We had the best time with Alain. Throughout our stay, we have had locals/guides say that the people…read moreof San Sebastián go by the philosophy of "live life and have fun". Today the day started with hail and we ALMOST didn't go on the tour, and I'm so glad we decided to just say "go for it"...because we had the best day. The tour was small, the rain cleared up quickly, and we got some beautiful sun. Alain gave us some history, gave some recommendations for food spots, and even took us to a place we could play their version of hand ball (Esku Pilota or Basque Pilota). The tour felt personalized and we learned some basque phrases. One person got a flat tire and Alain was able to show off his expert skills at fixing the bike quickly...he kept each member of the tour safe! All the staff in the office were super friendly, responsive, and kept my bag safe when I forgot it . Highly recommend!

A MUST-DO when you arrive in San Sebastián. "Classic E-Bike Tour" covers iconic places of the city…read moreas well as some of the "local" hotspots away from the tourist traps. The city is very bike-friendly and the electric bikes used on this tour makes it so easy to maneuver throughout town. Each tour group is only 6 people and led by a friendly English-Spanish speaking guide. We had "Pylagio"(?) who was well versed on the history of the town and gave good recommendations for things to do for the rest of our stay in San Sebastián. We had taken the "Classic E-Bike Tour" on our 2nd day in San Sebastián and wished we had taken it on the day we arrived like the other people in our group. After this tour you'll have a better idea of which areas and sites you want to go back to and explore further. We plan on doing this tour again when we return with our teenage kids. Tips: - Before the tour, eat enough to hold you over for 3 hours of activity. Food stops are not part of the tour. Only water breaks. - Bring a cold sports drink (like Gatorade). Bottled water is provided but on a warm day, electrolytes helped get through the last half of the tour. - It's sunny, wear sunglasses and a hat. Use sunblock, sunscreen, or suntanning lotion. - Avoid bringing any bulky items. A small lightweight backpack is the most you should bring. - A GoPro is nice to have. You'll be riding through beautiful parts of town and see amazing views from the top of the peaks. We highly recommend this tour over the bus tours. On a bus they give you recordings to listen to while you ride around city streets. This bike tour is more fun and personalized.

Custom Tour 2 - 11 May 2025 We had used Basque Guides in…read more2024, for a shore excursion in Bilbao. That experience was so great, that we decided to hire them for multi-day tour of the Basque country. We had two main reasons for visiting the Basque country. 1. My wife's maternal ancestors are Basque and in fact come from a small town in the Basque country named Aginaga in Basque, Aguinaga in Spanish. 2. To visit wineries and taste wine in the Rioja wine region. We enjoyed the entire experience so much, that this review will probably become long and effusive but I hope helpful. We were joined on our tour by some great friends with whom we had traveled before. We stayed in three different cities in Basque country - San Sebastian, Briones, and Bilbao. First the hotels which were all recommended by Iker Bardaji, the owner of Basque Guides: 1. Lasala Plaza Hotel in San Sebastian for five nights - An adults only hotel perfectly located across from the malecón and in old town which is filled with amazing bars, restaurants, and shops. 2. Hotel Santa Maria Briones for two nights in the small town of Briones (population of 824) in the heart of Rioja. It is a small 16 room boutique hotel. You will never find better accommodations or friendlier staff anywhere. We wish we could have stayed longer. 3. Hotel Miro in Bilbao for two nights. The hotel is a very nice business/tourist hotel. Rooms are very good. But its main attraction is being directly across the street from the Guggenheim Museum. Our tours: San Sebastian - we spent five nights in San Sebastian which gave us time to venture out into the stunningly beautiful countryside especially along the seashore. The first day we took a comprehensive tour of San Sebastian The second day we headed off to the world famous city of Pamplona, know for the running of the bulls but we learned it was so much more. The next day we explored the French Basque country towns of Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, and other small towns along the way. The following day, we explored the Spanish coastal cities of Basque country including the town of Aginaga from which my wife's maternal line immigrated. Then it was off to Rioja. Briones - we stayed at the amazing boutique Hotel Santa Maria Briones and ventured out from there to visit wineries and taste the amazing wines of the Rioja DOC. For those of you who are wine lovers, we visited Bodegas Murua, Bodegas Amaren, Bodegas Tritium, Bodegas Ollauri Rioja Conde de los Andes, Bodegas Luis Cañas, and Bodegas Gómez Cruzado. We tasted great wine, ate great food, and slept well both nights at an exceptional hotel. Bilbao - Our hotel was the Hotel Miró and it was a great location from which to venture out and around Bilbao. Of course, the main tourist draw to Bilbao is the Guggenheim Museum. It is well worth the visit. A word about Iker Bardaji, Basque Guides, and his guides. If you communicate with Iker about what you would like to see and do, Iker will put together a memorable tour for you. Until Iker and Basque Guides we had never had a tour company listen as carefully to what we wanted to accomplish, ask the right questions, and then craft such an amazing itinerary that delivered an experience we will always remember. Iker also hires excellent tour guides. The best of the best. Not only were they fluent in English which was important to us, but they were also extremely knowledgeable about the history, culture, and lifestyle of the region. We had the pleasure of working with several of Iker's guides - Gonzalo, Andoni, Jaime, Gorka, and Mateo. All were exceptional. If you only have time for a short peek at Basque country or if you have days to explore, Iker Bardaji and Basque Guides are the right choice.

From the owner: Private Tours, Food & Wine, City Tours, Sightseeing, Off the track Toursread more

This tour was simply the best travel and gastro experience in a long time! Our tour guide was top…read morenotch expert on authentic local Basque cuisine and culture. She catered to our dietary needs/preferences and customized the gastropub tour to fit our needs. I loved everything she had us try, not a single pintxo was anything less than superb (which by the way she ensured was freshly made for her tour guests once we arrived). I am still daydreaming about this experience and already planning my next visit in the near future.

When I originally began to design our Northern Spain European vacation, I was overly excited about…read morediscovering San Sebastian. The scenic resort town is on the Bay of Biscay in Spain's mountainous Basque Country. There are two popular beaches also that one can enjoy either on the Bay or on the ocean. These beaches are bordered by a charming Bayfront boardwalk, and popular restaurants with creative chefs. Anyone that is not a seafood lover will have challenges eating in these popular restaurants. Most of our time invested in this fabulous city was in the Old City where we enjoyed pintxos and at one time an awesome cheese cake for desert. San Sebastián was surly well worth the visit. The magnitude of people and their energy draws out the dynamic appeal and absolutely wonderful culture of this delightful city.

In April of 2018 a friend recommended to contact Celia. We visited wiith a couple of friends and…read morewe loved her! All the plans that she suggested were incredible, including unique wineries that we would have never visited otherwise. We had an amazing experience, thanks to her. Highly recommendable!

From the owner: First we were globe trotters, now we are hosts. And we feel lucky showing you our homeland, Rioja…read more Over 15 years of experience on the tourism and wine industry to understand that the perfect tour it is the one made right for you. We know the history, the wine producers, the secrets, only as locals can do. Let us become, not your guide, but better your host, taking you to YOUR Rioja experience.

Alex is exceptional; our family took the day trip to Bilbao and seaside cities. He is very…read morepassionate about the Basque Country and willing to share about history and culture of the area. He selected the perfect place for lunch in Getaria - Balearri. The charcoaled turbot and octopus were phenomenal. Alex made sure we saw all that was special about the areas we visited.

From the owner: Sightseeing tours. Food and wine. Sailing. Enjoy your holidays in the Basque Country.read more

This is one of the most iconic bridges in San Sebastian. The history of this bridge dates back to…read more1893, when a temporary wooden walkway was built to allow direct access from the city center to the Estación del Norte, the bullring or the velodrome. The final bridge was inaugurated in 1905, the feast of San Sebastián. The bridge stands out for the four monumental obelisks, located at its ends, 18 meters high and crowned by beautiful sculptures and gold decorations. I walked past it going from downtown to the bus station, but many many people admire this bridge during walking tours of the city.

Came here while visiting Donostia and we managed to get free entry! It's a really great museum and…read moreit's manageable for spending as little as an hour, unless you want to go through all of the exhibits in substantial detail, which could take quite a bit more time. There's a lot of old Basque history including seafaring history, whaling stuff, and then more modern stuff, too, ranging from Basque artists to, I don't know, secret Basque space lasers. The architectural integration of the old cathedral and cloister is also well done-- leaving the sanctuary, you walk out into this gorgeous, peaceful grassy area and aren't even thinking about the fact that the upstairs is more of a proper museum setting. Definitely worth a visit

Definitely recommend visiting if you are in San Sebastian for more than a couple of days, or if…read moreit's raining and are looking for an indoor activity. It's a great way to learn about Basque history and culture and it includes a church and cloister as part of the building's structure. Bonus: they have a a cafe with tasty pintxos and tapas for the appetite you will work up walking through the museum.

MIMO Bites Experience is the most amazing culinary academy. My husband and I have been going every…read moreyear twice a year since 2020. The school has experienced lots of changes and all for the better. If you love to do something amazing and love to cook or eat this is definitely for you. The team is composed of very experienced chefs, who love to teach and go out of their way to create an unforgettable experience for you. Lara, the office manager goes out of her way to make you and your guests happy. While the classes are awesome, there is another side to the school, you can book the entire place for team building or team rewards, rehearsal dinner party, birthday celebrations, etc. If you go to San Sebastian, one of the most beautiful cities in Spain, make MIMO a stop on your journey. Enjoy your stay

Such a fun experience with friends - cooking together, learning about the history and enjoying good…read morefood