San Sebastian, La Rioja, Spain & Bordeaux, France
801.201.4282
Cost: $4955
Itinerary Spain & Southwest France
Basque Country, Bordeaux Culinary & Wine Experience
September 7-16, 2019
10 days/ 9 nights
https://internationalculinarytours.com/basque-bordeaux/#moreinfo
Saturday, Sept. 7:
Arrive on respective flights from Spain. Check-in followed by Welcome Pintxos walkabout (tapas tour) of Old City of Bilbao at 5 pm.
Overnight: Bilbao
Evening: Pintxos walkabout
Included: Dinner/drinks, includes wine
Sunday, Sept. 8:
Begin your day with a visit the Guggenheim Museum, a contemporary museum by Frank Gehry, with our private guide. Enjoy not only the inside exhibitions but the structure of the museum and outside installations as well. Continue on to La Rioja region with lunch stop and one winery tour.
Evening: Dinner with wine at hotel
Included: Breakfast, picnic lunch/drinks, dinner
Overnight: La Rioja region
Monday, Sept. 9:
After breakfast, enjoy touring the La Rioja region, first stopping at the town of Haro. Here we will visit and have tastings at both the world renown wineries of Roda and Tondaria. Compare and contrast these traditional wineries with Baigorri, an ultra-modern winery where we will stop for a tour and lunch.
Evening: Pixtos walking tour of San Sebastian
Included: Breakfast, lunch, winery visits with tastings, Pixtos dinner
Overnight: San Sebastian
Tuesday, Sept. 10:
Experience being a “Basque Chef” today by starting the morning with a tour of the Central Market in San Sebastian with our private chef, shopping for our cooking class. Our class will be held in a private studio with our chef. Enjoy local drinks, wine pairings with the lunch you have prepared.
Evening: At your leisure
Included: Breakfast, cooking class with lunch/drinks
Overnight: San Sebastian
Wednesday, Sept. 11:
Begin the morning with a stop at a Txakoli winery cascading down to the ocean. Enjoy tastings and snacks. Continue on to the beautiful fishing village of Getaria and enjoy a picnic along the St. James Camino Path.
Return late afternoon and relax prior to dinner. Dinner will be at a Gastronomic club in San Sebastian, formally men-only clubs and now open to female memberships. Participate with our private chef in preparing regional specialties for our evening feast.
Evening: Gastronomic club dinner
Included: Breakfast, picnic lunch/drinks, dinner with drinks, wine
Overnight: San Sebastian
Thursday, Sept. 12:
After breakfast, we will transfer by private van to Bordeaux at 7:30 am. Enjoy a morning break in the beautiful seaside village of Biarritz on our way to Bordeaux. Arrive at Chateau Carbonnieux, a beautiful 13th century historical winery in the Pessac-Leognan region of Graves. Meet our host and sommelier and enjoy lunch with wine at the estate. Continue on after lunch for second winery visit prior to arriving in Bordeaux. Visit to the Wine Museum prior to checking in to our hotel in Bordeaux.
Evening: Dinner in Bordeaux
Included: Breakfast, lunch/tastings & dinner/drinks
Overnight: Bordeaux
Friday, Sept. Sept. 13:
Start the morning with a pleasant drive from Bordeaux to Saint Emilion, a historic city surrounded by vineyards and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1999. Enjoy a walking tour of the town followed by VIP winery visits and tastings. Afterward we will have a multi course lunch with wine. In late afternoon, transfer to Chateau Ladausse in Monflanquin, France.
Included: Breakfast, lunch, wine tastings, dinner with wine
Evening: Dinner at Chateau Ladausse
Overnight: Overnight in Monflanquin
Saturday, Sept. 14:
After breakfast, enjoy a full day tour of the Castles of the Dordogne including the famous Chateau des Milandes, former home of the Jazz entertainer Josephine Baker. Continue on to visit the one of the prettiest villages of France, La Roque Gageac . Enjoy a picnic afterward before visiting another castle, Chateau de Beynac time permitting. Return to Chateau Ladausse for our evening cooking class, dinner and wine atelier.
Included: Breakfast, picnic lunch, cooking class, dinner with wine pairings
Evening: Dinner at Chateau Ladausse
Overnight: Chateau Ladausse
Sunday, Sept. 15:
Leisurely morning includes a visit to Issigeac Sunday market to purchase specialties for our picnic. Time allotted to enjoy shopping in this charming, medieval village. Afterward, we will take what we have purchased to Chateau de Biron, dating back to the 13th century and enjoy our picnic lunch with wine below the Castle ramparts
Afterward, return to Chateau Ladausse with time to relax in the afternoon prior to our farewell dinner.
Included: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner with wine pairings
Evening: Dinner at Chateau Ladausse
Overnight: Chateau Ladausse
Monday, Sept. 16:
Transfer to Bordeaux for flights or TGV to Paris.
Included: Breakfast
Tour Includes:
9 nights hotel accommodations including 4 star hotels and Chateau Ladausse (5 nights Spain, 4 nights France)
Daily buffet breakfas
8 dinners/ 8 lunches
Private professional guides and transportation
All entrance fees, tastings, cooking classes as listed
Transfers as listed
Not Included:
International airfar
Airport transfers unless specified
Gratuities for guides, baggage handlers, drivers, housekeepers
Personal purchases
Deposit and Final payment:
Deposit required to secure booking $895 per person. Remaining balance will be due 75 days prior to trip start date.
Visir website to view more about this tour, and to reserve you space for this incredible, intimate food and wine experience! Space is limited.
SPAIN & SOUTHWEST FRANCE
Culinary, Cooking and Wine Appreciation
10 DAYS / 9 NIGHTS
Travel Insurance, optional: (recommended options)
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