The Stunning Sights of the Spanish Basque Region

Day 1 London - Bilbao Titan’s VIP door-to-door travel service collects you from home, for your journey to London Heathrow Airport for a direct, scheduled British Airways flight to Bilbao. Upon arrival, transfer to our hotel for the next seven nights, the Hotel Zenit Bilbao (4T) or Barceló Bilbao Nervión (4T). Dinner is included this evening. Day 2 Bilbao This morning we enjoy a guided tour of Bilbao, taking in sights such as the old town, known as the Casco Viejo, the 14th century cathedral, the neoclassical main square, Plaza Nueva, and Baroque opera house. Your walking tour will also take in a view of the world-famous Guggenheim Bilbao Museum, designed by Frank Gehry and regarded as one of the world’s most important and influential examples of contemporary architecture. It is one of the biggest museums in Spain, hosting exhibitions of modern art, and you can enter it this afternoon if you choose, during free time in Bilbao. Day 3 Vitoria We spend today in the Spanish Basque Country’s unofficial capital and seat of its parliament, Vitoria, taking in the sights of the old town on a guided tour including the Gothic Cathedral of Santa Maria, the 16th century Church of San Vicente Martir and the charming city park, La Florida. There will be free time this afternoon for you to explore further. Day 4 Bilbao You are free to relax or make your own discoveries in Bilbao today. Alternatively, you might like to join us on an optional excursion to Gernika, infamously bombed by the Nazi Luftwaffe in 1937 at the request of their Spanish Nationalist allies, a tragedy that inspired Pablo Picasso to paint one of his best-known works, ‘Guernica’. You can learn more at the town’s Peace Museum, while the Euskal Herria Museum houses displays of Basque history and culture. Our tour continues with a visit to the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, comprising diverse landscapes of sandy beaches, salt marshes and holm oak forests which are home to a wide variety of bird and animal species. Day 5 San Sebastián The coastal city of San Sebastián, known as Donostia in the Basque language, is today’s destination. The city is renowned for its beautiful sandy beaches, thriving cultural scene and excellent restaurants, including nine Michelin-starred establishments and numerous little bars serving pintxo - the local version of tapas. Our guided tour this morning takes in the highlights, such as the picture-postcard Playa de la Concha beach, the Baroque Basilica of Santa Maria and the charming Old Town, or Parte Vieja, with its narrow lanes and the grand Plaza de la Constitución, its main square. This afternoon is at leisure. Day 6 Laguardia Today’s full-day included excursion takes us south to the province of La Rioja, a region noted for its high quality wine, stopping in the medieval walled town of Laguardia, located on a hill surrounded by vineyards. Points of interest include the 14th century Church of Santa Maria de los Reyes, which features an especially ornate figural doorway, and the Plaza Mayor, with its chiming automata clock. We will enjoy lunch, and a taste of the local Rioja wine, at a traditional bodega. Day 7 Bilbao You are free to explore independently today, or you could choose to join our optional tour to the beach suburb of Getxo. Taking the metro, the walking tour will take you to the Vizcaya Bridge, a UNESCO Heritage Site known by locals as the Puente Colgante, meaning ‘Hanging Bridge’; and along the promenade to the old fishing port of Algorta, where you can stop for refreshments along the narrow streets of whitewashed façades with brightly-coloured trimmings, before returning to Bilbao by Metro. Day 8 Bilbao - London We transfer to Bilbao Airport for a direct scheduled, British Airways flight to London Heathrow Airport. On arrival you will be met and guided to your Titan vehicle, for the journey home.