Day 1 – Bilbao

Arrive at Bilbao airport, transfer to the hotel. Guided walking tour of Bilbao.

Day 2 – Guggenheim Museum

Breakfast at your hotel. Walk along the historic Nervión River to visit the world-famous Guggenheim Museum – hailed as the most important structure of its time when it opened in 1997, Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum Bilbao has changed the way people think about museums. Its collection spans from the mid-20th century to the present day, concentrating on post-war painting and sculpture in America and Europe. The collection includes key works by significant artists including Anselm Kiefer, Willem de Kooning, Robert Motherwell, Gilbert & George, and Richard Serra. Enjoy a free afternoon in Bilbao to explore this exciting city of culture.

Day 3 – San Sebastian

Breakfast at your hotel. Full day excursion to San Sebastian. Enjoy a guided walking tour of the old town & La Concha beach promenade – one of the finest city beaches in Europe. The Basque country is renowned for the quality of its food, with San Sebastian flying the flag for its haute cuisine. You’ll have free time for lunch where as well as superb restaurants, you’ll also have the option to visit the Pintxo bars. Pintxos (the Basque word for tapas) are a cuisine in miniature found in bars all over the city.

Day 4 – La Rioja & Santo Domingo

Breakfast at your hotel. Full day excursion to La Rioja – renowned for the quality of its wine production – with wine tasting. Spend time in Haro, the wine capital of the region. Visit Santo Domingo on the Pilgrim Road. Be sure to ask the meaning of the town’s motto: “Donde cantó la gallina después de asada” (where the roast chicken still sang!) Here you’ll have the option of doing a 6km stretch of the Camino de Santiago.

Day 5 – Guernica & Bermeo

Breakfast at your hotel. Full day excursion to Guernica – the historic and symbolic centre of the Basque country. The town is known throughout the world due to the painting by Pablo Picasso that bears the same name. The painting shows the suffering and tragedy that Guernica endured on 26 April 1937 when German & Italian air forces bombed the town, destroying everything but a few buildings. Thankfully though, the two most important symbols of Guernica – the Biscayan Assembly & the Guernica Tree – both survived. Visit the intriguing San Juan de Gaztelugatxe whose origins are shrouded in mystery. Reputed to be a 9th or 10th-century hermitage, it is connected to the mainland by a man-made bridge. Stop at the coastal town of Bermeo – one of the most important fishing villages in the Basque Country. The town has a long maritime tradition and, for centuries, the Bermeotarras were famous whalers.  A visit to its beautiful old port is a must!

Day 6 – Burgos

Breakfast at your hotel. Full day excursion to Burgos with a guided tour of this medieval city including a tour of its Gothic Cathedral – a UNESCO World Heritage site. Enjoy free time in the afternoon for personal sightseeing and shopping.

Day 7 – Free Day

Breakfast at your hotel. Free day in Bilbao to relax & unwind or to see more of this fascinating city, your Tour Manager will help with various options for this day.

Day 8 – Return Home

Breakfast & check out of your hotel. Transfer to Bilbao airport to return to Dublin.