Discover the artisan producers of the mountain

Julian was very warm and welcoming. He was knowledgeable of the area and showed us around some great farms where we met some amazing and hard working people. Then we had an amazing brunch with a backdrop that could only be found on postcards.

It's hard to put into words how incredible our day with Julen was. Since we went in the off season, we had a private tour. He picked us up promptly and we were instantly friends. His warm and welcoming personality radiated his passion for Basque culture. The 1-hour drive into the mountains passed quickly with beautiful scenery and Julen's conversation. We visited a small traditional family bakery in the hills above the village where three generations of bakers were making bread together on a busy Saturday! Their bread was so tasty and made with love. Next, an organic family cheese farm welcomed us with open arms and tons of adorable animals to pet (sheep, goats, horses, kittens, dogs!). We shared a snack together and felt like we were hanging out with old friends. We walked to their gastronomic society for a coffee break. Yes, we lucked out with gorgeous weather. We took a pastoral walk in the foothills before driving back up the mountain to another gastronomic society. There, we met Julen's father and cooked an incredibly tasty meal together. We had bread from the bakery, and chorizo and cheese from the cheese farm. Local Txakoli wine free flowed. We ended our meal with Julen's dad's favorite digestive liquor. After the big meal, we learned how to play handball to wake ourselves up from our food coma. The drive back to San Sebastián was equally wonderful and beautiful. We went home with a bag full of incredible local food. We aren't typically people who like tours. But this one exceeded all expectations and provided exactly what a tour should: an experience that can't be repeated anywhere else. Don't wait to book this tour. Do it. Right now. :)

We had the best day with Julen exploring the Basque countryside and tasting local foods. We were exploring the Basque Country and Julen was kind enough to begin our tour picking us up in Bilbao then dropping us off at days end in our hotel in San Sebastián. This greatly simplified our travels as we had no desire to rent a car just for a day and trains and other transport weren’t great. We started with a quick jaunt to see the amazing San Juan Gaztelugatxe from a perfect viewpoint followed by a perfectly timed visit to an artisanal bakery rediscovering the traditional recipes an techniques for bread. There we had a “light snack” with hot bread, salumi, cheese and cider. After a pleasant visit we moved on to a farm making beautiful cheeses and met the cheese makers and watched the process. The grand finale was a very traditional Basque lunch at a mend’s cooking club above a small village. Julen is a real people-person and delights in showcasing the local foods and traditions. Julen’s slogan-the tour for non tour lovers-is apt. Spend some time immersed in the Basque lifestyle and culture with your new friend in the Basque Country. You’ll be very glad you did!