EUROPE
Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, Galicia, Spain Douro Valley, Portugal
ITINERARY
DAY 1 • Depart U. S. Fly overnight from the U. S. to Bilbao, Spain.
DAY 2 • Arrive in Bilbao, Spain Arrive in Bilbao, Spain, and meet your Trip Experience Leader and fellow travelers, including those on our optional Carcassonne, Bayonne & French Basque Country pre-trip extension. Hotel Abando or similar
DAY 3 • Bilbao Get acquainted with Bilbao during an included walking tour. Visit the medieval Old Town, also known as the“ Seven Streets” neighborhood, which is home to the Ribera Market— Europe’ s largest covered market. Meals: B, D | Hotel Abando or similar
DAY 4 • Bilbao • Guernica • Visit Guernica Peace Museum • Talo bread tasting • Home-Hosted Dinner Explore the Basque coast, beginning in Guernica where the German Luftwaffe bombed in 1937. After, visit the Guernica Peace Museum, which documents the bombing in its exhibits and stands as a symbol of hope for a peaceful Basque future. Later, head to a farmhouse to learn about talo— traditional Basque corn bread— and sample its flavor during an included lunch. This evening, enjoy a Home-Hosted Dinner with a local family in Bilbao. Meals: B, L, D | Hotel Abando or similar
DAY 5 • Bilbao • San Sebastian excursion • Pamplona We travel overland to Pamplona in the heart of Basque country. Along the way, we’ ll stop in San Sebastian, Spain’ s gourmet capital. Get to know the city during a walking tour. Meals: B, L | Tres Reyes Hotel or similar
DAY 6 • Walk the Camino de Santiago • Pamplona • Discussion about the running of the bulls Walk a section of the Camino de Santiago, one of Europe’ s most important pilgrimage routes. Then, visit Pamplona, a city made famous by the running of the bulls, with a walking tour led by a local resident who will discuss the controversy surrounding this local tradition. Meals: B, L | Tres Reyes Hotel or similar
DAY 7 • Ubidea • Overland to León Today we travel overland to León with a stop along the way in Ubidea, one of the smallest towns in Basque Country. We’ ll set explore Ubidea’ s archaeological center before continuing onward to León. Meals: B, L, D | Sercotel Alfonso V or similar
DAY 8 • Explore León • A Day in the Life of a Spanish farm Set out on a discovery walk in León to witness the city’ s long history, with a mix of medieval, Gothic, Renaissance, and Modernist architecture. Then, spend A Day in the Life of a rural Spanish farm. After meeting the farm’ s owner, we’ ll explore
the property, see the animals, and sit down to a farm-fresh lunch. Meals: B, L | Sercotel Alfonso V or similar
DAY 9 • Santiago de Compostela Travel to Santiago de Compostela, the culmination of the camino. Along the way, we’ ll stop in Santa Colomba de Somoza, a small village nestled in the historical region of la Maragatería. We’ ll visit a local beekeeper and have lunch with a local family before continuing on to Santiago. Meals: B, L, D | Hotel Palacio del Carmen or similar
ADVENTURE HIGHLIGHT
On Day 6, walk along the Camino de Santiago, one of the historic pilgrimage routes recognized on UNESCO’ s World Heritage List.
Information & Reservations 1-800-955-1925 www. oattravel. com / spg 153