Basque & Bordeaux

A guided tour of Bordeaux to see the important monuments will be split in two parts. You will first take a panaromic tour by bus to see the large spectrum of Bordeaux, to include, but not limited to The City of Wine, Underwater Base, the New Museum, and the city centre. Disembark your bus tour to continue on foot, beginning with a stop in front of the Grand Theatre de Bordeaux. You will also see the Place du Parlement, Place de la Bourse, La Fontaine des 3 Grâces, The Water Mirror, Porte Caillau, Pey Berland Tower, Cathedral of Saint André, Place des Quinconces and the Column erected in tribute to Girondins Deputies who were guillotined during the French Revolution.  Head to Saint-Emilion to visit the Château St Christophe - St-Emilion Grand Cru and participate in an oenology while having lunch at this renown winery. Afterwards, enjoy a guided tour of Saint-Emilion and its history in wine making before heading back to your hotel.

As you head to the Basque Country, start at the city of Bayonne who owes its significant architectural heritage to its rich history. Upon arrival you will be introduced to delectable cured meats the region produces with tasting of the best products. Take a short walk to have lunch in a restaurant, situated in the heart of the city and next to the Halles, the Bayonne public market. After lunch, head to Biarritz, also known as the jewel of the Atlantic coast. Nestled between sea and mountains, St Martin's Point is the ideal photo stop as it lies in the shadow of the Biarritz lighthouse that dominates the city. A two hour guided tour will show the beach gataway made popular by Napoleon and his Spanish-born wife. Time also to explore at your leisure.

A private guided tour of Saint-Jean de Luz, a fishing town at the mouth of the Nivelle river, in southwest France’s Basque country. Visit the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church, where King Louis XIV married Marie-Thérèse of Spain in 1660, which, typically Basque, has a gilded baroque altarpiece and wooden galleries. Egiategia, a visit and taste. In 2007, Emmanuel Poirmeur filed a patent for subsea wine vinification. This new technique involves using the sea to deliver all the physical conditions needed for winemaking: pressure, darkness, constant temperature and - most important of all – motion generated by tides. Since 2008, EGIATEGIA has carried out fermentations in tanks immersed 15 metres deep in the Bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz. This stage corresponds to the second alcoholic fermentation, also known as sparkling method or “tirage” or “prise de mousse” in sparkling winemaking processes. Then cross the border and enter Spanish Basque Country, directly to San Sebastian for lunch. A guided tour of the city to see its beautiful churches and buildings, La Plaza de la Constitución, its wide sandy beach described as one of the best in-city beaches in Europe. But what San Sebastian is most famous for, is its food. It's renowned for its Basque cuisine and boasts the second most Michelin stars per capita in the world. On to Bilbao where we stay for the next two nights.

A private tour of the city. Internationally recognised, Bilbao besides the famous Guggenheim , top quality food and wine, a historic old town that you can explore on foot, and a great rough urban vibe. Visit the Txakoli Museum including a wine tasting experience. After lunch, we visit the Guggenheim Museum, designed by architect Frank O Gehry, it is the star of the city. A visit with audio guide service which explores the permanent collect and the current temporary exhibition and enables you to tour the building. The rest of the afternoon is free to roam the city at your own pace. An evening Pintxos dinner experience.