Signature tour · 7 days
Pintxos in San Sebastián, txakoli above the Bay of Biscay, Rioja Alavesa and cheeses from sheep pastures: seven days between the sea and the mountains
A seven-day signature journey through Europe's most distinctive food culture: pintxos tours in San Sebastián, Irouléguy AOC—the only winemaking appellation in the French Basque Country—Rioja Alavesa on the Spanish side, Ossau-Iraty AOC at sheep farms, Atlantic oysters and the private kitchens of sidrerías.
A personal approach
‘The Basque Country is not a place on a map. It is a character. Here, pintxos are not a snack but a philosophy. Txakoli is not a wine but the breath of the ocean. I will show you the Euskadi the Basques keep for themselves.’Your guide-sommelier
San Sebastián · Biarritz · Hondarribia · Getaria · Laguardia · Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port
Every address in the programme has been personally selected. Txakoli wineries on the slopes above the Bay of Biscay, Irouléguy AOC on Pyrenean terraces, and Rioja Alavesa bodegas with world-class architecture. You meet winemakers who speak euskara and make wine as their great-grandparents did.
A pintxos workshop with a Basque chef in San Sebastián: gilda, txangurro and kokotxas. A visit to a traditional sidrería, tasting Sagardoa cider straight from the kupela, or barrel. Ossau-Iraty AOC cheesemaking on a Pyrenean sheep farm. A private Txakoli tasting with a winemaker overlooking the ocean.
Private format · By advance request · Limited places
Why the Basque Country
Three wine worlds in one week: Txakoli, a lively white above the waves of the Bay of Biscay; Irouléguy AOC, the French Basques’ only wine appellation, on the Pyrenean terraces; and Rioja Alavesa, Tempranillo with Basque character. Private tastings with winemakers whose families have worked this land for centuries.
San Sebastián is the world capital of pintxos: its concentration of Michelin stars per square kilometre is higher than anywhere else. Gilda, txangurro, kokotxas and foie a la plancha: each venue competes to be the best. You taste pintxos where they were invented.
An AOC sheep’s cheese made in the Pyrenees for 4,000 years. Ossau-Iraty ranges from soft and delicate to mature, with nutty notes. You will visit farms on mountain pastures and see how brebis, sheep’s milk, becomes one of France’s great cheeses.
The Basque Country is neither France nor Spain. It is Euskal Herria: the land where people speak euskara, Europe's oldest language. Biarritz with its imperial charm, the fishing ports of Getaria and Hondarribia, and the Pyrenean passes form an unmistakable landscape.
Your profile
A romantic journey through coast and mountains. Dinner overlooking La Concha Bay, a pintxos tour through San Sebastián’s old town and sunset in Getaria with a glass of Txakoli. Seven days worth crossing the Pyrenees for.
Immerse yourself in Basque culture at your own pace. A morning market in Bilbao, cider in a mountain sidrería, walks along Pyrenean paths and meditation above the Atlantic. Ideal for those who value authenticity and freedom.
Up to 8 people: a group of friends or a family. A shared pintxos workshop, a Rioja tasting in a bodega and a pintxos crawl through the old town. An ideal format for celebrating important occasions with the people close to you.
An adapted programme for families with children of any age. The beaches of Biarritz and San Sebastián, the funicular up Mount Urgull, a children's pintxos class and walks through Pyrenean villages: the Basque Country is made for family adventures.
Programme ·7 days
Scroll through the programme and the map follows you: the day’s point lights up and the route continues. Click a number on the map to jump to that day.
Day1Txakoli, Irouléguy AOC blanc, Jurançon sec Arcachon oysters, chipirons, Jambon de Bayonne IGP, Basque chocolate AN ATLANTIC WELCOME: FROM IMPERIAL RESORT TO BASQUE FOOD CAPITAL Your journey begins in Biarritz, the town Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie turned into the summer capital of European aristocracy. Welcome at Biarritz Airport and transfer to an ocean-view hotel. A walk to the Rocher de la Vierge, a rock overlooking the boundless Atlantic and the lighthouse. Lunch in a restaurant above the ocean: oysters from Arcachon Bay and a glass of ice-cold Txakoli. In the afternoon, Bayonne, capital of the French Basque Country: the Gothic Sainte-Marie Cathedral, listed by UNESCO, and the narrow streets of Petit Bayonne with chocolate workshops (Bayonne has been France's chocolate capital since the 17th century). A tasting of Basque chocolate and Jambon de Bayonne. An evening walk along the waterfront, with views of the Adour and Basque houses with red and green shutters.
Day2Txakoli de Getaria, Txakoli de Bizkaia, Txakoli de Álava: a comparative tasting Gilda, txangurro, kokotxas, chipirón en su tinta, txuleta, Idiazabal A DAY IN THE CITY WITH THE PLANET’S HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF CHEFS PER SQUARE KILOMETRE A day in legendary San Sebastián, perhaps the world’s foremost gastronomic city. Morning at La Bretxa, the main market: hake (merluza), Cantabrian anchovies, txuleta (Basque steak) and Idiazabal cheeses. A pintxos tour through Parte Vieja, the old town, visiting classic places where the Basques themselves go. Gilda at Bar Txepetxa, txangurro at La Cuchara de San Telmo and foie a la plancha at Gandarias. Lunch in a Michelin-starred restaurant or an equally impressive bistronomique. Afterwards, a walk around La Concha bay and a funicular ride up Monte Igueldo for panoramic views of the city, bay and Santa Clara island. An evening Txakoli tasting in a Parte Vieja wine bar: three styles from Getaria, Bizkaia and Álava.
Day3Getariako Txakolina, Txakoli de Bizkaia, Sagardoa (Basque cider) Grilled rodaballo, kokotxas, txuleta, bacalao, Idiazabal TWO FISHING PORTS, TWO VIEWS OF THE ATLANTIC AND BASQUE CIDER A day devoted to the Basque Country's Atlantic soul. Morning in Getaria, the tiny fishing port where Juan Sebastián Elcano, the first man to sail around the world, was born. A market right on the quayside with freshly caught fish. A Txakoli tasting at a winery overlooking vineyards that descend to the ocean: Getariako Txakolina is the best known of the three Txakolis, the saltiest and most mineral. Lunch in a restaurant above the harbour: grilled rodaballo (turbot) and kokotxas al pil pil. Hondarribia: colourful fishermen's houses along the waterfront, old town streets inside the ramparts, and the Parador, a 10th-century castle. In the evening, a traditional sidrería: Basque Sagardoa cider straight from giant kupelas (barrels), charcoal-grilled txuleta and Idiazabal, a ritual Basques cross the region to enjoy.
Day4Irouléguy AOC blanc, rosé, rouge: a comparative tasting Axoa de veau, piperade, gâteau basque, Ossau-Iraty, Piment d’Espelette THE FRENCH BASQUES’ ONLY WINE APPELLATION: TERRACED VINEYARDS ON THE PYRENEAN SLOPES A day in the Pyrenees, the heart of the French Basque Country. Irouléguy AOC vineyards have a distinctive terroir: vines grow on stone terraces built by monks in the 12th century. A visit to Domaine Arretxea or Ilarria to see how Tannat, Cabernet Franc and Courbu grow on the Pyrenean slopes. Taste Irouléguy blanc, rosé and rouge, comparing three styles. Visit a sheep farm: Ossau-Iraty AOC is a sheep’s cheese made in the Pyrenees for four millennia. Taste it from fresh through to 12 months’ ageing. Lunch in a village restaurant: axoa de veau (veal with piperade), piperade (a Basque pepper stew) and a glass of Irouléguy rouge. Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is the last stop for pilgrims before the Pyrenees on the Camino de Santiago. A 17th-century citadel, the bridge over the Nive and narrow streets lined with Basque houses.
Day5Rioja Joven, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva: a comparative vertical tasting Chuletillas al sarmiento, pimientos de piquillo, torrija and queso Idiazabal THE WORLD’S MOST ARCHITECTURAL WINE REGION, AND ITS MOST BASQUE A day in Rioja Alavesa, the Basque part of legendary Rioja. A journey over a mountain pass to Laguardia, a medieval fortified town on a hill. Bodegas hidden underground: labyrinths of tunnels carved into the rock, where Tempranillo matures in silence. Visits to two notable bodegas: Marqués de Riscal, with Frank Gehry’s architecture, by the same hand that created Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum, and a family bodega with underground cellars, where the winemaker personally leads the tasting. Lunch in Laguardia: chuletillas al sarmiento, suckling lamb grilled over vine wood, pimientos de piquillo and a glass of Rioja Reserva. After lunch, a walk through Rioja Alavesa’s vineyards and a final tasting comparing Joven, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva. You will understand the difference between Basque and Castilian Rioja.
Day6Txakoli de Bizkaia, Rioja Alavesa Crianza, Sidra natural vasca Bacalao al pil-pil, percebes, nécoras, bonito del norte, tortilla de bacalao FROM INDUSTRIAL PORT TO CULTURAL CAPITAL, WITH AN UNMISSABLE MARKET A day in Bilbao, a city that reinvented itself. Morning at Mercado de la Ribera, Europe’s largest covered market on the Nervión riverbank. A pintxos breakfast at the market: tortilla de bacalao, pintxo de bonito and a glass of Txakoli. The Guggenheim Museum, Frank Gehry’s masterpiece: titanium curves, Koons’s Puppy and the permanent collection. Lunch in Bilbao: bacalao al pil-pil, the legendary Basque cod dish in an emulsion of olive oil and garlic. A walk through Casco Viejo: Siete Calles, the old town’s seven streets, each with its own pintxos bars. After lunch, Portugalete and the Vizcaya Bridge (Puente Colgante, UNESCO), an 1893 transporter bridge and an engineering marvel. Finish the day in a harbour restaurant with percebes (goose barnacles) and a glass of Txakoli.
Day7Txakoli, Irouléguy, Rioja Alavesa: a final comparative tasting of the three regions A Basque feast: chipirons, axoa, piperade, gâteau basque, Piment d'Espelette THE ROYAL PORT, THE BASQUE CORNICHE AND A FINAL CHORD A final day that is both elegant and moving. Saint-Jean-de-Luz, where Louis XIV married Maria Theresa of Spain in 1660. Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church with its blocked-up door, a tradition following the royal wedding; the Maison de l'Infante and the port with its tuna boats. A walk along the Corniche Basque, one of Europe's most picturesque coastal roads: the Atlantic, cliffs and lighthouses. A final gastronomic lunch, a farewell Basque feast of chipirons à l'encre, axoa de veau, piperade and gâteau basque. A final comparative tasting: Txakoli versus Irouléguy versus Rioja Alavesa—three vineyards, three stories, one Euskadi. A farewell transfer to Biarritz Airport (15 minutes). You take home Piment d'Espelette, Ossau-Iraty, Sidra Sagardoa and seven Basque days.
Experiences
Master class
Prepare five classic pintxos with a Basque chef in Part Vieja: gilda, txangurro, kokotxas, tortilla de bacalao and foie a la plancha. The history of each pintxo, techniques and secrets you will take home.
Tasting
Visit a sheep farm on a mountain pasture. Taste Ossau-Iraty at three ages:3,6 and 12 months. See how brebis becomes one of Europe’s great cheeses.
Tasting
Txakoli above the ocean, Irouléguy on Pyrenean terraces and Rioja in the underground bodegas of Laguardia. A comparison of three wine worlds in one journey: a format no one else offers.
Exclusive
Basque cider straight from giant kupelas. The txotx ritual: cider is poured from a height into a wide glass. Grilled txuleta and an atmosphere Basques cross the region to enjoy.
Architecture
Marqués de Riscal: titanium ribbons above the vineyards. Laguardia’s underground labyrinths cut into the rock. A family bodega where the winemaker welcomes guests in person.
Nature
Biarritz, Getaria, Hondarribia and Saint-Jean-de-Luz: every port has its own character. The Corniche Basque is one of Europe's most picturesque roads. The Atlantic in all its power.
Gastronomy
The art of the Basque snack: gilda, an anchovy, olive and pepper on a skewer, invented in San Sebastián in 1946. Txangurro: delicate crab meat on toast. Kokotxas al pil-pil: gelatinous whiting throat in an olive oil and garlic emulsion. Every pintxos bar is a flavour laboratory.
Why it is worth it
Txakoli above the ocean, Irouléguy AOC on Pyrenean terraces, Rioja Alavesa in underground bodegas. Three terroirs, three philosophies, three flavours of the Basque Country. You will not find this format on any other tour.
A family Rioja bodega where the winemaker welcomes you in person. A Txakoli winery overlooking the ocean, closed to tourist groups. A traditional sidrería visited only by locals.
You will not simply taste pintxos: you will learn to make them. A Basque chef demonstrates an 80-year-old technique. Gilda, txangurro and kokotxas: five classic pintxos you will be able to recreate at home.
Format
Mercedes V-Class or equivalent
Tour on request: everything needed for the journey, including meals, transport, your guide and all workshops, is included. You simply fly into Biarritz and enjoy the Basque Country. Accommodation is not included. The price is calculated for your dates and group.
What the tour includes
Tour on request
from €1,100 per day
Per group per day. Accommodation is not included. The price is calculated for your dates and group.
Request a personalised proposal
Your guide
My name is Kirill, and I help travellers discover the authentic taste of France — its wine, gastronomy and culture. My work goes beyond excursions and tours: it is a deep immersion in a region’s atmosphere, getting to know its traditions, history and people.
I was born in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, but have lived in France since the age of 13. This country has become my second home and a true source of inspiration. For 25 years, I have studied its culture and wine regions, turning that knowledge into my profession.
My education underpins my professionalism:
Adaptation
Simple
Complete the form below with your dates, group and wishes. I will receive your enquiry instantly.
Within 24 hours, I will prepare a detailed programme, format and quote especially for you.
Once the details are agreed, the hotel, restaurant and activity bookings are confirmed.
I will meet you at Biarritz airport. Everything else is already arranged: simply enjoy the Basque Country.
Our guests’ voices
The Basque Country was the best food trip of our lives. The San Sebastián pintxos tour was a theatre of flavours. Gilda at Bar Txepetxa, kokotxas at La Cuchara de San Telmo: ordinary snacks seem bland afterwards. And that txuleta evening in the sidrería: we still remember the bone-in steak.
I had dreamed of seeing Rioja for years, but the guide introduced me to Rioja Alavesa, a completely different Rioja: Basque, authentic, with underground cellars and family bodegas. And the final comparative tasting of Txakoli + Irouléguy + Rioja was inspired. I now know more about Basque wines than Italian ones.
We came with our children, aged 9 and 12, and worried they would be bored with wine and pintxos. But Biarritz’s beaches, the cable car in San Sebastián, the sheep farm in the Pyrenees and the children’s pintxos workshop made them say it was the best trip of their lives. Thank you to our guide for being so flexible!
I thought I knew wine, until I tasted Irouléguy on a Pyrenean terrace overlooking the valley. And Txakoli above the ocean in Getaria is another dimension altogether. A Rioja tasting in a Laguardia underground cellar with a winemaker whose family has made wine since 1870… Art Wine Guide showed me a Basque Country I now recommend to everyone.
The Basque Country was the best food trip of our lives. The San Sebastián pintxos tour was a theatre of flavours. Gilda at Bar Txepetxa, kokotxas at La Cuchara de San Telmo: ordinary snacks seem bland afterwards. And that txuleta evening in the sidrería: we still remember the bone-in steak.
I had dreamed of seeing Rioja for years, but the guide introduced me to Rioja Alavesa, a completely different Rioja: Basque, authentic, with underground cellars and family bodegas. And the final comparative tasting of Txakoli + Irouléguy + Rioja was inspired. I now know more about Basque wines than Italian ones.
We came with our children, aged 9 and 12, and worried they would be bored with wine and pintxos. But Biarritz’s beaches, the cable car in San Sebastián, the sheep farm in the Pyrenees and the children’s pintxos workshop made them say it was the best trip of their lives. Thank you to our guide for being so flexible!
I thought I knew wine, until I tasted Irouléguy on a Pyrenean terrace overlooking the valley. And Txakoli above the ocean in Getaria is another dimension altogether. A Rioja tasting in a Laguardia underground cellar with a winemaker whose family has made wine since 1870… Art Wine Guide showed me a Basque Country I now recommend to everyone.
FAQ
Answers to the main questions before booking.
The price is calculated for your dates and group. Send a request through the form below and I will prepare a detailed personal quote within 24 hours. From €1,100 per day. Per group per day. Accommodation is not included. The price is calculated for your dates and group.
The Basque Country is beautiful year-round. Spring (April–June): greenery, flowering slopes and ideal walking temperatures. Summer (July–September): prime beach and pintxos season, but more visitors. Autumn (October–November): the Rioja harvest, peace and golden foliage. Winter: Christmas markets, txuleta by the fire and bodegas almost entirely to yourselves.
No. Your guide speaks English and accompanies you throughout. All guiding and interpretation in bodegas, restaurants and workshops are in English.
The tour crosses two countries: France (Pays Basque—Biarritz, Bayonne, Irouléguy and Saint-Jean-de-Luz) and Spain (Euskadi—San Sebastián, Getaria, Hondarribia, Bilbao and Rioja Alavesa). Two countries, one people.
Basque cuisine is not only seafood. Txuleta, the Basque bone-in steak, axoa de veau, piperade, Idiazabal and Ossau-Iraty cheeses: there are more than enough meat and vegetarian dishes. All restaurants are informed of your preferences in advance.
Art Wine Guide
Seven days that will change how you think about food. Pintxos, Txakoli, the Atlantic and the Pyrenees on a personally designed tour with your own guide. I reply within 24 hours · No commitment or advance payment · Your data is secure.
