Musings From Our 2018 Tour

Jun 20, 2018 By Patty Moss

Our Basque, Pyrenees & Rioja Tour

Reflecting on a tour I’ve designed is something I do a lot in the moment and after I return home. Our tour to the Basque Country of Spain & France and the Rioja winemaking region of Spain will be on my mind for months to come. We had a wonderful group of women from California, North Carolina and Colorado. As I often say, this is more like a group of friends traveling together than the standard ‘canned’ tour. Some were friends who had signed up together. All became friends through this kind of travel and its shared experiences. Seeing people learn through immersive cultural experiences and sharing in that joy with newly-made friends is the greatest reward I could ask for! Thank you to everyone who joined us on this adventure ~

The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is not only an amazing work of architecture but hosts a wonderful collection of modern art. We learned about this Frank Gehry masterpiece and its exterior sculptures including ‘Puppy’ and “Mamam’. We enjoyed the permanent exhibits as well as the current exhibit on view: Chagall – The Breakthrough Years, 1911-1917.

This is our group at the first night’s Welcome Dinner in Bilbao. Ad Hoc Cascanueces is a well-regarded restaurant in Bilbao. We were treated to a presentation by its owner/chef who prefers to ‘guide’ guests to a more personalized experience. Explaining his take on Basque cuisine, he features the local ingredients ‘of the day’. The meal was outstanding and the creative presentation of the dishes was truly memorable!

No visit to San Sebastian is complete without a lively ‘Pintxo Hunt’. Pintxos are the Basque version of tapas. The pintxo bars are filled with locals conversing, cozying up to the bar, eating, drinking and just being social. The idea is to never stop moving from one pintxo bar to the next, taking a drink and eating the specialties of the house. We ended at La Viña, well known for their creamy cheesecake enjoyed a with a glass of sherry. If the bar is too full, you just move it outside!

Cooking at Mimo San Sebastian was a favorite for everyone. Executive Chef Patricio presented an outstanding experience. We learned how to cook the Basque way – with painstaking attention to detail and presentation. It was such a lovely evening with exceptional food paired with outstanding wines. Many thanks to Patricio for sharing his expertise, patience and hospitality!

We visited two French Basque seaside towns: San-Jean-de-Luz and Biarritz.The time spent walking along the ocean promenade was a nice change of pace. Of course, a little shopping and a marketplace visit were also necessary! Our guides bought local specialties for our picnic the next day in the Pyrenees!

Off to the French Basque Pyrenees…what do you get when you combine a remote French country inn, incredibly beautiful scenery, sheets of rain, a wet hike and an onsite Porche museum? The answer: an adventure! First the rain: it never stopped for very long but also made everything so green! It wasn’t a bad thing, just a challenge. We tried to hike but headed back early because the sky was ready to ‘open up’ again. And, it did! What better way to entertain ourselves than with a handy onsite Porsche museum full of exquisite cars? (The owner houses his own plus others.) Due to the rain, we improvised by holding the picnic in one of our suites complete with a roaring fire, wine and gourmet food. Everyone loved this beautiful inn and our short, but wet stay. An added bonus – we all had golf carts to get around the property!

Welcome to La Rioja – some call it Spain’s Tuscany. La Rioja has beautiful rolling hills, medieval hamlets and exquisite wines! The Vivanco Winery & Museum of Wine Culture was a great introduction to the history of winemaking in the region showcasing wine-related equipment, artifacts, artwork and the Vivanco Winery facilities. The museum is dedicated to the history of winemaking and man’s relationship with it over 5,000 years. We enjoyed a beautiful Rioja luncheon in their restaurant featuring traditional Riojan cuisine while overlooking their vineyards. We toured the winery from vineyard to cellar to production facilities. It was a great start to the next few day of our Rioja wine tour. Heaven!

Our day of touring architectural wineries/bodegas started at Bodega Ysios designed by architect Santiago Calatrava. Constructed of wood, titanium and glass, it is visually spectacular set against the Cantabrian Mountains. Wonderful wine tasting with a view!

Bodega El Fabulista is an old family winery set under the medieval town of Laguardia. The system of underground tunnels once used for protection from invaders are now utilized for wine production and storage. The caves provide the perfect humidity and temperature. We toured the caves with the winemaker, learned how to taste wine and sampled. She invited us to come back to stomp grapes during harvest this fall! Anyone interested?

Bodega Marques de Riscal Hotel which is part of the winery complex is simply breathtaking when you lay eyes on it! Designed by Frank Gehry of Guggenheim Museum fame, it is constructed of gold, silver and pink titanium with wood, stone and glass. The wines are amazing, as well! I am including photos of these wines because we can get them in the U.S. Do yourself a favor – they are divine.

We ended our tour at the lovely Bodega Vieja in Rioja. Known for their roasted sucking pig cooked for hours, the tradition is to cut it vertically with a plate – it’s that tender. We didn’t do this but we certainly enjoyed our Farewell Luncheon on the last day. ‘Salud’ to a great group and trip well-enjoyed!

Basque & Rioja Tour Daily Itinerary

Dec 5, 2017 By Patty Moss

This is a 10-day trip to the Basque regions of Spain & France combined with a wine tour of the Rioja region of Spain. It focuses on the Basque & Spanish culture, art, architecture, exceptional gastronomy and world of wine. Our guides will give you a unforgettable experience. They will share this part of the world they know well and love so much!DAY 1: Arrive; Welcome to Bilbao – Home of the Guggenheim Museum; Free Afternoon; Tour Orientation; Welcome Dinner

DAY 2: Guggenheim Museum Tour; Drive to San Sebastian; Evening ‘Pintxo Hunt’

DAY 3: Bicycle Tour of San Sebastian Beaches & City; Free Afternoon; Basque Cider House & Dinner

DAY 4: Brexta Market Tour; San Telmo Museum; Free Afternoon; Hands-on Cooking Class at Mimo Food, San Sebastian Culinary School

DAY 5: Visits to two French Basque beach towns: Saint-Jean-De-Luz and Biarritz; Walk on Beach; Guided Market Visit; Rocher De La Vierge; Arrive in the French Pyrenees

DAY 6: Hike & Picnic in the Pyrenees; Free Evening in Saint Jean Pied-de-Port

DAY 7: Arrive Rioja; Bodega Muga Winery Tour & Wine Tasting Class; Free Evening in Lograno

DAY 8: Visits to Two Architectural Rioja Wineries; Medieval Town of Laguardia & Wine Caves; Tastings

DAY: 9: Vivanco Culture of Wine Museum & Winery Tour; Farewell Lunch; Arrive Madrid

DAY 10: Departure from Madrid; Farewell, Spain!

One Day Walk on the Camino de Santiago

Mar 28, 2017 By Patty Moss

Experience the Camino de Santiago

The Camino de Santiago is a network of three ancient pilgrimage routes stretching across the Iberian peninsula coming together at the tomb of St. James in the Cathedral de Santiago de Compestola, Spain. The history of the Camino de Santiago goes back to the 9th century.

Every year, thousands of people walk the Camino de Santiago either in organized groups or on their own. The purpose is as varied as the people themselves. Some of the ‘pilgrims’ set out on the Camino for spiritual reasons but many others find spiritual reasons along the way as they meet other pilgrims, attend pilgrim masses in the churches and monasteries and see the large infrastructure of buildings and establishments provided for pilgrims over the many centuries.

The most popular route is the French Way or the Way of St. James which stretches nearly 500 miles from France across northern Spain ending in Santiago de Compestola. We will spend a day on a rural section of the French Camino outside Santiago de Compestola during the tour PORTUGAL NORTHWARD TO SPAIN, June 13 – 25, 2017. Along the way, we’ll experience the culture of the Camino, meet pilgrims who are en route, stop at establishments frequented by pilgrims and feel the spirit of the Camino.

Our route will be a 3-4 mile stretch between Arzua to Amenal, one of the loviest sections near Santiago. This section will take us through pretty woods, across streams and through medieval villages. We will stop for lunch and visit the villages we pass.

Our Portugal – Spain tour is designed to give guests unique immersive experiences. This walk will provide only small taste of the Camino. It will be enough for those who are just curious or give inspiration for those who decide to become a pilgrim one day.

Note: An alternate activity will be provided for those who do not walk.