Join chef Rachel Allen from Ballymaloe Cookery School, who will co-host the tour with Simon McGookin of Iberian Wine Tours, on a gastronomic journey through two of northern Spain’s most celebrated food and wine regions. Together with local chefs, producers and experts, we’ll explore the traditions, ingredients and personalities that have shaped this extraordinary corner of Spain.

The Basque Country is proudly independent-minded and deeply rooted in its own language, traditions and culture and it has developed one of Europe’s most distinctive and influential food cultures. Nowhere is this more evident than in San Sebastián, where Michelin-starred restaurants sit alongside bustling pintxos bars and where food is central to everyday life. Along the coast, the fishing town of Getaria provides exceptional seafood, while inland, the landscape gives way to the vineyards of Rioja Alavesa.

Our journey takes us from the Atlantic coast into the heart of Rioja, combining hands-on cooking and traditional Basque food culture with some of Spain’s most exciting gastronomic experiences. We’ll meet the people behind the food, discover the craftsmanship behind exceptional local produce and enjoy wines in the places where they are made.

From the charcoal grills of Getaria to the medieval streets and vineyards of Rioja, this is an opportunity to experience northern Spain through its food, wine, landscapes and people – with Rachel Allen bringing her own passion for cooking and seasonal ingredients to the journey.

* Some visits are provisional

Payments Policy 

Each tour has a deposit of $750 per person which is payable at booking. The balance of payment is due 90 days prior to the start of the tour.

WeTravel Payments

We are thrilled to announce the launch of our brand-new booking system, powered by the WeTravel platform. Our primary goal is to enhance your booking experience, making it simpler and more convenient, especially when it comes to payment via credit card.WeTravel is a highly respected booking and payments platform for group travel businesses, trusted by over 5,000 companies worldwide. We couldn't be happier to partner with them, knowing that they provide instant payment acceptance, efficient booking management, and global fund transfers.
Booking your next adventure with us is now smoother than ever. Tours will continue to be listed on our website as before. When you click ‘book now’ on the tour page you will transition to the new WeTravel booking page for that tour where you can select the package and options that you wish to book.

We highly recommend creating an account during the signup process. This enables you to track the status of your bookings and make any necessary changes whenever you need to. Rest assured, WeTravel respects your privacy and won't inundate you with marketing emails.

Payment Methods  Once you've completed the familiar booking form, you can proceed to make secure online payments, currently available in 2 different ways:

1. credit card (which incurs a processing fee that varies according to the currency and location you are paying in, up to 2.9%) 

2. bank debit transfer. Bank debit transfers occur when an account holder authorises an outside party to “pull” funds from their bank account. The recipient’s bank initiates the transfer of funds, not the sender’s bank. When a customer sets up this type of bank transfer to make a payment, they provide their name and account details to the recipient, who will then use the account information to pull funds from the sender’s account into their own.This is different from bank/ wire transfer where instead of the recipient’s account “pulling” money from the sender’s account, credit transfers work by “pushing” money from the sender’s bank account to the recipient’s.

If you prefer alternative payment methods such as cheques or Wise wire transfer, we're happy to accommodate these arrangements on request.  

Non USA Payments  

Most of our tours are listed in US dollars but if you want to pay in your local currency by the bank debit method then it is as easy as selecting the flag of your country’s currency on the top right of the window when you are making payment. Alternatively, you can request our $US account details to make a wire transfer from outside the USA.  

2nd Participant Payments   

A booking will only show under the account of the person who made the booking, not the second participant. There are 2 options for payment in this case - 

1. You can pay together and handle the participant's payment outside of WeTravel. 

2. You can share the login and each make payments with your preferred payment method.

Timings 

The payment timing will stay the same, with a deposit of $750 pp payable at booking and the balance payable by 90 days before the tour starts. You will receive an automated reminder 30 days before the balance is due.We believe this new system will streamline your booking experience. If you have any questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at info@iberianwinetours.com.

Cancellation Policy

If you wish to cancel your booking, you need to confirm the cancellation in writing by email or letter. If you contact Iberian Wine Tours prior to confirming your cancellation we can advise you of the cancellation charges applicable to your situation. The cancellation charge is based on the number of days prior to the starting day of the trip booked. The charges are per person cancelling, as follows:

90 days or more – loss of deposit

89-60 days or more – 25%

59-30 days – 50%

29 days or less – 100%

Refund Policy
From time to time, tours do not reach the minimum number of bookings necessary to make the trip viable. We reserve the right to cancel or alter a tour in these circumstances. If we cancel the tour or make substantial alterations, we will advise you at least 60 days before departure and will offer you alternative dates or a full refund. 

Day 1 – Tuesday 8th June – San Sebastián
We meet at 11:00 at the elegant Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra, overlooking La Concha Bay and our base in San Sebastián for the next three nights.

Our gastronomic journey begins at Mimo San Sebastián with a hands-on cooking experience led by Mimo chefs. Under their guidance we’ll explore the ingredients, techniques and flavours that define Basque cooking before enjoying the dishes we have prepared for lunch. This evening we discover the culinary heart of San Sebastián on a guided pintxos tour of the Old Town, visiting some of the city’s best-loved bars and sampling exceptional pintxos alongside local wines. L/D

Day 2 – Wednesday 9th June – The Future of Basque Gastronomy
Today we explore the extraordinary culinary culture of the Basque Country with a private visit to the Basque Culinary Center.

The Center is an international hub for culinary education, research and innovation, helping shape the future of gastronomy. Our private visit offers an insight into its work and influence on the next generation of chefs, followed by a special lunch.

This evening we experience a very different and deeply traditional side of Basque food culture with a visit to a Gastronomic Society, the private members’ clubs at the heart of Basque culinary life for generations. Over a show-cooking dinner, we’ll enjoy the convivial atmosphere, traditional dishes and local wines. B/L/D

Day 3 – Thursday 10th June – Getaria & The Fruits of the Sea
We follow the Basque coast eastwards to the beautiful fishing town of Getaria, where the relationship between the land, sea and kitchen is particularly strong. Our morning begins with a tuna and anchovies workshop, offering an insight into two great ingredients of the Cantabrian coast. We’ll learn about their preparation and preservation, and their importance to the region’s culinary traditions.

We then enjoy lunch at 1 star Michelin Elkano, one of Getaria’s renowned seafood restaurants. Here, the emphasis is firmly on the exceptional fish and seafood of the local waters, prepared over the grill in the traditional Basque style. This evening is free to enjoy San Sebastián as you wish. B/L

Day 4 – Friday 11th June – Laguardia & Rioja
Today we leave the Atlantic coast behind and head south into the vineyards of Rioja AlavesaToday we leave San Sebastián and head inland towards Rioja, beginning with a visit to Quesos Aranburu, a family-run cheesemaker in Idiazabal and one of the leading producers of the region’s celebrated cheese. Here we enjoy a hands-on cheesemaking experience, learning about the production of Idiazabal and the traditions of the shepherds who have made it for generations.

Continue into Rioja and visit Bodegas Lecea, where we enjoy a traditional show-cooking lunch featuring lamb chops cooked over the fire and paired with Lecea’s Rioja wines. We’ll also discover the winery’s historic cellars and traditional approach to winemaking. We continue to Haro and check in to the elegant Palacio de Los Ángeles, our home for the final two nights. Free evening. B/L

Day 5 – Saturday 12th June – Jamón & Rioja

We head to Paco García, a much-loved family winery in Rioja, for a visit and tasting. We’ll also enjoy their homemade tortilla – a wonderfully simple example of the importance of food, family and hospitality in this part of Spain. Our gastronomic finale is lunch at Ventamoncavillo, where we’ll experience the cuisine of a Michelin two-starred chef. Expect an ambitious and sophisticated interpretation of the region’s ingredients, providing a fitting conclusion to our culinary journey. We return to Haro for our final evening back at the hotel. B/L/D

Day 6 – Sunday 13th June – Bilbao
After breakfast, our culinary journey through the Basque Country and Rioja comes to an end. B