Savory Basque Country 2024 – France / Spain
Sept. 29th – October 5th
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 fall is a terrific shoulder season in the Basque Country. Many of the crowds have disappeared and the wineries and cideries are harvesting their fruit. The temperatures will likely be consistently pleasant in the 70’s but layers and raincoats are always recommended. On warm, sunny days the beach out front of the hotel will likely be bustling with 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 delicacy’s 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!
Arrive in the charming fishing port of St. Jean De Luz on the French Basque coast. Check in to the 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.
Sunday, September 29th
Arrive in the charming fishing port of St. Jean De Luz on the French Basque coast. Check in to the centrally located Hotel La Deviniere, a most elegant and charming private hotel owned by the president of the Slow Food Movement in the Basque area. After a walk along the historic port, we’ll dine at a favorite traditional Basque Restaurant featuring fresh locally caught seafood, charcuterie, and local Basque wines.
Monday, September 30th
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.
Tuesday, October 1st
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 on the Hotel terrace. Gateau Basque, sheep’s cheese, jambon de Bayone and Txacoli white wines. 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, the finale to our charming seaside village.
San Sebastian/Donostia
Wednesday, October 2nd
This morning, we will have a private bus from St Jean de Luz to the our second seaside Hotel in San Sebastian.
On our way to San Sebastian 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. Spend the day in Hondarribia and explore this seaside gem through its food, wine, and history.
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 casual lunch at the winery. We will arrive at our Hotel in San Sebastian in the 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.
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.
Thursday, October 3rd
Relaxing Hotel Breakfast at your leisure
Enjoy the quiet morning with coffee in your room or a stroll along la Concha.
After breakfast, we’ll leave for a special day in Getaria, south along the picturesque coast and in the morning 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.
Our evening will be full of Wine and Pintxo with the experts! Our class is served in the luxury of Mimo Cooking School, with a full time sommelier, Tito. This fluid experience allows you to experience wine with food in a new and exciting way. Let’s celebrate the Spanish wines and their compliments.
Friday, October 4th
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. Outside dining for our final night if the weather offers a glorious evening.
Saturday, October 5th
Hotel Breakfast at your leisure before checkout.
Bonus Day to Rioja
Saturday, October 5th is also a bonus day or two, if you choose.
Janice will offer an additional day trip to the famous Rioja region with our guide, the top-notch wine expert for our day in wine country. This day will be an additional cost for those interested.
At our home base in San Sebastián, we’re located near one of the world’s best wine regions: Rioja. It’ll be harvest in Rioja, so we’ll see the vines heavy 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.
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.
Let me know if you are interested in this extra Rioja day trip.
You can be returned to San Sebastian or have an overnight and additional days in Bilboa at an additional cost.