Basque & La Rioja Michelin tour

Basque & La Rioja Michelin tour – Foodie tour – Mugariz, Echaurren & Etxanobe – Bilbao – San Sebastián – La Rioja – Wine tastings & visits
Our Basque & La Rioja Michelin star break is our foodie & “gastronomade” city-break in Bilbao with day tours to San Sebastián & La Rioja to visit some of the best & prominent fine-dining restaurants in the world. We combine our lunches with visits to wineries in La Rioja & the Txakoli appelation. On your own: Guggenheim & pintxos routes! Perfectly situated 4**** downtown hotel for home base. (4 days/3 nights).

The Basque country is the fine-dining paradise on earth & collecting five stars in three restaurants in three days is not bad at all…Mr. K. Russel 2012

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20 con Francis Paniego Eva-Marie Nilsson 2011
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16 with Héctor Oribe
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Museo Guggenheim Bilbao

001 Bonito Norte Viajes

Itinerary highlights
Our Basque & La Rioja Michelin tour is a true trip for foodies & “gastronomades”… We will take you to three Michelin Star restaurants that together sum up five Michelin Stars! The Spanish food wonder will be revealed & you will get a glimpse of how food is such a 24h matter for the Basques & Spaniards. Science, creativity & art bleded in an outrageus way of provoking and making us fall in love with the culinary art form.  On your free time we will leave you self guided pintxos routes and recommend what to visit.  There are also wine tastings on the Schedule during this 4 day long program.

 

Day 1

Arrival to Bilbao, transfer on your own to downtown hotel, check in free afternoon until we meet up, take a walk to the Etxanobe restaurant in the Euskalduna Palace. We pass by the Guggenheim museum & get a vivid explanation of Gehrys master piece from the outside. Extanobe under one of Spain most notorious TV chefs Fernando Canales states:

“Our business is based on excellence … looking for the best of the best,” he said.

“The Michelin star is nothing if behind the star there’s no product, no idea.”

“I talk with my staff exactly the same way as I talk with my guests. Why? Because like that, without knowing, my team will be very polite,” he said. “Our slogan is that the people in front of you at that moment are the most important people in the world.”

Day 2

The turn goes to La Rioja where we do a morning visit & tasting at a small family owned winery getting to know the new La Rioja. We continue our star quest to fine dining village of Ezcaray and meet up with the young & striving Francis Paniego and his family gastro hotel Echaurren & top restaurant within the venue: El Portal…

El Portal de Echaurren is a dream. A dream belonging to a man: Francis Paniego. The dream was sown in his head long before he even knew what would become of it. It is a dream rooted in a valley with paths that lead into the essences of fresh grass and of dry leaves, and the essence of soil and tradition. And, above all, onto family.

Francis Paniego was awarded the National Gastronomic Prize as the best chef in Spain in November 2012. A year later, the Michelin Guide bestowed on El Portal del Echaurren their second star. The chef had already been the first man from La Rioja to achieve the first one. In the summer of 2014, he was branded as Ezcaray’s Favourite Son, his hometown. “One’s personal achievements aren’t completely ours”, said he during his proclamation during the local patron festivities of Saint Lawrence.

Day 3

The pearl of the Cantabrian sea San Sebastián & a Txakoli winery kicks off the day and for lunch we head for our two super stars: Mugaritz by Andoni Aduriz…

In the world of haute cuisine these days, the kitchens of such Michelin multiple-starred restaurants as Mugaritz, as well as those of steampunk upstarts looking for their first star, have become the crucible for a certain war between faux and haute, fuff-and-noise and authenticity, between extreme dictatorships and imperfect oligarchies, between plates served with miniaturized affectations delivered in designy settings and true artistry exercised in such a way that both challenges our sensibilities and redefines food, making it unforgettable.

Day 4

Optional Guggenheim visit or bike tour in Bilbao along La Ría del Nervión

Check out and transfer to airport and afternoon flight home.

Getting here & transfers

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Bilbao is the best airport for regular incoming international flights. Easyjet also operates to Bilbao & Ryanair operates to Santander  airport from several European cities. From UK there are weekly ferries to Bilbao and Santander. Ask us for the best option!

 

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All bus transfers in Spain included.  Longest bus transfer Ezcaray-Bilbao 1,5 h.
Hotels & meals
1185430_147523898789133_717792635_nWe stay at excellent 4**** Barceló Nervión right by the Nervión river between the Guggenheim & Old town. Great rest & varied breakfast buffet,

 

 

 

17 bon apetit!

On this tour you will enjoy solid buffet breakfasts with bread, cereals, juice, coffe & tea, ham, eggs, cheese as well as local sweets to get ready for a day of walking. Basque cuisine is influenced by the abundance of produce from the sea on one side and the fertile Ebro valley on the other. The mountainous nature of the Basque Country has led to a difference between coastal cuisine dominated by fish and seafood, and inland cuisine with fresh and cured meats, many vegetables and legumes, and freshwater fish and salt cod.
Activities on this tour

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Basque country lies in the North of Spain near the Bay of Biscay and in South Western France. With fertile ground for grains and vineyards in an area called Álava, and good land for livestock breeding in Vizcaya and Guipúzcoa, Basque country has a rich culinary heritage. It’s no wonder then that today the region boasts almost 40 Michelin starred restaurants.

 

wine greenVisits to 2 wineries with tastings. There will be opportunities to see how wine was made yesterday in comparison with modern techniques of authors or garage styled modern wines.
More tour maps

See the areas we explore on this tour!

What´s included?

3 nights double room at selected  4****

3 breakfasts

2 lunches & 1 dinner tasting menues at Micheln star restaurants Etxanobe, Portal de Echaurren & Mugaritz  with wine

2 winery visits

All transfers except Airport- Bilbao – airport

Travel documentation and useful information

Guide service during day tours and dinner & walk to Etxanobe

Pricing & general Conditions

From 935,00€

(160,00€ single room additional fee)

Flight and means of transportation to Spain excluded

Cancellations, Amendments and Refunds Bonito Norte Viajes

 

Cancellation due to severe sickness, illness, death of close family or catastrophic events at home such as fire, flooding or else: Total refund of the whole Price.

Cancellation due to other reasons

Cancellations up to 7 days tour starting date, 75% refund

Cancellation from 6 days to 48 hours prior to tour start date, 50% refund

Cancellation of tour start date prior to 48h, non-refundable

Be inspired by:

Etxanobe inspiration video! Etxanobe inspiration video!   Echaurran inspiration video! Echaurran inspiration video!Mugaritz inspiration video! Mugaritz inspiration video!

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