Spain Basque Country and Navarre
2016
Diversity on a High Level
Beratung & Buchung
Melanie Havel
Spain
Inclusive services
7 nights incl. breakfast
6 multi-course dinners
All entry fees as mentioned in the tour description
Additional (city-) guide in the Museum Guggenheim Bilbao
All visitors and tourist taxes
All interim shuttels as mentioned in the tour description (bus)
Rotalis guide during the whole tour
Rotalis service bus during the whole tour
Rotalis luggage service
Rotalis touring bike (excluded electric bikes)
Tagesablauf
Arrival: Saturday
From Bilbao airport a shuttle bus leaves half-hourly to the city center (20 minutes). The bus stop Alameda
de Recalde lies at only a few meters from our hotel, the five-star Gran Hotel Domine, right in front of the
Guggenheim Museum (overnight and breakfast on Sunday are included in the tour price). At 5.15 p.m. we
will meet at the lobby for a tour through the world-famous Guggenheim Museum of Modern Art. The
US-Canadian Frank Gehry has set a landmark with this innovatively designed twisted architecture, thus
attracting visitors from all over the world.The evening is at your disposal. In the tangle of lanes and alleways
in the city center you find numerous tapas bars offering Basque specialties.
1st Day Sunday: Bilbao – Argomaniz (32 km / 20 miles)
We start our cycle tour along the river Nervion through the slowly awakening city of Bilbao in the direction of
the Atlantic Ocean. Mainly on cycle paths and quiet byroads, we witness the decline of the former industrial
city as well as the emerging modern metropolis of Bilbao. In Portugalete the world’s oldest transporter
bridge takes us across the river Nervion. Since 2006 the Puente Bizkaia belongs to the the UNESCO world
heritage. After lunch in the lively seaside resort Getxo with its elegant villas, a minibus takes us to the
Embalse de Ullibarri, an artificial lake near Vitoria Gasteiz. On small paths near the lake we circumvent the
rather unattractive capital of the Basque Country. In the late afternoon we reach the Parador Argomaniz, a
former Renaissance palace, where an exquisite dinner awaits us.
2nd Day Monday: Argomaniz – Estella (46 km / 29 miles)
In the morning our route leads into the Sierra de Urbasa. On this deserted high plateau, barren grassland
alternates with lush beech groves. Flocks of sheep and grazing horses accompany our bike tour. With
some luck we will see griffon vultures whose wings can reach a span of over 2 meters. After a descent with
panoramic views on the bizarre rocky scenery of the Sierra de Santiago de Loquiz, and past pictorial
villages, we reach Estella in the late afternoon. This place situated along the pilgrim route, is also called
Estella la Bella because of its historic old town. On our round trip we see Romanesque churches like San
Sepulcro with its impressive tympanum or the palace of the dukes of Granada de Ega from the 12th
century. Today’s lodging is the modern and comfortable hotel Tximista, a former granary with comfortable
rooms. For dinner we proceed to a highly praised restaurant near our hotel.
3rd Day Tuesday: Estella – Olite (46 km / 29 miles)
Our day starts with a short bus trip to a Mirador, where we can admire the vast openness of Navarre. We
start with a pleasurable descent through the beautiful Sierra del Pérdon to Puente de la Reina, where the
French Camino de Santiago joins the Spanish and as a single path continues across the river Arga over a
very well preserved Roman bridge. In Calle Mayor we discover architectural jewels such as the churches
Santiago as well as richly decorated residences, silent witnesses of a long tradition of pilgrimage. By noon
we arrive in Artajona with a tangle of paved lanes and alleyways spreading down the hill into the plain. It is
towered by a legendary wear system of the 11th century, the so called El Cerco. After a longer ascent we
reach the wine growing area of Tudela, where the famous Rosados de Navarre are produced. In the
afternoon, going on lonely paths we reach the former royal city Olite, the seat of the Court of Navarre until
its union with Castile in 1512, the majestic Royal Palace Charles III, King of Navarre, called the Noble. He
loved splendour and elegance, exotic animals and even had a tropical garden within the town walls. It was
declared a National Monument as early as 1925 and is considered the most important Gothic secular
building of Spain. Now being a Parador, we end our eventful day with a delicious dinner in this comfortable
lodging.
4th Day: Wednesday: Olite – Vera di Bidasoa (59 km / 36 miles)
Weather permitting, a minibus takes us in about 90 minutes to the the summit of Mount Artxueta in the
Aralar range. A splendid view opens up over the mountain range of Urbasa which, in the 12th century,
inspired friars to build the monastery of San Migel in Excelsis. The Roman retable in its sanctuary is a
masterpiece of European enamel works. After a comfortable cycling leg mostly downhill, the bus takes us
uphill again to another pass. Then our bikes roll almost 19 miles downhill into the most characteristic
Basque region of our tour. In the pristine valley of Rio Ezkurra with its sleepy villages and magnificent views
into the wildly romantic landscape, the specific culture of the Basque Country becomes evident. On our last
mile we follow the former railroad track to Vera de Bidasoa where we are welcomed at the hotel Churrut, a
stylish building of the 18th century that has been converted into a comfortable hotel with a homely
atmosphere. An excellent Basque dinner awaits us at the hotel.
5th Day Thursday: Vera di Bidasoa – St. Jean de Luz (25 km /15 miles)
Today a morning climb on our bikes will be rewarded with a magnificent view and an equally impressive
downhill into the French part of the Basque Country to the village of Sare, which has a commendation for
Les plus beaux villages de France. Close together we find the city hall, fronton, community centres and
village church. The bakeries offer the famous gateau basque (filled almond cake). After a longer but
feasible ascent, our bikes roll to Ascain. Every single white house has its own name and a red or green
wooden beam, decorated with dried peppers and flowers. In the early afternoon, we reach St. Jean de Luz
on quiet paths. For many Frenchmen, the former fishing village is the most beautiful bathing resort of
southwestern France. The promenade invites to a stroll and attractive shops in the small pedestrian area
offer typical Basque specialties and craftwork. Of special interest is the church Saint-Jean Baptiste where
Louis XIV was married to Maria Theresa of Spain in 1660. We lodge at the La Devinière, a charming hotel,
although the rooms are rather small. On a few tours we will be staying at the nearby La Marisa, another
charming hotel of the same category. For another exquisite dinner we will meet at a small fish restaurant
near our hotel.
6th Day: Friday: St. Jean de Luz – San Sebastian (34 km / 21 miles)
We leave St. Jean de Luz cycling along rolling hills in the direction of Hendaye, the old French border town.
A ferry takes us across the Bidasoa to Hondarribia thus returning to the Spanish País Vasco. From Mount
Jaizkibel (1630 ft) in the extreme west of the Pyrenees, a long downhill with wonderful panoramic views of
the Gulf of Biscaya and the evergreen back-country leads us to the picturesque port of Pasaia. We cross
the natural harbor on a small boat and as weather permitting, hike up Monte Ulia along quiet paths to reach
the peak with breathtaking views over the city and the famous Concha Bay. After a short descent we cycle
through the most interesting parts of San Sebastian to today’s destination, the Tryp Orly, one of the city’s
best hotels. We will celebrate our typical Basque farewell dinner in an excellent restaurant in the bustling
old town center.
7th Day Saturday: San Sebastián – Bilbao airport
Maybe you feel like a stroll through the charming town of San Sebastian to enjoy the lively squares and
alleyways or like watching the returning fishing boats at the harbour. You may also go for a last swim in the
Atlantic before your tour guides take you to the hourly shuttle bus to Bilbao Airport.
Dates and prices
17.06.17 / ab 1.750 €
26.08.17 / ab 1.750 €
02.09.17 / ab 1.750 €
09.09.17 / ab 1.750 €