City Stays

A taste of Basque Country

6 days / 5 nights
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A taste of Basque Country

It’s said that nothing is impossible. This is wrong. It’s impossible to lay eyes on San Sebastián and not fall madly in love. This stunning city is cool, svelte and flirtatious by night, charming and well mannered by day. It’s a city that loves to indulge, and apparently falling from the heavens onto its resturants and a pintxo (tapas) culture almost unmatched anywhere else in Spain. But just as good as the food is the summer fun in the sun…

Bilbao is often referred to by locals as the Botxo, which means hole in Basque, had a tough upbringing. Grew up in an environment of heavy industry and industrial. But, Bilbao paid off when a few wise investments left it with a shimmering titanium fish called the Museo Guggenheim and a horde of arty groupies around the world…

Day 1 SAN SEBASTIAN

Arrival at Bilbao’s Airport.
Meet & great at the airport and transfer to San Sebastián. Check in at hotel
Meet with the group at the lobby of the hotel and sightseeing of San Sebastian (1h30 – 2hrs)
Few cities have as many topics as Donostia – San Sebastian that it has received generally tawdry appellative with the spirit from underlining their attractiveness.
The Old Part that corresponds to its initial walled town and located among the port, the river Urumea and the
Mount Urgull. There are three buildings of great interest: The Church San Vicente, the oldest building in the city, a solid construction of the 16th Century, Museum of San Telmo (exterior visit), old Dominic convent with painting by José María Sert, la Basilica of Santa Maria of the Choir, patron saint of the city.
After the visit of the city, we will go to Astigarraga, where we will know a bit more on the process and the
elaboration of the Cider in the Museum of the Cider. Cider houses are usually small farms that have facilities for processing and bottling of cider and a space in which are installed kupelas (barrels) and some tables rantion to account for their specialties (omelette cod, fried cod with green peppers and grilled steak

Day 2 SAN SEBASTIAN

To complete the old quarter visit of the previous day we will visit the market of La Bretxa following we will go to gastronomic society
Gastronomic societies (txoko in Basque) are at the very heart of Basque cuisine. Traditionally they are only open to male members who come together to cook, experiment with ingredients, eat and socialise with friends and family.
We are privileged to offer this lunch at the very heart of this historical food movement in a gastronomic society based in San Sebastian’s old town.
Free afternoon

Day 3 SAN SEBASTIAN/GETARIA/BILBAO

Visit of a Txakoli wine cellar
Getaria, a walled medieval town sitting on a hillside. The silhouette of Mount San Antón, better known as “the Mouse of Getaria”, draws special attention and comes out into the sea.
Lunch would take place in one of the restaurants in Getaria.
In the afternoon, transfer from Getaria to Bilbao.

Day 4 BILBAO

We will begin the day visiting the Old Part, known popularly as “Seven Streets”, we will cross the Sandbank, the church of Saint Nicholas, New Plaza, Plaza Unamuno, Santos Juanes’s Church, San Antón’s Church, the Rivera Market, Cathedral of Santiago, Building of the Stock exchange, Bidebarrieta’s Library and Arriaga Theatre.
Finished the visit of the visit we will continue with a Culinary Workshops – Pintxos workshop
Gastronomy is one of the main attractions of the Basque Country, birthplace of the best chefs in the world, where we can also enjoy excellent products. We want to share our knowledge with you and enjoy one of the greatest pleasures of life. We invite you for an unforgettable experience.
The welcome:
The workshop generally takes place at private room, where we welcome the attendants, we present ourselves and tell them what the workshop is about.
We also give the attendants their working kits:
Apron
Recipe book of the pinchos
The workshop:
Once everybody has been introduced, the guests enter to the kitchen where the Workshops will take place. The group will be divided into groups of 5/7 people, who will have their own material to work in separate tables. The workshop is about a theory-practical class that will be explained by a chef (with an assistant and a translator) who will show which pintxos are going to be made, how they are going to be made and will help the attendants to make them. While groups are working, the chef will give them information about raw products, the producers and the traditional market and will answer any question they have.
The pintxos to be made are:
2 pintxos to be decided depending on the season
Marinated anchovy with pepper confit
Slow roasted egg with mashed potatoes and roast pepper jus reduction
When the workshop is ended, all the groups go to the dinning-room where a menu including a starter, main course, dessert and coffee will be served to them. Drinks included. • Approx. duration of the workshop: 1.30 – 2 h.
Inside the Alhondiga Building, a multi-disciplinary space located in a historical building in the centre of the city, and rebuilt by the parisian designer Philippe Starck. Apart from being a reference centre for the development and dissemination of urban culture, current affairs and health, it counts on over 40,000m2 with and auditorium, “mediatheque”, restaurant, swimming pool…
Free time

Day 5 BILBAO

Optional suggestion:
A a boat trip following the river Nervión.
The itinerary following the River Nervión starts in the pier of Bilbao (depends on the tide). We will board into a
ship that will take us around the Nervión´s Estuary to the Hanging Bridge.
After visiting the Bridge we will be transferred to restaurante Aspaldiko

Day 6 BILBAO

Transfer to the airport