Spain
Ages 30s–40s
Cultural
Singles & Solo
Northern Spain
Overview
Northern Spain moves differently. Slower in the wine regions, wilder on the Basque coast, endlessly creative in Barcelona – and threaded together by a food culture so serious that San Sebastián boasts more Michelin stars per square metre than almost anywhere on earth. This is Flash Pack’s first foodie adventure: eight days from Madrid to Barcelona, through underground wine cellars, onto Basque fishing boats and into the kitchen with a local chefs. The Spain most people never find, or taste.
- Arrive into Madrid and meet your private transfer who’ll whisk you to your boutique city base
- Get to know your fellow Flashpackers at the welcome meeting before stepping out with your Pack Leader into one of Europe’s most electric capital cities
- Dive into Madrid’s food scene on an expert-led tapas tour, sampling local favourites including vermouth, gambas al ajillo and Madrid’s famous calamari sandwich
- Transfer from Madrid to Bodegas Ismael Arroyo: a working family winery with a 16th-century underground cellar carved into the hillside. Here, you’ll sip on three delicious wines from their Tinta del País grape variety
- Continue north to a beautifully preserved medieval hilltop village in the heart of the Rioja wine region, before checking into your charming wine-country stay
- Explore ancient stone streets and tucked-away wine bars at your own pace before a free evening in one of Northern Spain’s most beautiful corners
- Travel from Rioja Alavesa to Bilbao through the changing landscapes of the Basque Country, where vineyard-covered hills gradually give way to lush valleys and rugged mountains
- Explore Bilbao on foot with your Pack Leader before enjoying free time to wander the Casco Viejo, grab lunch at your leisure and explore at your own pace
- This evening, gather for a hosted Basque dining experience in an private dining room at your 5-star hotel, where the chef introduces each course of the menu celebrating the region’s finest flavours
- Walk the clifftop path out to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe – a hermitage perched on a rocky island only connected to the Basque coast by a winding stone staircase
- Sit down to a local lunch in Bermeo, a traditional Basque fishing village with a strong maritime identity, and feast on home style-cooked dishes
- Transfer to San Sebastián with a free evening to explore the Old Town, discover local pintxos bars and walk La Concha Bay at sunset
- Daily summary: 1.5–2 hours walked. 3–4 km covered. ~200 m elevation gain. Moderate challenge.
- Head out to sea with local Basque fishermen aboard traditional fishing boats, helping to bring in the catch alongside people who’ve worked this coastline for generations
- Back on land, sit down to a fresh seafood lunch overlooking the harbour, enjoying local flavours shaped by the same waters you spent the morning exploring
- This evening a local expert will lead you through San Sebastián’s world-famous pintxos scene, including a stop at La Viña to sample what’s known as the best Basque Cheesecake around
- Drive south towards Barcelona, breaking the journey in Zaragoza to explore El Tubo – one of Spain’s most famous tapas districts, a maze of narrow streets lined with traditional bars where locals have been gathering to eat and drink for generations
- Wander El Tubo, sampling the kind of authentic Aragonese tapas culture that rarely makes it onto travellers’ radars
- Arrive in Barcelona and get your bearings on a short orientation walk with your Pack Leader before a free evening to explore El Born at your own pace
- The morning and afternoon are yours to lose yourself in the rhythm of Barcelona. Walk down to Barceloneta beach, seek out a Gaudí building or wander the enchanting alleys of the Gothic Quarter
- Later on, you’ll join a local chef for a hands-on cooking class and farewell meal, learning to prepare traditional Catalan dishes such as mejillones, pan con tomate and crema catalana before sitting down to enjoy your final feast together
- Say farewell to your fellow Flashpackers and Pack Leader as you check out and make your own way to the airport
- Head home with a different understanding of Spain: its ancient wine cellars, its Basque fishing traditions, its family kitchens and a food culture that the rest of the world is only just beginning to discover
Included
- 7 nights accommodation in hand-picked hotels & riads
- 7 breakfasts
- 3 lunches
- 4 dinners
- 8 minivan journeys
- Cooking Class with Farewell Dinner
- Madrid Walking Food Tour
- San Juan de Gaztelugatxe Walk
- Gourmet Pintxos Food & Drink Tour
- Fishing Boat Experience
- Underground Bodega Visit