Payment of bespoke program of private tours in the Basque Country | 22nd – 25th of May | 3 pax
–
Description and schedule of services
–
22nd of May: introductory evening pintxos tour through San Sebastian old town
–
6:30pm: meet your personal local host at your accommodation in San Sebastian (as long as it is located in town. Otherwise a central meeting point will be agreed upon) to start your pintxos and wines tour of the city.
Understanding how the Basque Country works when it comes to celebrating food and wine can be one of the most revealing experiences of the culture of the region. The Basques love their excellent food and wine and they like to make a celebration out of every meal, together with family and friends. Food, conversation, wine, laughter and a magical common feeling of thankfulness combine in perfect harmony in Basque pintxos bars to make pintxos evenings memorable.
Pintxos play a key role in the wide variety of options that the region has to offer gastronomy-wise. They are small portions of food that people usually have as an appetizer before a meal. However, especially when eating out, a meal can consist of several different pintxos and this is exactly what this tour is about.
Your local Basque foodie host will take you on a pintxos journey through 3 – 4 selected pintxos bars of San Sebastian, during which you’ll be able to taste a selection of 5 – 7 different pintxos (per person), paired with the corresponding wines. Along the tour, you’ll be explained about the hectic social life that the Basques have and how most of it takes place around food in pintxos bars.
San Sebastian can be overwhelming when it comes to choosing a place to eat so this tour will allow you to relax and to enjoy the magnificent culinary and wine scene of the city, while you also learn about its particular character and identity, together with your local host.
9:30pm: end of your pintxos and wines tour back at your hotel in San Sebastian (as long as it is located in the old town. Otherwise your local host will help you to get a taxi.
Overnight in San Sebastian: own arrangements
–
–
23rd of May: day trip from San Sebastian to the natural park of Azkorri – Aratz for a small hike in the natural park, to visit a cheese producer there and to have a regional lunch there
–
9am: meet your personal local host at your accommodation and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle with a dedicated driver to the natural park of Azkorri – Aratz.
Along the way you will be introduced to the geography, nature, customs and economy of the mountainous rural areas of the Basque Country.
10am: upon arrival to the natural park of Azkorri – Aratz, enjoy a light, picturesque and easy hike following a famous trail that was built by Romans and later used by the royalty to cross former borders. An iconic spot along the hike will be the tunnel of Saint Adrian where you will see and be explained about the remains of the ancient toll booths where one had to pay for the goods they brought with them from one side of the border to the other.
Today the trail is a part of the Saint James way: a most popular pilgrimage in Spain, finishing in the NorthWestern city of Santiago de Compostela. Your host will explain to you how this city became one of the most important religious destinations in the world along with Rome and Jerusalem. This will help you to understand how this helped to create a strong Christian identity in Northern Spain and an intense cultural connection with the rest of Europe during the times when an important part of what we know today as Spain was ruled by Muslims.
After your hike, Eneko, sixth generation of a family of Basque cheese makers, will open the doors of his farm and heart to you and your local host. There you will understand what for some people means to keep a family tradition and business alive. You will travel back in time while you visit his 17th century old farm and taste his award winning cheese.
To top up your day, enjoy a regional lunch based on local products from the surrounding farms. This will allow you to learn how much the Basque Country combines humility and finesse in a truly unique way.
3:30pm: After a day filled with fresh air, fresh produce, warmhearted people and stunning scenery, you will be transferred back to your hotel in San sebastian.
4:30pm: arrival to your hotel in San Sebastian and end of services for the day.
Overnight in San Sebastian: own arrangements
–
–
24th of May: day trip from San Sebastian to the french Basque Country towns of Biarritz, Saint Jean de Luz and maybe Hondarribia too
–
9:30am: meet your personal local host at your accommodation and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle with a dedicated driver to the French Basque Country city of Biarritz.
Along the way, you will be given some explanations about the geography, culture, customs and history of the French Basque Country in order to set the context for your stay in the region.
10:20am: upon arrival to Biarritz, enjoy a private walking tour of the old town and learn why, when the European Royal families searched for a holiday destination they chose this particular town. Iconic buildings such as the Hotel du Palais, the lighthouse and the bridge by Eiffel will give you a hint of why this was and is such a hot and refined spot. Also Biarritz boasts some of the best beaches for surfing and this also infuses the city with a vibrant outdoorsy atmosphere.
Another highlight of Biarritz will be its food market where you will be able to understand the ingredients that shape the local gastronomy. During your visit to the market, you may want to take a stop to have an aperitif and maybe a quick seafood bit to open your appetite for lunch.
After your introduction to the city, you will be taken for lunch to a selected local restaurant specialized in French Basque Country recipes.
2:30pm: after lunch in Biarritz, reconnect with your driver and be transferred to the nearby coastal town of Saint Jean de Luz.
3pm: upon arrival to Saint Jean de Luz, enjoy a private walking tour of the old town and learn why this small fishing village was loved by pirates and corsairs alike. Its cobbled streets are also filled with charming gourmet shops of cheese, foie, sausages and other French Basque Country delicacies, making it the perfect place to buy some foodie souvenirs.
4:30pm: end of your tour of Saint Jean de Luz and private transfer back to San Sebastian, maybe taking a quick stop at the picturesque town of Hondarribia, exactly on the border between Spain and France and which treasures a very well preserved medieval old town.
5:30pm: arrival to San Sebastian and end of services for the day
Overnight in San Sebastian: own arrangements
–
–
25th of May: day trip from San Sebastian to the Basque coast and its towns including a visit to a Txakoli house and lunch in Getaria
–
11am: meet your personal local host at your accommodation and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle with a dedicated driver to a selected Txakoli house near the coastal town of Getaria.
11:30am: upon arrival to the Txakoli house, enjoy a private guided tour of both the vineyards and the aging facilities. Along the tour you will learn about the making process of Txakoli and about its history to later enjoy a tasting of Txakoli paired with some early afternoon bites.
1pm: after your tour of the Txakoli house, be driven to the iconic coastal town of Getaria.
1:15pm: upon arrival to Getaria, you will be taken to visit its medieval streets and port. There you will learn about the first sailor to circumnavigate the world: Juan Sebastian Elkano, who was born in this very city.
2pm: after your introductory tour and surely hungry, you will be taken for lunch to a local bar / restaurant serving local specialties.
3pm: after lunch, you will be driven to the coastal village of Zumaia.
3:15pm: upon arrival to Zumaia, you will be taken to enjoy its Flysch landscapes, where you will be able to “read” 50 million years of history from a privileged perspective over the Basque Coast. Once at Zumaia you may want to walk off your food by taking a small walk along the unspoilt Basque Coast.
4:15pm: end of your tour of Zumaia and transfer back to your hotel in San Sebastian.
5pm: arrival to your hotel in San Sebastian and end of services for the day.
Overnight in San Sebastian: own arrangements
–
–
Pricing
–
The cost of this bespoke tour program for a private party of 3 pax is 4700 Euros
–
This price includes
– All private tours and travel experiences led by a knowledgeable, personable, kind, flexible and interactive fully licensed guide with a great command of the English language.
– All private transportation services mentioned above in a modern and comfortable Mercedes minivan with a dedicated driver.
– A private visit to a selected cheese farm in the rural areas of the Basque country including the corresponding tastings there.
– A private visit to a Txakoli winery in the Getaria area including the corresponding tastings there.
– Petrol, parkings and tolls.
– 24h guardian angel throughout your trip for any emergencies you many have.
– All taxes.
–
This price excludes
– Your pintxos and wines during your pintxos tour, which you can pay locally at each bar.
– Lunch during your day trip to the natural park of Azkorri – Aratz. Your personal local guide will take you to a restaurant suited to your taste and they will help you order explaining the different dishes but the cost of lunch is not included. You can pay locally.
– Lunch during your day trip to the French Basque Country. Your personal local guide will take you to a restaurant suited to your taste and they will help you order explaining the different dishes but the cost of lunch is not included. You can pay locally.
– Lunch during your day trip to the Basque Coast. Your personal local guide will take you to a restaurant suited to your taste and they will help you order explaining the different dishes but the cost of lunch is not included. You can pay locally.
– Accommodation.
– Anything else not mentioned in the section “this price includes”.
–
Confirmation and payments
In order to confirm this tour program we require full payment via credit/debit card no later than the 27th of April 2024 at 11:59pm (Madrid time).
–
Cancellation policy
– If you cancel your tour program more than 20 days prior to its scheduled start, we will charge 30% of the full cost of the tour program and we will refund the remaining 70%.
– If you cancel your tour program between 20 and 10 days prior to its scheduled start, we will charge 50% of the full cost of the tour program and we will refund the remaining 50%.
– If you cancel your tour program between 9 and 4 days prior to its scheduled start, we will charge 75% of the full cost of the tour program and we will refund the remaining 25%.
– If you cancel your tour program 3 days or less prior to its scheduled start, we will charge 100% of the cost of the tour program.
(*) Please note that partial cancellations won’t result in partial refunds. This applies to the group size and to the services, activities and duration of the tour program
