Best of the Basque Country

(6 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Rioja & Bilbao, San Sebastian & Pays Basque

This private luxury tour offers an in-depth exploration of the Basque Country—a beautiful and fascinating region on the border of Spain and France—including its unique culture, cutting-edge architecture, and acclaimed wine and gourmet cuisine.

Begin in Bilbao, a city renowned for contemporary architecture. Enjoy a private tour of the Guggenheim Museum—a stunning building designed by Frank Gehry—and its art collection. Perhaps have lunch in its Michelin-starred restaurant. Then, see highlights of the Old Town, as well as additional architectural landmarks around the city by Calatrava, Foster and others. Continue to La Rioja, one of the world's most renowned wine regions. Drive through vineyards, enjoy wine tastings at some of Spain's top bodegas (wineries), and see outstanding winery buildings designed by celebrated contemporary architects such as Santiago Calatrava and Zaha Hadid. Also visit Laguardia, a beautiful medieval walled village with wine caves under its cobblestone streets and impressive views of the nearby hills.

Continue to San Sebastian, an elegant seaside resort that's the gastronomic capital of the Basque Country and home of some of the finest cuisine in the world. With your private guide, tour the picturesque historic center and walk along beautiful seaside promenades. Enjoy a private tasting tour that features the city's best pintxos—the Basque version of tapas—and Txakoli, an effervescent white wine from the region. Also enjoy a private tour of a local market followed by a cooking lesson at a private gastronomic society. One day, enjoy a private excursion to the Pays Basque in France. Explore the town of Bayonne, the cultural capital of the region, to see half-timber houses and the city walls, visit the cathedral, peruse markets, learn about local culture at the Basque Museum, and sample the town's famous chocolate and smoked ham. Time permitting, also stroll through the seaside resort towns of Biarritz and Saint-Jean-de-Luz, with their charming shops selling local linens, espadrilles and gourmet food products. Alternatively, visit Pamplona to learn about the San Fermin Festival and the Running of the Bulls, the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route and Ernest Hemingway's relationship to the historic town.

Booking Information >

All Artisans of Leisure tours are private and depart daily.

Please Contact Us for more information regarding the above tour, or to begin customizing your own itinerary.

The Artisans of Leisure Style of Travel:

• Private touring with your own personal guides and drivers
• Preferred rooms in the very best luxury hotels
• Firsthand, sophisticated destination knowledge and recommendations from our travel specialists
• Itineraries that are customized according to your interests and schedule
• Artisans of Leisure upgrades and amenities
• A seamless travel experience, including all logistics, skipping lines during touring whenever possible, restaurant and spa reservations, performance tickets, private airport transfers, internal transportation, VIP and fast-track airport assistance in many destinations
• Around-the-clock support in each destination during your trip
• Unique, insider travel experiences and access to the Artisans of Leisure network of experts around the world