San Sebastián

Day Trips

From Bilbao, leave for San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, an islet that can only be accessed by a pedestrian path. Make a panoramic tour of the area and learn the area’s dreamlike cliffs, a feature of the HBO hit series, Game of Thrones. Continue to the Guipuzcoan town of Getaria, where we will enjoy a guided tour of its historic quarter, and where we can admire its traditional fishing port, the church of San Salvador, and the monument in honor of Juan Sebastián Elcano, a sailor who turned the world and that he was born in this small town. Take a moment to eat in one of its many restaurants at Getaria. Enjoy the gastronomy of grilling local fish and seafood. From here, leave for San Sebastián for a guided tour of the city. See the Church of San Vicente and the Basilica of Santa María del Coro before heading back to Bilbao.

The fly will depend in weather conditions. If wind conditions are appropiate the flight will be done in San Sebastian. If the wind is not appropriate in San Sebastian you will move to Zarautz where the views are equally spectacular. The San Sebastian fly jumping point is located in Ulia mountain, just in front of Zurriola beach. In case the flight is taken to Zarautz you will fly from Talai Mendi where you will be able to see the sea, the beach, and the city from a privileged vantage point. Enjoy a unique adventure and feel like a bird having spectacular aerial views while being accompanied by an experienced instructor.

After being picked up from your hotel, make a first stop is Hondarribia. On the border with France, Hondarribia is one of the most beautiful coastline villages in Gipuzkoa. Take a stroll around the port and famous Marina neighborhood which are well worth visiting. Later head to the old fishing village of San Juan (Pasaia), before you hop on the boat and cross the bay to San Pedro, the last stop. These 2 villages are part of Pasajes, which takes the name from the bay that separates them. After the tour ends, your guide will drop you off at your hotel or any other place of your convenience in San Sebastian. The short distance from the city makes this the perfect half day tour; escape from the hustle of Donostia in the morning and still have time to enjoy it in the afternoon.

Enjoy a complete winery experience in the famous La Rioja. Be picked up your hotel and drive to La Rioja Alavesa wine area, surrounded by beautiful scenery. Learn how wine is made, explore a beautiful vineyard and take a tour through a bodega. Refine your palette with a wine tasting session, then indulge in a delicious lunch with local produce, desserts and a range of wines carefully selected from the vineyard's cellar. Relax as you are driven  back to your accommodation later in the afternoon, gastronomically satisfied and equipped with your newly found connoisseur's knowledge.

Departing from Donostia-San Sebastian, you'll visit the Sanctuary of Lourdes in France. You'll have time for the principal mass in the basilica, time to pray, go to see the cave, get some water, walk around the sanctuary and visit Bernadette's house. It will be an exclusive and complete private guided tour and you will be the only people on the tour. Thr driving time is roughly 2 hours in each drection and you'll have around 4.5 hours to spend exploring Lourdes. Departure times can be arranged and adjusted as you wish due to this being a private tour.

Delight in the renowned beaches of Biarritz, meander through the narrow streets of Saint Jean De Luz, taste local cuisine at the fishing village of Hondarribia, and marvel at the architectural beauty of San Sebastian on this full day tour from Bilbao. Follow the highway towards the east, through stunning natural landscapes, to arrive at Biarritz. Known as the Beach of Kings, it was a magnet for famous and royalty such as Napoleon III, Gary Cooper, and Frank Sinatra, and is still nowadays a very important tourist destination. Stroll through the old port, the Virgin on the Rock, and the scenic streets of this sea-side village. Next, following the panoramic coastal road views, you will continue onto Saint Jean De Luz, a lovely small village located on the French Basque coast. The house of Louis XIV, the Church of Saint Jean Baptist, and charming narrow streets are tourist highlights. Onwards to the next stop, Hondarribia, a village full of history that holds a medieval fortress and the remnants of an area that in the past was a pirate and whaler port. There will be free time for lunch and your guide will suggest a selection of recommended local restaurants.  Continue the last leg of journey to San Sebastian, the most beautiful city in the Basque Country. Enjoy the magnificent views of the mountain Igeldo as you are led on a walking tour into the old historical quarter. Afterwards, take advantage of free time to explore the city at your leisure before returning back to Bilbao in the evening.

Hike a section of the legendary Camino de Santiago (Way of Saint James) and experience San Sebastian from a fresh perspective. Stroll along the seafront, and follow the path up through the woods of Mount Ulia. Walk in the footsteps of the medieval pilgrims who followed the path to the shrine of St. James in Santiago de Compostela.  Marvel at the beautiful surroundings and get stunning views of the city from the mountain. Learn about the watchtower at the summit, from where whales can be seen in the Bay of Biscay. Make your way over the clifftops and through lush valleys and fill your lungs with the fresh sea air. Pass the remains of a Roman aqueduct, and see the 19th-century La Plata lighthouse that guided fishermen to port. Descend through pine forests to the fishing village of San Pedro, and stop to taste the local seafood tapas with wine, beer, soda, or water. Drive back to San Sebastian at the end of your amazing experience.

After pick-up, you will head along the coast to Zarautz, a surf spot in the Basque Country where many Basque people go for holidays. Then, you will visit Getaria, a fishing village where it seems like time has not passed. The streets of the city are well-preserved and it is also the birth town of Juan Sebastian de Elkano, the first man making an earth round-trip and Cristobal Balenciaga, famous fashion designer and the founder of the Balenciaga fashion house. Finally, you will visit the Txakoli cellar where you will see fields of grapes, accompanied by an expert who will explain everything regarding the local wine. At the end of the visit you will taste different kinds of Txakolis produce.

See villages trapped in between mountains like the villages of Durango, Eibar and Elgoibar! Arrive at the core of the province, and after the industrial village of Azkoitia, you will arrive at your first stop, the Sanctuary of Loyola, hometown of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits. Here you will visit the Basilica and the tower house where he was born and lived. Depending on the time, you may wish to attend a ceremony. Next you follow the route towards the coast on the north, passing through Azpeitia. You will also pass through Zestoa, a famous natural spa village with healing waters that attracted the royalty of Europe during the 19th and 20th centuries. Later you will arrive to the coast at Zumaia, a beautiful village very much appreciated by Basque summer tourists. Following the coastal road you will arrive at your next stop, Getaria. A unique medieval fishing village and hometown of famous figures like captain Juan Sebastian Elcano (the first man to travel around the world by sea), and Cristobal Balenciaga, the famous designer. Then you will pass by Zarauz, a beautiful tourist spot with the largest beach in the province of Gipuzkoa. You will arrive finally to San Sebastian (or Donostia) where you will do a panoramic tour of the city. After lunch, you will do a walking tour into the old quarter visiting the most interesting streets and locations before returning to Bilbao in the evening. Follow the highway towards the east, into the province of Gipuzkoa. On the way to the Sanctuary of Loyola, you will be able to admire the areas of inner Basque Country, combined with rural valleys and industrial

You will be picked up at your hotel or preferred location and taken to La Rioja, located around 100 miles (160 kilometers) from San Sebastian. Once there, you will visit 2 wine cellars that have been carefully selected by wine experts and take a walk around the vineyards to see the grape plants.  You will learn about wine processing, from choosing the grapes to producing the final product. You will also taste some wine and try some local products.