May 6-13, 2027
Savory Basque Country – France / Spain
Join me for a week in Basquelandia
The Basque Country is a fiercely independent region with hundreds of miles of coastline along the Bay of Biscay. The Euskaldunak people are characterized by their own language and culture, and a society built around the appreciation of food and wine.
To spend a week exploring Basque Country from end to end – Spain to France, effervescent Txacoli to Rioja’s reds, tapas to tasting menus, farmhouse tables to farmers markets and sea views to cobbled streets – is to immerse yourself in one of the world’s most enchanting culinary destinations.
Early spring is a terrific shoulder season in the Basque Country. Many of the crowds have not arrived yet and the wineries and cideries are tending their fruits. The temperatures will likely be consistently pleasant in the 65 – 70’s but layers and raincoats are always recommended. On warm, sunny days the beach out front of the hotel will likely have a few brave sunbathers and swimmers.
Basque cooking enjoys a reputation for being one of the best cuisines in the world. Indulge in Basque charcuterie, farmstead sheep’s milk cheese as well as the many outstanding wines of the region. Picnicking in the garden with Marketplace delicacies and cooking in one of the world’s most reputable cooking schools will be part of your dream come true.
Straddling two nations on the Atlantic Coast — stretching about 100 miles from Bilbao, Spain, north to Bayonne, France lays the ancient, free-spirited land of the Basques. The Basque Country is famous for its food, beaches and modern architecture…and for its feisty, industrious people. It’s also simply beautiful: Bright white chalet-style homes with deep-red and green shutters scatter across lush, rolling hills; the Pyrenees Mountains soar high above the Atlantic and are breathtaking. We will visit both the French and Spanish side some with modern flair other areas so very traditional. The entire region is colorful, fun and welcoming and demands the exploration we will give it.
Itinerary
St. Jean de Luz:
Let’s go to France!
Thursday, May 6th
Arrive in the charming fishing port of St. Jean De Luz on the French Basque coast. Check into our seaside Hotel, a most elegant and charming Hotel that is just steps from the sea.
Dip your toes into the sand or relax on the terrace. After a walk along the historic port, we’ll dine tonight at a favorite traditional Basque Restaurant featuring fresh locally caught seafood, charcuterie, and local Basque wines.
Friday, May 7th
Each morning you will enjoy breakfast by the sea with local specialties. Our private coach picks us up for a full day in the bright green hills of the western Pyrenees. The picturesque Basque Country farms and the villages of Espelette, Cambo de Baines and Ascain will delight you. This is the Pilgrim’s route that people walk across the mountains and on to Western Spain along le chemin de Saint Jacques.
We’ll visit some of the top food producers of the area: Visiting Cambo les Bains for a chocolate museum and tasting, Espelette to taste peppers, artisan saucisson from the producers, and enjoy lunch before a tour of the traditional fabrics of the Basque region. Returning to the coast and our little village by to freshen up, have a glass of wine and then off to a wonderful dinner at one of the most famous restaurants in a Historical Building filled with charm.
Saturday, May 8th
Another breakfast by the sea to sip and savor the magic of a small historic town hugged by the sea.
What better way to discover an area than by its food? Discover the Basque Country at the St. Jean de Luz charming Market Hall. Our morning destination where we will shop for a garden lunch at my friends charming
B & B. Gateau Basque, sheep’s cheese, jambon de Bayone and Txacoli white wine will all be featured in our garden lunch. We’ll explore the historic monuments built for the marriage of Louis the Fourteenth to the Infanta of Spain, Maria Theresa including the beautiful Baroque Church in the heart of St. Jean de Luz. Our afternoon will be free for shopping, a beach visit or a wine in a small sidewalk café.
We will enjoy a fabulous dinner filled with the freshest seafood of the region at a Michelin Star Restaurant that I visit yearly and that will delight your palette and your senses.
Sunday, May 9th
This morning, we will have a private bus from St Jean de Luz to Spend the day in Hondarribia and explore this seaside gem through its food, wine, and history. We will visit one of the most charming Basque towns that sits right on the French border just a short drive down the coast from San Sebastián.
We start our visit in Hondarribia’s medieval Casco Viejo, a treasure of an old town surrounded by a fortified wall that reveals picturesque streets dotted with colorful Basque architecture. We’ll then head to a txakoli bodega for a unique tasting of this special, slightly fizzy white wine that’s so firmly rooted in the local terroir, we will have a wine tasting and pixtos with a view of the vineyards. After a short boat ride across a picturesque river we will have lunch in a historic village with a water view and Paella.
Returning this afternoon to St Jean de Luz for a rest or shopping before a Bistro dinner.
Rioja Region
Monday, May 10th
Today we will leave St Jean de Luz and we will enjoy a full day trip to the famous Rioja region with our guide, the top-notch wine expert for our day in wine country.
It’ll be spring in Rioja, so we’ll see the vines just starting to pop with grapes, mostly Tempranillo and Garnacha. Today we’ll take a daytrip to explore the wine region, where we’ll visit a few wineries and enjoy a Riojan lunch plus a visit to an ancient town of Laguardia.
The Rioja D.O.C. is Spain’s largest wine region with more than 500 wineries in the area. The region dates from the Neolithic area and is home to atmospheric hilltop fortress towns with medieval walls and Gothic churches. Savor the world-class wines and unforgettable views.
After our Rioja visit, we will arrive at our Hotel in San Sebastian in the late afternoon, ready to discover all its culinary treasures.
Welcome to San Sebastian and the Southern Basque Countries! Voted European Cultural Capital of the year, Donostia (San Sebastian’s Basque name) is a beautiful small city wrapped around the shell shaped bay called La Concha. From our centrally located luxury hotel, you can explore on foot, by bike or taxi to all of the city’s great shopping.
Tuesday, May 11th
Our morning will feature an exciting and educational cooking class at the famous MIMO San Sebastian Food Kitchens with a Basque Cooking Class, after a visit to the famous fresh market, just steps away. The sea and the mountains surrounding the Basque capitals are rife with ancient traditions and the freshest of ingredients. In this culinary class journey, you will learn to prepare the famous Basque dishes from both the coastal fishing villages and the mountains. We will bring the history and traditions of Basque Country to life in this hands-on cooking class. Class ends with a full and delicious lunch. Late afternoon is free for shopping or exploring the town.
In the evening, we will enjoy Cocktails and Tapas at one of my favorite tapas bars.
Wednesday, May 12th
Enjoy the quiet morning with coffee in your room or a stroll along La Concha Beach.
After breakfast, we’ll leave for a special day in Getaria, south along the picturesque coast and in the morning we will visit the Balenciaga Museum and stroll the one street fishing village before our lunch. Our lunch will be at one of my favorite restaurants with a sensational view and a superb meal to match. The coastal drive is breathtaking as we return to San Sebastian. This time is for resting, shopping or visiting the ice cream shops.
If food is the way to the heart, then the kitchen is the way to the soul. We will do it like the Basque. Tonight, we will enjoy a Pintxo tasting tour. Pintxos (Basque tapas) line every bar in San Sebastian’s famed Old Town, but knowing where to find the best ones is an art. While it’s hard to have a bad meal in town, knowing exactly where to go for the best, freshest, and most exciting pintxos takes local, insider knowledge. We dive straight into the culinary heart of the city for a night of eating and drinking unlike any you’ve ever experienced.
