Custom
Guided and Self-Guided Tour Programs
prepared by Maribel of
Maribel's
Guides.
Navarra
This autonomous region known around the
world for its famous Fiesta de San
Fermin and the encierro, the "running
of the bulls", also produces an
abundance of excellent wines grown in
the fertile lands stretching south from
the capital city of Pamplona to the
rich lands of the Ebro river, bordering
La Rioja Alta and Alavesa. Both
its reds (tintos) and rosés
(rosados) are considered to be among
the finest wines in Spain, or
elsewhere.
With its diverse terrain, Navarra has
long been regarded as the food basket
of Spain with its delectable "asparagos
blanca", white asparagus, considered
the best in the world by the true
connoisseur of gastronomic delights, as
well as its renowned Piquillo peppers
and perfect artichokes.
You
will find a wide variety of land and
nature in Navarra, from the lush green
forest of the Pyrenees in the north
with deer and wild boar running free,
to the rich rolling hills of the wine
region spreading south from Pamplona
and arid countryside of Baja Navarra
that border La Rioja in the south.
Wine
&
Gastronomy
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Sanfermines
Join
Iberian Traveler & Maribel's Guides
in Pamplona along with
Peña
Seattle de
Sanfermines
for the Fiesta de San Fermin and the
encierro, the "running of the bulls".
The fiesta begins with the opening
ceremony, the
chupinazo
, at noon on the 6th of July in the
Plaza Consistorial as the rockets
explode high overhead announcing the
start of the Fiesta.
Sanfermín
2009, the running of the
bulls
Getting
to
Pamplona|
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Iberian Traveler is recognized
by the Tourist Office of
Spain, Tourespaña and
the Government of Navarre as
the leading expert for the
fiesta in Pamplona.
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La Rioja
The
Rioja Alavesa is the one section of the
three wine producing regions of Spain's
Rioja, which is located in the Basque
Country. The other two are
designated as the Rioja Alta and the
Rioja Baja. A tiny section of
neighboring Navarra also belongs to the
Rioja Denominacion de Origen.
Arguably, the very best Rioja wines are
produced in the Alava region.
Wine
&
Gastronomy
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Pais Vasco -
(Basque Country)
The
Basque culture and people possess a
mysterious quality. Neither French nor
Spanish, the Basque language and way of
life are centuries old.
Descended
from unknown origins, the Basque speak
Euskera - an ancient language unlike
any other. It is spoken by about 20
percent of the
population.
A
part of "Green Spain," the Basque
countryside spans northern Spain and
southern France. There are seven
provinces: four in Spain (Vizcaya,
Guipúzcoa, Álava and
Navarra) and three in France (Labourd,
Haute-Navarre and
Soule).
No
written historical records exist for
the Basques; however, recent
discoveries indicate ancestral
connections to Cro-Magnon man. Perhaps
the chief reason the Basque culture
remains intact is the character of the
people and the natural
boundaries.
Iberian
Traveler & Maribel's Guides offers
three tours, either devoted to or
focusing on parts of the Basque
Country:
Bilbao
&
Beyond
Barcelona
to
Bilbao
Wine
&
Gastronomy
Take
a Virtual Tour of
Bilbao|
Jazz
in the Basque
Country|
Getxo,
Vitoria-Gasteiz and San
Sebastian-Donostia
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Cantabria
- Asturias - Galicia
Spain's
three northern provinces are often
referred to as Green Spain'
Catalunya
Steeped
in a rich history that predates the
Greek and Roman days, today's Catalan
Spain nurtures a well-preserved
language and a distinct culture. More
than eight million people speak
Catalan.
Catalan
Spain occupies a small northeastern
part of Spain, touching the Pyrenees
Mountains, France's southern border and
the Mediterranean coastline. One-sixth
of Spain's population call this area
home. The Catalan heritage actually
dates as far back as the Paleolithic
Era. Later, Iberians and Celts arrived.
Greek colonization introduced crops
such as grapes and olives, along with
the alphabet and metal coinage. The
Romans occupied this area for six
centuries, forming a strong foundation
for the new country.
One-hundred-fifty
years ago, Barcelona's unprecedented
wealth forced the city out of its
medieval walls. Modernist architects
such as Antoni Gaudí designed
buildings that epitomize the virtuosity
and the delirium of the times.
Barcelona continues to transform itself
today.
Iberian Traveler & Maribel's Guides
Barcelona
to
Bilbao
tour showcases the best of this region
and parts of the Basque
country.
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Portugal
Located on the western edge of the
Iberian Peninsula, Portugal not only
looks to the Atlantic Ocean but
embraces a strong seafaring heritage.
Although the country has been inhabited
for more than 100,000 years, a written
account of the Portuguese history only
began in the 3rd century B.C., with the
arrival of the Romans.
The
country's history offers contrasts as
rich as its people. Aristocrats and
seamen alike call Portugal home.
However, because so many of the early
Portuguese explorers sailed off in
pursuit of new trade routes, the
country's culture is matriarchal and
family-centered.
Salty
ocean breezes to the fragrant aroma of
the lush highlands also define this
country. Barefoot Carmelite monks of
the 17th century gathered samples of
trees and flowers from across Europe to
create the 250-acre Buçaco
Forest located in the Beiras
region.
Iberian
Traveler & Maribel's Guides offer a
tour that covers the Porto and Douro
region, Beiras territory, Estremadura
and Ribatejo, and the upper part of the
Lisbon coast: Portugal
Discoveries.
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