The Basque Country

Meeting our Tour Manager at London St Pancras early this morning, we board the Eurostar to Paris. From Paris we continue by rail to Hendaye, France. We are then transferred by coach, just across the estuary and the Spanish border, to the town of Hondarribia.

The attractive coastal town of Hondarribia has historic plazas and traditional Basque houses with brightly painted wooden shutters and balconies of colourful flower boxes. We check into our central hotel for seven nights, where we have dinner.

• Dinner

After breakfast at the hotel, today is free to discover Hondarribia independently. Considered one of the most beautiful spots in the Basque country, this characterful fishing village has plenty to offer.

Our hotel is in La Marina neighbourhood, close to the port and a few minutes from the beach. The medieval old town (signposted 'Casco Antiguo') can be reached by following the preserved walls up to the castle, at the highest point of the village. The 16th century castle has been restored as a hotel and faces the main square, Plaza de Armas, with the church of Santa María de la Asunción just behind it.

Hondarribia has several inviting eateries in the pedestrianised La Marina neighbourhood. Lined with trees, the area features wooden fishermen's houses, pintxo bars and restaurants. Pintxos is a type of tapas unique to the Basque Country. Other Basque specialities include fish soup, tuna and hake. At lunchtime, many places offer a menú del día which is usually a great value way to sample what's in season.

• Breakfast

This morning we're taken by coach to the exciting city of San Sebastián for a guided tour of the historic sights, followed by free time to look around independently. Known as Spain's culinary capital, San Sebastián is world famous for its cuisine. Set in the fabulous La Concha Bay, San Sebastián has a glamorous past as a seaside resort.

After our tour you're free for a few hours. With the beach easily accessible on foot, you could have a refreshing dip in the sea, or maybe take a boat trip out to the nearby island of Santa Clara. If you'd like to know more about local culture, the interesting San Telmo Museum in the Old Town is dedicated to Basque culture and history. Despite its modern façade, the original building is a beautiful 16th century Dominican convent, and this is the oldest museum in the Basque country. Later we return by coach to our hotel for a three-course dinner.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today you're at leisure to discover more of Hondarribia or the surrounding area. Set along the estuary of the Bidasoa River which links Spain with France, the sea here is the calmest in the Basque region. If you haven't already discovered it, there's a wide and sandy beach, popular with both locals and tourists. There's a lifeguard, bathrooms, showers and changing rooms, and the beach also has a choice of bars and restaurants.

This evening you could follow local tradition by visiting a number of small bars to sample a variety of pintxo. Although much smaller than San Sebastián, Hondarribia has a reputation for great cuisine and the town attracts upcoming chefs who gain valued experience in the town's restaurants. As a result, Hondarribia has a wide variety of restaurants where you can indulge in typical Basque fare.

• Breakfast

Today we travel by coach, just across the border to the coastal town of St Jean de la Luz, a lively fishing port in France's Aquitaine province, known for its beautiful beach and excellent seafood. There is time to look around here and you might like to try the catch of the day for lunch.

This afternoon is a trip on the authentic 1920s rack railway, the Petit Train de la Rhune, to the summit of La Rhune. We join the railway at Col de St Ignace, ten kilometres from St Jean de la Luz. Travelling in vintage carriages - up above forests, ravines and mountain peat bogs - we experience fantastic views of the Pyrenees and Basque coast, from San Sebastián to Biarritz, across the Atlantic Ocean. At the end of the afternoon, we transfer back to the hotel for a three-course dinner.

• Breakfast, Dinner

With another chance to explore at leisure today, you could enjoy a walk along the Hondarribia seafront promenade. From the marina, follow the Butrón Boardwalk along the waterside for wonderful views of the ocean, the estuary and across to Hendaye, on the opposite bank of the Bidasoa River. The Bay Path, or Camino de la Bahia, is a trail of around 14 kilometres that spans the waterfront between the eastern end of Hendaye's beach and Hondarribia's lighthouse.

If you'd like to explore further, there's a bus service to Hendaye, which has a train station with direct connections to French Basque towns such as St Jean de Luz and Biarritz. There's also a ferry service between Hondarribia and Hendaye which takes around 10 minutes.

If your holiday happens to be in September, this is the month of the town's main festivities - the fiesta of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the city's patron saint.

• Breakfast

This morning we are taken by coach to visit Bilbao, a modern city with a charming Old Quarter, to see the amazing Guggenheim Museum. With entry included, you are free to look around at leisure. The contemporary gallery features the work of artists including Jeff Koons and Louise Bourgeois, but it's the museum building - with its curvy, titanium-clad exterior designed by Frank Gehry - which often gets the most attention.

After viewing the exhibitions there is free time to continue exploring Bilbao - you could wander around the Old Town which offers plenty of tempting Basque tapas or seafood for lunch. Or maybe visit the Doña Casilda Iturrizar Park which has beautiful gardens, architecture, and fountains.

After a coach transfer back to Hondarribia, this evening is our final three-course dinner at the hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

After our final breakfast we are taken by coach to Hendaye then travel by rail to Paris. This week in the Basque country has shown us a unique and vibrant side of Northern Spain and France, with a good balance of excursions and time to explore independently. Changing trains in Paris, we join the Eurostar service to London St Pancras where our journey ends.

• Breakfast