YOU ARE INVITED on our unique tour to Bilbao and San Sebastián, Spain, in the Basque region of Spain & France. Few Americans have been to this area, but that is beginning to change. As we always do, we will have various fun surprises! Because we limit our group size to only 26 sign-ups (which is half of what most tours typically do), we recommend booking promptly. This private webpage for the Kanfers' past fellow travelers is found at: www.StevieJayTravel.com/path

*Price is per person based on the room occupancy chosen. Premier World Discovery operates the tour as a disclosed principal. The deposit is $900 per person. The tour balance is due 12/26/25 with a discount of $100 per person if paid by paper check or e-check via WeTravel. • The document required is a valid passport valid through 7/26/26. No visa, shots, or ETIAS are required. • Insurance coverage included is Travel Guard; for coverage details, see this link covering cancellation charges; other terms at steviejaytravel.com/terms are incorporated by reference. • Prices and details are subject to change. Package price has a small group surcharge of $90 per person if fewer than 21 people go.  If you do not want to fly with the group or be covered by the included Travel Protection Plan (TPP), enter the discount code NO-AIR $1181, NO-INSURANCE $388, NO-AIR-NOR-INSURANCE $1488 (amounts are the savings per person).

Key highlights for American tourists include:
Climate: Mild and sunny weather is a top preference.
Unique Culture: Distinctive traditions, festivals, and language are major draws.
Heritage: The region’s rich history and Belle Époque architecture attract visitors.
Gastronomy: Renowned among Europeans for its haute cuisine, it is a central part of the travel experience. - Spain Travel News, March 2025.

In 2024, there was a 10% increase in the number of American visitors to the Basque region, highlighting the growing interest in the region. However, Americans were only 6.9% of all foreign tourists in 2023, so the increase was off a low base.

The Basque region… (/bæsk, bɑːsk/), also officially called Euskadi ([eus̺kadi]), is an autonomous community in northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Araba, Bizkaia, and Gipuzkoa.

Some notable Basque people … include Francisco de Vitoria, philosopher who set the theories of just war, international law and freedom of commerce; Juan Sebastián Elcano, completed first circumnavigation of the Earth; Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits; Don Juan de Oñate, explorer of the great plains and Colorado river; Blas de Lezo, naval strategist…

Basque cuisine is an important part of Basque culture. According to the chef Ferran Adrià, San Sebastián "in terms of the average quality of the food, in terms of what you can get at any place you happen to walk into, maybe it is—probably it is, yes—the best in the world." The most popular dishes are seafood, fish (for example Marmitako) and "Pintxos", bar finger food. … Basque food is one of the reasons for tourism to the Basque area, especially the pintxos. A popular way to socialise is "ir de pintxos" or txikiteo, a Basque version of a pub crawl, albeit generally more civilised. [Above from:]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basque_Country_(autonomous_community)

Basque language, euskara, is classified as a language isolate (unrelated to any other known languages), the only one in Europe. Basque is the only surviving Paleo-European language in Europe. The current mainstream scientific view on the origin of the Basques and of their language is that early forms of Basque developed before the arrival of Indo-European languages in the area, i.e. before the arrival of Celtic and Romance languages … 

In Francoist Spain, Basque language use was discouraged… in the 1960s and later, the trend reversed and education and publishing in Basque began to flourish. [Above from:]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basque_language

Here's a 14 min 35 sec video on the Basques and the language. https://youtu.be/mBNF8cBSNR8?si=2qVzkEfXnQsCNQGE

On "X" a post says, "I think it's important to understand that after my decades of deep, intensive ongoing study, it is obvious that Spain has easily the best food in the world." - Raoul Pal, global investor

A responder named Sam said, "Madrid or San Sebastian?" Monique responded, "The best is tapas bar hopping in San Sebastián. Can’t beat the bacalaou."

A tapa is an appetizer or snack in Spanish cuisine. Tapas may be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or hot (such as chopitos or patatas bravas). In some bars and restaurants, tapas have evolved into a more sophisticated cuisine. The most popular examples in some regions are shown in the Photo Gallery.

"San Sebastian in northern Spain is home to tasty bites known as 'pintxos' w much variety. -Anjuli Global

"Here in San Sebastian, there is a place called Bar Nestor. Best Spanish tortilla" - Chef Robert Kirk

“How can ham be this good? How can something that comes in a can be that terrific? Simple things — an anchovy, an olive, a piece of cheese — really, really simple things. The little things that you see every day here — that’s what’s cool about Spain.” - Anthony Bourdain

Known simply as tarta de queso or gazta tarta in its native Basque, this simple yet incredibly creamy cheesecake variation is a decades-old local specialty of the La Viña Bar in San Sebastián. The recipe is a simple combination of classic cheesecake ingredients such as sugar, heavy cream, eggs, and cream cheese, but unlike its more popular counterparts, this Basque version does not have any crust. Instead, it is baked on a high temperature which leaves the outside firm, darker, and somewhat burnt, while the center remains gooey. 

From:  https://www.tasteatlas.com/basque-country Which has Bilbao & San Sebástion pages: https://www.tasteatlas.com/bilbao  https://www.tasteatlas.com/san-sebastian

Spanish food is absolutely pre-eminent to those in the know. Italian and French feel stale and washed (Americans inexplicably still revere them, a boomer food take). The food odyssey you want to undertake is in Northern Spain. - Antonio García Martínez, author of 'Chaos Monkeys'. Who says, "To fill the hour—that is happiness." 

Spanish food is currently the finest in Europe and maybe the world with more Michelin restaurants (especially in Basque Country, which also figures #1 now on informal secret lists) than elsewhere. IMO it took first place from France in last 10 yrs. - bronzeagemantis

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Please let us know if you would like to start from an airport other than Chicago or have any other special requirements, such as upgrading to premium economy etc.

Book securely online 24/7* by clicking the green button, or call Bill Owen at 217 462-8661 or Stevie Jay 217 840-9913. Or mail a deposit check to Stevie Jay Travel, 4413 Trostshire Cir, Champaign, IL 61820. 

*Credit cards or "e-checks" from a checking account are welcome and entered securely on WeTravel.

Bilbao (2) Catalonia Gran Vía Bilbao

San Sebástian (4) Catalonia Donosti/San Sebastián

Madrid (2) VP Plaza Espana Design Hotel

10 Days/8 Nights — well rated on TripAdvisor.