Basque Country of Spain
There’s something familiar about Spain that draws visitors, who maybe remember a few phrases of high school Spanish or harbor a vague curiosity of bullfighting or siestas. But it’s the staggering diversity—of cultures, languages, cuisines, and landscapes—that keeps travelers coming back again and again. Every barrio and pueblo offers something unique, and the Spain you thought you knew is suddenly full of surprises.
July 10–13
3 nights | Madrid | Madrid EDITION
July 13–16
3 nights | Bilbao | Grand Hotel Domine
July 16–19
3 nights | San Sebastian | Hotel Villa Favorita
July 19–20
1 nights | Madrid | Only You Boutique
Madrid in July is hot, with high temperatures often in the 90s. Night in Madrid is warm as well, where you can comfortably walk around after dark in short sleeves. Up north in the Basque Country the climate is more temperate thanks to the sea breeze.
The appeal of Spain’s capital city is how laidback it is. Visitors don’t come for the big-name attractions, but for the local lifestyle. Wander labyrinthine streets through colorful neighborhoods, stumbling in and out of tapas bars along the way. Meals are served late and last for hours since the locals would never rush good food, wine, and company. Of course, there are some sights you can’t miss, including a glitzy royal palace and cherished art museums.
Your driver will be waiting for you at the airport for your transfer to your hotel in the city center.
Driver: will be provided
Contact: will be provided
Here are some great spots for getting a bite in Madrid, from casual tapas bars to finer diner restaurants. If you'd like a reservation at any of them, just send a message in the chat.
- Bodegas La Ardosa: This classic Madrileño tavern dates back to 1892, and it’s the ideal place for sitting, chatting, and drinking while getting a dose of Spanish history. Definitely try the tortilla de patatas and the artichokes!
- Casa Dani: One of the most famous stalls at Madrid’s Mercado de la Paz is Casa Dani, a spot that serves up generous portions of croquetas, oxtail, and their famous tortilla de patata.
- Juana la Loca: Juana La Loca is a stylish, popular restaurant with glass cases sitting on the bar filled with tapas and pintxos.
- Saddle: The dishes, like the garlic-topped Mediterranean red prawns, Caspian pearl caviar with blinis and crème fraîche, spider crab marinated in sherry, and aged beef shank always deliver, and you’ll probably be talking about every course on this tasting menu back home.
- Charrua: The speciality here is the parrilla, meaning grilled pieces of meat. Enjoy some of the best steak filets you can find in the Spanish capital at this elegant restaurant.
The nondescript cement facade of the Madrid Edition offers no clues as to what’s inside, and as you’re ushered through the front door all you see is a white spiral staircase. You’re always left eagerly awaiting what’s to come, and the results never disappoint. It has mastered the niche of urban luxury, where classy decor of white tones and mahogany mesh with the tropical colors of the awarded Peruvian restaurant. The real treat is the rooftop infinity pool, which is unparalleled in Madrid’s center.
Madrid EDITION
Two Superior Rooms with Balcony
https://www.editionhotels.com/madrid/rooms-and-suites/superior-balcony/
- Daily breakfast included
Explore the Spanish capital on bike, visiting iconic parts of the city such as Retiro Park, the Royal Palace, the Gran Via, and the Paseo del Prado.
Start Time: Late morning
Meeting Place: Rent & Roll Madrid
Your meeting place for the bike tour is about a 20-minute walk from your hotel through the scenic center of Madrid, or a 10-minute cab ride.
Guide: will be provided
Contact: will be provided
Booked by scenset.
You'll be picked up from your hotel this morning for your train ride to Toledo. Upon arrival at the Toledo train station, your guide will be waiting for you with a sign in the main lobby of the train station after passing security.
Pick-Up Time: Early morning
Pick-Up Location: In front of hotel
Train Departure: Late morning
Train Arrival: Late morning
Take the train to Toledo where Christians, Muslims, and Jews lived in great harmony for centuries. The city preserves two synagogues, a mosque and a cathedral that is often listed as one of the most impressive buildings in Europe. Your expert guide will take you through Toledo's long history in Spain.
Be sure to pick up some marzipan, a local specialty!
Guide: will be provided
Contact: will be provided
Booked by scenset.
When your tour ends, enjoy a traditional manchego lunch in this charming city. Some recommendations are below. Let us know if you'd like a reservation.
- Alfileritos 24: The interior with its cave walls and exposed beams feels like traveling back in time, but the menu of innovative tapas is decidedly contemporary.
- La Orza: A family run restaurant with classic dishes and a terrace overlooking the Jewish Quarter.
Catch your train back to Madrid just in time for an afternoon siesta before enjoying your evening out.
Train Departure: Afternoon
Car: 4
Seats: will be provided
Train Arrival: Early evening
Find your train tickets here.
Booked by scenset
Upon arrival, your driver will meet you for a private transfer back to your hotel.
Driver: will be provided
Contact: will be provided
Booked by scenset
Enjoy the rest of your day at leisure to enjoy Madrid as the locals do—slowly, with good company, and something good to eat and drink. See dining recommendations under "Day 1" of the trip for ideas of where to eat.
Don’t be fooled by its size, because the Basque Country punches well above its weight. Forested mountains arrive all the way to the coast where they drop into dreamy beaches, while cities like San Sebastián and Bilbao are cultural powerhouses. But above all, the Basque Country is a destination for gastronomy. The sheer number of Michelin-star restaurants is blinding, but a glass of fizzy txakoli wine and a sampling of pintxos from the local bar are just as gratifying.
Take the high speed train up to Bilbao (about 4 hours). As you get closer to the north, watch as the scenset changes into forested mountains.
Pick-Up Time: Early morning
Pick-Up Location: In front of hotel
Driver: will be provided
Contact: will be provided
Train Departure: Early morning
Car: 1
Seats: will be provided
Train Arrival: Late morning
Find your train tickets here.
Booked by scenset
Your guide will be waiting for you at the train station to take your family to your hotel in the Casco Viejo.
Booked by scenset
- La Ribera: This is one of the biggest markets in Bilbao, and the restaurant inside is a destination in itself. They use meat, produce, and fish from the market itself, so you know everything is as fresh as possible.
- Bar El Globo: This pintxos bar is one of the most iconic in Bilbao, filled throughout the afternoon and evening with locals. Options abound, but look for the broiled snowcrab (txangurro gratinado).
- Baste: Another pintxos bar that is an obligatory stop during your time bar hopping around the center, especially for stuffed mussels (mejillones tigres).
The Basque language, known locally as Euskera, is unique not just in Spain but globally, as it has no known roots to any other language. Linguists don't know where its scenset is.
Try speaking a few simple words of Basque to impress the locals.
- Hello: Kaixo (kai-sho)
- Goodbye: Agur
- Thank you: Eskerrik asko
- Happy birthday!: Zorionak!
It's hard to get tired of looking at the Guggenheim, so take in the view from your bedroom window at Grand Hotel Domine. The hotel's very hip design stands up next to Frank Gehry's masterpiece, and the comfortable rooms are a perfect place to relax after a day of trekking around the city after pintxos.
Grand Domine Hotel
One Studio Suites with Terrace and Guggenheim Views and One Premier Twin with Guggenheim Views
- Daily breakfast included
Start your tour by diving into Bilbao's fascinating history, with an in-depth look into Basque culture and how it's evolved within Spain. The last stop of the tour is the renowned Guggenheim Museum, with your entry tickets included.
Pick-Up Time: Morning
Pick-Up Location: In front of hotel
Guide: will be provided
Contact: will be provided
Duration: 4 hours
Booked by scenset.
The name San Juan de Gaztelugatxe isn't easy to pronounce, but many people today know it as Dragonstone, the fictional Game of Thrones setting filmed here. This full day tour includes several stops in some of Basque Country's most beautiful spots, including the fishing village of Bermeo, the Urdabai estuary, and the historical town of Gernika.
Pick-Up Time: Morning
Pick-Up Location: In front of hotel
Guide: will be provided
Contact: will be provided
Duration: All day
Booked by scenset
Take a lunch break during your full-day tour with a stop at the traditional Basque kitchen of Baserri Maitea located in the woods and beloved by locals.
Reservation confirmed during full-day tour.
Celebrate a special birthday dinner in style, at the Michelin-star restaurant Zortziko, the famed restaurant by chef Daniel Garcia.
Choose between:
Reservation: Evening
Cancelations within 72 hours of the reservation time will incur a charge.
Around Spain and the world it's called San Sebastian, but to the locals, this is Donostia. With a mix of mountains, beaches, and arguably the best cuisine of Spain, it's impossible not to fall in love with this one-time European Capital of Culture.
You'll be picked up from your hotel by your driver and taken directly to your hotel in San Sebastian (about 1 hour), passing through some of Basque Country's most idyllic villages along the way.
Pick-Up Time: Late morning
Pick-Up Location: In front of hotel
Driver: will be provided
Contact: will be provided
Booked by scenset
Make a pitstop in the charming town of Getaria, chosen among New York Times' 46 places to go in 2013, on your way to San Sebastian. Getaria is one of just three villages that make up the Txakoli wine area, but its history extends far back in time before Txacoli was ever produced.
Enjoy the fantastic grilled fish at Kaia-Kaipe. The seafood and delicious fish is fresh from the boats anchored in the harbor.
Optional pitstop on your way to San Sebastian.
Here are some great places to eat at in San Sebastián, from pintxo bars to restaurants.
This list focuses on non-pintxo bars, since you'll be taking a pintxos tour during your trip.
- Txepetxa: This small traditional pintxos bar found in the Old Town may look a little rough and ready, but it’s particularly famous for one thing: anchovies.
- Saltxipi: Saltxipi is housed in a picturesque villa lying just outside the Gros neighborhood on the edge of San Sebastian. One of the best restaurants in San Sebastian for fine dining without a Michelin star, they specialize in spider crab.
- Topa: There's a long shared history between Basque Country and Latin America, and Topa explores those shared roots through its fusion menu.
- Zelai Txiki: The star item is the suckling pig, which has to be pre-ordered with your reservation, although even the simple charcuterie boards are mindblowing.
The Belle Epoque design of Villa Favorita should be its most arresting feature, but even that detail is upstaged by the picturesque views of La Concha Bay from your bedroom windows. On the beach and just a short walk away from San Sebastian’s old town, the location truly couldn’t get any better. And in a city that’s known for the quantity of Michelin-starred restaurants, the nearest one is right in your hotel lobby.
Hotel Villa Favorita
Two Bahia de la Concha Panoramica
- Daily breakfast included
San Sebastian is the food destination of Spain, and nothing is more Vasco than pintxos. These are the Basque versions of tapas, meaning bigger and better. Take a tour with your local guide walking through the streets of the Casco Antiguo neighborhood, trying specialties like mussels, truffled Spanish tortilla, or grilled chuleton steak.
Pick-Up Time: Late morning
Pick-Up Location: Hotel lobby
Guide: A local guide
Contact: will be provided
Booked by scenset
With your hotel right on the beach, head down to the sand for some time to hang out in the sand and in the water.
Take a hike along the coast to Pasaia, the neighboring town of San Sebastian. It's an easy stroll through the trees with the bright blue Atlantic Ocean always at your side. Once you get to Pasaia, you'll take a small boat into this small fishing town that's full of character.
Pick-Up Time: Morning
Pick-Up Location: Hotel lobby
Guide: will be provided
Contact: will be provided
Duration: Approximately 5 hours including pintxo snacks and drinks
Booked by scenset
At this point, you've probably heard many bartenders scream out "agur!" (the Basque word for adios), as you've walked out of a pintxos bar. So say agur as you head back for a final train ride to Madrid.
Hop on the train for your last ride from the north back down to Madrid (about 4.5 hours).
Pick-Up Time: Morning
Pick-Up Location: In front of hotel
Train Departure: Morning
Car: 2
Seats: will be provided
Train Arrival: Afternoon
Find your train tickets here.
Booked by scenset
Your driver will be waiting for you upon arrival at Chamartin Station to take you to your hotel in the city center.
Driver: will be provided
Contact: will be provided
Booked by scenset
Enjoy lunch at the hip restaurant Mar Mia. The entire menu is incredible, but the raw fish options and paella are some of the house specialities.
Reservation Time: Afternoon
Menu Request: Vegetable Paella and shrimp arroz meloso (brothy rice)
The restaurant is a short taxi ride from your hotel or a 20-minute walk.
Salvaje has become one of Madrid's most unique places for dining. Not only for its incredible Japanese fusion cuisine, but also the spectacle of live performers throughout the night. You'll be seated in the main dining room, where most of the action takes place.
Reservation Time: Evening
The restaurant is a short taxi ride from your hotel or a short walk.
Situated in one of Madrid’s hippest barrios, the Only YOU Hotel exudes a coolness that matches the neighborhood around it. Scenset features like the classic facade, arched windows, and wooden beams in the ceiling give it a retro touch to contrast with the otherwise modern design. Many of the city's best restaurants are within a few blocks of your front door.
Only YOU Boutique
One Blue Suite & One Deluxe Room Twin
- Breakfast included
Get picked up in a private transfer from your hotel to the airport for your flight home.
Pick-Up Time: Early morning
Driver: will be provided
Contact: will be provided
Booked by scenset
Scenset invests in making the world a better place. Scenset will offset the fuel you will use during the trip. On top of that, we will offset an extra 10% to make your trip a carbon-positive experience.
Currently, we support Gold Standard Climate+ Projects from the Gold Standard Foundation.