is just 2 hours by road south of San Sebastian. See Wine Regions.
OUR HAPPY CLIENTS SAY
I would say that Bilbao and San Sebastian were our favorites.
"Our tour guide “M” Bilbao was really great - we ended up getting a pintxos tour after the Guggenheim and it was a celebratory night in Bilbao with the local soccer team winning, so it was so much fun!”
We love San Sebastian almost as much as we love our guide “C”, for the second time there.
"He is a total delight, so cheerful, enthusiastic, eager to please, and helpful.”
Pintxos Tour: Another home run.
"M” really showed us around Bilbao, particularly the old town, as we stopped for Pintxos at bars he has been frequenting all his life. We felt like he took us to authentic places with homemade food and thoroughly enjoyed the evening. A+.”
The Bilbao experience was truly exceptional. It was worth the difficult connection heading home again.
"The Guggenheim Bilbao is jaw-dropping in its architecture, and what it has done to rehabilitate that city; and dining on an open terrace overlooking the museum was a great way to end the day.”
The ride from San Sebastián to Bilbao was perfect with the stops along the way.
"Really enjoyed the guide’s knowledge of Bilbao. The museum was amazing as you can imagine. We really enjoyed the Basque Country and learned so much.”
Thought the drive to San Sebastian was beautiful.
"Thought San Sebastian was one of the most beautiful cities they have ever been to and just loved it – it reminded them of the Cote d’Azure without the pretentious crowds.”
“The Wine tour and the Cooking class in San Sebastion were both really special experiences”
“Bilbao…very beautiful city and the museum is incredible…. terrific guide at the museum…..made the visit worthwhile.”
San Sebastián has been wonderful, our tour guide has been wonderful.
"The pintxos tour and the culinary tour he took me on yesterday was fabulous!”
The most memorable part of our trip was our visit to Pamplona and participating in the San Fermin Festival.
"We were able to see the running of the bulls, and that was quite the site.”
Our guide in Bilbao was a real delight and we had great fun with her exploring the art.
"We were so impressed to have someone with her expertise and ties to the museum to guide us. Plus she was very helpful with her stories about football in Bilbao.”
“Upon arrival in San Sebastian we fell in love with the view of the Playa de la Concha from our hotel room.”
San Sebastian was the highlight of our trip.
"We loved the smaller town close to the ocean with a view from our hotel.”
Our guide deserves a gold star for patiently handling our late arrival to the tour of San Sebastian, then treating us to a memorably delicious afternoon of pintxos.
"He then helped us experience a small slice of the Camino along a lovely coastline. Almost made us want to tackle more of the Camino someday!”
Lastly San Sebastian, oh this was such a good city to end our trip on.
"Loved the beach, the smallness of the city, so easy to get around, fewer people, very relaxing”
