A culinary journeyin the Basque country of Spain

Our Basque country culinary tour offers the opportunity to discover the extraordinary food, wine, culture and landscapes of this spectacular region.

Join us on this on this Basque Country Culinary tour in Northern Spain as we experience the vibrant culinary scene, extraordinary architectural landmarks and fabulous wine-making history on this captivating region. The Basque Country with its own unique language predating Latin, offers diverse rural landscapes, charming medieval villages and an incredible array of sensational local produce. We stay in luxurious accommodation in each location, dine in some of the finest Michelin star restaurants as well as the simple and traditional Basque cafes.  Time exploring the small villages and coastal communities delivers a deeper understanding of the treasures of this magnificent region.

The Guggenheim Museum and Jeff Koon’s Puppy

Our tour begins in eclectic city of Bilbao, where Frank Gehry’s breathtaking Guggenheim Museum sits comfortably alongside the medieval Old Town. Jeff Koon’s iconic Puppy at the front of the Museum is a highlight. We then travel south into La Rioja Alavesa, a regional province renowned around the world for its Tempranillo wine. We base ourselves in the village of Samaniego, overlooking an expansive vineyard-covered valley and close to one of our favourite Spanish cities, Laguardia.

The magnificent Cantabrian coastline from Hondarribia to San Sebastian

From La Rioja we slowly head north-east to the coast through picturesque valleys to the ‘painted city’ of Vitoria-Gasteiz. We stroll the charming Plaza and visit the impressive gothic cathedral, before driving on to Hondarribia where we stay for the next two nights. Hondarribia is a colourful fishing village close to the border with France. The second half of the tour is spent exploring the dramatic Cantabrian Sea coastline.  We enjoy stunning walks, pretty hamlets and lush countryside. A visit to a small local sheep’s cheese producer and a cider house offers insight into the farming communities in this region.

Widely considered one of the best places to eat in the world, spectacular San Sebastian is a worthy highlight. We enjoy some fabulous meals as well as a cooking class and lunch in one of the famous private Gastronomic Societies and enjoy three fantastic nights staying at the magnificent Hotel Maria Cristina. Finally we travel the coast to Bermeo where we stay in a small country property near the historic fishing town where we enjoy a number of unique excursions.

Dine in some of the world’s most awarded and loved restaurants including Arzak and Asador Etxebarri on this small group journey.

Led by our local guide from Bilbao and supported by our Director, Jennifer Wilkinson, this fabulous journey celebrates the rich cultural history, bucolic landscapes and outstanding cuisine of this charming region.

This unique tour gives you the opportunity to dine in some of the world’s most awarded and renowned restaurants as well as access to a range of singular experiences and exceptional accommodation. It has been personally crafted by Jennifer Wilkinson to deliver you an exclusive travel experience and our local Basque guide from San Sebastian brings a very intimate insight into this magnificent region, its history and people.

The beguiling Basque Country of Spain

Guest stories from our small group Basque luxury tour

“We recently travelled with Jennifer on the May 2026 Culinary Journey in the Basque Country of Spain. A superb experience! Well organised by Jennifer and Meredith and seamlessly led by Jennifer.
Our accommodation was outstanding, from iconic hotels in the cities of Bilbao and San Sebastian to stunning retreats such as Akelarre. We were welcomed at all as special guests of the Epicurious group. Transportation was extremely comfortable and well thought out, with only short travel sections between points of interest, restaurants, or our next destination.
Our guides were great, very knowledgeable and quick to understand our groups request for anything. Two highlights of special mention were an excursion to a Basque sheep’s cheese farm and a visit to our guide’s own Gastronomic Society in San Sebastian for an informal cooking class and lunch. This was a culinary highlight.
Our expectations of the restaurant experiences were exceeded; Basque cuisine deserves its reputation. Asador Etxebarri was a stunning afternoon to remember.”
Jenny and Ron, May 2026

“This Culinary Journey in the Basque Country exceeded our expectations. We loved exploring the diversity of this unique region. Highly recommend this trip if you love great food and wine and outstanding accommodation!”
Claire and John, May 2024

“Travelling with Epicurious allowed us to experience the Basque country from a local perspective. The food and wine were superlative and we enjoyed expert knowledge from Jennifer and the two local guides.”
Maggie and Peter, May 2024