Bordeaux & Northern Spain

Upon arrival in Bordeaux, we will arrange for a private transfer to your hotel in the city center.

First afternoon and evening free to rest and get acquainted with this cosmopolitan city and the

vibrant atmosphere that it will offer over your stay. We will provide you with good recommendations for places to eat, drink, and tips for city walks or any entertainment/events happening during your travel dates.

Morning: Half day Bordeaux city tour & gourmet visit (3 hr)

Discover the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bordeaux on a private walking tour of its major

Attractions. Your private guide will pick you up from your hotel and will take you on a walking tour of the city during which its most famous landmarks will be highlighted: The Grand Theatre located in the heart of downtown; the Place de la Bourse built by King Louis XV in the early 1700s as the Royal Plaza, the Triangle d'Or one of the richest and most beautiful neighborhoods in Bordeaux and some private mansions. Discover the unique cityscape where traditional buildings contrast with more recent modern constructions.

On this walk, you will talk about French customs and culture. Your guide will share their local knowledge and french experience. This tour offers an excellent synopsis of the history of Bordeaux and is a great starting point to further explore this city. You will also make stops to taste some of the best culinary specialties from the South West of France: Hams, Cheese, Canelés...

Bordeaux: An intoxicating cocktail of 18th-century savoir-faire, millennial hi-tech, and urban street life, France's sixth-largest city is among Europe's most exciting and gutsy players. This is the world's largest urban World Heritage Site, cradling half the city (18 sq km) in its Unesco-listed treasure chest. Bordeaux architecture is world-class.

Free afternoon & evening

Full day trip with private driver/guide.

Escape the bustle of Bordeaux for some seaside therapy on this full-day trip to the Bay of

Arcachon. Your driver-guide will meet you in the lobby of your hotel and will take you to the quaint Cap Ferret in Arcachon Bay, famous for its brightly colored wooden huts and oyster farming, it is a genuine picture-postcard village.

Once at this spectacular protected spot located on the western French coast, you’ll enjoy some time on the Atlantic Ocean by boarding a Pinasse (a traditional wooden bay boat).

Sit back and relax while you tour the famed Arcachon Bay, one of the most popular resort towns on the French Atlantic Coast and home to a plethora of waterfront restaurants and Oyster farms. On this superb boat tour, you’ll, of course, get to enjoy an exclusive close-up view of the region’s oyster parks.

With your local skipper, you get an insider’s tour and will discover the authentic side of this area and will get to learn all there is to know about the trade, traditions & hidden cultural treasures belonging to this beautiful part of France!

You will make a stop at the Cap Ferret to taste its famous oysters accompanied by a glass of white wine & a breath-taking view of the Dune du Pyla – Europe’s highest sand dune.

Lunch at La Coorniche (Cost not included) located in Philippe Starck’s trendy hotel of the same name from where the view over the Cap Ferret peninsula is incomparable and absolutely breathtaking.

After lunch, transfer back to Bordeaux. Free evening in Bordeaux to enjoy at your leisure.

Full-day trip with private driver/guide

Spend a day sipping French reds and whites in the Saint-Emilion and Pomerol wine region! This morning your driver-guide will meet you at your hotel & will take you for a full-day tour of

Saint Emilion.

You will first enjoy a walk around the enchanting medieval village of Saint-Emilion, classified by Unesco in 1999. This luminous, ochre-colored jewel built of limestone and Roman roof tiles, perched on a plateau and completely surrounded by a sea of vineyards is a maze of steep and narrow cobblestone streets lined with remnants of monasteries and convents dating from the 11th to 18th centuries. Your walk will also include a visit to the very impressive underground monuments.

Then, it's on to the world-famous vineyards of Saint Emilion, also listed by UNESCO as World Heritage. The vineyards include 18 "Premiers Grands Crus Classés" (A & B) and 65 "Grands Crus Classes", and thousands of lesser-known family estates which also produce excellent wines, all mainly made from Merlot and Cabernet Franc grape varieties.

You will enjoy a private visit and tasting at Château Troplong Mondot, Premier Grand Cru Classé Saint Emilion Château. Troplong Mondot distinguishes itself by the elegance of its wine which starts in its vineyards that are masterfully cultivated like gardens

Lunch will be at the restaurant La Terrasse Rouge (cost not included). This restaurant is a chic brasserie built upon the high-tech cellar designed by Jean Nouvel and offers a unique view over the vineyard of Saint Emilion.

After lunch, you will enjoy a private visit and tasting (including a barrel tasting) at Chateau de

Ferrand, Grand Cru Classé Saint Emilion.

After a visit of the property, park, and cellars, your sommelier will guide you through

a tasting straight from the barrel!

Free evening in Bordeaux to enjoy at your leisure.

Full day trip with private driver/guide

Experience the delights of the French Basque coast between Bordeaux and San

Sebastian. Today, you will experience a private and unique guided tour through the whole French Basque Coast on the way to San Sebastian (Gipuzkoa), visiting its most beautiful coastal villages: Bayonne, Biarritz, and St Jean de Luz.

On a very scenic drive along the magnificent coastal road, you will first stop at the quaint city of Bayonne, before arriving at the famed seaside town of Biarritz, just a few kilometers away. The "Queen of resorts and the resort of Kings" was a magnet for celebrities and royalty figures like Napoleon III, Gary Cooper or Frank Sinatra, and still, nowadays it is a very important tourist reference point.

You will enjoy a walk along the "Grande Plage", the main beach in town, where surfers from all over the world come to ride the waves. Don’t miss the cozy fishing port nestled in the rocks which is considered by many as a tiny village within the city of Biarritz.

After the fishing port, it's off to the Rock of the Virgin. This "island" is only accessible by an imposing bridge which was constructed by Gustave Eiffel, the same architect who, of course, designed the famous Eiffel Tower in Paris. You’ll make a stop for lunch at Chez Albert (not included).

Located near the harbor, chez Albert serves fish and seafood exclusively from the auction house of Saint-Jean de Luz. Then, it's off to St-Jean de Luz where you'll enjoy a town tour which will include a visit of the church where Louis XIV (France's Sun King) wed the Spanish Infante Marie-Therese in 1660, ending decades of war and defining once and for all the territorial borders of the two nations.

Saint Jean de Luz also has a rich history of maritime activities, including pirating practices

which brought enormous wealth into the town as evidenced by some of the more opulent villas that dot the bay area and square where local artists paint during the warm weather months. Cross the Spanish border & arrive in San Sebastian.

You will be dropped off at your hotel in San Sebastian.

Full day panoramic & walking tour + Pintxos tastings with private driver/guide.

Today, on this private panoramic tour, your guide will take you to admire San Sebastian from its best viewpoint starting with a drive up to Mount Igueldo with your private driver. From here, you will have a complete view of the city, and the chance to take the best postcard pictures of San Sebastian.

You will also make a short stop in the "Peine del Viento" to visit the most symbolic place of the city, as well as in Sagues, for a different perspective of the city from its surfing beach area. This will be followed by a walk through the city center and Old Town, visiting the Constitution Square, La Concha Bay, the Cathedrals, La Bretxa Market, and the city center area. On this walk, you will be entertained by multiple stories and tales about San Sebastian’s history which you will most definitely not find in the history books!

Once you get to the Old Town, you will be able to enjoy the region’s famous miniature food:

Pintxos! Just the way the locals do. You will be taken to the best 5 places in town and will be

introduced to this fantastic local custom. You will enjoy a special selection of 5 pintxos (Basque tapas) paired with 5 Spanish wines (or water or soft drinks or beer) in up to 5 bars - A great way to have an informal meal, all the while learning about local customs and tasting the best specialties in our favorite bars!

San Sebastian's unique location by the sea and backed by the foothills of the Pyrenees the first sight of the La Concha bay, considered as the best beach in Europe in the last 2 years, replete with crescents of golden sand and turquoise waves, pairing this natural beauty with the unrivaled local cuisine — from decadent Michelin-starred feasts to delectable bite-sized pintxos (Basque-style tapas) — will make you fall in love forever with our wonderful city.

Free afternoon & evening

Spend the day at your own leisure! We recommend relaxing by the beach and exploring the town.

San Sebastian has three beautiful beaches: La Concha Beach, Ondarreta, and Zurriola Beach (also known as Gros Beach). But San Sebastian is much more than just a beach town, it has four main areas for you to explore:

The Parte Vieja (old town): known for having the highest concentration of bars in the world.

Área Romántica (Romantic Centre): Filled with beautiful buildings from the late 19th century and has plenty of clothing stores, bars, and restaurants.

The district of Gros: a pleasant enclave with a relaxed ambiance and the surfing beach of Playa

de Gros.

Playa de Ondarreta (essentially a continuation of Playa de la Concha), a very upmarket district known as a millionaires' belt on account of its lavish holiday home.

San Sebastian is also known as one of the top foodie destinations in Europe with more Michelin stars here per inhabitant than anywhere else in the world.

Full day trip with private driver/guide

In this road trip through the Basque Coast, you will discover amazing beaches, incredible lookouts, cute villages, stunning cliffs, unbelievable islets, and a unique bridge. Visit the quaint coastal villages that pepper the Basque Coast: Getaria, Zumaia, Guernica and the impressive island of San Juan de Gaztelugache. Absorb the tranquil ambiance of these picturesque marinas on this enriching day trip.

Your private driver/guide will pick you up from your hotel in San Sebastian to drive along

the scenic coastal road N634 which takes you along the Bay of Biscay—the gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea.

You will have amazing photo opportunities of this wonderful location from 2 spectacular viewpoints (one of them being from the bridge itself), but you will not make the whole walk to the summit of the island and back, as it requires a timeframe of at least 2 hours.

Lunch (not included in the cost): your driver/guide will certainly suggest few places on the way to grab some pintxos or raciones but we recommend something quick and casual as the journey is long and you wouldn't want to miss anything...

This stunning drive will end in Bilbao, where you will spend the next few days.

Free evening in Bilbao.

Half day guided tour of Bilbao

Your private driver/guide will pick you up from your hotel in Bilbao to take you on a 2.5hrs introductory walking tour of the historic old town during which you will understand the

founding of this city and its fascinating history. As you walk through the narrow streets of the Casco Viejo (Old Town), you will uncover its many secrets as well as its highlights such as Plaza Nueva, Catedral de Santiago, La Ribera Market, and San Anton Church.

After this orientation walk around the historic center, it's off to explore the surroundings of Bilbao and the picturesque old fishing port of Algorta, driving through Getxo, an affluent area located about 12 kilometers north of Bilbao.

In Algorta, you could enjoy a traditional lunch at one of the restaurants near the port (lunch cost is not included but we highly recommend trying the local family-owned seafood restaurants of the area).

After lunch, you will be driven back to Bilbao where you will spend a couple of hours in the afternoon visiting the Guggenheim Museum at your own pace (tickets with audioguides in English will be prebooked to avoid waiting lines)

In the evening we highly recommend experiencing the vibrant night atmosphere and do your own "Pintxos Tour" following the useful recommendations that we will provide you so you can sample the most authentic and local bars of Bilbao old town.

Full day trip with private driver/guide

Your private driver/guide will pick you up from your hotel in Bilbao and drive you to La Rioja. This tour of La Rioja will be both gastronomic and educational, offering you an overall perspective of La Rioja's winemaking styles, from Rioja Alta to Rioja Alavesa. Along with tasting the most renowned wines in the whole of Spain, you will also get to admire the most impressive and unique architecture this region has to offer.

First stop: A classic rioja boutique winery

Located in the famous Train Station quarter of Haro City, this winery produces a large range of high-quality wines, from terroir concept wines to classic Gran Reservas, made from the best of its estates, where the grapevines embody the essence of this unique land.

Note: If this winery is not available for some reason, we will select another similar one

Second stop: Tasting sessions in 2 small boutique wineries

We will visit 2 other wineries; first, another Classic Rioja winery which will be followed by a small boutique family-owned winery, popping into their wine bars, to taste some of their best wines (2 to 4 wines will be served at each winery, all of which have been granted 90 Parker Points or more).

Final stop: A traditional hot & cold tapas lunch in a winery

For lunchtime, we will head to a winery, where you will be served a traditional Riojan style hot & cold tapas meal paired with, of course, Rioja red wine. Depending on the weather, this will either be served on an outdoor terrace, overlooking their vineyards or in a unique private cellar carved right out of the bedrock.

Note: If the winery we normally use is not available for lunch, we will upgrade you to a 3-course lunch with wine at one of the local restaurants.

After lunch, we will take you to explore the Medieval hilltop town of Laguardia. Surrounded by a 13th-century wall, this picturesque spot is a natural balcony towards the wine region. The streets of Laguardia are full of splendid medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical buildings.

After a short walk through Laguardia and before heading back to your hotel, you will get the opportunity of sightseeing two of the most architecturally emblematic wineries of the region: Bodega Ysios (flagship of the new Rioja and a symbol of quality and cutting edge technology as well as the only winery in the world designed by Santiago Calatrava) and Marques de Riscal (known worldwide for the colored curves of the hotel designed by Frank Gehry.

In the morning, you will be dropped off at Bilbao’s airport from where you will take the morning flight to Vigo. Upon arrival at Vigo airport, your private driver/guide will pick you up and take you to explore the Rías Baixas region.

Today, you will discover the Rías of Pontevedra and Arousa which will offer some of the most spectacular landscapes on the coast of Galicia. You will stop at Cambados, the capital city of Albariño wine, boasting a really well-preserved and interesting historic town. Here, you will visit the Palace of Fefiñanes winery, where you will enjoy a wine tasting.

Lunch: cost is not included but your local guide would have made some reservations at a local place so you can choose à la carte and pay on-site.

After lunch, you will explore the enchanting villages of O-Grove and the Island of Arousa where you will learn about the mussel production in the area and how the river is used as a hatchery. You'll continue exploring this unique part of the Galician coastline by going through picturesque little fishing towns in the Arousa estuary.

Before heading to your hotel in Santiago de Compostela you will make a final stop in Sanxenxo, a very popular coastal town in the Pontevedra estuary.

Free evening.

Your art historian guide will meet you at the lobby of your hotel for an introductory walking

tour of (3h) to discover the main sites of this Unesco listed city founded in the 9th

century with the discovery of Saint James’ tomb. You will discover the famous 11th-century Cathedral, its Museum, and the four squares which surround the Cathedral: Obradoiro, Inmaculada, Quintana, and Platerías.

Then it's on to the Hostal of the Catholic Kings, the old royal hospital in the city, and the

Monastery of Saint Martin Pinario, founded in the 16th century by the Benedictine order.

Stroll around the streets of Vilar and Franco, from where you get to admire the beautiful views to the Palace of Fonseca. Your walk will continue on through Cervantes Square and the Mercado de Abastos, the city's local market.

Enjoy a free afternoon & evening by simply resting at your hotel or further explore this beautiful city.

Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia in north-western Spain. Millions of people from all over the world come to this city every year, many of them reaching the end of the Way of Saint James pilgrimage route. Its historic center has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

On this tour, not only will you admire the natural beauty of the spectacular and magic

landscape of the Ourense province (inland Galicia) but you will also enjoy a truly unique

experience: a private boat trip along the River miño on a Zodiac.

Your private driver and guide will pick you up from your hotel for an unforgettable tour

around the Romanesque architecture and the breath-taking landscapes of the inland

Galicia bathed by the rivers Sil and Miño (the Ribeira Sacra or sacred riverside).

You will embark on the most amazing experience that the magical land of Galicia has to offer: a private boat trip along the Miño river with captain Luisa Rubines. Onboard her twelve-seater Zodiac you will explore the narrows of the river Miño, admire

the spectacular waterfall of Marce, the many Romanesque churches, and monasteries.

You will even have the opportunity to swim in its warm water!

Lunch: this wonderful experience will be completed with the tasting of some of the local wines and products, beautifully served at Luisa's cozy place just down by the river, the magical "Quinta Sacra".

After lunch, your driver/guide will pick you up from the port where you embarked this morning to take you for an afternoon scenic drive to visit a local Romanesque church in the area and the enchanting Monforte de Lemos, a town of medieval origin where the Monastery of Saint Vicente do Pino is the main highlight.

Free evening.

Private transfer to A Coruña airport to connect with your international flight back home

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end...

We hope you enjoyed your stay with us.

Hasta pronto!