Payment of bespoke program of private tours in the Basque Country | 2pax | 30th of July – 3rd of August 2023

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Description and schedule of services
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30th of July: half – day trip from San Sebastian to the Basque coast and the towns of Getaria and Zumaia
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10am: meet your personal local host at your accommodation and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle with a dedicated driver to the coastal town of Zumaia. Along the journey your guide will set the context for your stay in this Northern Region of Spain by giving you some background information about its geography, history, economy and overall character.

10:40am: 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 there you will also be taken on a short hike along the unspoilt Basque Coast.

12:15pm: after your visit to the Flysch landscapes of Zumaia and your short Coastal hike, be taken for a walk and lunch to the picturesque coastal town of Getaria.

12:30pm: 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.

1pm: after your introductory tour and surely hungry, you will be taken for lunch to a selected local restaurant specialized in grilled fish and seafood.

2:25pm: after lunch, reconnect with your driver and be transferred back to your hotel in San Sebastian.

3pm: arrival to your hotel in San Sebastian and free time to relax and freshen up before your evening pintxos and wines tour.

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31st of July 2023: day trip from San Sebastian to the french Basque Country towns of Biarritz, Saint Jean de Luz and maybe Hondarribia too
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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.

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3rd of August 2023: day trip from San Sebastian to Bilbao and Getxo finishing in Bilbao
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10am: meet your personal driver at your accommodation and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to Bilbao.

11:20am: upon arrival to Bilbao, meet your personal local guide and enjoy a private tour of the city along which you will see its most representative and iconic sections of the city, such as the tower of Iberdrola, the Gran Vía area, and the river sections (with the bridge of Calatrava, the Isozaki Towers, and the City Hall). You will also enjoy the old 7 streets district area with the cathedral of Santiago, the covered market of Rivera and the New Square.

Along your tour you will learn how Bilbao evolved from being an old industrial city to a modern and cosmopolitan European capital, which contrasts substantially with San Sebastian in spite of their proximity and shared latitude. You will see the grand buildings that the primitive bourgeoisie of the city erected to match those of other important European bourgeois cities and the contemporary ones that have shaped a new contemporary personality for the city.

2pm: your introductory history and architecture tour of the city will continue with a pintxos and wines lunch with your personal local host in order for you to learn about this representative part of the culture and gastronomy of the city and how it contrasts with San Sebastian in this regard.

3:30pm: after your pintxos and wines lunch, be transferred to the nearby district of Getxo.

3:45pm: upon arrival to Getxo, you will be taken to see the elegant mansions of the Basque bourgeoisie to later discover its unique UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Vizcaya Bridge. This is a unique work of engineering that helps pedestrians and car drivers cross on suspended gondola to the town of Portugalete. You will ride the passenger gondola to the Portugalete side and back to later be taken to the old fishing port of Algorta.

4:45pm: end of your tour of Getxo and private transfer to your hotel in Bilbao.

5:10pm: arrival to your hotel in Bilbao and end of services for the day.

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Pricing
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The cost of this tour bespoke tour program for a private group of 2 people is 3695 Euros

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This price includes
– Private transportation in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle with a dedicated professional driver throughout the 3 journeys.
– Personal local host from Genuine Andalusia (a knowledgeable, personable, kind, flexible and interactive fully licensed guide) throughout the journey on days 1 and 2 and throughout your stay in Bilbao and Getxo on day 3.
– A tapas and pintxos lunch in Bilbao including up to 5 pintxos and 3 drinks per person (wine, beer, refreshments, water).
– 24h support thoughout your trip.
– Petrol, parkings and tolls.
– All taxes.

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This price excludes
– Lunch in Biarritz on day 2. Your guide will choose a restaurant suited to your taste and will accompany you for lunch to help you order and understand how much of the French Basque culture and history is in its food but the cost of lunch is not included.
– Lunch in Getaria on day 1. Your guide will choose a restaurant suited to your taste and will accompany you for lunch to help you order and understand how much of the Basque culture and history is in its food but the cost of lunch is not included.
– Anything else not mentioned right above.

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Confirmation and payments
In order to confirm this tour program, we require full payment no later than the 20th of July 2023 via credit/debit card.

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Cancellation policy
– If you cancel your tour program between 10 days and 5 days prior to its scheduled start, we will charge 60% of the full cost of the tour program and we will refund the other 40%.
– If you cancel your tour program between 4 days and 3 days prior to its scheduled start, we will charge 80% of the full cost of the tour program and we will refund the other 20%.
– If you cancel your tour program 2 days or less prior to its scheduled start, we will charge 100% of the full 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 duration / activities of the tour.