Basque Country – San Sebastián, La Rioja and Bilbao

Depart Plymouth (departures Sunday or Wednesday)

Travel to the Spain on the comfortable overnight sailing to Santander. Enjoy the onboard facilities including restaurants, cafes and bars before retiring to your ensuite cabin for the night.   The following day, disembark and continue to San Sebastián for the next 2 nights.  Check in at the hotel and begin to explore your surroundings.

San Sebastián Sightseeing (driver’s rest day)

Meet up with a local guide for a 2 hour walking tour of the old town followed by some free time to explore at your own pace.  Perhaps wander along the promenade with its stunning Playa de la Concha beach or visit the Museo San Telmo built into Mount Ugull and dedicated to Basque culture and history or the city’s two cathedrals.   For lunch, why not sample some ‘pinxtos’, the region’s famous tapas-style dishes.  There is also the option to take the cable car for a ride up Monte Igueldo for some stunning views of the bay, or perhaps take a boat trip around the bay to nearby Santa Clara Island.

Pamploma and Logrono

Depart after breakfast for Logrono, stopping en-route in Pamploma where we will meet up with a local guide for a tour which will include the ‘hamlets’, a group of districts of medieval origin from which the city grew.  We will also visit Plaza Consistorial square with the majestic Baroque Town Hall and the Gothic church of San Saturnio, amongst others.  The old town is an ideal place to sample the local cuisine such as roast lamb or lamb cooked with tomatoes and peppers which are the classic dishes finished with apacharán (sloe anis liqueur).

Continue to Logrono for the next three nights. Check in and evening at leisure.

Logrono – History, Food and Wine

Meet up with a local guide for a walking tour which will relate the history and traditions of this city.  The historic centre is the site of the Cathedral of Santa Maria la Redonda whose baroque towers rise above the market square.  Continue with a Pinchos Tour, a traditional food and drink experience which entails walking from bar to bar, eating little bits of tasty food along the way.  Logrono is one of the main cities used to explore the Rioja wine region in Spain and we will make the short journey to the Bodegas Franco-Espanolas for a winery tour and tasting.  This evening, enjoy dinner together in a local restaurant

Pilgrims, Monasteries and Wine

The Pilgrim’s Route to Santiago de Compostela made Logrono one of the most important cities on the route and today we will follow the Camino de Santiago via Navarette and Najera.  A stop will be made in the medieval town of Santo Domingo de la Calzada whose network of medieval streets have been declared a National Historic Interest Site and home to the Cathedral and the old Pilgrims’ Hospital.  A visit will be made of the Cathedral with its free standing tower and, inside, is the hen house in which a rooster and a hen lives as a reminder of the miracle of the hanged pilgrim.

Continue to San Millán de la Cogolla, a village famous for its twin monasteries, Yuso and Suso, which were declared a World Heritage Site in 1997.  Each monastery has to be visited separately and entrance has been included for both.

Before returning to the hotel a visit will be made to a local winery for a tour and tasting.

Medieval Towns and Wine

Depart Logrono for Bilbao, stopping en-route at the romantic and beautiful hilltop town of Laguardia.  It is famous throughout the world for its wines and for being the birthplace of the fabulist, Samaniego.  The entire urban area of Laguardia is surrounded by walls that were built at the beginning of the 19th century.  From here we will make a stop at a local winery for some lunch and a tasting before heading to Bilbao for the next 2 nights.

Bilbao Sightseeing and Guggenheim

Today we explore Bilbao on a guided tour by coach.  Once the industrial powerhouse of Spain’s north, it has undergone a major transformation in recent years. Today it is a thriving, bustling, cosmopolitan city, with architect Frank Gehry’s striking Guggenheim Museum Bilbao topping the list of must-see attractions. Wander the ‘Seven Streets’, the original medieval part of the Old Town. Perhaps take the funicular to the summit of Mount Arxanda for panoramic views over the city and nearby mountains, or see the city from a different perspective with a boat trip on the Nervión river.  The city also boasts architectural gems from the past such as the neo-baroque theatre which is breathtaking and spectacular cathedrals litter the city.  The art nouveau train station is also worth a visit, regardless of whether you’re taking a train!  Whatever you decide to do, Bilbao has much to see and experience.

Return to the UK (departures Monday or Thursday)

Travel to Santander and embark on the overnight cruise ferry to the UK, once again enjoying many of the on-board facilities before disembarking next day in Plymouth.

Guernica and San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

Guernica, sadly best known due to its aerial bombardment in 1937 by Hitler’s forces as part of the Spanish Civil War. It was subsequently immortalised in the famous painting by Picasso. The town was the ancient seat of Basque democracy; the Basque parliament met beneath the branches of a sacred oak tree from medieval times until 1876.  The stump of the tree remains. Continue to the coast and visit the islet of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. The hermitage, connected to the mainland by a winding footbridge, is one of the best known and most iconic sights of the whole Basque Country. It will also be familiar to viewers of the TV series ‘Game of Thrones’ where it features as the entrance to ‘Dragonstone’