GOURMET TOUR IN NORTH SPAIN 8 DAYS

DAY 1. MADRID AIRPORT – MADRID

Arrival at Barajas Airport and departure to Madrid. Hotel and accommodation in Madrid. We can enjoy the rest of the day to discover this amazing city.

DAY 2. BURGOS – CANTABRIA – SANTANDER

Breakfast. We’ll start our trip towards Burgos. Our first stop is Peñafiel, where we can experience a Wine Museum of Valladolid (included), a walk through the history and culture of wine. Then we visit a Ribera del Duero DO Wine Cellar followed by a tasting (included). Lunch by the costumer and in the afternoon we continue our journey to Burgos where our local guide will take us trough this city historic landmarks; the Cathedral of Burgos (declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984), seat of the Metropolitan Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Burgos, Las Huelgas Reales Monastery and Miraflores Charterhouse. A large number of churches, palaces and other buildings from the medieval Age remain. Later in the evening we continue to Cantabria. Hotel in Santander and accommodation.

DAY 3. SANTOÑA -CABÁRCENO – SANTANDER

Breakfast at the Hotel. Today we move towards Santoña, a fishermen village on the north coast of Spain. We stroll along the streets and then we visit an Anchovy Cannery, where we’ll see the anchovy fillets traditional handling elaboration process, in an Anchovy Factory. that are a gourmet delicacy exported to the four corners of the world. Today for lunch today we have the opportunity today to enjoy a grilled sardine based tasting session on a typical traditional restaurant, “Casa Pascual»(included). In the afternoon we continue to Cabárceno natural Park, a naturalized space reclaimed from 750 hectares (1,900 acres) of a former open pit mine to the primitive beauty of the karst landscape. It is home to about 100 animal species from the five continents, which can be seen practically in the wild, as they are housed in large areas in completely natural settings. The circuit is designed to offer a sighting of all the animals with views of beautiful gorges and peaceful lakes on the way. It also has an environmental classroom and a reptile house with numerous varieties of snakes. Return to the Hotel and accommodation in Santander

DAY 4. BILBAO – BALMASEDA – BILBAO

Breakfast at the Hotel and today we’ll devote the day to Vizcaya and visit Bilbao with our local guide. The old town it was declared UNESCO World Heritage site: Las siete calles (the seven streets), La Plaza Nueva, the Ribera Market, and Etxebarría Park, where we can enjoy the magnificent views of the city. Then we of course will also have time to «potear», time for wine with some pintxos, a basque gourmet pleasure that we can’t miss. Afterwards we move to Mauri, where in Restaurante Lekuona (included) will enjoy a «alubiada with sacramentos». The peculiarity of this dish lies in the quantity and quality. This delicious dish is normally served in a casserole right in the middle of the table where you can help yourself as much as you like. The dish ingredients are: beans, chorizo, pork ribs, blood sausage, the greatest complementary ingredient are cayenne peppers. In the afternoon we continue to Cantabria. We make a stop on the way where we visit Balmaseda. This place gained recognition and was named first «villa» (a town with certain privileges granted by the crown) in Biscay. Located in between the coast and the inland. We stroll along this villa medieval old town with our local guide discovering its main sights. Hotel in Bilbao and accommodation.

DAY 5. BILBAO – SAN SEBASTIÁN – BILBAO

Breakfast. Today’s tour will take us to San Sebastián through the town and its old quarter. There will be time to visit the local market La Bretxa (1870), a showcase for the products that are at the foundation of Basque cooking. Lunch will be a pintxos (included) tour through the old quarter. In the afternoon, our challenge will be a private pintxos workshop with the Chef of one of the town’s premier restaurants. Having experienced this artistic and delicious way of eating you will now have the chance to put your own ideas into practice. After dining on the fruits of your labour, you can enjoy a good Txacoli. Hotel and accommodation in Bilbao.

DAY 6. BILBAO – SANTILLANA DEL MAR – COMILLAS – BÁR- CENA MAYOR – OVIEDO

Breakfast at the Hotel and start of our journey towards Santillana del Mar, one of the most beautiful town in Spain; situated on the northern route of the Pilgrim’s Road to Santiago de Compostela, It’s a medieval town which was developed around the collegiate church of Santa María. Its one of the most important historical areas of Cantabria. We continue to Comillas, one of Cantabria’s most symbolic places and one of its most interesting from an architectural point of view. The beauty of the lands- cape is imposed on the senses. In the space of a few years, the town was transformed with buildings by the modernist architects of Catalonia, like Antonio Gaudí, who designed a palace in neoArabic style known as the «Capricho de Gaudí» (Gaudi’s whim). We continue towards Bárcena Mayor to enjoy a «Cocido Montañés» for lunch (included). This dish is made with two vegetal ingredients, dried large white beans (soaked overnight before use) and collard greens. The rest of the elements of this recipe are known as compangu which refers to the meat ingredients from the pig slaughter, bacon, pork ribs, rice black pudding and chorizo. In the afternoon we continue to Gijón (Asturias). Arrival at the Hotel in Oviedo and accommodation.

DAY 7. OVIEDO – CUDILLERO – GIJÓN – OVIEDO

Breakfast. Then we move towards Oviedo with our escorted guide. Oviedo contains a very rich architectural history. We start with the best examples of PreRomanesque Asturian art: Santa María del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo. Then we stroll along the old town where the main highlights are Las Plazas de la Escandalera, The Cathedral with its beautiful tower, the bustling Trascorrales Square and we end our tour at the Fontan Old Market. Lunch by the customer. In the afternoon we head into Cudillero, a small fishing village. The houses, painted in varying pastel shades, cascade down to a tiny port on a narrow inlet. Later in the afternoon we go back to Gijón, where we have the pleasure to enjoy a «Espicha» dinner (included), Asturian style food accompanied with Asturian cider. This kind of dinner has become very fashionable nowadays, arising from the celebration that was done on the winepress on the day the cider was made. Food such as cured Iberian pork products, tortilla, squid and cachopos. Arrival at the Hotel and accommodation in Oviedo.

DAY 8. LEÓN – CARRIÓN DE LOS CONDES – MADRID AIRPORT

Breakfast and in the morning we head into Leon. Our local guide will take us through León old town, is home to many churches and Cathedrals noted for their architecture and art. Among them is the Gothic 13th-century Catedral de León, with its towers and flying buttresses and the Romanesque Basílica de San Isidoro, known for its frescoes and royal tombs. At the end of this visit we continue to Carrión de los Condes where we stop in a local restaurant to taste a delightful “Asado Castellano» (included): garlic soup, baby lamb and salad. In this area they use only milkfed lamb, weighing less than kg. In the afternoon we go back to the Airport. End of the tour and our Services.

Services Included

• 1 Night at Hotel ***/**** in Madrid or surrounds
• 2 Nights at Hotel ***/**** in Santander or surrounds
• 2 Nights at Hotel ***/**** in Bilbao or surrounds
• 2 Nights at Hotel ***/**** in Oviedo or surrounds
• Meal Plan as indicates in the itinerary
• Wine and water included in all dishes
• Group assistant during all the tour
• Lunch at typical restaurant in Santoña
• Lunch at Restaurant in Bilbao with typical dish of «alubiada with sacramentos»
• Lunch at restaurant in Bárcena Mayor with typical dish of «Cocido Montañés»
• Dinner at restaurant in Gijón with typical «Espicha»
• Lunch at restaurant in Carrión with «Asado Castellano»
• Local guide in Burgos
• Local guide in Bilbao and Balmaseda
• Local guide in Oviedo
• Local guide in Leon
• Entrance into «Museo del Vino» in Penafiel
• Visit a wine cellar with tasting D.O. Ribera del Duero

If you want more information,  please contact us at info@mundispaintours.com