NORTH REGIONS In-depth Gourmet wine tour Medieval villages & Countryside - (6d/5N)

RIOJA, NAVARRA & THE BASQUE COUNTRY, three amazing regions in green Spain are at the heart of this tour, focusing on prestigious wine estates, excellent gastronomy, medieval and fishing villages, delightful seaside towns and gorgeous countryside. Each area has its own peculiarities and unique individualities.

We start in Bilbao where we visit the famous Guggenheim museum including an expert guided tour. After admiring Frank Gehry's creation we will have a walking guided tour of Bilbao's old quarter accompanied by a memorable tapas tour experiencing Basque exquisite delicacies.

Glorious drive to one of the most beautiful cities in Europe: San Sebastian. After appreciating your sumptuously decorated Hotel, overlooking a stunning beach, you will have time to relax, explore the city or perhaps fine dining at your hotel.

In the morning we depart for Getaria, gorgeous fishing village, visiting a family owned txacoli winery, tasting this delightful Basque white wine, followed by a short trip to Zarrautx where will have a lovely lunch based on fresh locally caught seafood, the speciality of the area accompanied by excellent Spanish wines.

Free time to relax either appreciating the incredible beauty of the coastal villages or pampering yourself at La Perla beachfront Spa: an aqua-therapy seawater spa looking out on the beautiful Concha beach and bay (walking distance from the hotel).

In the evening you will dine at the notable 3 Michelin starred restaurant, Arzak, an outstanding gourmet treat in one of the best restaurants in the world, an unforgettable meal.

Our next stop is beautiful Navarra; here we will head to Olite a historic medieval town. After a guided tour strolling through cobble-stoned winding streets leading to the dramatic castle you will visit the castle and a most unusual wine museum, followed by an extravagant lunch.

We continue to Puentelareina another beautiful historic village located on the "Saint James Way" where you will be shown around a family owned winery estate sampling innovative wines.

Free evening to walk about this astonishing village or dine at a Michelin starred restaurant in our Relais-Chateaux hotel. From Navarra we continue to one of the most prestigious wine producing areas in the world; Rioja. After arriving in Laguardia, spectacular medieval hill-top walled town overlooking a mountain range and surrounded by vineyards, we visit a traditional winery still using old wine-making methods and taste their wines in the underground cellars.

After a most unusual winery visit you will be entertained by a thrilling guided tour admiring medieval mansions, historic monuments and experiencing staggering views over the vineyard covered valley. Spend free afternoon on your own, to explore the village, full of wine shops and picturesque restaurants. Our next visit will take you to an amazing boutique winery with a special wine-making process with astonishing results, proven in the amazing wine tasting.

We arrive in Haro, capital of Rioja Alta where we check-in our pretty historic building, former convent. In the evening we will have a splendid gourmet dinner at a typical restaurant experiencing Riojan delicacies and tasting amazing wines.

Next day following a morning medieval village tour of Briones we visit Dinastia Vivanco museum, learning the wine history and culture of Europe. Before leaving the museum you will be delighted with a fantastic gourmet lunch overlooking the vineyards. In the afternoon we visit an historic winery, arguably the prettiest winery in Rioja. After a memorable guided tour and wine tasting of best vintages we return to our hotel.

Our final activity will be a glorious farewell tapas tour, recounting your journey experiences over Riojan delicacies and excellent wines.

If you are really passionate about experiencing world class gastronomy, sampling outstanding wines, admiring nunique medieval villages in wine country, appreciating spectacular scenery, being a guest of renowned wine estates and above all exploring regions of Spain not yet really touched by mass tourism, then you must take this opportunity.

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If you are interested in this tour or would like us to design something unique, specifically to suit your needs, please contact us by e-mail or phone for an itinerary & a free quote, without obligation.

Alternatively, you could look in the Unique Tours section of our web-site where you may find one of our other carefully planned tours that more closely matches your preferences.

Pricing will vary according to group size, season, duration and your specific requirements. Our tour prices range from as little as £300.00 per person.