Northern Spain Explorer

Our tour begins today in Bilbao. A port city with an industrial past, tucked into a lush corner of northeast Spain and surrounded by rolling green countryside, Bilbao is the largest and most culturally dynamic city in the Basque region. For those arriving on time, our tour leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 6pm for the welcome meeting followed by an included drink before dinner. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to arrive in Bilbao at any time. If you wish to visit the world famous Guggenheim museum, this is open until 7pm. This architectural marvel designed by Frank Gehry, showcases contemporary and modern art and has a unique titanium-clad structure and diverse exhibits making it a must-see for many visiting this part of Spain. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive at Bilbao Airport (BIO), which is around a 20-minute drive from the hotel. Should you miss the meeting, our tour leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up.

After breakfast, we drive towards San Sebastian stopping first in the coastal town of Getaria, famous for its anchovies where we visit a fishery to learn about the importance of this small fish to the local community and how to can anchovies in the traditional way. Continue to San Sebastian where we spend the day exploring this marvellous city. San Sebastian, known locally as Donostia, has long been one of the most famous tourist destinations in Spain, characterized by its superb cuisine. After arriving, we head first to Monte Urgull to get our bearings and stretch our legs. This hill on the headland looms above the old town and we discover the stone remains of a castle and some fine viewpoints. Back in the old town we explore a maze of grand architecture and pedestrianised alleys littered with quality bars, restaurants and smart shops. It does not take long for the famous Pintxos bars to fill with locals and you may see some of them drinking Txakoli - a popular white wine, naturally effervescent with moderate alcohol and natural acidity - in tall, flat-bottomed glasses. The tour leader will make some suggestions for lunch and you may choose a Txakoli tasting with some selected Pintxos. This afternoon, you can explore the old town some more, chill by the beach or we recommend joining the tour leader for a walking tour. Walk the promenade of the Playa de la Concha around the picturesque sweep of golden sand beach, passing surfers until you reach three of Eduardo Chillida's wonderful abstract sculptures being battered by the elements with fine views back across the bay. A nearby funicular ride up and down Monte Igueldo offers superb views of San Sebastian from a classic viewpoint. At the end of a rewarding day, we return to Bilbao for the evening.

This morning, we travel south by charter bus to La Rioja Alavesa, a Basque corner of the Ebro Valley that has a long tradition of producing quality Rioja wines. Our first stop this morning is at a local bodega to learn more about modern life as a wine producer in Rioja and a chance to try some of the famous wines. Some vineyards have chosen modern, striking architecture and we plan to make photo stops outside two of the most emblematic bodegas in the whole region - Ysios (designed by Calatrava) and Marques de Riscal (Gehry). We stop in the village of Laguardia around lunchtime. This hilltop village dates back beyond the Romans to the Celts, and became an important medieval fortress whose walls still stand today. It is also a key player in the Rioja wine trade, the perfect place to enjoy a glass with your meal. After a short drive we then arrive at The Church of Saint Mary of Eunate, a 12th-century Romanesque church known for its unique octagonal plan and surrounding cloister with 33 arches. It is also located on the Camino de Santiago or St. James Way, an ancient Christian pilgrimage route that leads to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia and the final resting place of Saint James. We plan to join the pilgrim route this morning from Obanos village and walk a short 2 to 3km section of the camino to Puente La Reina, a town heavily influenced by the Pilgrim's route and devotees have been crossing its medieval five-arched bridge since the 14th century. We finish our day in Pamplona, a city with a rich history dating back to the Romans.

We have some free time this morning to explore Pamplona, before journeying through the proudly independent region of Navarra stopping at places of interest and finally into Aragon. We aim to leave in time to arrive in the historic town of Olite around lunchtime. We visit the luxurious royal residence and castle that King Carlos III of Navarre built in the 14th and 15th century. Part of the old palace is now a Parador hotel and the whole complex was restored in the 1900s after fire damage. Olite is the wine capital of Navarra and the surrounding countryside is largely dedicated to producing wine. Travelling onwards, we cross into Aragon and finally reach Zaragoza. The significant influence of the Moors is here wonderfully illustrated by the numerous examples of Mudejar architecture, though the city goes back to Roman times when it was known as Caesaraugusta, the traces of which can be seen throughout the city. There's time on arrival for an orientation walk to learn about the city, including seeing the impressive El Pilar cathedral.

After breakfast, we drive towards Catalonia where we first stop in the municipality of Agramunt, famous for its chocolate making. There, we visit a traditional chocolate maker and have the opportunity to discover and taste the artisan elaboration of stone-made chocolate. After lunch, we continue our journey by bus to one of Catalonia's most beautiful areas, and one of the most holy places for Catalan Christians, Montserrat. Montserrat is renowned for its distinctive rock formations, stunning landscapes, and the famous Benedictine abbey which is nearly 1000 years old. Located on top of the mountain, we take a journey on the rack railway to reach the monastery and our hotel for the night. The train winds its way through the mountain's unique skyline, offering spectacular views. Through the panoramic windows the surrounding landsacpe unfolds as we climb from Monistrol to Montserrat. Not only is Montserrat Monastery of significant religious importance but the natural beauty surrounding the monastery is simply breathtaking. The afternoon is left free to explore the monastery and its surrounding hills. If you are lucky, you might see the Escolania Choir - one of the oldest boys' choirs in Europe.

After breakfast, we continue our journey to our final destination, Barcelona. We leave Montserrat and drive for approximatively one hour. After dropping off our luggage at the hotel, we take a walking tour through the narrow and winding back streets of the Gothic Quarter, the offbeat and fashionable El Born neighbourhood and the seaside neighbourhood of La Barceloneta. We will try to take in some of the historical covered food markets so you have the chance to try some local specialties to whet your appetite before lunch. This rest of the afternoon is left free to explore the city. We recommend a visit to Gaudi's Park Guell. Park Güell is an enormous garden with distinct architectural elements designed by the renowned Catalan architect, Antoni Gaudí.

Today's highlight for many is an included guided visit to one of Gaudi's most famous works - La Sagrada Familia. Construction on this unique and enormous Basilica started in 1882 and continues to this day. Due to the limited availability of entrance tickets we will arrange our day around our entrance slot. There will be a walking tour through the Eixample neighbourhood, home to the majority of Barcelona's Modernisme art nouveau masterpieces, until we reach the grand Placa d'Espanya. From here we take the metro up to Montjuic hill for fine views over the city, ending our walk back in the old quarter near the Rambla.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Barcelona. There are no activities planned for today, so you are free to depart at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you would like an airport transfer today you need to departe from Barcelona El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport (BCN) whichi s about 30-45 minutes drive away.