A Bite of the Basque Country

After touching down in Bilbao airport (BIO), make your way to your hotel in the city, where you’ll get to meet our Local Insider and get to know your fellow travellers over a welcome dinner and drinks.

After breakfast at your hotel, you’ll be met by our Local Insider for an orientation walk and pintxos tour of Bilbao. These salty, savoury, sometimes spicy snacks are a speciality of the region, usually best-accompanied by a cold beer or glass of wine. Fuelled up, you’ll then be free to explore the city at your own pace, or join in a guided visit to the Guggenheim Museum – unmissable with its Frank Gehry-designed, sun-reflecting titanium carapace.

This morning, fuel up with a hotel breakfast, before joining up with the group for a mini road-trip along the Bay of Biscay coast to San Sebastian. The first stop is at San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, a rocky islet connected to the mainland by a winding stone bridge. Game of Thrones fans might recognise it as the Dragonstone fortress from Game of Thrones, but it’s even more spectacular in person. Next it’s on to Guernica, the medieval market town that was brutally bombed during the Spanish Civil War, inspiring an outraged Picasso’s painting of the scene. Finally, to San Sebastian, where our Local Insider will take you on a stroll of the La Concha promenade, and up to the top of Monte Igueldo, via a historic funicular railway, for spectacular views. Spend the rest of the afternoon exploring on your own, or join in an optional (but highly recommended) Pintxos tour.

There’s time for one more breakfast with your new travel buddies before checking out of your hotel and either making your way to Bilbao airport (BIO) for the flight home, or continuing your adventure in this fascinating part of the world.