A Memorable Trip Thanks to Hector and his Local Guides

Spain | Apr 15 - Apr 22, 2026

Hector and his colleagues put together a very high quality experience for the four of us. There are several components to a great visit anywhere and to the Pais Vasco in particular.

The Guides: We like to get to know a place through the experiences of the people who live there. We had two exceptional individuals who taught us so much about the places and people of this region. Both were intensely proud of their Basque heritage and region. Irena in Bilbao led us on an amazing Pintxos tour through the Casco Viejo (old city). Outstanding quality and lots of variety. The next day she also took us on a tour focused on the history of the City. Super knowledgeable. Our next guide was Jaime Izquierdo. We spent three days with him which included the trip from Bilbao to San Sebastián, a tour of San Sebastián and a tour of the region north of San Sebastián. One advantage of a private tour is the ability to make changes to the proposed itinerary. When we mentioned our interest in visiting Gernika (not on the original itinerary but an important place in Basque history) he was excited to make that change. And he also suggested visiting Biarritz nearby in France which was not part of the original plan.Again, super knowledgeable and just a real pleasure to spend three days with.

The Transfers: Every airport/hotel transfer was on time with great communication in advance from the driver

Lodging: The hotels in both San Sebastián and Bilbao were well located and high quality and the rooms were fine, with one exception that was quickly remedied by the local staff.

Support from the in-country agency: Espiritu Travel uses a great app—Trip Plan—that had our itinerary and suggestions for activities and restaurants. It also has a chat feature which we used several times to ask questions. It is staffed continually and their staff responded promptly.

Cost: We have traveled in Spain many times. The cost of this trip was expensive relative to our prior experiences. But it was worth every Euro.

Hector and his team have our gratitude for creating a great experience for us.