basque country
day-by-day itinerary
October 19-26, 2026
bordeaux
01
After we meet and greet in the lovely town of Libourne over the prior weekend, we’ll pay a morning visit to one of our favorite winemakers in Bordeaux. It’s not a big architectural fancy place. Instead, we’ll see exactly what’s happening in the Bordeaux countryside.
Following a small local lunch in along the Dordogne, we’ll load into the van for 2.5 hour drive to Bayonne. That’s where we’ll check in to the Hotel des Basses, our base for the next night.
We have a special dinatoire planned with a private local chef, where we’ll tie on an apron, learn some Basque dishes from a vegetarian perspective, and take a bite together in an unusual setting. The early meal will be non-alcohoholic, so maybe we’ll finish the day by finding a small bar a vins near the hotel to enjoy a glass or two together.
espelette
02
We’ll be up early to have a coffee and checkout and then meet our host at the famous phare de Biarritz. From there we’ll load into her VW Combi Van for a 4-hour driving tour along the Basque coast, taking important stops along the way.
We’ll then drive into the mountains for lunch at La Ferme Gourmande for a liesurely afternoon at the table with local food and wine.
Following lunch we’ll stretch our legs with a walk around the village of Espelette. Famous for its red peppers, Piment d’Espelette, which hang in decoration throughout the village. Originally from Mexico, this prized pepper is protected with an AOC label.
Our lodging for the next two evenings will be in St. Jean de Luz at La Reserve. After we check in, depending on time, we could stroll the ocean-side promenade and stop for an apéro and some small plates at one (or two) of the many cafés or bars in this charming beachside Basque town.
aldudes, urupel, isturitz
03
We’ll arise for a liesurely breakfast and personal time, then depart mid-morning for a drive deep into the Pyrenées. We can stop at a really interesting small trout farm and also visit an important place where the famous AOC Kintoa ham is produced.
We’ll lunch at a small country inn almost near the Spanish border then make a short drive further into the mountains for an afternoon visit to the Grottes d’Isturitz et Oxocelhaya, one of the most important prehistoric sights in the Basque region. Tools, paintings, and other relics, including a musical instrument, have been found here dating back 40,000 years. We will walk through the underground stretch of the Abéroue River and the amazing stalagtite and stalagmite cave formations.
We’ll then return to the hotel, and for dinner we can again stroll the ocean-side promenade and stop for an apéro and some small plates, but in particular Toki Goxoa for some traditional Basque dishes.
ainhoa and rhune
04
Following a morning checkout, we’ll drive to the little known, unspoiled village of Ainhoa. The old village was founded in the 13th century. We’ll walk along its main street lined with traditional white-washed houses trimmed with red, blue, and green timbering. Included will be a stop at the medieval church, and a visit to its small, but unusual cemetery dating from the 16th and 17th centuries.
Lunch will again be in the mountains at the Maison Hordago, and then we’ll be off to the Train de Rhune and a cog-rail journey to behold.
We’ll check in afterwards at the humble Hôtel Café du Trinquet in Cambo-les-Bains. Following an apéro at the village bar in the hotel lobby, dinner will be at one of our favorite tables run by a young couple, and will surely be one of the great culinary treats of this trip.
cambo & irun
05
In the morning we’ll have a slow start in the village of Cambo-les-Bains and visit Villa Arnaga, one of the earliest examples of neo-Basque architecture. It was the home of Edmond Rostand, the playwright who wrote Cyrano de Bergerac. After contracting pleurisy, he moved to Cambo with his family and built the house of his dreams. The exquisite home contains trompe l’oeil, Art Nouveau motifs, and frescoes by fashionable painters. French and English gardens surround the 15 hectare estate.
This will be our final stop on the French side of Basque country, and after we check out we’ll cross the border and head into Spain. Lunch starts on a different clock there of course, and we’ll kick it off at a traditional Asador in the town of Irun, just over the border from Hendaye.
After lunch we’ll make the 1-hour drive to San Sebastian and check in at the boutique hotel Okoko in the hip Gros Quarter. Not long after our arrival we’ll meet Inigo, a local that will give us a walking tour around San Sebastian, followed by a snack or two, and a glass or two. The rest of the evening will be on your own.
Oiartzun & san sebastian
06
Today we’ll be really interesting. We’ll make a short drive out of San Sebastian, park in the woods, and take short easy hike into the foothills where we’ll have a guided visit with the owner of LUR garden, located in the small valley in Oiartzun, where the magic of the place guarantees a unique experience.
Following the visit we’ll enjoy a liesurely afternoon lunch at truly local place.
Maybe we’ll intersect somewhere that evening for some Pintxos and a couple glasses, but in general this Saturday night is yours to explore in San Sebastian on your own.
Getaria & logroño
07
We’ll depart San Sebastian after a liesurely Sunday morning, and load up for a village hop along the coast, stopping a few places along the way for some photos and a geology lesson. The target for today will be “small fishing village for an amazing lunch.” Doing it at a winery, and in service of finding a whole grilled Turbot, will be the play.
Following a liesurely mid-afternoon meal at a winery we prospected 10 years ago, we’ll take a turn toward the finish line of our tour with a 2-hour drive to Logroño in the Navarra region. We’ll stay in the city center at Áurea Palacio de Correos, and once we’re settled in we’ll make a beeline for the incredible Calle Laurel.
Our target: 10 Pintxo bars in 3 hours!
la rioja
08
Our last day should be one to remember. We’ll check out in the morning and pay a visit to one of our favorite new wineries in the Rioja Alta, where we’ll get a vineyard tour, a history lesson, and a fantastic wine tasting.
The winemaker will be our lunch guest and we’ll finish this tour in style.
Following the visit we’ll make the 3-hour drive to Madrid and you’ll be dropped off wherever you need to be.
Bai eta zuri ere!
Adios!
A bientôt!