Days 1-4
Bera - Biarritz - Pamplona


We meet in Bilbao and travel a relatively short distance through spectacular mountain scenery to the ancient walled seacoast village of Hondarribia-Fuenterrabía, close to the French border.

From here we:
Walk through the old walled town, with spectacular sea vistas at every turn, just beyond the balconies overflowing with bright flowerboxes.

Do a little tapas tasting, pintxos, as the Basques call these delicious appetizers. The seafood that Fuenterrabíans use for many of their tapas was swimming out in that gorgeous blue-green water just this morning. You can watch the boats bring it in.

Tour the Bonnat Art Gallery in Bayonne, France, home to the works of El Greco, Goya, Murillo, Degas, Rubens, Ingres and others. The gallery's wonderful architecture harmonizes nicely with its world-famous collection.

Stroll along the same beach that captured Empress Eugenie's heart, where her husband, Napoleon III, built a private sea-side palace for her.

Explore Pamplona, Hemingway's favorite city and home to the annual "running of the bulls". We tour the Jewish Quarter in the old part of Pamplona, and we explore the ancient route of pilgrims bound for Santiago.


Days 5-7
Aranzazu - Oñati - San Sebastian

An expansive view of San Sebastián's perfect shell-shaped beach and harbor is as close as our hotel room balconies. Sunset is not to be missed! Among the happy culinary, artistic and cultural experiences that await us in the heart of the Basque country:

The Basilica of Arantzazu, an important Basque shrine for artistic and religious reasons. The basilica showcases the works of Basque artists who were finally allowed to exhibit during the Franco years.

An evening at a private Gastronomic Society, an all-male club where men display both their well-developed cooking skills and their vocal prowess for a small group of visitors. Between the many courses, an Ochote, a chorus of 8-12 men, plumbers, bank presidents, set designers and many other professions in real life, sings folk songs from the Basque Country, Russia, even America.

La Parte Vieja (the old city of San Sebastián) at the foot of Monte Urgull. Sidewalk cafes, tapas bars with an enthusiastic San Sebastian clientele, and family-owned shops line the pedestrian-only streets.

The new Chillida Leku, a restored 16th-century farmhouse and grounds filled with the works of internationally famous sculptor Eduardo Chillida.


You have a free day in San Sebastián, a beach resort and food capital built around one of Europe's most enchanting shell-shaped bays. Explore this wonderful city on your own or with the help of your guides. We suggest a ride up the funicular for spectacular views of Monte Igueldo. Relax among the promenaders as you take in the harbor view from the beachside benches, or reserve for lunch or dinner at Arzak. Many critics say it's the best restaurant in Spain.


Days 6-10
Guernica - Bilbao

On our way to our five-star hotel in Bilbao, we drive through more lovely mountain scenery, with the occasional glimpse of the sea. We visit:

Guernica, with its oak tree that symbolizes the ancient roots of the Basque people and their heritage, law and freedom. Guernica was the site of the first saturation bombing by the Nazis, which inspired Picasso's masterpiece of the same name. We see the petrified trunk of the original oak, the young oak planted beside it, and sculptural monuments to peace by Henry Moore and Eduardo Chillida.

Among the highlights of Bilbao, tagged by Atlantic Monthly Online as the kind of city that many travelers long for a city where the streets aren't jammed with tourists, where, authentic culture hasn't been assigned to souvenir shops:

The Guggenheim Museum, architect Frank Gehry's titanium-clad masterpiece of extravagant, eccentric and whimsical design, with 19 surprisingly intimate internal galleries and Jeff Koon's giant Puppy sculpture made of begonias, impatiens and marigolds stands guard out front.

The Riverside Market, a ship-shaped building with stained glass windows where vendors sell huge varieties of seafood, flowers, and olives under stained glass beauty. Bilbao housewives and restauranteurs alike come each morning to acquire the freshest materials to build an acclaimed cuisine.

The Bilbao Museum of Fine Arts, a gallery displaying classical, contemporary and Basque collections. After you browse, enjoy a coffee in its tree-shaded patio and watch the Basque families promenade in the adjacent park.

The seven winding cobblestone streets in the old part of Bilbao, revealing at every turn new architectural and cultural treats, not to mention bargains for intrepid shoppers.

We take a short bus ride into the countryside to lunch in a fine caserio (Basque farmhouse), where you receive the royal treatment with native dance, music and costumes. We take a different scenic route back to Bilbao, along the coastline. Our scenic return to Bilbao takes us along the rugged Basque coastline.

Day 11
Taxi the airport for your flight home.