NEW TRIP
Pilgrim Trails, Pintxo Hopping & Mountain Legends
From France to Spain: Hiking in the Basque Country Post-Eclipse
NEW TRIP! This itinerary is part of Total Solar Eclipse of 2026: Northern Spain, an eclipse program followed by a choice of six different adventures in Spain, Portugal & France:
Overview
After the thrill of witnessing the total solar eclipse, we'll head to Basque Country to hike some of the most gorgeous and historic trails in Europe with WT's Basque Trip Leaders, who have a gift for sharing the delights of their homeland. Visiting both the French and Spanish sides of Basque Country, we'll hike the coast, the mountains, and iconic stretches of the pilgrim trail to Santiago de Compostela and savor an insider's journey into Basque life. Eating well is the second religion of the Basques, and we'll have classic lunches among farmers and fishermen, taste local mountain cheeses, go pintxo-hopping in the foodie capital of San Sebastián, and enjoy a festive meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant.
Arrive: Bilbao, Spain
Depart: San Sebastián, Spain
Highlights
- Witness the dramatic phenomena of a total solar eclipse with renowned astrophysicist Alex Filippenko, PhD (veteran of 14 eclipse events with WT!)
- Enjoy the fabulous Parador de Lerma and our private eclipse-viewing site at a hilltop winery
- Experience Basque Country with Trip Leaders who have a passion for sharing their unique culture and cuisine
- Hike from France to Spain on the classic pilgrim trail to Puente la Reina
- Savor delicious picnics and meals in local Basque gathering spots
- Learn about the fascinating heritage of El Camino de Santiago
Itinerary
Our eclipse program begins in Bilbao, with a tour of the world famous Guggenheim Museum, a cruise along the Nervión River, and a walking tour of the Old City. We then continue south to charming Burgos, where we'll have a tour of its imposing Gothic cathedral, a World Heritage Site. A short drive from Burgos brings us to the medieval town of Lerma and our private eclipse-viewing site at an expansive winery on a hill—virtually on the centerline of the eclipse. Our Bilbao accommodation on Days 1-2 is the Carlton Hotel. On Days 3-4, we stay at the fabulous Parador de Lerma, a ducal palace originally built for King Felipe III. En route to Lerma during the first few days of the trip, we enjoy lively talks on eclipses and other celestial topics by our esteemed eclipse expert Dr. Alex Filippenko, Professor of Astronomy at UC Berkeley.
From the Basque resort of Biarritz, we head into French Basque Country for hikes in pastoral settings of the Pyrenees, passing prehistoric dolmens and visiting Zugarramurdi, known as “the Village of the Witches” during the Spanish Inquisition.
We visit Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, the gate of the Spanish Camino, have our “pilgrim passports” stamped, and hike the legendary El Camino trail from France into Spain, arriving at the historic village of Roncesvalles, where the Basques defeated Charlemagne's army in 778—a battle that changed the course of European history. Another hike on El Camino brings us to the pilgrim town of Puente la Reina, where the Camino Frances and the Camino Aragonese meet. Overnights are in Pamplona, with time to explore the historic Old Town.
After hiking through fields and forests on a mule trail once frequented by warriors, smugglers, and bandits, we head to the coast and our lovely parador, set on a hill in Hondarribia's Old Town. We explore nearby San Sebastián, an entrancing coastal city and a renowned culinary capital, and go “pintxo-hopping” at local bars (pintxos are Basque tapas). Depart on Day 12.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
This trip is rated a Level 3+ (Moderate) according to our trip grading system. You will need to be comfortable hiking 9 miles a day and being on your feet for up to 4.5 hours a day. You will also need to be able to keep up with the moderate but steady pace of the group as there are no alternative hiking options available. Trail conditions, weather, and the group's level of fitness can affect hiking times and pacing.
Average Hiking Day
- 5 miles
- 3-4 hours
- 750 feet gain and 550 feet loss
Challenge Days
- Day 7 - 7.5-8 miles, 4.5 hours; maximum elevation 1,950 feet; 257 or 507 feet ascent/983 or 50 feet descent (both depending on option)
- Day 10 - 7 miles; 4.5 hours; maximum elevation 3,248 feet; 1,510 feet ascent/755 feet descent
On every hike, you can expect varied terrain, including shepherds' trails, wide dirt roads, coastal trails, walks along the rolling countryside, rocky mule tracks, and beautiful sections of the famed Camino de Santiago. The maximum elevation that we hike to is about 4,800 feet. We often drive to a mountain pass each morning to begin our hike, so there is more downhill than uphill and it can be rough on the knees. Hiking poles are highly recommended.
The weather in Basque Country is generally mild, with cool breezes and occasional showers. Daytime temperatures are usually in the 70s°F and nighttime temperatures are in the 50s°F and 60s°F. It is always necessary to bring raingear as the weather can change at any time.
We'll stay in a collection of historic hotels and inns. Since our accommodations are often in historic buildings, the rooms are not always of uniform or international size. Our leaders do their best to assign rooms in a fair way so that all participants experience an equal advantage throughout the trip as a whole. Single rooms can be requested but are not always available, due to the limited space in the hotels. If you prefer a single room, please make your request as early as possible.
Eating well is the second religion of the Basques, and we'll have classic lunches among farmers and fishermen, sample the local mountain cheeses, go pintxo-hopping in the foodie capital of San Sebastián, and enjoy a meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Lunches are in local restaurants or picnic-style in local Basque gathering spots, and dinners are in restaurants in town. Please note that in Spain, the dinner hour is considerably later than what it is in the US. We do our best to secure the earliest possible reservations for our groups, but most often the evening meal will be after 8:00 pm.
Our van will transport the group's luggage, so you only need to carry a daypack for items you need for the day (rain gear, sweater, camera, water bottle, etc.). Trip members are always free to skip a day's hike and travel to the next destination in the support vehicle (or remain at the hotel if we are not transferring that day). Please note that driving times can vary dramatically from what is anticipated based on road conditions.
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Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult.