Spain Basque Country and Navarre
Beratung & Buchung
Melanie Havel
Spain
Inclusive services
Inclusive services:
7 nights incl. Breakfast (Saturday to Saturday)
6 multi-course dinners
Water served for dinner
All visitors and tourist taxes
All interim shuttles as mentioned in the tour description (bus)
All entry fees as mentioned in the tour description
Rotalis touring bike (excluded electric bikes)
Rotalis guide
Rotalis service bus
Rotalis luggage service
Additional (city-) guide in the Museum Guggenheim Bilbao
Tagesablauf
Arrival day: Saturday
In Bilbao, the five-star Gran Hotel Domine, right in front of the Guggenheim Museum awaits you.
At 5.15 p.m. we will meet in 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.
1.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.
2.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.
3.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 dinner in this comfortable lodging.
4.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.
5.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 near 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.
6.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 Conca Bay. After a short descent we cycle
through the most interesting parts of San Sebastian to today’s destination, the Hotel Zenit, a charming
design hotel near the old town with roof top terrace and whirlpool bath welcomes us. We will celebrate our
typical Basque farewell dinner in an excellent restaurant in the bustling old town center.
7.Day: Saturday San Sebastián – Bilbao airport
After breakfast, your tour guides will take you to the hourly shuttle bus from San Sebastián to the airport of
Bilbao (ticket included in the tour price).
EXTRA NIGHTS
We are pleased to help you with the booking in our partner hotels (depending on availability).
Bilbao (Gran Hotel Domine): Numerous museums, but also an old town inviting you to stroll around, are
worth it to spend some additional days in this city.
San Sebastián (Hotel Zenit): Whether taking a bath in the Atlantic Ocean, watching the returning fishing
boats at the harbor or strolling through the charming old town, San Sebastián offers you a lot of possibilities
to plan your holiday.
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 €