London To Bordeaux, The Basque Country And The Beach

Our trip begins this morning at London's St Pancras Station, the home of the Eurostar. Here you'll check-in for your Eurostar train and board your (unaccompanied) Eurostar train to Paris. You will have your tickets before you travel. We meet our Tour Leader off the train at the Gare du Nord, and take the Paris metro together to the Gare Montparnasse. Here we board our train to Bordeaux, flying through the French countryside and saying 'bonjour' to the French coast after arriving in the late afternoon.

The small port city of Bordeaux is one of France's most renowned wine-making hubs. This morning we'll visit the Wine and Trade museum, in the heart of the wine merchants' quarter, where we'll get a real introduction into Bordeaux's long reputation for making world-class wines. The visit takes us into the cellars of an old wine merchant's house, bringing the history alive. We'll end our tour with a tasting, of course, learning about what makes Bordeaux wine so special. After our trip to the wine and trade museum, we'll take an orientation tour through the historic centre of Bordeaux, which is full of beautifully-preserved 18th Century architecture and rambling pedestrian streets. After our walk through the city, we have the rest of the afternoon free to explore at our own pace. Walk down the Quais or visit the many trails in the large botanical garden just across the river. The Musee d'Aquitaine is a good option for people interested in learning more about the vast history of this region. Or if you still haven't got your fill of wine, the multi-million pound Cite du Vin is an absolute monster - the museum chronicles a journey through centuries of wine production across the world.

We cross the border into Spain today, taking first a French train to the frontier town of Hendaye, nestled between the Atlantic and the Pyrenees. From here, we switch to a local Spanish train which takes around 30 minutes to San Sebastian, calling at intermittent small villages en route. We'll arrive into San Sebastian in the afternoon. Known locally as Donostia, this small town exudes Basque charm and a faded opulence. Once the go-to holiday spot for the Spanish monarchy, San Sebastian is dense with Belle-Epoque architecture, yet without being stuffy or grand. With a crescent-shaped beach and flanked by mountains, the setting is reminiscent of Rio de Janeiro. After checking into the hotel, we'll set out on a short walk with the Tour Leader. We'll just stroll a little way around the bay to the Peine del Viento, a series of three steel sculptures by local artist Eduardo Chillida, which give excellent panoramic views of the entire 'concha' (the crescent-shaped bay). For those who wish, there may be time to take the 19th-century funicular to the top of Monte Igueldo. Controversial though it is, San Sebastian could be the best place in Spain to eat. The locals are seemingly obsessed with food, and there is no better place to experience this than at the city's Pintxos bars. Plates piled high with different 'Basque tapas' line up along the bars, and locals shout their orders from the blackboard menus. Just a couple at a time suffice, washed down with a beer or wine. You have the option this evening to head out with your Tour Leader to taste Pintxos, or if you'd prefer to explore solo then your Leader can give you some recommendations. Before we visit the pintxos bars, we'll explore the narrow streets of the beautiful Old Town, including the Plaza de la Constitucion and the Basilica of Saint Mary.