Taste of Northern Spain - 9 Days

Day 1: Welcome to Barcelona!

Start in Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia—a cosmopolitan city built upon a Roman stratum, medieval quarters, and the most beautiful examples of 20th century Modernism and avant-garde. As a Mediterranean city, it's the perfect starting point for this delicious journey through some the most representative places of Spanish gastronomy. Enjoy your first night in Spain at your leisure.

Day 2: Catalan taste and history

Today, you'll take a voyage across Barcelona’s history, culture, and gastronomy, visiting local bars and taverns for traditional Catalan food, regional cava, and superb wines.

Our private tour will take place in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, one of the liveliest areas around, brimming with a history to be retold by our expert guide. Take a pleasant walk into Barcelona’s culture and gastronomy, leaving no stone of the charming Gothic streets unturned, tasting local food in three typical tapas bars, meeting the owners of these bars and discovering the myths and legends of this unique city in the most authentic of ways.

Day 3: Cooking class with a master chef

An exclusive and private workshop of traditional Spanish cuisine is the best introduction to local gastronomic culture. Discover the processes, ingredients, and ways of cooking the most famous dishes and tapas in Spain—and bring your skills home with you.

In this experience, a private master chef will reveal the secrets of Spanish gastronomy. Visit the local market for ingredients and head back to the New York-inspired downtown space to create your own tapas.

Day 4: History of cava

Today is all about cava. Take an exclusive tour of a cava cellar known around the region for its charm. See the underground warehouses, museum, and traditional machinery in a peerless architectural setup, where you'll enjoy a cava tasting accompanied by delicious bites. End the experience with lunch at this charming cellar.

Day 5: Transfer to Álava

Today you'll transfer to the next destination, located on the border between La Rioja and the Basque Country. This region, known as the Rioja Alavesa, is a must for connoisseurs interested in wine, gastronomy, and landscapes of endless vineyards dotted with medieval villages. A key site to experience authentic immersion in wine culture and northern food, the Rioja Alavesa has become a renowned tourism destination, and you'll discover it with the help of fabulous local guides.

Day 6: Century of wines

Experience six centuries of winegrowing tradition and visit the best winemakers in the region on today's tour. Start with a winery where the traditional barefoot pressing of grapes is still practiced. Sample centennial wines, counted among the most special tastings worldwide, and chat with local winemakers and specialists who have devoted their lives to carefully adapting traditional methods to modern technology. Bring this marvelous visit to its close with the typical lunch of a mediev10th-centuryury Spanish town.

Day 7: Pintxo walking tour

One of the best culinary cities in Spain, the coastal city of Donostia offers scores of charming bars and traditional taverns with unique atmosphere. See the city with a guide and learn its history, visit the old town, and tour the market where the best local products are sold. Visit three famous tapas bars, but without waiting in line: the pintxos (that is, the snacks) will be previously chosen and prepared specially for the group.

Day 8: Txikiteros tour of Bilbao

Txikiteros are a group of Basque retirees that spend afternoons going from bar to bar singing traditional songs. In return, they get a small glass of wine on the bar owner’s tab—in fact, their name derives from txikito, the name of such a glass. Txikiteros are respected and beloved by the Basque community, and even have a designated day of the calendar on their honor.

Visiting bars with them can be one of the best ways to discover the city of Bilbao—and that's just what you'll do today. Enjoy the cheerfulness in their songs, partake in the typical pintxos, and enjoy walking getting to know your most peculiar and charming private guides.

Day 9: Departure from Bilbao

Your trip comes to an end today. If you have the morning free, we recommend a visit one of the city's extraordinary sights, the iconic Guggenheim Museum, or just spend some time at the shops, galleries, and fine restaurants of this great city.