ACTIVITY LEVEL: Low

Join The Continental DRIFTER® Founder and veteran tour organizer Ralph Velasco for the culinary adventure of a lifetime in Northern Spain. 

This experience will focus on the Basque cities of San Sebastián and Getaria, as well as Laguardia & Logroño in the Rioja region, plus we’re offering an optional pre-trip extension to Barcelona.

During this once-in-a-lifetime trip, you'll enjoy several locally-guided tapas tours, a visit to a private gastronomic society with lunch, a number of wine tastings, as well as learn about olive oil production concluding with a private tasting held in the middle of a centuries-old olive grove.

Click here to watch a video overview of this experience.

If you choose to participate in the optional pre-trip extension to Barcelona you’ll spend three nights in a wonderful boutique hotel that is well-located for all you’ll do during your stay.

Next, start the base trip by staying 4 nights in San Sebastián at an amazing former convent that's been expertly converted into a great boutique hotel located meters from La Concha Beach and within walking distance of just about everything this beautiful seaside town has to offer.

Finally, your last 4 nights will be at a converted family villa perfectly situated right on the Plaza Mayor of the hill town of Laguardia, which is lovely to explore and just a short distance from all our planned activities in this region.

It goes without saying that spending time in these beautiful places will be truly unforgettable, even for the most seasoned traveler.  There may even be an opportunity for an optional hot air balloon ride (see this video for an example of this experience).

"Continental DRIFTER’s Northern Spain trip was the trip of a lifetime, but I will definitely travel with Ralph again, so there’s going to be competition for that “trip of a lifetime” title! 

With a small group of delightful companions, we saw spectacular views and architecture, ate amazing local food, drank delicious local wine, visited interesting locations with fun and knowledgeable local guides, and had so many laughs. 

Highlights included the sheer cliff faces overlooking Zumaia Beach, the lush terraced vineyards over the impossibly blue Bay of Biscay, the charming beachfront of San Sebastian, the ridiculously delicious tapas crawl on Calle Laurel in Logroño, and spending part of the trip in a little 13th-century walled town in Rioja. 

Ralph takes care of every detail, so all that’s left to do is marvel, learn, and enjoy. And eat. And eat. I loved spending enough time in each location to really get a feel for it instead of rushing from place to place checking items off a list, and Ralph curates the coolest experiences, like olive oil farm tours and cooking classes. 47 thumbs up from me! - Karen G.

"I have recently returned from this trip to Northern Spain and I highly recommend it! We toured

wineries, had an olive oil tasting in an olive grove, attended a cooking class, took tours of churches and architecture, and so much else! 

At each stop, Ralph had hired guides with extensive knowledge of their area, who were interesting, helpful, and punctual. (In Ramon's case, hilarious as well!). After daily excursions, we had the late afternoon and evening free to wander on our own and explore the three different cities we stayed in.

The food was fantastic and fresh. We never had a bad meal. The hotels were beautiful.

My favorite memory will always be sitting on the outdoor patio of a beautiful winery in the sun, eating pintxos (Basque tapas), drinking incredible wine, and chatting with the really nice group of people on the trip; all with a beautiful view of the Bay of Biscay.

It was definitely one of the highlights for me!

I would recommend Ralph and Continental Drifter to anyone looking for an amazing travel experience!" - Diana S.

"My husband and I traveled with Ralph to the Basque region of Spain recently. It was our first experience with All Campagna and it will definitely not be our last. First of all, Ralph researches all his trips so thoroughly that you get to enjoy all the wonderful activities, events and accommodations that he chooses for his trips. I can not rave enough about our trip to Spain. Oh my gosh, the food was unbelievable, and let's not forget the wine! His trips are such a nice small size that everyone becomes like family by the end of the trip! I can not wait to try our next adventure with Ralph." - Ann W.

"I just returned from the September trip to Spain. The trip was a true experience. I had waited for for 18 months to for this vacation and it was well worth the wait. Ralph's planning and preparations are excellent and I waded through the international travel bureaucracy with ease. 

Accommodations were amazing. We stayed in terrific rooms in 14th century properties after a three day add-on trip to Barcelona.

The food is amazing! Each included multiple courses of traditional Spanish food and included a full meal prepared by a local gastronomic society. If you have never done a pub crawl enjoying wine and tapas, you haven't lived. Spanish wine is terrific and we visited several wineries and learned about the cultivation and creation of the local vintages...even a winery in caves below the city. 

Each segment of the trip includes a very experienced local guide who knows both the sites and history of the area. The small group size quickly becomes a trip with friends just having a great time. Will I do it again? You better believe it!" - Brad C.

According to Google, “Basque Country (Euskadi) is an autonomous community in northern Spain with strong cultural traditions, a celebrated cuisine and a distinct language that pre-dates the Romance languages. 

The vibrant riverside city of Bilbao is a hub of architecture and design, where gritty factories and shipyards give way to cutting-edge landmarks such as the titanium-clad Guggenheim Museum [by Frank Gehry] along a revitalized waterfront. ”

Population: 2.178 million (2019) Eurostat

ALL ACTIVITIES, LOCATIONS, DAYS, AND TIMING ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Most meals are included and B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, and D = Dinner