Aficionados of Spanish gourmet delights should consider a short stay excursion to Basque on the northern coastline of Spain as part of their next proposed European travel plans.

(TRAVPR.COM) AUSTRALIA - September 7th, 2011 - Web based specialist travel provider, Food and Wine Travel, is offering aficionados of Spanish gourmet delights to consider a short stay excursion to the northern coastline of Spain as part of their next proposed European travel plans.

Basque country is a land of mystical forests and lush green pastures, both landscapes quite different to the typecast images that most travellers have of this part of Western Europe.

Food is an essential part of the Basque region’s culture – much more than any other region of Spain. Essentially, the Basque kitchen is a source of inspiration and influence for today’s high standard of Spanish cuisines.

The heightened regard for Spanish cuisine can be strongly attributed to el bulli, a Michelin 3-star restaurant near the town of Roses, Catalonia. Run by chef Ferran Adrià, this small restaurant overlooks Cala Montjoi, a bay on Catalonia's Costa Brava, and has been described as "the most imaginative generator of haute cuisine on the planet" with much of its work influencing the gastronomic world of molecular gastronomy.

The beachside city of San Sebastian is central to this short stay gourmet tour, and is located as close to the French border as you can get without crossing over. And what better place to base yourself with San Sebastian considered one of the great food capitals of Europe. Hurra!!

Highlights of Food and Wine Travel’s tour include classic and elegant accommodation in an historical 19th Century hotel overlooking the Playa de la Concha, a private cooking class at an authentic Sociedad Gastronómica cooking school and a visit to the spectacular Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.

It is estimated that San Sebastian is home to eight restaurants which boast a total of 16 Michelin stars. Because of this very fact, the seaside resort of 183,000 people is considered to be the best place to eat in Spain. Hurra! Hurra!

Throughout the city, there are three main areas for dining pleasure – Parte Vieja (the Old Quarter), Centro and Gross. Expect your days and nights to be spent tasting all kinds of pintxos (Basque for tapas). This can be done at your leisure but to introduce you to this amazing city and its array of food delights, a tour of the most representative bars will form part of your guided itinerary to get you familiar with the city’s precincts and best havens for exploration.

To complete this truly unique gastronomic experience, you and your fellow travellers will savour extraordinary meals and first-class wines at some of the finest restaurants in Spain.

Food and Wine travel prides itself on offering itineraries that are designed as uniquely as you. You can set your own pace and truly capture the soul of both San Sebastian and Bilbao in a specialised way…

From the moment you arrive, your short stay is organised to allow you to experience as much as possible as you venture through this wonderful Spanish region, its culture and cuisine. But you can also be assured that ample free will be made available to allow you to make your very own discoveries – it is through this mix of guidance and free spirit that you will take home cherished and timeless memories.

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