A Culinary Journey Through The Basque Country

Upon arrival at Bilbao Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by your private driver and your local host, a professionally licensed guide with deep roots in the Basque Country, who will accompany you through your arrival and first moments in the region. You will then be transferred by a luxury air-conditioned vehicle to your elegant hotel in the heart of Bilbao's city center. Upon arrival at your hotel, your host will be available to assist with check-in if needed, ensure everyone settles in comfortably, and answer any initial questions, making your arrival seamless and relaxed.

Your immersive Basque Country journey begins at one of Bilbao's most distinguished boutique hotels, located in the very heart of the city's cultural district. Set in a Belle Époque–style building, the hotel blends timeless Basque character with contemporary comfort, offering refined rooms and elegant public spaces that still echo stories of illustrious past guests. Relax in your beautifully appointed room or unwind in the hotel's gracious common areas, while your local host remains nearby to offer practical assistance, orientation, and thoughtful local recommendations. Before dinner, you will have the opportunity to gather for a welcome drink, where your host will briefly walk you through the upcoming program, highlight key moments of the journey, and happily answer any questions — an easy, informal way to begin connecting with both the destination and one another. In the evening, enjoy a welcome dinner at one of Bilbao's oldest and most iconic restaurants, where traditional Basque cuisine meets refined contemporary touches. Your local host may join the group, creating a relaxed and convivial atmosphere as the first flavors of the Basque Country are shared. The restaurant has retained its authentic character and is renowned for exceptional fish and shellfish sourced from the northern coastal ports. Signature dishes include txangurro al horno (baked spider crab), grilled prawns, and beautifully aged meats such as their 60-day matured chuletón, paired with carefully selected regional wines. The venue is just a short walk from your hotel, allowing for a leisurely return after this warm and memorable first evening in Bilbao. (D)

Begin your day with a leisurely individual breakfast served in the same elegant dining room where Ernest Hemingway once dined. Enjoy the morning at your own pace, choosing from à la carte and buffet options featuring high-quality local ingredients, including a perfectly prepared Basque omelet, artisanal breads, and seasonal specialties.

Your private guide meets the group in the hotel lobby, marking the start of a carefully curated exploration of Bilbao. Together, you will discover the city's transformed Abandoibarra and elegant Ensanche districts. Once a shipyard quarter, Abandoibarra is now a vibrant riverside area of striking architecture and green promenades anchored by the Guggenheim Museum. Nearby, the 19th-century boulevards and plazas of the Ensanche reveal Bilbao's timeless elegance, with tree-lined streets, grand façades, and stylish cafés.

Your cultural journey continues with a guided visit to the world-renowned Guggenheim Museum. Even those typically uninterested in contemporary architecture will be captivated by Frank Gehry's titanium clad masterpiece and its celebrated rotating exhibitions of international importance. Your guide, an engaging and highly knowledgeable art historian will bring the building and its collections to life with insight and storytelling. Following the museum visit, your guide will accompany you to the lunch venue, where you will enjoy this culinary experience independently. Lunch is served at an innovative restaurant within the striking Edificio Alhóndiga, a former Modernismo-style wine warehouse now transformed into a cultural landmark. The menu presents a contemporary interpretation of Basque cuisine, featuring beautifully crafted seasonal dishes such as grilled octopus with smoked paprika, Iberian pork cheeks braised in cider, and delicate vegetable tarts, all thoughtfully paired with regional wines. Dinner tonight is on your own. Please feel free to ask your guide for any restaurant recommendations. (B, L)

Begin your day with a leisurely individual breakfast served in the same elegant dining room where Ernest Hemingway once dined. Enjoy the morning at your own pace, choosing from à la carte and buffet options featuring high-quality local ingredients, including a perfectly prepared Basque omelet, artisanal breads, and seasonal specialties.

After breakfast, make your way independently to Bilbao's historic Mercado de la Ribera, a short and pleasant walk from the hotel. You will recognize the area from the previous day's walking tour when you passed through this lively riverside quarter. Here, your chef-guide will be waiting to welcome the group and begin your culinary adventure. Strolling through Europe's largest covered market, you will explore colorful stalls brimming with seasonal produce, freshly caught seafood, and regional delicacies. Along the way, you will meet local vendors and learn how the ingredients that define Basque cuisine are selected. From the market, continue to a private, well-equipped cooking studio, where the fun truly begins. Working together with your fellow travelers, you will roll up your sleeves and prepare a selection of traditional Basque dishes under the guidance of your celebrated chef. This collaborative, hands-on experience is designed to be both relaxed and lively—an enjoyable way to share laughs, exchange stories, and bond over food as you cook side by side. Aprons on and glasses raised, you will then sit down to enjoy your own creations, beautifully paired with excellent local wines—an authentic taste of Basque hospitality and conviviality. Dinner is on your own tonight, but let today's cooking experience be an example of what this place has to offer. (B, L)

Begin your day with a leisurely individual breakfast served in the same elegant dining room where Ernest Hemingway once dined. Enjoy the morning at your own pace, choosing from à la carte and buffet options featuring high-quality local ingredients, including a perfectly prepared Basque omelet, artisanal breads, and seasonal specialties.

Check out and depart together on a comfortable group transfer through the rolling green landscapes of the Basque countryside, en route to San Sebastián. Along the way, you will pause for one of the region's most authentic and beloved traditions: a visit to a traditional Basque sidrería (cider house). Nestled among apple orchards and rustic farmhouses, this historic cider house offers a window into centuries of Basque rural life. Here, you will meet your English-speaking local guide, who will lead you through the orchards, the apple-pressing area, and the atmospheric cellars where cider matures inside towering wooden barrels. As you explore, you will learn how this age-old craft remains deeply woven into Basque culture and everyday life. Your visit culminates in a classic sidrería lunch: a generous meal of fresh cod, premium grilled beef, and seasonal vegetables, accompanied by unlimited cider poured straight from the barrels in the time-honored txotx style. Lively, communal, and delicious, this is a joyful celebration of Basque tradition, hospitality, and shared table culture. After lunch, continue by coach to San Sebastián, arriving in the afternoon. Upon arrival, check into your elegant boutique hotel, a beautifully restored former convent that blends historic character with contemporary comfort. Set in the heart of San Sebastián, just moments from La Concha Beach and the Old Town, this elegant hotel offers serene interiors, refined design, and warm, attentive service.

In the evening, your local guide will meet the group at the hotel and escort you into the heart of San Sebastián's Old Quarter (Parte Vieja), where the city's celebrated food culture comes alive. Enjoy a guided txikiteo, the beloved Basque tradition of moving from bar to bar, sampling each one's signature pintxo. As you stroll through the atmospheric streets lined with historic façades and lively taverns, you will taste a curated selection of creative small plates paired with local wines or cider. You may savor artisanal sheep's cheese delicately accented with fresh mint, golden ham croquettes enriched with pistachio, or fresh crab paired with creamy avocado and crisp fennel. Each stop reveals a new culinary expression, reflecting the pride and imagination of San Sebastián's famed pintxos culture. At the end of the tour, your guide will walk the group back to the hotel, ensuring a relaxed and comfortable return after an evening of culinary discovery and conviviality. (B, L, D)

Begin your day with a leisurely individual breakfast served in the same elegant dining room where Ernest Hemingway once dined. Enjoy the morning at your own pace, choosing from à la carte and buffet options featuring high-quality local ingredients, including a perfectly prepared Basque omelet, artisanal breads, and seasonal specialties.

Later in the morning, your local chef/guide meets the group at the hotel for a pleasant walk through San Sebastián to a local market, where the city's daily rhythm unfolds among colorful stalls and lively conversations. Together, you will select the fresh, seasonal ingredients that will inspire the day's menu. From the market, continue to the cooking studio for a private, hands-on cooking class showcasing the depth and elegance of Basque cuisine. Led in a relaxed and engaging style, the experience introduces you to a range of regional dishes and culinary techniques. Recipes vary according to seasonality and market availability, and may include refined local specialties, such as beautifully prepared hake, alongside classic small plates, and other traditional Basque favorites. Working side by side with your fellow chefs for the day, you will chop, stir, taste, and learn, sharing techniques, laughter, and stories along the way. All recipes are designed to be easily recreated at home, allowing you to bring a true taste of the Basque Country back with you. After enjoying lunch featuring your own culinary creations, the rest of the afternoon and evening is free to enjoy San Sebastián at your own pace. (B, L)

Begin your day with a leisurely individual breakfast served in the same elegant dining room where Ernest Hemingway once dined. Enjoy the morning at your own pace, choosing from à la carte and buffet options featuring high-quality local ingredients, including a perfectly prepared Basque omelet, artisanal breads, and seasonal specialties.

After breakfast, enjoy a full day at leisure to discover San Sebastián in your own way. Browse gourmet shops in the Gros district, explore contemporary exhibitions at Tabakalera, take a coastal boat ride, try surfing at Zurriola Beach, or simply stroll along the elegant promenade and relax on La Concha's golden sands. Whether cultural, culinary, or coastal, the city offers countless ways to shape the day to your personal interests.

As evening approaches, make your way to the heart of San Sebastián's Old Town, where your farewell dinner awaits at a carefully selected restaurant, an inviting and atmospheric setting to end your eventful journey. Here, enjoy a seasonal tasting menu showcasing the finest of Basque cuisine, built around pristine local ingredients such as fresh fish, seafood, and farm-grown vegetables, all beautifully paired with distinctive regional wines. The intimate dining room, blending rustic charm with contemporary elegance, provides the perfect backdrop for specialties such as cod pil-pil, Iberian pork loin, or fried anchovies with sea salt. A sweet finale, perhaps a warm pistachio soufflé with lemon sorbet, brings this memorable evening, and your Basque culinary journey, to a graceful close. (B, D)

Begin your day with a leisurely individual breakfast served in the same elegant dining room where Ernest Hemingway once dined. Enjoy the morning at your own pace, choosing from à la carte and buffet options featuring high-quality local ingredients, including a perfectly prepared Basque omelet, artisanal breads, and seasonal specialties.

After breakfast and check-out from your hotel, your journey comes to a close with a comfortable group transfer to Bilbao Airport. Sit back and relax as you travel in a modern, air-conditioned vehicle, enjoying the final views of the Basque countryside on the way. Time truly flies when immersed in such extraordinary culinary experiences, but you now depart this delicious Edible Destination carrying with you wonderful memories of one of Europe's most distinctive and celebrated regions. (B)