The Camino Less Traveled Tour: Exploring the Back-Roads of Northern Spain

With the morning light of your first full day in Spain, it brings the knowledge that in traveling to Santiago de Compostela, you are participating in a tradition that has attracted millions of people over the centuries. Compostela has long been the destination for pilgrims who have been drawn to the many holy sites that are located in the city, and regardless of the motives that brought them or you here, you can rest assured that the city has had plenty of time to perfect the hospitality that it offers.

After a hearty breakfast of Spanish specialties, you will be left to explore the city center on your own. Whether you enjoy a busy boulevard or a relaxed plaza, there is something for everyone in the heart of this city. You will need all the rest you can get in preparation for your immersion in the proud history of Galician gastronomy. In the afternoon, you will be met at your hotel by your guide who will escort you to the arched ceilings of the Mercado de Abastos de Santiago. This bustling city market was built in 1941 and boasts an impressive array of food products from both the land and sea. Whether searching for olives, shellfish, or the famed Jamon Iberico, the friendly vendors will be happy to show off their produce and answer any questions that you may have.

Today, you are not here just to witness the impressive selection but to gather the unique ingredients that are required for your introduction to Galician cooking. With the assistance of your guide, you will navigate the shops and stalls to gather the essentials before making your way to your nearby coking course. Your instructor-chef will be well-versed in Spanish cooking techniques and will guide you step by step in the preparation and arrangement of the ingredients to ensure that you experience what is best of the culinary tradition. As you savor the flavors and scents of the sausage stew, you will wonder how you ever survived without such a delicacy, and the expertise of your instructor will ensure that no questions are left unanswered.

The next leg of your tour of Northern Spain lies in the vibrant and luscious communities of Spain’s Basque Country. A short domestic flight will lead you from the red-tiled roofs of Santiago de Compostela to the banks of the Nervion River and the industrial town of Bilbao. This city is probably best-known for possessing the famous Guggenheim museum of international acclaim, but the list of exciting and worthwhile sights to see is far too long to detail. Your airport transfer will rapidly convey you to the luxurious accommodation that you will be enjoying during your time here.

An off-the-beaten-path exploration of Northern Spain would not be complete without presenting the unique local history that can be found here. The Basque Country has been a vocal and unique corner of Spain for centuries, but tragically, it has also been the site of a bloody movement in favor of national independence. This dramatic history ensures that any visitor to the Basque Museum in the Old Town will be captivated with the stories of whalers, shepherds, fishers, and farmers that characterize this colorful region. Your private guide will ensure that your visit to the museum will yield the most relevant and up to date information on Bilbao’s history and its role within larger Spain.

Unbeknownst to many that visit this corner of Spain, the Basque country has the greatest concentration of Michelin-starred restaurants on the planet. Your day will end in calm reflection as you receive flights of local Txakoli, white wine that is distinct to the region and demonstrates the expertise of the local vintners. As the flavors and varieties of this sparkling treat wash over your taste buds, it will seem to carry with it the essence of this fertile landscape and the countless stories that it contains. After you have gotten your fill, you will be returned to your luxurious accommodation where the rest of the evening will be at your leisure.

You will wake up feeling relaxed and replenished today. During the previous hours, you will have noticed the pile of shapes that are situated next to the river and that tower over visitors. Like the wine that you sampled the night before, the Guggenheim museum represents the nexus of artistic genius and local ingredients. Designed by famed architect Frank Gehry, the halls and rooms of this museum contain numerous works of modern and contemporary art that continue to inspire visitors.

After a leisurely wake up in plush comfort, you will be met at your hotel by your private guide who will be well-versed in the history of the Guggenheim. As you wander the surreal landscape of each exhibit, your guide will regale you with tales of its director, who selected the site for its construction, and the inspiration behind its design. The metallic exterior and unique angles will make you feel as if you have stumbled into a Dr. Seuss setting where up is down and left is right. The masterful work of Louise Bourgeois and Richard Serra will blend with those works by talented debutantes as you wander from display to display.

Once your mind is filled with images of eight-legged monsters and giant West Highland terriers that are covered in flowers, a short walk will help calm your over-stimulated senses. Just upriver from the Guggenheim lies the bustling city center with plenty of crisscrossing alleyways and intimate plazas to explore. Here, your guide will depart, and you will have ample time to explore the inviting bars, shops, and restaurants that each vie for your attention with an attractive assemblage of plates and souvenirs.

A different mode of travel is just what the intrepid adventurer in you requires on this exploration of Northern Spain. Your previous airborne accommodation will be replaced by first-class travel aboard Spain’s reliable rail service as you are hypnotized by the rhythmic click and clack of the train and the gorgeous, rolling hills that speed by your window.

After a final breakfast in this remarkable city, your private transfer will whisk you off to Bilbao’s central rail station for your departure. The next stop on this tour of the Basque country is in nearby San Sebastian, which is a coastal community that dates back to the 11th century. This city was prominent among 19th-century aristocrats of Madrid as a summering spot, which first placed San Sebastian on the map for international travelers.

Your transfer will be waiting for you at your destination and will lead you to your luxurious hotel in the heart of this Basque community. After your arrival, you will have plenty of time for the Spanish tradition of the siesta, or short nap, that never fails to revive even the weariest of travelers. In the afternoon, you will meander the well-organized streets in the general direction of the promontory, which is called Monte Urgull, and is where your charming guide will meet you.

As you wander your way to the summit, you will be surrounded by relics of the past that both haunt and entice. One look at the hill will reveal its strategic importance in defending the city. You will be able to see that it held a large responsibility for many of the volatile centuries that preceded the modern era. At the summit, you will enjoy spectacular views of the aptly named La Concha beach, much of the old city, and the looming waves of the Atlantic ocean as they move your way. Returning to your hotel will be as easy as following the sound and smells of the many busy restaurants and bars that line the bustling neighborhood at the base of the hill. Your guide will depart once you are properly oriented, and the rest of the night will be your to investigate and explore at your own pace.

As the morning light creeps in your window, the sound of San Sebastian as it wakes up will greet you, much in the same way that it has greeted travelers for centuries. Whether new to you or not, the unique sounds of the city represent daily life for locals in San Sebastian, and your exposure to them ensures that you are definitely off-the-beaten-path during your Spanish excursion.

Today will largely be a rest and recovery day as you prepare for the final leg of your tour of Northern Spain. Whether relaxing on the sun-drenched sand of La Concha beach or walking the gardens and parks of the civic center, today will be your day to explore at your own pace. The only requirement is that you develop a hearty appetite because, in the evening, you will embark on a culinary tour of one of Spain’s most prized traditions. The pinchos, or small snack, is a staple of a Spanish diet, as well as a cultural institution. In many places, they will be referred to as tapas, but the Basques have applied their own technique to organizing this dish by impaling it with a small toothpick or wooden spike, for which it is named.

After a day of relaxation, the flavors and constitution of each of these Spanish treats will provide you with a savory survey of local ingredients and cooking techniques. As is tradition, it is best to sample the product of multiple eateries as you wander from tavern to tavern, casually ordering whatever looks best from the steaming plates before you. Favorites include, but are hardly limited to, pinchos de tortilla, which is a Spanish omelet, chistorra y pimientos, which is Sausage and peppers, and croquetas de papas, which is Potato Croquettes. Although these will get you started, the best option is to follow your mouth or nose to discover whatever pincho is your favorite.

Your final morning in San Sebastian will begin with a classic Basque breakfast and a splash of freshly brewed coffee to keep you alert as you take to the water. A short stroll from your hotel will take you to the harbor where you will be met by a local guide who is steeped in the knowledge and lore of the largely undiscovered history of Basque mariners. Living on the Northern coast of Spain, the people have relied largely on the ocean as a means of subsistence, and the Basque seamen quickly made a name for themselves as expert fishermen and whalers. By the 17th century, they enjoyed a virtual monopoly on commercial whaling in the Atlantic as their well-built ships plied the waves in search of their nautical prey.

On this exciting voyage, you will sail beyond the safety of the harbor and take in the Basque coastline from a vantage point that is afforded to very few visitors. As you find your sea legs, the smell and sights of the Basque coastline will remind you of how sailors must have felt after months at sea and the satisfaction of returning to firm land, friends, and family. You will marvel at the rugged coastline and how the cove of San Sebastian disappears into the rolling hills and rocky mountains of this luscious, Spanish paradise.

Upon your return to the relative calm of the San Sebastian harbor, a small skiff will take you across the island to the mouth of the harbor. As if dropped from the sky to further protect the harbor from the Atlantic swell, the island of Santa Clara sits in the middle of the cove and partially obstructs views out into the Bay of Biscay. Here, there are food options available to those who are hoping to grab a tasty bite before their return to the soft comfort of their hotel.

The impressive strength of the Atlantic will be replaced by the calming shores of the Mediterranean as you wake up to your final morning in San Sebastian. After enjoying a hearty breakfast, you will depart your hotel, and your private transfer will transport you to the nearby train station. Frequent departures will ensure that no travel time is wasted before your first-class journey to the culmination of your tour in Barcelona.

From the hip and trendy to the ancient and imposing, Barcelona possesses a cosmopolitan feel with a strong Catalan undercurrent. The Spanish region of Catalonia is one of only a few autonomous communities in Spain that have been experiencing a period of renewed national identity after spending decades under the heel of fascism. This strong national identity is only one of many features that contributes to the unique features that can be found in this corner of Spain.

Upon your arrival to Barcelona Sants train station, you will be escorted to your palatial accommodation in the heart of the city’s Gothic district, which is only minutes from some of the best sights to see in Barcelona. After settling in, you will be introduced to the most emblematic figure of Barcelona’s cityscape. La Sagrada Familia is a tribute to the holy family, towers above the adjacent neighborhoods, and represents the distinct union of nature and architecture, which is present in the handiwork of Barcelona’s own Antoni Gaudi. Even those who are accustomed to more traditional examples of European churches and cathedrals will gaze with wonder upon the angles and towers of this unfinished, geometrical masterpiece.

After meeting you outside the temple, your guide will lead you on a tour of the exterior facades of the building, which showcase Gaudi’s Biblical inspiration and artistic talent. You will continue your exploration of the interior, and the light from stained-glass windows will dance upon the walls and columns, and the echoing sound of footsteps will be swallowed by the vastness of the building. Cool to the touch, the columns that support the ceiling will appear in different colors, demonstrating the purposeful use of red porphyry, basalt, grey granite, and sedimentary sandstone in constructing the artistic building. When taken together, they give the visitor the impression of standing in an immense forest. Before leaving, your guide will lead you up into one of the towers of the facade, where you will feel like you are part of the artwork with all of the visitors outside looking up at you. A winding staircase will guide you back down to Earth, where the bustle of Barcelona streets welcomes you after your recent trip skyward.

The artistic heritage of Barcelona is one of its most attractive features, and your second day in this colorful city will introduce you to another of the masters to come out of this particular region of the world. A few short steps and blind corners away from your luxurious hotel lies the Picasso museum, which is a tribute to the painter and sculptor and houses over 4,000 examples of the artist’s work.

A local guide, whose knowledge of Picasso is surpassed only by their charm in answering your questions, will meet you at your hotel and escort you to the museum. Housed in a set of buildings that date back to the 13th century, the museum itself is a work of art and exhibits, along with Picasso’s works, excellent examples of the Gothic style that can be seen in many other examples of Barcelona’s architecture. As you stroll from gallery to gallery, you will witness the evolution and inspiration of one of Spain’s most celebrated artists, and visitors cannot help but ruminate on their own inspirations. Picasso’s prolific career is best highlighted here, and you will conclude your tour of this renowned museum, feeling full of images of his artistic vision.

Since your arrival to Barcelona, you will have noticed the hill to the East that is crowed with a conspicuous, sky-piercing tower. Your day will conclude with a closer examination of the hill, which is known as Tibidabo, where a private transfer will whisk you to the best view of the city for an unforgettable sunset. Complete with plazas, fine dining, and even an amusement park, Tibidabo offers you the opportunity to pause and take in the city at your feet, the history that you have explored, and with any luck, a churro and chocolate from a nearby vendor.

The morning of your final day in Spain will come with the smell of freshly brewed espresso and pastries as you await your reluctant departure from the comfort of your mattress. Following the footsteps of pilgrims, mariners, and artists, you will have enjoyed a perspective of Spain that is afforded to the few that leave the comfort of the resorts. A short transfer is all that separates you from Barcelona’s international airport, where the distant mountain of Montserrat will beckon you one last time with the promise of adventure before you board your fight for your journey home.