Indulge yourself in the history, culture and art of Spanish Basque Country during this spectacular journey from San Sebastian through the famous town of Gernika, to beloved by surfers coastal villages, to a masterpiece of modern architecture – the Museum of Guggenheim in the capital of Bizkaia.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Start off the morning by meeting one of our local experts and boarding your comfortable van that will take you on this rich with culture and history day trip along Basque Coast. On the way to our first stop, your guide will give you an introduction on the history of the area, and what to expect throughout the day.
Shortly we will have arrived in the re-emerged from its ashes town of Gernika that was pictured by Pablo Picasso in 1937. ‘Gernika’ it’s considered the second most famous painting of all time. We will stroll through the streets of the town to finally reach the neoclassical Assembly House of Bizkaia and ‘meet’ the Tree of Gernika – international symbol of peace, resistance and Basque rights.
After discovering the secrets of Basque history, it’s time to head towards the Coast of Bizkaia. The road will take us through extraordinary Urdaibai – UNESCO declared Biosphere Reserve. A place where holm oak covered mountains with steep slopes give way to a valley that leads to the sea, forming marshes inhabited by a diversity of birds.
Next, we will stop in the small town of Mundaka – mecca for surfers. This internationally renowned spot is famous for one of the best left waves in the world, as well as its beautiful paths and fishing traditions! We will also challenge your skills at the local ‘fronton’ playing the basque ball – are you ready to challenge our guide?
We will continue along one of the most breathtaking roads of Bizkaia Coast to finally stop at San Juan de Gaztelugatxe lookout. From here you have spectacular views of the Cantabrian Sea with breathtaking cliffs, tunnels and arches carved by the sea. The fans of Games of Thrones will quickly recognise this islet that is linked to the mainland by a winding path. Spoiler! There are no dragons!
On the way to Bilbao we will pass through one of the DOs of emblematic Basque wines – ‘txakoli’! You will enjoy a glass of this slightly sparkling, white wine while admiring the vineyards of Bakio and discovering the secrets behind the production of this beloved by the locals’ drink.
Last, but definitely not least we will arrive in Bilbao – an example of how investment in culture can transform a grey, post-industrial city into a Winner of the 2018 European City of the Year! Staggering architecture, fine dining and cosmopolitan feeling is what characterise the capital of Bizkaia. Get impressed by the spectacular “titanium building “ of Guggenheim designed by Frank Gehry and dive into the world of Modern and Contemporary Art in the Museum located inside.
Finally it’s time to try the Basque cuisine and find out what’s all the buzz about! Choose between ‘pintxos’ – little pieces of heaven on a plate (as one of our guests described them) or lunch in a modern Basque restaurant where the tradition meets avant-garde.
At the end of the evening your private transport will take you back to the hotel.
Four of us booked Ikusnahi for a day trip from San Sebastian/Donostia, taking in Bilbao (Guggenheim), the beach at Zumaia (amazing geology, Game of Thrones location) and Getaria (fabulous lunch, charming town). Mikel was a fantastic guide, ferrying us around in great comfort and giving us deep local insight that no amount of research and preparation would have equalled. He was also great fun; a delight to spend the day with. This tour would be worth the money if only to skip the queue at the Guggenheim! While hundreds of people waited who knows how long in a queue snaking all the way back to, and along, the main road, Mikel walked us around the building, gave us an overview of its history and the urban renewal it triggered, then slipped us in the group door with direct access to the galleries. We loved how completely flexible and responsive Ikusnahi was about building our itinerary after Bilbao. (I worked by email with Ernes to plan things) We went for a couple of charming coastal villages en route back to Donostia. The rock formations of the cliffs above Zumaia are a blockbuster sight, even if you're not a Game of Thrones fan. But even better for us when we learned we were going to the location of Dragonstone beach! Getaria is a fascinating town to wander around in. We had a lingering lunch at Kaia Kaipe, the only time during our whole trip we were completely surrounded by locals. 20 years ago I couldn't have imagined ""wasting"" two prime sightseeing hours lingering over lunch, much less paying for a guide to eat with me. Now I realise this is a precious and unique part of travelling. Food IS culture, and you can never really understand it unless you dive in with a local. Mikel guided us through what to order (including specialities that were off menu), explained the nuances of the local txakoli wine and, inspired by the characters around us, told us interesting stories of Basque culture and family life. The biggest benefit of working with Ikusnahi was having our eyes opened the the richness of the Basque Country, and its distinct differences from Spain. I came on our long weekend to Donostia thinking it was all going to be about the food, and there wasn't much sightseeing to be done. After our touring day, I'm thinking about returning to the region for a 2-week holiday (and am happily devouring Mikel's book pick: A Basque History of the World). One thing we would have done differently: If your arrival time is before noon, book Ikusnahi for an airport pickup and do Bilbao and the Guggenheim on your arrival day, en route to Donostia. Then book them for another day, to have an even deeper exploration of this fascinating country-that's-not-a-country. Four of us booked Ikusnahi for a day trip from San Sebastian/Donostia, taking in Bilbao (Guggenheim),...