Basque Country & La Rioja

Worldwide-renowned culinary and wine destination

Spain is the third largest producer of wine in the world.

La Rioja is the smallest autonomous community in Spain located in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. It forms the major part of the DOCa region of Rioja wine.

The Basque Country is an autonomous community in northern Spain. Basque is a legendary ethnic because the language Basque is linguistically unrelated to any other living languages. San Sebastián and Bilbao are two most visited cities in Basque Country.

There is an abundance of reasons that you should come to Basque Country. The Basque gastronomy is renowned all around the world. It features fresh high-quality seasonal ingredients. It is one of the best destinations in the world for surfing. It possesses a precious landscape from beaches to mountains. Around the word “Basque”, there are a lot of mysteries and surprises waiting for you.

Rioja Wine

The mayor part of the DOCa region of Rioja Wine is located at La Rioja with a small part in the province of Álava in the south of Basque Country and another part in the autonomous community of Navarre. Rioja is subdivided into three zones: Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja and Rioja Alavesa.

There are various experiences you will find in La Rioja.

A tour to wineries of hundred years: There are many wineries with a history of over one hundred years in the Rioja region. The “capital” of Rioja Alta, Haro, is where the density of century-aged wineries is highest in the world. It has seven century-aged wineries in the Railway Station District. If you come to Haro, you won’t only taste the best Rioja wine from the Rioja Alta which is made by the traditional way, but also gain a deep knowledge about the evolution of these time-honored wineries in Haro.

To have lunch at the wineries: The sommelier makes food pairing recommendations for you as to make your wine tasting and dining experience a perfect one.

To be a vintner: You can sign up for a workshop to learn the grapes cultivation in the vineyards and the wine production, then bottle the wine with a label customized with your name and take it home as a souvenir. During the harvest season, you will get a chance to join in the grape stomping!

Rioja from the air: It is an unforgettable experience to take a hot air balloon to view the endless vineyards in Rioja from the sky. The vineyards present distinct colors in different seasons. You will appreciate the impressing view while tasting a good Rioja wine.

To stay in a luxury collection hotel among vineyards: If you are enthusiastic with the hotel aesthetics design and premium accommodation experiences, the Hotel Marqués de Riscal designed by Frank O. Gehry will be your choice.

San Sebastián

San Sebastián lies on the coast of the Bay of Biscay, 20 kilometers from the French border. It is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Spain. San Sebastián and its surrounding areas are home to a high concentration of restaurants with Michelin stars.

The Basque cuisine features a type of snacks called pintxos, which is a fundamental part of the Basque culture and social life. The Old Quarter in San Sebastián is full of pintxo bars and restaurants. It is considered as the area with the highest density of restaurants in the world and the best place to learn about the pintxo culture. To understand this culture, you may need a local guide to take you to have a gastronomic and cultural tour which will be full of surprises.

A pintxo tour may last three or four hours. You will get the opportunity to try five or six preferred pintxo bars with your guide and get a taste of lots of delicious pintxos accompanied with a good wine or other local drinks.

Apart from pintxo tours, there are a great variety of activities which give you the opportunity to interact with the Basque gastronomy such as Basque cooking workshop, visiting wineries and cider houses, and so on.

You will visit the city of San Sebastián as well. You can go on the top of Mount Igeldo which is the best viewpoint to appreciate the elegant Concha Bay. Or you can just stroll along the promenade on the La Concha Beach and listen to the street live music.

After a whole day’s non-stop itinerary, you may get tired already. To finish the day in the best way, why don’t you reward yourself a session of spa before the dinner?

Bilbao

Bilbao is the largest city in the Basque Country. It is situated 14 kilometers south of the Bay of Biscay. Bilbao Guggenheim Museum and the gastronomic experiences are the main attractions of the city.

Bilbao Guggenheim Museum, a masterpiece in the architecture history, was built by the famous architect Frank O. Gehry. The streamlined exterior of the building is correspondent to the winding Estuary of Bilbao. The basic construction materials of titanium, stone and glass indicate the industrial city status of Bilbao in the past. Moreover, the museum holds a great number of valuable works by Spanish and international artists.

Bilbao offers plenty of exquisite Basque gastronomic experiences. Like the Old Quarter of San Sebastián, the Old Town of Bilbao is an ideal place to learn about the pintxo culture and Basque cuisine as well.