Set in the rocky cliffs overlooking La Concha Bay, three monumental pieces of steel converge in a comb-like formation, a man-made emblem of San Sebastian. In Spain’s Basque Country, be welcomed to a dynamic culture where cobblestone neighborhoods lie alongside contemporary art destinations in a breathtaking and celebratory environment.

"Everything you can imagine is real." - Pablo Picasso

Traverse along the mountainous limestone valleys of La Rioja, where families craft fine tempranillos and grenaches and Michelin-starred chefs create bite-sized delicacies, perfecting the art of molecular gastronomy. Venture through Jerez de la Frontera, the founding home of Sherry wine, and to Andalusia, where Roman, Moorish and Christian history are threaded in its vibrant architecture, and stomping flamenco heels can be heard dancing across the streets of Seville.

• 11 Day Itinerary: Spain: San Sebastian, La Rioja, Basque Country, Seville
• Day 1: San Sebastian

   Old Quarter, El Kursaal, El Bretxa, Los Peines del Viento, Mount Igueldo

  

  Venture to the heart of the Basque region for a city tour of San Sebastian. From the narrow, cobbled streets of the Old Quarter to the Baroque church of Santa Maria, visit the city's most vibrant attractions, including its spectacular cultural complex, Rafael Moneo's "El Kursaal" and its neo-classical market, El Bretxa.  

  At the base of Mount Igueldo overlooking the glistening La Concha Bay, named for its shell-like shape of sand, glimpse Eduardo Chillida's sculptural masterpiece, "Los Peines del Viento." Then ascend in a funicular for panoramic vistas of the city and the Bay of Biscay. Conclude your day spending time perusing a selection of San Sebastian's most fashionable boutiques.
• Day 2: Bilbao

  Old Quarter, Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao Fine Arts Museum, Chillida Leku Museum

  

  Along the Nervion River lies the Basque capital of Bilbao, a medieval city that in recent decades has been transformed into a symbol of urban regeneration. Visit architectural highlights of Bilbao, including the maze-like Old Quarter with its trademark manor houses, the crossroads of the Seven Streets, Sir Norman Foster’s designed Metro station and the tier-arched Zubizuri footbridge. Be welcomed into the steel-framed temple of modern art at the Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim Museum for a lectured visit about the architecture and the major works of the museum's collection. Then lunch in the Guggenheim Restaurant, under the direction of Michelin-starred chef, Martin Berasategui.  Conclude your day trip with a visit to the serene Bilbao's Fine Arts Museum, located inside the city’s Doña Casilda Iturrizar Park. 

  En route from San Sebastian, we suggest a visit to the Chillida Leku Museum. Discover Eduardo Chillida’s large-scale sculptures of iron, concrete and stone outdoors in a tranquil, harmonious park-like setting.
• Day 3: Pamplona

  Pamplona, Palacio de Muruzabal

  

  Walk the streets of Pamplona, the home of summer’s annual San Fermin, the Running of the Bulls. Learn about the history and architecture of the city, the original capital of the "Old Kingdom" of Navarra. The streets and squares of its historic quarter still preserve a significant collection of monumental buildings dominated by its churches and medieval walls. Conclude the day with a visit to the vineyards, winery and cellars of the Palacio de Muruzabal winery, where an oenologist, Adolfo Merino, will conduct a tasting on the patio of the palace.
• Day 4: La Rioja

  Dinastia Vivanco Wine Museum, Lopez de Heredia

  

  In the charming village of Briones in the heart of La Rioja stands the Dinastia Vivanco Wine Museum. The largest wine museum in the world, this ambitious family-run institution traces the history of wine from ten thousand years ago through modern times. Housed alongside the Dinastia Vivanco bodega, enjoy a tasting of bright tempranillos or expressive grenaches before lunch on the estate. In the afternoon, your private driver will take you to Haro in the center of the Rioja Alta region for a tasting at the family-owned Lopez de Heredia. One of La Rioja's oldest and most respected wineries, it is renowned worldwide for its signature white Tondonia, a complex blend of Viura and Malvasia grapes.
• Day 5: La Rioja

   

  Ysios Winery, Casa Primica, Vinos de los Herederos del Marques de Riscal

   

  

  Blessed with one of the largest wetlands in the western Mediterranean, with its signature rolling hills and sunny climate, the La Rioja region of Spain boasts ideal conditions for the creation of extraordinary wines. Begin a day’s tour of one of the most outstanding wine regions in the world with a visit to the landmark, ultra-modern Ysios Winery in Alava. Built by the Valencian architect Santiago de Calatrava, its undulating façade seamlessly blends in with the mountainous landscape behind it, and provides a spectacular setting for a flight of its reserve blend.

  Afterwards, travel to the walled hilltop town of Laguardia. With commanding views of Navarra below, it is home of La Rioja's oldest winery, Casa Primica, the winner of numerous awards for its bright tempranillos. 

  Nestled in the village of Elciego lies the Vinos de los Herederos del Marques de Riscal, a winery founded in 1860 by the Marques de Riscal. The esteemed winery holds the reputation as being one of La Rioja’s best makers of Cabernet Sauvignon and is surrounded by the contemporary Frank Gehry-designed Marques de Riscal Winery Hotel. Be invited on a tour and tasting at the legendary winery itself before settling in for a stay at this luxurious property.

   
• Day 6: Burgos

  Gothic Cathedral, Santa Maria la Real de Huelgas, Plaza Santa Maria, Cartuja de Miraflores

  

  With a history that dates back over 800,000 years in the Castile region of Spain, Burgos is a centerpiece of an area once known as the land of castles. Its sacred sites include the magnificent Gothic Cathedral, constructed over two centuries ago with dramatic octagonal spires and intricate ornate decoration. A pristine arcade of cloisters are a highlight of the medieval Santa Maria la Real de Huelgas, the Burgos monastery that was the historic spot for royal weddings in medieval times. With its spectacular Mudejar ceiling, the elegant Royal Convent of Las Huelgas, built as a future pantheon for Alfonso VIII and his wife, Eleanor, remains one of the most famous convents in Europe. 

  Located in a 15th century palace in Burgos’ Plaza Santa Maria, once the home of Master Fabrique Aleman de Basilea, savor a traditional Castilian lunch of local specialties such as Doña Jimena soup and Burgos-styled black pudding at the Michelin two-starred, Meson del Cid Restaurant. 

  In the afternoon, visit Cartuja de Miraflores, the famed Gothic-style church completed in 1498 that was chosen by Juan II as the pantheon for himself and his second wife, Isabel of Portugal. This Carthusian house is renowned for its sumptuous interior details in alabaster by the early Renaissance sculptor, Gil de Siloe. 
• Day 7: Seville

  Alcazar of Seville, Santa Cruz Quarter, Maria Luisa Park

  

  Be amazed by the stunning atmosphere of Seville, where Christian, Moorish and Roman influences meet to create a Mudejar tradition. In this Andalusian capital, be introduced to the magnificence of its architecture with a tour of its 14th century Royal Palace, known as the Alcazar of Seville. Lined with blooming orange trees, wander through the fabled Santa Cruz Quarter with its signature whitewashed houses and abundance of delectable tapas bars. Complete your tour of Seville with a romantic carriage ride through the gardens of Maria Luisa Park, designed in the 1920s along the banks of the Guadalquivir River.
• Day 8: Cordoba

  The Mezquita, La Juderia, Cordoba Synagogue

  

  On the banks of the Guadalquivir river stands Cordoba, the ancient Andalusian city whose history dates back to Carthaginian times. A center of power for Romans, Visigoths and Muslims, it was captured by King Ferdinand III during the Spanish Reconquest of 1236. Its architectural highlight is the Mezquita, the Catedral de Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion, once a mosque that was converted into a Catholic church. With its 856 striped arches of marble, granite, and onyx, it remains one of the most emblematic monuments of the Umayyad dynasty. Wander through La Juderia, the old Jewish quarter and the birthplace of the philosopher Maimondes, where you will dine at the charming El Churrasco, located in a historic house. Afterwards, visit the nearby Cordoba Synagogue, built in 1315. With its carved Mudejar decorations and Hebrew texts inscribed on its exterior, it remains one of the most sacred Jewish destinations in all of Europe.
• Day 9: Jerez de la Frontera

  Lustau, Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art

  

  Just 90 kilometers south of Seville, in the southern peninsula of Iberia, stands the home of the Palomino grape, the Jerez de la Frontera region.  Famed for its white grapes that transform into the sweet, amber wine known in the English-speaking world as “sherry.” At Lustau, a favorite local winery, learn about the Solera barrel method of winemaking, where wines are fractionally blended together to produce a variety of dry sherries. 

  Jerez de la Frontera is also home to the Royal Andalusian School of Equesterian Art. With its pure bred, gray Cartujano stallions, the esteemed riding school is dedicated to the fine art of horsemanship. Attend an exclusive dressage performance, an elegant show that combines choreography, classical flamenco and the Andalusian equestrian tradition on its palatial grounds. Explore the school’s gardens, palace and museums then if desired, after the show, drive to Arcos de Frontera. There, you will enjoy a late lunch at the Parador de Arcos del la Frontera, renowned for its fine cuisine and spectacular views of the surrounding countryside.
• Day 10: Seville

  A Market-to-Table Lunch

  

  A private chef will host a morning dedicated to the art of Andalusian cuisine. First, enjoy a guided tour to the Seville marketplace to purchase the fresh spices and ingredients for your meal of small plates, known as tapas. Then be welcomed into the chef's private home where you will cook together lunch based on some of the most famous specialties of the region. 
• Day 11: Jabugo

  Western Andulasia

  

  In Western Andalusia, the mountainous regions are dry, a perfect climate to cultivate the delicacy known as Jamon Serrano. Visit a private farm in the Huelva province, the natural habitat of the dark-skinned, pointy snouted Iberico pig, known as the Dehasa. Then drive to Jabugo, a small town with a large number of charcuterie producers renowned for lomo, chorizo, salchichón, and morcón. Enjoy a tasting of Iberico delicacies paired with fine sherry. Lunch in Aracena, where you’ll savor a range of local specialties. Then have the option to spend the afternoon at the Museo del Jamón  (the Ham Museum) where you can learn about the history and tradition behind the best ham in the world.