Northern Green Spain Slow Food, Wine & Camino Walking Tour

Join our co-founder on a special gastronomic journey across Northern Spain. You could call it an active gourmet food tour walking thru some amazing landscapes... mountain trails, coastal paths, wine country roads, etc... We have added in a mix of experiences that will keep your taste buds excited, starting off with the famed Basque cuisine our welcome dinner in Bilbao will be a hands-on pintxo cooking class with our local chef. What better way to get to know each other in our small group! Art will be tied into the trip as well with a detailed visit of the Guggenheim Museum. Our stay in Bilbao would not be complete without dining at one of the Michelin-starred restaurants in the city.

We will take a side trip to the most famous wine region in Spain D.O.Ca. Rioja, stopping in Haro for a tasting at a distinguished winery, then a group lunch in the countryside at another amazing winery surrounding by vineyards! 

Continuing west across Cantabria stopping in Santillana del Mar, then heading deep into the Peaks of Europe. The dramatic mountains dominate the landscape now as we weave thru the road arriving at a small village to learn from the locals how the apple cider and cabrales cheese are made! For a bit of exercise in between all the eating, we have planned a day walking around the peaks of Europe in the Lakes of Covadonga with our mountain guide who knows all the spots for the best photo ops that you will definitely want to remember! 

On to Oviedo the capital of Asturias visiting the Pre-romanesque monuments on Monte Naranco. Take a stroll thru the old part of town and even have lunch at one of the many sidrerias (cider houses).

Now moving west we continue along the picturesque Asturian coast, making our way into Galicia's Mariña Lucense. Did you know that some of best faba beans in Spain come from the Val do Lourenza in the Mariña Lucense area of the province of Lugo, Galicia? Their neighbors in Asturias have claim to fame as the best (They are good!), but in our opinion after taking a fabas route tasting tour in Lourenza we beg to differ! An area rich in gastronomic traditions and really off-the-beaten path, with beautiful trails as the Camino de Santiago del Norte (Northern Camino Way) passes thru here. It is still really a hidden gem to be explored! Which we will do following the part of the Camino trail between Ribadeo to Lourenza and learning about the Faba bean production of the area, even tasting them on our special Show-Cooking faba bean lunch in a historic fort/tower.  No visit to this area is complete without stopping in Mondoñedo to walk the ancient streets and before leaving a taste of the famed Tarta (Cake) de Mondoñedo.

In  A Coruña we climb the stairs to the top of the tower of Hercules. The tower is in fact the oldest Roman lighthouse in the world that's still in use, and it's originally built in the 1st century during the time of the Emperor Trajano. Over the centuries it has been repeatedly modernized and the lighthouse is in working order. It is the only Roman lighthouse in working order and its image appears on the city´s coat of arms. The tower has been declared  UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009. We will walk along the coastal beach promenade passing by Orzan and Riazor beaches then arriving at Mercado de la Plaza de Lugo. A local fish market with a wide variety of fresh fish and seafood. After our morning walk now time for some lunch in the old town where we will stop at a few stops for some tapas and wines.  We will get to taste red and white Galician wines at two or three different locations sampling food like tetilla cheese, traditional Galician  Empanada Pie, Zamburiñas (baby scallops), polbo á feira (octopus fair-style), etc..

Santiago de Compostela, the end of the ways of St. James and the historic capital of Galicia on the Atlantic North-western coast of Spain.  Explore the Pilgrimage Cathedral and the old quarter.  Savour a Galician Michelin-starred lunch after visiting the monumental old town.

Moving away from Santiago today we travel down to a sacred wine country... D.O. Ribeira Sacra. The Romans first cultivated the vineyards alongside the banks of the rivers Sil and Miño. The monks continued it on, but then the area was abandoned for years. Fortunately, Ribeira Sacra has undergone a renaissance over the last three decades since people been coming back and replanting the terrace and making some of the best wines in the world. Such a hard land to cultivate taking years to build and with a steep slope incline of up to 86 degrees! No wonder the area is known as heroic viticulture. The most well-known grapes varieties are Mencia (red) and Godello (white), but Albariño (white) is also planted here as well as other local indigenous varieties. We will take a wine country walk to a lookout point to admire the views of the river and vines then visit a winery with a VIP tasting including a lunch at the restaurant of the winery. Then down to Sil river to take a boat ride to admire the vines from a different angle.

Our journey continues on to the neighbour wine region D.O. Ribeiro. Another day of walking thru old wine country roads visiting the wine museum to learn the history of the oldest Appellation of Origin in Galicia. The heart of the wine country is a quaint town called Ribadavia with an interesting Jewish past which played a big part in the production of wine and is part of the Sephardic routes in Spain. Here we will taste the blended whites and reds as well the mono-varietal of the Treixadura grape (white).

Following the course of the river Miño into the sub-zone of Condado de Tea (Tea County) which is part of the D.O. Rias Baixas. Down at the river, we will follow along a beautiful woodland path coming out where the rapids are and we will see the wall-like construction (Pesqueira) jutting out into the current tides with conical nets hooked to them. They have been used since Roman times to catch the lamprey eel a delicacy in the area. People come from all over at the season of the lamprea to taste it. On both sides of the river miño which separates Galicia from Northern Portugal, they prepared the lamprey eel and they both make wine from the same grape Albariño/Alvarinho We will get a taste of the wine made on each side of the river border, we will actually walk right across into Portugal's D.O.C. Vinho Verde wine country!

Reaching the North-western coast of Galicia we make the urban coastal city of Vigo our base for last few days exploring the Rias Baixas. Take a boat ride to a fishing village for a walk around the market to learn about the different varieties of fish and seafood caught locally in the bay. Then a hands-on Galician Coastal Cooking class with a chef specializing in traditional seafood dishes of the area.

Ending our gastronomic journey of Northern Spain with a farewell dinner in Vigo at a Michelin-starred restaurant and a cocktail at the skyline bar of our hotel with amazing night views of the bay, a great way to end a memorable trip.

For those who will like to extend their trip, we have add-ons down to Porto, Lisbon over to Seville and could end up in Madrid the capital city of Spain. Let us know and we can suggest the best way to combine the add-on either pre-tour of post-tour just ask one of our tour specialists.

• Make your own arrangements to arrive at the hotel for check in. (NOTE: See add-ons for private airport transfer prices in our Driver Services.)
• Check in hotel, if you arrive before 2pm then you can leave your luggage with reception and check in a bit later.
  
• 06:30PM-07:00PM approx.: In the evening meet up your food guide for a great introduction to the Basque country food scene...
• Evening Welcome Group Private Pintxos Dinner Cooking Class in Bilbao (Duration: 3hrs approx.)
• At the cooking school we will be met by our Basque chef Aingeru Etxebarria who show us the scerts of how to make the best Basque pintxos! A great way to learn about the culture and for the group to have some fun during an interactive food evening, a good start to our food & wine journey in Northern Spain.
• Our chef is very proud of his profession. He wants to express the respect that he feels towards the Basque kitchen, working with seasonal products and precise cooking with modern techniques. He is a member of the prestigious culinary association euro-toques and he`s delighted to be able to transmit his passion through teaching in all the cities of the world since he offered his services in countries such as Mexico, China, Spain, Italy, France, Japan and Bolivia.
• After our hands-on pintxos cooking class we we sit down for dinner based on what we have prepared with the local txakoli and roja wines.
• Return back to the hotel
• Overnight in Bilbao

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DAY 2:
BILBAO - GUGGENHEIM AND OLD QUARTER

• Breakfast
• Bilbao Panoramic City Tour, Guggenheim museum and Pintxos Food tour in old quarter (Duration: 5hrs approx.)
• 09:30AM: In the morning meet our local guide and driver at your hotel.
• Starting off with a panoramic city tour in the tour then a detailed visit of the Guggenheim Museum
• Then to the old quarter for a walk around and lunch based on pintxos tour.
• 4 pintxos stops and enjoy 5 pintxos and 5 drinks. (NOTE: It will be a mix of traditional and creative/innovative pintxos.)
• Drop off back at your hotel
• Afternoon at your own leisure
• Evening and dinner on your own (NOTE: We can book a table at a recommended Michelin star or traditional restaurant please inquire if you would like a table reservation)
  
• Overnight in Bilbao
  

B, L

DAY 3:
BILBAO - HARO, LA RIOJA WINE COUNTRY - BILBAO

• Breakfast
• The Best Wineries in Haro Heart of  La Rioja Wine Country (Duration: 8-9hrs approx.)
  
• 09:30AM: In the morning meet your food & wine guide and your driver at your hotel.
• Today we will enjoy visiting and tasting the famous wines of the D.O. Rioja wine country
• We stop in Haro the heart of the region for a walk around the town and visit our 1st winery Ramon Bilbao. Enjoy a detailed guided tour, followed by a VIP tasting of Ramón Bilbao wines.
•  Then in outside of the town we stop at our 2nd winery Hacienda El Ternero an amazing winery surrounding by vineyards! 
• We will visit the vineyard, winery, cellar room and then a special group lunch with Riojan traditional cuisine.
• After lunch we enjoy a short drive thru more of the beautiful countryside making our way back to Bilbao.
  
• Drop off back at your hotel
• Evening and dinner on your own (NOTE: We can book a table at a recommended Michelin star or traditional restaurant please inquire if you would like a table reservation)
  
• Overnight in Bilbao

B, L

DAY 4:
BILBAO -  SANTILLANA DEL MAR  - PEAKS OF EUROPE, CABRALES CHEESE AND CIDER COUNTRY -  CANGAS DE ONIS 

• Breakfast
• Discover the Cantabrian town of Santillana del Mar & Asturian Cabrales Cheese and Cider Village tour with special lunch (Duration: 9-10hrs approx.)
  
• 09:00AM: In the morning meet your food & wine guide and driver at your hotel.
• First stop will be in Santillana de Mar to take a leisure walk around this historic Cantabrian town
• Then we drive on down thru the Peaks of Europe to the village of Asiego right near Areas de Cabrales famous for its blue cheese Cabrales and the Asturian Cider. Meet up with our local guided then you will enjoy a visit of the village to learn about how they make their artisan cider and the cabrales cheese.
• Following our visit of the village we will have a traditional Asturian Espicha lunch with local products in the cider cellar.
•  After lunch we follow thru the Peaks of Europe to Cangas de Onis stopping for photos at the famous Roman Bridge before checking into the parador.
• Ending our day at the parador a Historic Monastery surrounded by nature
• Some free time before dinner
• Dinner at the restaurant of the parador
• Overnight in Cangas de Onis

B, L, D

DAY 5:
CANGAS DE ONIS - COVADONGA  - LAKES OF COVADONGA  - CANGAS DE ONIS

• Breakfast
• 09:30AM: In the morning meet your local mountain walking guide at the hotel.
• Covadonga Basilica & Walking/Trekking tour in the Peaks of Europe: Lakes of Covadonga  (Duration: 5hrs approx.)
  
•  In the morning we start with a visit to the Basilica de Santa Maria la Real de Covadonga where we will have some time on our own to walk around.
• Then we will make your way to the beautiful Lakes of Covadonga
  
• Enjoy a half-day walking tour in nature
• Return back to the parador.
  
• Lunch and rest of the day on your own
• Dinner at the restaurant of the parador
  
• Overnight in Cangas de Onis

B, D

DAY 6:
CANGAS DE ONIS - OVIEDO - LUARCA - RIBADEO

• Breakfast
• 09:00AM: Meet your guide and bus driver in the lobby of the parador
• We  make our way to Oviedo capital of Asturias.
• Oviedo: The Pre Romanesque Monuments of Naranco Hill (Santa Maria del Naranco and San Miguel de Lino) and Cathedral with the Old Quarter (Duration: 3hrs.30mins-4hrs approx.)
  
• With our local guide we will visit Oviedo´s pre-Romanesque monuments of Naranco hill (Santa Maria del Naranco and San Miguel de Lino)
  
• Then a walking tour in the old quarter to visit the Cathedral and surrounding streets.
  
• Some free time for lunch on your own and to explore.
• Meet up with your guide and then travel along the Asturian passing by quaint seaside villages and stopping in Luarca then crossing over into Galicia.
• If time permits and the tides we will stop to visit the As Catedrais Beach.
• Overnight in Ribadeo on the Mariña Lucense coast of Lugo, Galicia.
• Check in the parador
• Some time to relax before dinner
• Dinner in the restaurant of the parador
• Overnight in Ribadeo

B, D

DAY 7:
RIBADEO - LOURENZA - MONDOÑEDO - VILALBA

• Breakfast
• 09:00AM: In the morning meet your food & wine guide and driver at your hotel.
• Camino de Santiago del Norte Walk & Lourenza Faba Bean Route with Show Cooking Lunch (Duration: 8-9hrs approx.)
• Today we will walk a portion of the Northern Way of the St. James, about a 2hr walk between Ribadeo to Lourenza.
• We will pass by beautiful landscape of rolling hills with fields of the faba beans which they produce in this area.
• Plus we will learn from our local guide along with local growers how they are plant, cared for, and harvest. Very small production and quite a hands on keeping to the traditionals.
• We stop to visit the cooperative Faba de Lourenza to see how they store, bag and ship the beans to the market.
• For lunch we will learn how they beans are cooked during a Show-Cooking before our lunch in the historic tower/fort Fortaleza de Tovar turned into a traditional museum and restaurant.
• After lunch we will visit Mondoñedo an important stop on the Northern Pilgrimage Way.
• A walk with our local guide around the old quarter and Cathedral then ending our visit with a tasting of the famed Tarta (Cake) de Mondoñedo with a coffee or tea.
• Continue on to Vilalba where we check into the historic parador, a spectacular fortified medieval tower.
• Some time to relax before dinner
• Dinner in the restaurant of the parador
• Overnight in Vilalba

B, L, D

DAY 8:
VILALBA - A CORUÑA - SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

• Breakfast
  
• 09:00AM: In the morning meet our food & wine guide in the lobby of your hotel, board our minibus
• Travel by highway to A Coruña (About 1hr drive approx.)
• A Coruna Tower of Hercules, Promenade Walk and Tapas Tour (Duration: 5-6hrs approx.)
  
• Arriving in A Coruña we will meet our local guide at the Tower of Hercules where we will climb up to the top of the oldest working Roman Lighthouse.
• We will walk (about 4-5km./2.5-3.5mi. approx.) along the coastal beach promenade passing by Oza and Riazor beaches then arriving at Mercado de la Plaza de Lugo. A local fish market with a wide variety of fresh fish and seafood. After our morning walk now time for some lunch in the old town where we will make 2 or 3 stops for some tapas and wines,  sampling food like tetilla cheese, the traditional Galician  Empanada Pie, Zamburiñas (Baby Scallops), Polbo á Feira (Octopus Fair-style,) etc..
• Some free time after our tapas around the Maria Pita square and La Avenida de la Marina area.
• Then we travel by highway down to Santiago (About 1hr drive approx.)
• Check in our historic monastery hotel in the old town.
• Some free time before dinner
• Dinner will be at the restaurant of the hotel.
• Overnight in Santiago de Compostela

B, L, D

DAY 9:
SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

• Breakfast
  
• 10:00AM: In the morning meet our food & wine guide and local guide in the lobby of your hotel.
• Santiago de Compostela Pilgrimage Cathedral and Historical Quarter Walking Tour (Duration 3hrs30mins approx.)
• Morning walking through the old quarter stopping at various monuments to see from the outside and of course the cathedral (inside).
  
• We will end our morning walk at the Michelin-starred restaurant A Tafona by Chef Lucia Freitas to try her Tasting Menu for lunch.
• Afternoon and evening on your own to explore
  
• Dinner on your own (NOTE: We can book a table at a recommended Michelin star or traditional restaurant please inquire if you would like a table reservation)
• Overnight in Santiago de Compostela

B, L

DAY 10:
SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA - RIBEIRA SACRA WINE COUNTRY - AS NEVES

• Breakfast
  
• 08:00AM: In the morning meet our food & wine guide in the lobby of your hotel, board our minibus
• Today we get a earlier start to make our way to the Ribeira Sacra, A Sacred place of wine! Since roman times they made wines here then the monks continued the tradition. (NOTE: 2hrs. drive time approx.)
• 10:15AM: Arriving in the sub-zone Amandi, D.O. Ribeira Sacra we will take a 1hr river boat ride to see how steep the vineyards are cultivated on the terraces which are the most included in the world at over 80% incline!
• Then we make our way up to the winery Adega Algueira where we will be welcomed by owner Fernando and son Fabio.
  
• Enjoy a detailed visit of the winery and tasting of their Mencia, Godello, etc... wines
• After the visit we will have a traditional lunch in the restaurant of the winery.
• To stretch our legs a bit after the meal we will go for a walk (3kms walking time about 45mins-1hr approx.) to the Mirador Pena do Castelo, a vantage-viewpoint with a birds-eye view of the river sil gorge.
• Boarding our minibus we drive back to our hotel in  As Neves where we will be staying at a stylish gastronomic wine country hotel in the middle of nature which we will make our based for the next few nights.
• Some free time to relax before our special tasting and dinner.
• The hotel we are staying at is owned by the winery Señorio de Rubios which is right beside the hotel and we will take a brief visit this evening and a tasting of their award winning wines.
• Dinner at the restaurant of the hotel offer a creative cuisine.
• Overnight in As Neves

B, L, D

DAY 11:
AS NEVES  - RIBEIRO WINE COUNTRY - AS NEVES

• Breakfast
  
• 09:15AM: In the morning meet our food & wine guide in the lobby of your hotel, board our minibus (NOTE: The drive from our hotel is only about 30mins.)
• 10:00AM:  Today we will walk the Camino del Vino wine trails of O Ribeiro Wine Country. (NOTE: Walk will be about 10km./6.21mi., with stops for visit will be about 4hrs. approx.)
• Starting in San Clodio and ending in Ribadavia. We will pass thru historic village, ancient wine cellars and stop to visit the Museo del Vino de Galicia (Galician Wine Museum)
  
• 02:00PM: Arriving in  Ribadavia, the capital of Ribeiro wine region and where they have the festival every year. Lunch will be in a gastro-bar restaurant offering local cuisine.
• After lunch visit to Ribadavia "The keys of the wine". A route through the historical quarter, learn about the Jewish past and then a tasting of toasted wine and Hebrew sweets at a historic Jewish bakery Tafona de Herminia. 
• Boarding our minibus we drive back to our hotel in  As Neves
• Some free time to relax before our special Goodbye Show Cooking Class and Dinner.
• For our last dinner together we have a special treat for the group.... Chef Fran Sotelino who is the head of the kitchen at the Hotel's restaurant Horta e Viño will let us into his eco-garden and kitchen to help with the dinner tonight!
• Our class will start by visiting the organic cultivated garden
  
• Depending on the harvest and the date of visit, the ingredients for the show-cooking could be collected for our class.
• The Show-Cooking will be held in the kitchen of the restaurant
• The menu will be a 3-courses and change depending on availability of products in the market and of course the garden. Normally the chef changes weekly his Menu del Mercado for the restaurant.  Any example of different dishes where you will find very special ingredients like: line-caught hake fish from Celeiro, Galician beef, Arzúa-Ulloa D.O. cheeses, Requeixo cheese and honey from As Neves and many others region ingredients used to create unique dishes.
• An interactive gastronomic end to our journey in Southern Galicia
• Overnight in As Neves

B, L, D

DAY 12:
AS NEVES -BAIXO MINO RIVER WINE COUNTRY - VIGO

• Breakfast
  
• 09:00-09:30AM: In the morning meet our food & wine guide in the lobby of your hotel, board our minibus
• We explore the surrounding river miño valley which separate Galicia with Northern Portugal
• Baixo Miño River Wine Country of Galicia, Rias baixas and Portugal, Vinho Verde 
• We start the day with a drive to the quaint village of Arbo, land of the lamprey eel and Condado de Tea blended white wines with 70% Albariño and other local grapes.
• Enjoy a detailed visit of the vineyard, winery and a tasting at the winey Bodegas Marques de Vizhoja.
• After our visit we go for lunch at a nearby traditional Galician Pazo (manor house) to try some of the local specialties with wines of the area. 
  
• In the afternoon we will take a walk (5km./3.1mi. approx.) along the riverside and over the bridge into Portugal`s Vinho Verde wine region.
• During our river trail walk you will see the Pesqueiras, which are what local lamprey eel fisherman use to capture the Lamprey. They are stone walls jutting out into the river stream, a method used since roman times.
  
• After our walk we will stop at a Portuguese Solar (farm house manor) Reguengo de Melgaço which also has a winery.
  
• Having tasted the same grape (only difference is it is called Alvarinho in Portuguese!) over in Galicia you will now taste on this side of the border.
  
• The wines will be paired with some of the artisan goat cheeses from the local farm Prados de Melgaço and cured smoked meats.
• To get the best views from this side of the river we will take a stroll thru the cobblestone streets of the village and climb the stairs to the top of the 12th century defense tower of Melgaço used in the past to look over the river at Galicia to make sure they are not planning an attack! 
• Boarding our minibus we drive to the coastal city of Vigo (about 1hr drive).
• Drop off at your Urban City Centre Boutique Spa Hotel in the heart of Vigo
• Check-in and free time the rest of the day.
• You have 1hr free access at the rooftop spa bath you can use today or save it for another day!
• Dinner on your own, we will recommended restaurants close by your hotel
• Overnight in Vigo

B, L

DAY 13:
VIGO - O MORRAZO COASTAL FISHING VILLAGES & COOKING CLASS - VIGO

• Breakfast
• 10:00AM: Meet your food & wine guide in the lobby of the hotel this morning
  
• We will take a walk down to the port of Vigo, the largest fishing port in Europe and 2nd in the world behind Tokyo.
• We will start our Gastro-Day of Peninsula of O Morrazo on the other side of Vigo Bay.
  
• Enjoy a short small ferry ride over Vigo Bay (20 mins.) to the small fishing village of Cangas.
• Arriving in Cangas we will walk along the seaside promenade to the market and take a look what has been caught that morning.
• After visiting the market we will take a walk around the old part of Cangas and a little walk along the promenade.
• Then you will be picked up and transferred to Moaña to the local cooking school where you will enjoy a private fun cooking class with a local Galician Chef that has worked in various local restaurant.
• It will start with a demonstration of the dishes you will prepare then main course/dish hands-on. It will be based on products of the area... fish, seafood, etc... A 1st starter course (could be 1 or 2 dishes), 2nd main course then 3rd dessert dish.
• You will eat lunch  based on what you have prepared with your chef and guide accompanied by Albariño white or Mencia red wines. From the dining area enjoy views of Vigo bay and Moaña in the background. A special foodie experience and a great introduction to the gastronomy of the Rias Baixas, Galicia.
• After lunch a coastal drive to make a brief stop in the small village of Hio to see the Wayside Cross of Hio the most famous in Galicia and built from on solid block of granite. Beside the cross is the Romanesque Church of San Andres (St. Andrews) we take a peek inside before leaving.  
• Then we stop at a look out point in Donon to enjoy the excellent view of the Cies Island in front.
• Here we will take a coastal walk/hike (2-3km./1.25-1.85mi. approx.) up a hill (about 163mt./532ft. in elevation approx.)  calle Monte O Facho. We walk up a stony path arriving at an ancient Celtic Lighthouse with remains of a hill-fort settlement at the top offering a viewpoint with spectacular views of the Costa da Vela and Cies Islands protecting the mouth of Vigo Bay.
• Return back to Vigo by highway.
• Drop off and some free time before our last dinner
• 08:00PM: Meet your food & wine guide in the lobby of the hotel
• Farwell drink on the terrace of the cocktail bar.
• Then we will take a short stroll to thru the streets to the Michelin-starred restaurante Maruja Limon where we will enjoying a special tasting menu prepared by Chef Rafa Centeno and his team.
• Walk back to our hotel just around the corner.
• The night is not over! Optional if you still want more... there is an amazing  rooftop Skyline bar of the whole to see the bay of Vigo and lights at night you could have a that last night-cap.
• Overnight in Vigo

B, L, D

DAY 14:
VIGO, SANTIAGO OR PORTO TRANSFERS

• Breakfast
  
• In the morning make you own departure arrangements to Vigo Airport/Train Station, Porto Airport or Santiago Airport (NOTE: You will see in the Add-ons section details for additional transfer costs in our Driver Services)
• If you did want to extend your trip down to Porto, Lisbon over to Seville and could end up in Madrid the capital city of Spain. Let us know and we can suggest the best way to combine the add-on either post-tour just ask one of our tour specialists.

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