Europe
Spain
A country whose landscape and character change every few kilometers
From the villages of La Mancha to the Basque coast, by way of Cádiz's wineries and estates — itineraries built with the same criteria as any other destination in the catalog.
Spain changes landscape and character every few kilometers: the literary Madrid of Cervantes and the villages of La Mancha, the Cádiz of century-old wineries and equestrian estates, the Basque coast between cliffs and shipyards that still build by hand. What I look for in each route isn't a checklist of monuments, but real access — a winery guide related to the family itself, a cook who opens her home on a street with no name, a shipyard rebuilding a 16th-century ship plank by plank. Each itinerary grows out of a real trip, not a guidebook.
Datos del viaje
Experiences
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Golden Age Madrid, with a guide in period dress
An actor in period costume leads you through Madrid's oldest neighborhood, among squares and streets that have barely changed since the 16th century.
View experience: Golden Age Madrid, with a guide in period dress
An actor-guide in period dress leads a theatrical walk through the Madrid de los Austrias, the city's oldest district. The route passes through Plaza de la Villa, seat of the city council since 1630, and the 15th-century Torre de los Lujanes — once the city's original Arab souk and its main square before Plaza Mayor replaced it. Along the way, narrow streets that were once Moorish paths and today form one of Madrid's liveliest restaurant areas.
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A tasting at Osborne guided by a member of the family itself
Fabricio, related to the Osborne family, guides the visit through one of Jerez's historic wineries and rounds off the afternoon with a tasting of their wines and Iberian ham.
View experience: A tasting at Osborne guided by a member of the family itself
An exclusive visit to Bodegas Osborne, founded in 1772 in El Puerto de Santa María and known for holding the largest collection of aged Jerez wines, which are only produced in El Puerto and Sanlúcar de Barrameda. The guide and host is Fabricio, a great connoisseur of the winery through his family ties to the Osbornes — he even married there. The visit ends with a tasting of their signature wines paired with Cinco Jotas Iberian ham.
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Andalusian cooking in the home of a Vejer cook
A private cooking class in a traditional home tucked away on a cobbled street in the historic center of Vejer, with fresh, local produce.
View experience: Andalusian cooking in the home of a Vejer cook
An expert cook opens the doors of her traditional Andalusian home, tucked away on a narrow cobbled street in the heart of Vejer de la Frontera, for a private cooking class. Together you prepare a typical Andalusian meal with fresh, local produce, in a domestic setting far from anything touristy.
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The shipyard hand-rebuilding a 16th-century galleon
In Pasaia, a team hand-builds the replica of a 16th-century Basque whaling ship whose original, sunk off Newfoundland, is the only UNESCO monument underwater.
View experience: The shipyard hand-rebuilding a 16th-century galleon
Albaola, the Basque Maritime Factory, hand-rebuilds a replica of the San Juan galleon, an iconic 16th-century Basque whaling ship. The original sank off Newfoundland and is the only UNESCO-sponsored monument found underwater. The visit, at Ondartxo cove (Pasaia), lets you see the construction process on-site and understand the history of the Basque whalers who set sail for Newfoundland. It's rounded off by crossing the bay by boat to Pasajes de San Juan, one of the coast's most authentic fishing villages, where Victor Hugo once lived and drew inspiration for Les Misérables.
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Dining where Cervantes wrote, with dishes from Don Quixote itself
In the cell where Cervantes was once imprisoned in Argamasilla de Alba, a dinner recreates the dishes that appear in the book itself.
View experience: Dining where Cervantes wrote, with dishes from Don Quixote itself
The Casa Medrano in Argamasilla de Alba preserves the cell where Miguel de Cervantes was once imprisoned — some say over trouble with his work as a tax collector, others because he courted Medrano's daughter. There, by candlelight and with a quill pen, he wrote part of his masterwork; today you can sit at the same table and see the cot where he slept. The evening is rounded off with a dinner of small dishes drawn from recipes in the book itself: salmorejo, asadillo manchego, gachas manchegas, migas del pastor, duelos y quebrantos, pisto manchego, and roast suckling lamb shoulder, among others.
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Several days on horseback between Doñana and the Sierra Morena
A multi-day riding route that crosses Doñana National Park, passes through one of Andalusia's historic horse-breeding estates, and closes with three days on horseback through the Sierra Morena, staying at camp-style lodgings.
View experience: Several days on horseback between Doñana and the Sierra Morena
The route begins with a multi-day stay in Doñana, with daily 3- to 5-hour rides (a 4x4 or bicycle option is also available) and full board. It includes a visit to the Yeguada Cartuja–Hierro del Bocado, one of Spain's most prestigious horse-breeding estates, guided by someone with direct access to the estate's owners. The route then continues toward the Sierra Morena for three days on horseback, riding 5 to 6 hours a day, with camp-style lodging in two different locations and live music in the evenings.
Itinerary ideas
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9 days
Essential Spain: Madrid and La Mancha in the Footsteps of Cervantes
Madrid, Alcalá de Henares, the villages of La Mancha, and Toledo
View itinerary idea: Essential Spain: Madrid and La Mancha in the Footsteps of Cervantes
Madrid as the starting point, with time for the Barrio de las Letras and the National Library; a detour to Alcalá de Henares, birthplace of Cervantes and a World Heritage university town; several days through the villages of La Mancha — windmills, castles, wineries, and the cell where Cervantes wrote part of his masterwork — tracing his life and that of Don Quixote; and a close in Toledo, between the Cathedral and the Alcázar, before returning to Madrid.
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7 days
Authentic Andalusia: Jerez, Vejer, and the Sierra de Ronda
Cádiz, Jerez de la Frontera, Vejer de la Frontera, and the Serranía de Ronda
View itinerary idea: Authentic Andalusia: Jerez, Vejer, and the Sierra de Ronda
Cádiz and its old town as the first stop, among religious monuments and the city market; several days in Jerez, between a private horse- and bull-breeding estate and the century-old wineries of El Puerto de Santa María; a day in Vejer, perched on a white hilltop, with a cooking class in a traditional home; and a closing weekend in the Sierra de Ronda, with nothing scheduled.
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8 days
Basque Country: Nature, Coast, and Tradition
Donostia/San Sebastián, Pasaia, Bilbao, and the Rioja Alavesa
View itinerary idea: Basque Country: Nature, Coast, and Tradition
San Sebastián as a base, with time for surfing at Zurriola beach; a day devoted to Basque maritime heritage in Pasaia and its fishing villages; a walk along the txakoli route to the flysch cliffs and a traditional farmhouse; Bilbao and the Guggenheim; the landscapes of Urdaibai and Gaztelugatxe; and a close in Vitoria-Gasteiz and the Rioja Alavesa, among wineries and vineyards.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best time to travel around Spain?
It depends on the area. Spring and autumn are best for the interior and the south, with pleasant temperatures. Summer suits the cooler Cantabrian coast, and winter is the time for snow in Sierra Nevada. The country's climate is very varied, so I define the ideal moment according to your route.
Is only Spanish spoken in Spain?
No. Castilian Spanish is the official language of the State and, under the Constitution, the other Spanish languages are also official in their respective autonomous communities. So in some regions you will hear Basque, Catalan or Galician, and see signs in two languages. In tourism you can always get by in Spanish.
Where should I go in summer and where in winter in Spain?
In summer, the Cantabrian coast, with its milder climate, is a good option compared with the heat of the interior and the south. In winter, besides the snow of Sierra Nevada, the south remains pleasant for walking. I suggest the combination according to what you seek: city, nature, food or rest.