BASQUE COUNTRY WEEK

Program

• Breakfast at the Miró Bilbao hotel.
• Equipment set up before starting the route.
• Departure by bike: Route Bilbao – San Juan de Gaztelugatxe.
• A support van will always be available to provide technical assistance and snacks, as well as transportation through any section of the route if you do not wish to continue cycling.
• Lunch on the route, including fresh produce, drinks, healthy snacks.
• Private guided tour of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.

Stage 1 – San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

Leaving Bilbao along the estuary, after a first gentle climb to warm up, we will pass through some beautiful villages in the interior of Bizkaia.

We will take a backroad to Markaida and then to Larrauri, where spectacular palaces were built. From there we will take a detour to Bakio, a privileged summer resort, surrounded by beaches, cliffs, coves and promenades.

We will continue along the coastal route that goes through Jata, which will allow us to enjoy spectacular views of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, a protected biotope, which will soon captivate us with its dazzling landscape in the middle of the sea. Its spectacular beauty led it to be chosen as a filming location for the famous TV series, Game of Thrones.

We will continue along the coast to head towards a surprising place, the Lemoniz nuclear power plant, which was never put into operation, to reach the beautiful fishing village of Armintza. From there we will continue pedaling towards Plentzia, a coastal town with beautiful beaches.

With the estuary as a central element and the beach as a tourist attraction, Plentzia is a pleasant and cozy coastal town located about 25 kilometers from Bilbao, in a beautiful bay overlooking the sea. It is one of the most demanded localities by the Biscayans themselves to enjoy the summer season.

Finally we will return to Bilbao along the coast, passing by the impressive cliffs of Barrika, Getxo, Las Arenas and the estuary, showing its industrial past and learning first hand the model of reconversion of a city that is being studied all over the world.

Program

• Breakfast at the Miró Bilbao hotel.
• Equipment set up before starting the route.
• Departure by bike: Route Bilbao – Getaria
• A support van will always be available to provide technical assistance and snacks, as well as transportation through any section of the route if you do not wish to continue cycling.
• Lunch on the route, including fresh produce, drinks, healthy snacks.
• Transfer by van from Getaria (end of the stage) to San Sebastian.
• Check in at Hotel Arima.
• Pintxos route in San Sebastian.

Stage 2 – Bilbao – Getaria – San Sebastian

Today we will head towards the east of Bizkaia. To warm up our legs we will climb a beautiful mountain pass and then descend to Gernika, symbol of Basque culture and world famous for the bombing suffered during the Spanish Civil War and the famous painting by Pablo Picasso.

Along the way we will pass through some beautiful rural villages in the interior of Bizkaia until we reach the coastal town of Lekeitio. A dream environment, which invites us to enjoy the tranquility offered by this incredible landscape, its beaches, the island of San Nicolas, its port and its old town.

We will continue along an impressive road parallel to the Cantabrian Sea, until we reach the fishing village of Ondarroa. Located at the eastern end of the Biscayan coast, this stretch of coastline is formed by steep cliffs and its old town is one of the most emblematic places of the town. With an unmistakable medieval and seafaring flavor, we will stop to enjoy the atmosphere of its narrow and steep streets.

Then the emblematic port of Itziar awaits us, about 5 kilometers through which usually passes the cycling tour of the Basque Country.

And finally we will arrive at the end of today’s stage, Getaria. Traditionally, a town of fishermen and great sailors such as Juan Sebastian Elcano, the first man to circumnavigate the world, and the great genius of fashion, Cristobal Balenciaga. In this medieval walled town, we will enjoy a tasty lunch where we will taste its famous salted anchovies and tuna in oil, before visiting one of the spectacular wineries of txakoli, the delicious local white wine.

Program

• Breakfast at Hotel Arima.
• Equipment set up before starting the route.
• Departure by bike: San Sebastian – Hondarribia route.
• A support van will always be available to provide technical assistance and snacks, as well as transportation through any section of the route if you do not wish to continue cycling.
• Snacks en route, including fresh produce, drinks, healthy snacks.
• Lunch at Iñigo Lavado restaurant.
• Massage by a professional physiotherapist.

Stage 3 – San Sebastian – Hondarribia

In this stage we will head east to climb the beautiful port of Castillo del Inglés, a very little traveled road of about 5 km. On a clear day we will be able to see the city of San Sebastian and the spectacular bay of La Concha.

A fun descent through the trees awaits us before reaching the beautiful coastal town of Hondarribia, bathed by the waters of the Cantabrian Sea and where we can contemplate the views offered by the wonderful bay of Txingudi, with the neighboring Hendaye, already in France, in the background.

Hondarribia is home to historical treasures that give the town a special charm. If we go into the walled old town, we can walk through its cobbled streets full of emblazoned houses and unique buildings such as the Castle of Emperor Charles V, now converted into a Parador.

Next, the emblematic port of Jaizkibel awaits us, through which the tours of Spain and the Basque Country usually pass. The views from the top will have been worth it.

Finally, we will enjoy a fun descent back to San Sebastian.

Program

• Breakfast at Hotel Arima.
• Equipment set up before starting the route.
• Departure by bike: San Sebastian – Zarautz route.
• A support van will always be available to provide technical assistance and snacks, as well as transportation through any section of the route if you do not wish to continue cycling.
• Lunch on the route, including fresh products, drinks, healthy snacks.
• Transfer by van to Rioja Alavesa.
• Check in at the hotel in Rioja Alavesa.
• Dinner at a restaurant in Rioja Alavesa.

Stage 4 – San Sebastian – Zarautz – Rioja Alavesa

Today we start our route climbing the Igueldo mountain, located at the end of the Concha Bay and marking the boundary between the sea and the city. A good way to warm up the legs. At the top of the mountain we will have some nice kilometers of ups and downs to finally descend to the coastal town of Orio.

This typical fishing village of the coast of Gipuzkoa, very busy in the summer season, is located where the sea, the mountains and the mouth of the river Oria merge. This small fishing village has witnessed the comings and goings of pilgrims over the centuries, and is still today closely linked to the Camino de Santiago.

Its historic center dates back to the 12th century and is formed by a labyrinth of steep cobbled streets that take us back to the Middle Ages. Nearby, we will be invaded by the aroma of fish and meat cooked on the grills installed in the street, near the port.

We will leave Orio by a one-kilometer backroad, a fun and demanding climb in the middle of nature and surrounded by farmhouses, the traditional Basque buildings. From the top we will start descending towards Zarautz.

Its long beach, flanked by cliffs, stretches for more than two kilometers and is surrounded by a lively promenade, full of terraces and cafes where you can get your strength back. The unmistakable image of the hundreds of white and blue awnings and its fine golden sand make it one of the most beautiful beaches on the Basque coast. The beach is open to the sea and its spectacular waves serve as a lure for thousands of surfing enthusiasts.

Back to San Sebastian, we still have a nice climb from Orio to Igueldo before the end of the stage.

Program

• Breakfast at the hotel in Rioja Alavesa.
• Equipment set-up before starting the route (gravel bicycles)
• Departure by bike: Rioja Alavesa gravel route.
• A support van will always be available to provide technical assistance and snacks, as well as transportation through any section of the route if you do not wish to continue pedaling.
• Lunch on the route, including fresh produce, drinks, healthy snacks.
• Visit to a winery in Rioja Alavesa.
• Dinner at a restaurant in Rioja Alavesa.

Stage 5 – Rioja Alavesa (gravel)

Today we will pedal through unique landscapes, seas of vineyards, whose coloration is completely different throughout the year. Small family wineries and large avant-garde buildings such as the spectacular Marqués de Riscal winery, designed by the famous architect Frank Gehry.

Monumental and charming villages such as the medieval town of Laguardia. Capital of Rioja Alavesa, it was founded in the 10th century as a defense of the Kingdom of Navarre and preserves its medieval layout almost intact. It is a walled town that in the past was an important watchtower.

Laguardia is full of wineries and it will not be difficult for you to check it by visiting the cellars of some hotel and catering establishments. One of the main attractions of this town is being able to access its cellars. But what are they? They are caves that undermine the ground of Laguardia and other medieval villages of this region in the south of the Basque Country, bordering La Rioja, and have traditionally been used to house wine cellars.

We will go around the Laguardia Lagoons, a Protected Biotope located in the heart of Rioja Alavesa. This lagoon complex is extraordinarily interesting, both from a geological point of view and for the peculiar flora and fauna it hosts. In addition, it is located in an almost exclusively wine-producing region, and has an enormous wealth of archaeological sites in the surrounding area: the Poblado de la Hoya and the dolmen of the Chabola de la Hechicera, among many others.

Program

• Breakfast at the Hotel in Rioja Alavesa.
• Equipment set-up before starting the route (gravel bicycles).
• Departure by bike: Rioja Alavesa gravel route.
• A support van will always be available to provide technical assistance and snacks, as well as transportation through any section of the route if you do not wish to continue pedaling.
• Lunch en route, including fresh produce, drinks, healthy snacks.
• Transfer to Bilbao airport by private vehicle.

Stage 6 – Rioja Alavesa (gravel) – Bilbao

In our last stage we will enjoy the charm that these natural environments offer and we will know the history of its villages through its rich heritage: dolmens, a Celtiberian well, prehistoric settlements and cave presses.

We will pass through vineyards where we can stroll and relax, while we discover some of the most charming villages in the area, such as Samaniego, an obligatory stop at the foot of the Sierra de Toloño.

From there, we will continue to Ábalos, which stands out for its monumental heritage with a careful structure of narrow streets and beautiful stone manor houses, as well as for the surrounding landscapes, until we reach Labastida, a town that bases its economy on wine, a fundamental pillar.

We will return through a network of fun roads parallel to the Ebro River, the longest in Spain, enjoying San Vicente de la Sonsierra, a walled town located on top of a hill, created in the tenth century as a fortress and has a very important historical and ethnographic heritage.

Not included

• Bike rental.
• Flight tickets to and from Bilbao.
• Other activities not included in the package and not organized by Bizi Cycle Tours.
• Accommodation before and after the end of the tour.
• Personal shopping during the tour.

Group

Minimum 6 people, maximum 12.

For smaller groups, ask for rates.