Spain
EUROPE
Oct 2026

Basque Country, Rioja, & Bordeaux

[ OVERVIEW ]

When we think of the Basque Country, we think of one of the most extraordinary food regions not only in Spain, but anywhere in the world.

This is a place where culinary identity runs deep, where Michelin stars coexist with lively pintxo bars, and where every meal you enjoy is an expression of culture and pride!

What makes this new travel itinerary especially meaningful to us is its breadth. We’ll begin our trip in Rioja and the Basque Country, regions that are of course foundational to Cúrate’s story, then cross into France to spend several nights in Bordeaux. This is the first time we are dedicating meaningful time to exploring the French side of the region’s wine countries, exploring both regions in one continuous experience. We’ll show you how these unique wine cultures speak to one another, how their histories intertwine, and how their terroirs create wines that are distinct yet connected.

Together, we will step inside historic bodegas and celebrated châteauxs. We will taste traditional winemaking expressions rooted in Old World methods, and explore how innovation continues to shape these regions today. From cellar tastings to coastal meals, from vineyard walks to long lunches that stretch into the afternoon, this is an immersive exploration of what makes great wine regions endure.

This is not a checklist tour. It is a small-group culinary journey designed for depth, perspective, learning together, and for exploring the region through the eyes of the winemakers. We’ll travel at a thoughtful pace, balancing expert-led visits with time to absorb the landscape, the people, and obviously–the food!

For those who love food and wine, this is a rare opportunity to experience two of the world’s great wine cultures in one seamless journey. It is the ultimate expression of what inspires us most: extraordinary meals, meaningful hospitality, and the joy of discovering how regions connect across borders.

Experience Details

Trip Duration

10 days/ 9 nights

Pricing

$10,990

2 Oct - 11 Oct 2026

Next Dates

Price is per person based on double occupancy

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A view of an old European city with stone buildings and terracotta tile roofs, with some trees visible among the rooftops.
A group of five people sitting around a wooden table in a garden, with one man pouring a drink, and all engaged in conversation.
A scenic view of a bay with two small islands, boats anchored in the water, a beach along the shoreline, and a city in the distance surrounded by hills and greenery under a cloudy sky. 
[ HIGHLIGHTS ]

A Journey Across Two Iconic Wine Worlds

Cities of Focus

The experience begins in Rioja, moving through vineyard villages and into San Sebastián and the Basque coast. From there, it continues north into the French Basque Country and Bordeaux, with time in Saint-Émilion and Pessac-Léognan.

Dining Experiences

Meals range from pintxos in San Sebastián to vineyard lunches in Rioja and Michelin-starred dining across Spain and France. Highlights include Arrea, Elkano, Azurmendi, and La Table de Pavie, alongside meals shaped by local producers.

Sightseeing & Culture

This itinerary is a deep immersion in Catalonia’s art, history and culture. We’ll view Gaudí and Dalí’s masterpieces, take a visit to elBulli1846 and medieval Girona, and take time to observe the architecture, coastal towns, and working landscapes that continue to shape daily life in the region.

Lodgings

Accommodations move from a boutique stay in Rioja to a contemporary hotel in San Sebastián, and finally to a château-style property in Saint-Émilion, each selected for comfort, setting, and a strong sense of place.

A person pouring red wine into a wine glass outdoors on a stone surface.
View of a vineyard through a car window with rows of grapevines and a cloudy sky in the background.

Tour Itinerary

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Day One: Arrival in Rioja

Our journey begins in Rioja, in the hilltop village of Briones, where narrow streets and stone buildings sit above the vineyards of the Ebro Valley. We’ll arrive at Palacio de los Ángeles, a boutique property at the center of the village, and take time to settle in before gathering on the rooftop in the late afternoon for a welcome reception overlooking the surrounding scenery.

Together, we’ll enjoy our first glass of wine from Rioja before heading to the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Los Caños, for one of many meals we’ll enjoy together in the coming week. This first evening will serve as a slow introduction to the region to get acclimated and ease into the pace of the days ahead.

  • Arrival, rooftop welcome reception, Michelin-starred dinner

  • Briones, Ebro Valley

  • Palacio de los Ángeles, Rioja

  • Arrival: Afternoon
    End: ~22:00

A castle on a hilltop surrounded by trees with a landscape of rolling hills and fields in the distance under a blue sky with scattered clouds.

Day Two: vineyards and Cellars of Rioja Alta:

On our second day together, we begin our journey into the world of Rioja in the village of Ollauri with a private visit to Conde de los Andes. We’ll step into the winery’s underground cellars carved beneath the town, where wines age and the long arc of the region’s winemaking history is front and center.

From there, we’ll continue on to Laguardia in Rioja Alavesa for a second tasting that explores a more contemporary winemaking perspective. We’ll then gather for lunch at Casa Primicia, set among the vineyards, where the setting and the meal reflect the character of the surrounding landscape.

Your afternoon will then be left open to relax and explore after a full day in the vineyards!

  • Cellar visit, guided tastings, vineyard lunch, afternoon at leisure

  • Ollauri, Laguardia, Rioja Alta

  • Palacio de los Ángeles

  • Arrival: Afternoon
    End: ~22:00

Group of people in a vineyard surrounded by grapevines on a cloudy day.

Day Three: From Wine Country to the Basque Coast

Today, we move from the vineyards of Rioja toward the Basque coast, tracing the shift from inland wine country to the mountains and, eventually, the sea. After a final vineyard visit, we’ll continue into the Alavese Mountains to the village of Santikurutze Kanpezu for lunch at Arrea!.

Here, Chef Edorta Lamo presents a deeply rooted expression of Mendialdea cuisine, drawn from the traditions of the surrounding landscape. His approach centers on hyper-local ingredients and a philosophy he describes as furtivism, what he refers to “his rawest, hardest, and wildest roots”, comprising the area’s native offerings. The restaurant has earned both a Michelin star and a Green Star for its commitment to sustainability and exploring regional identity.

In the early evening, we’ll commence our day’s journey at our hotel in San Sebastián, shifting from the rural calm of the Rioja countryside into the atmosphere of this vibrant, seaside city.

  • Winery visit, mountain transfer, Michelin-starred lunch

  • Rioja Alavesa, Santikurutze Kanpezu, San Sebastián

  • Hotel Lasala, San Sebastián

  • Departure: 09:30
    Arrival: ~18:30

Overhead view of a wooden dining table set for a meal with assorted appetizers, small plates, bowls of sauces, wine glasses, chopsticks, and red checkered napkins, surrounded by wicker chairs.

Day Four: Regional Cuisine of San Sebastián

San Sebastián is best understood through its food, which sits at the center of daily life in a city long defined by its iconic dining culture.

We’ll begin the day exploring the city before heading to Mercado de la Bretxa, a historic market filled with local fishmongers, butchers, and produce vendors. With a local chef as our guide, we’ll learn about the ingredients central to Basque cooking before stepping into the kitchen for a hands-on class, preparing lunch together using what we gather from the market.

In the evening, we’ll stroll the cobblestone streets of Parte Vieja– Old Town San Sebastián– immersing ourselves in the city’s pintxo culture, discovering the social ritual of txikiteo and the unwritten rules of Basque bar culture.

  • Market visit, cooking experience, pintxo tour

  • San Sebastián, Mercado de la Bretxa, Parte Vieja

  • Hotel Lasala

  • Departure: 10:00
    End: ~21:30

Three people toast glasses in a restaurant kitchen, smiling, with a sign that says 'RESTAURANTE' on a brick wall.

Day Five: The Basque Coast: Exploring the Flysch Cliffs of Zumaia and Getaria

The following day, we’ll continue along the Basque coast, following the Atlantic as it opens onto one of the most striking stretches of shoreline in northern Spain. In Zumaia, we’ll stop to take in the Flysch cliffs, where layers of rock terrace into the sea, revealing millions of years of geological history.

From there, we’ll continue to Getaria for a tasting of txakoli, the region’s lightly sparkling white wine, before settling in for lunch at one of Felix’s favorite restaurants, Kaia, where seafood is grilled simply over open flame with a level of precision that defines Basque coastal cooking. Then, it’s back to our hotel for free time to explore

  • Flysch cliffs visit, txakoli tasting, coastal lunch, free evening

  • Zumaia, Kaia, Basque Coast

  • Hotel Lasala

  • Departure: 10:00
    Return: ~16:30

Fishes being grilled on a barbecue grill over charcoal.

Day six: Bilbao, Art, and Contemporary Basque Cuisine

Today, we’ll venture into the energetic metropolitan area of Bilbao, a city known for its striking architecture and its transformation in recent decades centered around deindustrialization. We’ll visit the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, where contemporary art and bold design have come to define the city’s identity and mark its shift from an industrial past to a cultural center.

From there, we’ll gather for a long lunch at Azurmendi, the three-Michelin-star restaurant founded by Eneko Atxa, where traditional Basque cooking is reinterpreted with a modern, cutting-edge perspective, focusing on technique and sustainability.

We’ll arrive back in San Sebastián in the early evening to unwind and enjoy a relaxed dinner at leisure.

  • Museum visit, Michelin-starred lunch, evening at leisure

  • Bilbao, Guggenheim Museum

  • Hotel Lasala

  • Departure: 09:00
    Return: ~18:30

A large metallic spider sculpture in front of a modern, architecturally complex building with angular, metallic surfaces.

Day Seven: Into the French Basque Country

We’ll continue north through the Pyrénées-Atlantiques into the French Basque Country, following the coastline and crossing into France. Along the way, we’ll stop in Espelette, where dried red peppers hang along the facades of village houses, a defining ingredient in the region’s cooking.

We’ll also visit a Makhila workshop to see how the traditional Basque walking stick is made, offering a closer look at the craft traditions that remain part of daily life here. After lunch in the countryside, we’ll continue north, leaving the Basque coast behind as the landscape begins to shift.

By the afternoon, we’ll arrive in Saint-Émilion, where vineyards and pale stone architecture mark our transition into Bordeaux and the next chapter of the journey.

  • Craft workshop visit, village walk, countryside lunch, transfer to Bordeaux

  • Espelette, French Basque Country, Saint-Émilion

  • Hotel Grand Barrail, Saint-Émilion

  • Departure: 09:30
    Arrival: ~18:00

Green window with shutters displaying red chili peppers and red ceramic kitchenware inside.

Day Eight: Saint-Émilion and Grand Cru Bordeaux

This day will prove to be a truly special look at Bordeaux’s history, exploring the medieval village of Saint-Émilion, renowned for its winemaking precision and prestige. Through a series of private visits and tastings, we’ll step inside some of the area’s most established estates, gaining a closer understanding of the terroir, craftsmanship, and traditions that define this celebrated winemaking region–the first vineyard landscape to be recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We’ll also have time to walk through the village, meandering down its narrow stone streets at a leisurely pace and taking in views of the surrounding vineyards before settling in for dinner in the heart of the region.

  • Château visits and tastings, village exploration, dinner at Hotel Grand Barrail

  • Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux wine estates

  • Hotel Grand Barrail

  • Departure: 09:30
    End: ~23:00

Group of five people shopping for produce at a market stall, smiling and talking. There are pumpkins and other vegetables on the counter, and a store sign in the background that reads 'Charcuterie - Conserves - Salaisons'.

Day Nine: Pessac-Léognan and a Farewell Dinner

In the final leg of our trip, we’ll travel to the winemaking region of Pessac-Léognan, just south of Bordeaux on the left bank of the Garonne River. We’ll begin with a visit and tasting at Château Smith Haut Lafitte, one of the region’s leading estates.

From there, we’ll enjoy a relaxed lunch in the countryside at La Table du Lavoir. Then, we’ll enjoy a leisurely afternoon, followed by yet another meal— this time at La Table de Pavie led by Yannick Alléno. A skilled interpreter of Bordeaux’s terroir, his modern approach focuses on seasonality and a clear connection to the surrounding vineyards, offering a natural dialogue between food and wine.

This final day offers time to reflect on the places we’ve experienced together before the journey comes to a close, with departure the following day.

  • Winery visit, countryside lunch, free afternoon, farewell dinner

  • Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux

  • Hotel Grand Barrail

  • Departure: 10:00
    End: Evening

An old stone house surrounded by greenery and a vineyard in the foreground with trees on the sides.

Day Ten: Departure

After breakfast, you’ll depart with private transfers arranged according to your flight schedules. We’ll take the stress out of getting to your final destination following a final calm morning in Bordeaux.

  • Private transfers to airport

  • Bordeaux

  •  N/A

  • Departure: Based on flight itinerary

Close-up of a cluster of ripe black grapes hanging from a vine, with some green and yellow leaves around them, in a vineyard. 
[What's Included]

Inclusions

Your experience includes accommodations in thoughtfully selected hotels, with private airport transfers within tour cities and transportation throughout the itinerary. Meals are included as outlined, along with guided visits, entrance fees, and the experiences that shape each daily itinerary. Where noted, domestic flights are arranged, with standard baggage allowances. Throughout the journey, Cúrate Travel leadership is present, and gratuities at hotels and restaurants are taken care of, allowing you to sit back, enjoy, and enjoy each destination with ease!

Exclusions

International airfare to and from the tour destination is not included. Travel insurance and any visa or entry requirements will need to be arranged independently. Meals and experiences outside the itinerary remain open for you to explore at your own pace, along with personal expenses such as laundry or room service. Gratuities for drivers and local guides are left to your discretion. Any additional taxes or fees introduced after publication are also not included.

[faq]

General Questions

Our full FAQ, Including information about how to book your trip, can be found here

  • These are carefully curated small-group culinary and cultural explorations centered around each destination’s food, wine, culture, and people. Each itinerary brings together exceptional meals, meaningful encounters, privileged access, and time to enjoy the pace and character of each location in a relaxed and thoughtful way.

  • Reservations are made directly through Curate Travel. Submit an inquiry via our contact form to book directly with our tour coordinators! Once your place is confirmed, you will receive the next steps, payment schedule, and all relevant pre-departure information.

    Note: your spot will not be considered “Booked” until Terms of Service are signed and your 25% deposit has been received.

  • Our journeys are designed for curious, open-minded travelers with a genuine interest in food, wine, culture, and place. They are ideal for guests who value quality, personal connection, and a well-balanced rhythm of travel, and who enjoy sharing the experience with a small group of like-minded travelers.

  • Each journey is personally hosted throughout by Felix Meana, co-founder of the Cúrate brands and Curate Travel, as well as the team at our Spanish offices which is led Ernes Olasagasti, an experienced tour guide with more than a decade of experience leading luxury tours and beyond. This trusted local team oversees every detail on the ground. To learn more about your guides, head to our About page to meet the team!

  • Groups are intentionally small, generally between 12 and 18 guests, to preserve a personal atmosphere and allow for a more carefully hosted and flexible experience.

  • Yes. While each itinerary includes a carefully designed program of experiences, there is also time to rest, explore independently, or simply enjoy each destination at your own pace. We believe this balance is an essential part of a truly enjoyable journey.

  • These journeys are designed to be comfortably enjoyed by most travelers and do not require a high level of physical fitness. That said, guests should feel comfortable with moderate walking, occasional stairs, and active days that may include visits, transfers, and time spent standing. Specific details for each itinerary will always be shared in advance.

  • Yes. Many guests join on their own, and the group atmosphere is warm, welcoming, and easy to integrate into. A single supplement may apply for those requesting private accommodation.