Basque Guides

Maravillosa experiencia… Sandra nos trató demasiado bien y tenía un conocimiento profundo de la gastronomía local. Muy agradecido.. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

We were travelling in Spain with friends and booked Basque Guides for 6 days, to explore the Basque Country and Rioja region in late Sep/early Oct. It was a wonderful and memorable experience - our guide Gorka is local and provided us lovely insights into the different places we visited. Our group has a keen interest in architecture and Iker could accommodate our requests, providing a bespoke itinerary tailored to our interests. We highly recommend Basque Guides if you are planning a visit to Basque Country or Rioja.

Our guide Martin met us at the Bilbao airport on arrival and the following 5 days were fabulous. We used San Sebastián as our base and made several day trips to multiple towns. Martin was especially accommodating of our group’s requests. He was very informative and fun! He took us to lovely restaurants and great Pintxos bars. We spent just the right amount of time in each location that we visited and never felt rushed. I would highly recommend this tour company.

I highly recommend Basque Guides who’ made our time in San Sebastian and the Basque region very special My wife and I spent 3 days on a private tour with Dani who went above and beyond our expectations. Very knowledgeable about the history, art, food and great sense of humor . Prior to booking Iker was responsive to my questions and will customize the trip to suit your interests. You will be pleased choosing them for your time in Basque Country.

My brother highly recommended Iker from a prior trip to San Sebastian & the Basque Country. I can honestly state that planning our itinerary with Iker went smoothly, and he responsed in a timely manner. We ended up booking 5 tours with Basque Guides & all were fantastic. We did the Walking Tour of San Sebastian, Evening Food Tour, the Basque Countryside, Bilbao & the Guggenheim Museum, & the French Basque Coastline. Iker lead a couple of our tour and Mateo and Alvaro led the others. All were wonderful & Iker checked back with us each day to make sure that we enjoyed each tour. We ate well, enjoyed seeing the local markets, saw beautiful scenery, & learned about the culture, language and history of the country. I'd recommend San Sebastian & Basque Guides in a heartbeat! ScaryCostco, Iker (and if you want to know what that means you will have to go & find out for yourselves!)

Basque Guides is terrific! Both of our guides, Iker and Daniel were organized, interesting and so much fun! We did the San Sebastián city tour with a Pinxtos tour add on w Iker lasting over 5 hours (which flew by!) and 2 consecutive days with Dani on a scenic drive to Bilbao to visit the Guggenheim on day one and a magnificent day two with stops in three French Basque towns on the sea. Bayonne, Biarritz and St. Jean de Luz. We had so much fun and laughed all along the way. We can’t recommend them highly enough!

We had a fantastic time on our tours. 6 of us took a food tour led by Jon and a wine tour led by Martin and both were terrific and memorable. Jon was knowledgeable, funny, and oh so passionate about the Basque food. Visiting and supporting local places, eating and explaining the native foods, and explaining the history of the area…we had a fabulous day. Martin’s wealth of information on our drive was impressive and his warm personality made this tour terrific. Each winery had a unique style and history. We ended with an amazing lunch in a place we would never have found on our own.

I was so happy to find Iker who runs Basque Guides. Daniel from Basque Guides was my husband's and my driver for 2 exceptionally wonderful days in San Sebastián, Bilbao, Hondarribia and a multitude of charming beach, surfing and fishing villages along the way. He is a delight to be with. He goes out of his way to enhance your tours. He is incredibly knowledgeable, a great driver and very fun and interesting to be with. His passion for the Guggenheim Museum as well as the entire Basque region shines thru. He will take you on a walk on the beach, he will find the perfect spot to view the surfers, he will allow you to experience the charming Fishermans church and will make sure that you have experienced the essence of this delightful area. On day 1 Daniel picked us up from the airport and gave us a chance to see the beauty and walk the town of Hondarribia and more. When my suitcase didn't arrive with us, he graciously offered to take me back to the airport that evening...he deserves a gold star for going above and beyond. Day 2 we were introduced to the Guggenheim Museum and he helped us really understand some of the artists and their works. Before and after the museum he gave us a wonderful chance to really appreciate the people and the area. Daniel also made sure that we enjoyed the great food of the region. We ate a few meals with him and he gave us some tasty recommendations for dinners. Pedro was our wonderful driver to the airport on our last day in San Sebastián. He continued the excellent services that we have seen with Basque Guides.

Our day trip from Donostia-San Sebastian to Biarritz, Saint Jean de Luz and Hondarribia with Martin from local Basque guides was exactly what we expected and needed. The guide explained the history and interesting facts about the culture in areas we traveled and was able to discuss and address our questions. He also pointed out unique views for photos along the way. We also stopped in Saint Jean de Luz for a delicious lunch where Martin gave suggestions on local wines and dishes to try. The entire day was beautiful weather and paced well for us. We look forward to coming back to visit a couple of the towns in the future.

We had an Amazing Experience with our Guide Iker Bardaji on a Private Tour of Coastline Basque towns! Iker has a deep knowledge of the history, culture and gastronomy of this beautiful region! He was very passionate, personable and very attentive to all our special interests and requests! I am very happy to recommend him to all my friends, colleagues and family members! Thank you again Iker for an Unforgettable Experience! IRENE and FRED - Miami

スペインのビルバオからリオハのボデガ(ワイナリー)を見学し、ラグアディアの街を歩き、バスク料理を堪能しました。ボデガは、家族経営の小さなボデガで、お店の人に詳しい説明を受け、美味しいワインを試飲でき大満足でした。ガイドさんも、リオハやバスクの詳しい話を惜しみなくしてもらいました。絶対お勧めのツアーです！

Iker picked us up in Bilbao and we explored the coastline & sites on our way to San Sebastian, what a great day and a wonderful way to transfer between towns. The following day he changed his days around to take us to the market day in St Jean de Port, foodies heaven! We then spent the rest of the day exploring the small towns and villages at the base of the Pyrenees. Iker was prompt, professional and took great care of us plus being very flexible to our needs. We enjoyed talking to him and learning about the Basque Country. We had an amazing 2 days and would recommend Iker 100%.

Fabulous way to spend 3 hours in San Sebastián. Excellent!

This was the most amazing tour and Guide.. Iker was soo knowledgeable and adjusted the tour to deal with as little walking as possible… we got the history on the overlook.. then went to see the Guggenheim museum… it was very crowded as it was Semana Grande.. but Iker could park the car with cm to spare!! We got to see most everything and had the most amazing meal at a Basque restaurant with wine that you can only get from the region.. It was even better than the meal we had in Paris.. Finally he ran in to get us a small pastry famous and a souvenir… A+ tour guide…

Had a wonderful trip with the guides from Basque Guides! Iker and Gorka were tremendously knowledgable and made the Basque Country, and San Sebastián, in particular, come to life! They were tremendously sensitive and responsive to our interests, needs and even our recovery from jet lag! Highly recommend!!!

The most knowledgable and what the most important passionate about what he does guide Iker! Very open sincere and loving his country his job guide. So many thanks and of course best recommendations to everyone who wants to explore and enjoy the beautiful and amazing Basque Country Iker is the best be far

We had a fantastic day with Daniel exploring St Jean de Luz ans San Sebastian. Tailored to what we were interested in, Daniel took us through the towns and to brilliant viewing vantage points explaining the Basque culture and history while viewing and walking though town. We stopped for a wonderful pintxos lunch and sampled excellent food and drinks. Nothing like getting a personal visit through the eyes of an extremely knowledgeable local!

Outstanding 3 days spent with Iker. Complete immersion into the culture, language & delicious Basque food. So much fun! Iker is fantastic, funny and really knows San Sebastián and the Basque-French coastline. Highly recommend touring with Iker. He will totally customize the itinerary to fit your desires. We were celebrating a special occasion. Iker went above & beyond to ensure it was memorable. Eskerrik Asko Iker!!

Exceptional Tour Guide - Iker Goes Above and Beyond! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Outstanding Experience Iker provided us with an absolutely incredible tour experience in San Sebastián that exceeded every expectation. As a true local from the area, his knowledge extends far beyond just San Sebastián to all the surrounding regions, giving us authentic insights you simply can’t get from guidebooks. What truly impressed us was how naturally he connected with our two young children. He has a remarkable gift for engaging kids and keeping them interested throughout the tour - no small feat! His storytelling and interactive approach made the experience enjoyable for the whole family. The convenience of his van made our shower tour seamless and comfortable, allowing us to cover more ground without the usual logistical headaches of group travel. But what sets Iker apart is his genuine dedication to his guests. He went far above and beyond his tour duties, answering our questions not just during the tour, but for several days afterward during our stay. Every response was prompt, enthusiastic, and incredibly helpful. He even took the time to help us arrange transportation to the train station in Hendaye - a gesture that perfectly captures his commitment to ensuring we had the best possible experience. Iker isn’t just a tour guide; he’s a local ambassador who truly cares about sharing his beloved region and making sure visitors feel welcomed and well-cared for. We couldn’t recommend him more highly - he made our San Sebastián experience truly unforgettable! Highly recommended for families and anyone seeking an authentic, personalized experience in the Basque Country.

Amazing guide. Very interesting tour

Our guide Sandra took us around for about 3 hours. Sandra is a local, spoke good English and great personality. We visited six pintxos bars that she chose and they were all incredible. It was my birthday and we finished with a Basque cheesecake that was out of this world.

Iker is “the guy” to have with you in San Sabestian and the Basque Country. By the end of your time with him you feel like you are visiting with an old friend.

Iker provided a magical three day tour of the Basque Country. His knowledge and the manner in which it was delivered provided the context that made the trip both enjoyable and informative. His choice of restaurants also made the trip delicious. We will be back to explore other parts of northern Spain with him in the future

Wonderful visit to French Basque villages

Unforgettable journey through the Basque Country with Iker, a truly exceptional guide. Highly recommended!

Fantastic tour - extremely professional, great staff, accommodating. Highly recommended!!

I can’t say enough good things about these guides. We had a wonderful experience with Veronica on day one for the e-bike/pinxtos tour and christina on day 2 for a hike in Basque Country. Let them choose your food for you. We don’t normally eat calamari or foi gras. But oh my goodness! We trusted them to choose and we were impressed! You will not be sorry if you book with them. They were extremely knowledgeable and patient. They never rushed us and kept a cheerful demeanor even when we were a challenge! We learned so much! Both of our guides were natives of the area with one being a teacher and internet guru and the other a former concierge at a 5 star hotel. We are a group of friends/couples in our 60s. We saw many things you would never see on your own. Worth it times ten!

Iker was wonderful. A great tour. Lots of information, lots of great places, lots to eat but mostly lots of fun!!!

Custom Tour 2 – 11 May 2025 We had used Basque Guides in 2024, for a shore excursion in Bilbao. That experience was so great, that we decided to hire them for multi-day tour of the Basque country. We had two main reasons for visiting the Basque country. 1. My wife’s maternal ancestors are Basque and in fact come from a small town in the Basque country named Aginaga in Basque, Aguinaga in Spanish. 2. To visit wineries and taste wine in the Rioja wine region. We enjoyed the entire experience so much, that this review will probably become long and effusive but I hope helpful. We were joined on our tour by some great friends with whom we had traveled before. We stayed in three different cities in Basque country – San Sebastian, Briones, and Bilbao. First the hotels which were all recommended by Iker Bardaji, the owner of Basque Guides: 1. Lasala Plaza Hotel in San Sebastian for five nights – An adults only hotel perfectly located across from the malecón and in old town which is filled with amazing bars, restaurants, and shops. 2. Hotel Santa Maria Briones for two nights in the small town of Briones (population of 824) in the heart of Rioja. It is a small 16 room boutique hotel. You will never find better accommodations or friendlier staff anywhere. We wish we could have stayed longer. 3. Hotel Miro in Bilbao for two nights. The hotel is a very nice business/tourist hotel. Rooms are very good. But its main attraction is being directly across the street from the Guggenheim Museum. Our tours: San Sebastian – we spent five nights in San Sebastian which gave us time to venture out into the stunningly beautiful countryside especially along the seashore. The first day we took a comprehensive tour of San Sebastian The second day we headed off to the world famous city of Pamplona, know for the running of the bulls but we learned it was so much more. The next day we explored the French Basque country towns of Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, and other small towns along the way. The following day, we explored the Spanish coastal cities of Basque country including the town of Aginaga from which my wife’s maternal line immigrated. Then it was off to Rioja. Briones – we stayed at the amazing boutique Hotel Santa Maria Briones and ventured out from there to visit wineries and taste the amazing wines of the Rioja DOC. For those of you who are wine lovers, we visited Bodegas Murua, Bodegas Amaren, Bodegas Tritium, Bodegas Ollauri Rioja Conde de los Andes, Bodegas Luis Cañas, and Bodegas Gómez Cruzado. We tasted great wine, ate great food, and slept well both nights at an exceptional hotel. Bilbao – Our hotel was the Hotel Miró and it was a great location from which to venture out and around Bilbao. Of course, the main tourist draw to Bilbao is the Guggenheim Museum. It is well worth the visit. A word about Iker Bardaji, Basque Guides, and his guides. If you communicate with Iker about what you would like to see and do, Iker will put together a memorable tour for you. Until Iker and Basque Guides we had never had a tour company listen as carefully to what we wanted to accomplish, ask the right questions, and then craft such an amazing itinerary that delivered an experience we will always remember. Iker also hires excellent tour guides. The best of the best. Not only were they fluent in English which was important to us, but they were also extremely knowledgeable about the history, culture, and lifestyle of the region. We had the pleasure of working with several of Iker’s guides – Gonzalo, Andoni, Jaime, Gorka, and Mateo. All were exceptional. If you only have time for a short peek at Basque country or if you have days to explore, Iker Bardaji and Basque Guides are the right choice.

Iker is the best. Very knowledgeable and flexible. Highly recommend him.

We enjoyed our tour to Saint Jean de Luz, Biarritz and Hondarribia with Ania & would recommend booking with Iker of Basque Guides! They’re very responsive to queries and can tailor fit your tour for you. Ania was helpful, patient, informative and made our tour very memorable.

El servicio ofrecido en el tour ha sido sencillamente excelente. Desde la preconfirmacion el día antes del tour para asegurar todos los detalles, la puntualidad en la recogida, información histórica de las zonas recorridas y amabilidad, acompañamiento y disposición del guia Diego nos han permitido vivir una excelente experiencia. Super agradecidos!

sandra was amazing. we had a great time. she waa very knowledgeable and fun.

We had a fantastic time on this food tour in San Sebastián! Our guide Gonzalo was incredibly personable and made the whole experience feel like a fun day out with friends. The organic approach to the tour added a unique and authentic touch, and it was something every member of our family enjoyed. Highly recommended!

We are adventurous foodies from New York City area and have traveled all over Spain, but this was our first trip to Basque Country so we wanted to start with a local tour guide to get our bearings. Gonzalo was absolutely fantastic in getting to know our tastes, likes, dislikes, etc. to customize an amazing afternoon of Pintxo tasting with cider, wine and beer parings. Gonzalo was awesome, contributing his local knowledge to help us identify the best spots for great Pintxo. With that knowledge we not only had a fantastic tour with him, but we ventured out on our own the next night with what he taught us and had another amazing Pintxo "crawl" with some of the best bites I've ever had in Spain, or anywhere. Gonzalo shared some important history with a cultural texture that you can only get from a true native of the area, and at the same time was fun, outgoing and super accommodating. We've been on many private tours in the past all over the world and Gonzalo exceeded our expectations!

Iker and his colleagues gave us a marvelous, multi-faceted experience, ranging from the history of San Sebastian to culinary delights at a gastronomy club. Highly recommended.

We had a pintxo food tour with Sandra as our guide. She was wonderful - personable and knowledgeable. We thoroughly enjoyed eating foods we weren’t familiar with and experiencing all the bars we went into. Would highly recommend this tour and guide.

A fantastic experience diving correctly into an exciting world of varied cuisine and wines. You need an expert navigator otherwise you will learn little and keep making the same mistakes I did. It’s all in the knowledge.

We had an amazing time with Iker on our tours in San Sebastian and Bilbao. He is warm, friendly and extremely knowledgeable about the Basque country and culture. We learned so much from him during our time together. Iker is fluent in English and his van is comfortable and clean. We liked The tour to Bilbao so much that we scheduled two additional tours with him in San Sebastian. It turns out our time together with Iker was the highlight of our trip and spending time with Iker is like spending time with a good friend. I would highly recommend doing a tour with Iker, you won’t regret it.

What a great day spent with Gorka! Very knowledgable about the regional history, vineyards and wines we tried. Excellent meal recommendations and tunes for the road trip. We would highly recommend the tour group and our guide Gorka.

Excelente servicio de Íker Bardaji y el equipo de Basque Guides desde San Sebastián a las Bodegas de La Rioja: Muga y Marqués de Riscal. También visitamos el Cielo con un mirador espectacular y Laguardia. La pasamos espectacular ! Gracias Íker!

What a fantastic tour. This was my favorite of the week. Gorka knows the area and history so well and is such a friendly, fantastic person. His love of Basque region with its cuisine shines through. Thank you so much.

Our guide was very professional with a breath of knowledge about the Basque history and countryside. Safely driving us along the coastline seeing beautiful towns, such as Biarritz, Saint Jean de Luc and others with a delicious stop for lunch. Highly recommend touring with Basque Guides.Gorka (sp?) was a fantastic guide!

We had an awesome time in San Sebastián and the Basque Country with Iker and Gorka! Iker led our group on a lovely walking tour of San Sebastián and along the way taught us about the gastronomical culture of the region. He tailored his pintxos tour to our group’s tastes and dietary needs. The highlight in San Sebastián was a cooking class that Iker coordinated for us where we cooked some traditional Basque dishes and dessert. Iker was extremely friendly and helpful throughout, and he ensured that we had a phenomenal time. Gorka took our trip on a multi-day excursion that spanned the French-Basque coastline (visiting places like Biarritz and Saint Jean de Luz) as well as visiting numerous wineries in the Rioja region. Gorka was a fantastic guide – he had a great sense of humor, was exceptionally knowledgeable about all of the areas we visited, made great recommendations for various places to eat, and always made sure our group was taken care of and having a good time. With the help of Basque Guides, we were able to do so much on our visit to the Basque Country and it was the highlight of our trip across Spain and Portugal. We highly recommend Basque Guides to anyone visiting the area.

Iker was an amazing tour guide. He was extremely knowledgeable of all things Basque, knows all the locals, and was very flexible to let us explore things that caught our interest as we explored with him. I would highly recommend touring with him.

Basque Guides, and especially their man Jaime, proved one of the best private guides we’ve had in over four decades of visiting Europe. He was wonderful in all respects: history, geology, environment, getting us to wonderful food and exploration of the Basque culture. If it was possible to give him a sixth star I would.

What can we say about Iker? I found him from previous reviews and his tour was unique. We returned from 13 days in Spain and had a wonderful trip. The highlight was our day with Iker. I don't know where to start. We were picked up in San Sebastian, and driven to Saint John de Luz. Visited the market, saw the views, learned about Basque history and current status, and then headed to Biarritz. Also amazing, views, tour, market, and a great lunch. Then we walked through Hondarriba, learned even more. Iker is polite, very smart, a historian and a "people person". And he is so well travelled, he can relate to travelers. And his English vocabulary is exemplary. I was flying to Bilbao (due to flight needs) the day before our tour from San Sebastian, and I wanted to be picked up at the airport, tour old Bilbao and see the Guggenheim and afterward head to San Sebastian. While Iker was unavailable, he arranged a co worker to handle us, and even purposefully connected with us to be sure all was well with his colleague. Special day with a special person,

We did a day trip Biarritz with Gorka. He was a brilliant guide and made the day really special. Everything went prefectly, he catered to our preferences and he was super helpful with other tips and insights. Highly recommended.

Knowledgeable, personable, easygoing It felt like we were traveling with an old friend, not a tour guide holding an umbrella to be seen.

We just completed touring through San Sebastian and Bilbao. Our guides were very knowledgeable and fun to be with. The tours were well thought out. The food choices were good. Highly recommend.

Our tour guide Gorka was amazing. He is a local who is incredibly knowledgeable about the culture, history and food of San Sebastián. He showed us what to eat and how to order. We loved everything he introduced us to. He also gave us a bunch of ideas of places to eat and things to do during our remaining stay. He was able to move at our pace and made sure to be inclusive of the different ages and interests of our family. He got to know us first and then selected the food he thought we would enjoy most. I would highly recommend this tour.

The tour with Iker to La Rioja was the day trip of a lifetime for me. Visiting this region was a huge dream for me and Basque Guides made it come true. Iker is an outstanding guide - from his kind client service to deep knowledge of the region and its history to his warm hospitality. If I could give 10 stars, I would. I felt so lucky to experience this tour and will recommend it whole heartedly to anyone I know visiting the region. The day went by so quickly, I wish I could do it all over again. A total dream!

We had so much fun with Iker on our Pintxos food & drink tour. Two out of four of us had some tricky food restrictions/preferences and Iker made sure that we all got to experience unique and delicious food. We learned so much from him about Basque history and culture while having a blast. It felt more like a night out visiting a friend than being on a touristy excursion.

I took a tour of the French Basque Country with Daniel and it was by far one of the best tour experiences I had. Daniel is super knowledgeable and tailored the trip! Would recommend to anyone interested in a guided tour.

Pinxtos tour was wonderful. We ate, drank and learned so much.

We spent a great 4 days with Iker touring the Basque Country. Our tour was a wonderful mix of history, culture, sites, food and wine. And, most importantly, fun! We knew we were in good hands when Iker joined us for a round of bumper cars as our first event. We had an amazing day in the Riojo region and, even though we spent three hours at our first, unique family owned winery, Iker was patient and relaxed. Iker is very knowledgeable, helpful and easy to be with. If you want a warm and welcoming guide who will work to make each day special, book with Iker.

Excellent guided food tour with Gonzalo! Couldn’t recommend enough. 👍

We had a wonderful four days. We saw a lot of the Basque community and learned so much. The guides were incredibly knowledgable and great communicators. In addition to seeing the sites, and learning the history, we got excellent advice on the food and drink. I would recommend them highly and look fiorwarf to using them again.

Iker is a special guy. He isn't just pointing out buildings and naming dates. He is sharing...actually demonstrating...the best of modern Basque culture on his tours/experiences. A great guide, a wonderful human, and an expert advisor willing to show anyone what it means to be not only Basque but also a citizen of the world. Our whole family appreciated him and Chef Ben sharing their perspectives on food and life with us. Oh...also...he has top notch pintxo tips galore. Just banger after banger. Overwhelming in the best possible way. I can't recommend Basque Guides highly enough.

Iker’s in depth knowledge of the history, culture, geography, people, food, and wine of the San Sebastián area is amazing. Our tour today was so special I’m wanting to schedule another tour right away! He recommended a couple places for dinner then called the owner and made the reservation. Iker has gone above and beyond and was a joy to be around!

Our group of 6 had a phenomenal experience on a 5 day tour of the Basque Country. Our guides were enthusiastic and extremely knowledgeable. We were transported in a comfortable Mercedes-Benz van. The food and wine were out of this world. No tourist traps on these tours! Would highly recommend this company.

Iker provided us with the most wonderful experience exploring Basque towns and historical sites on our way from San Sebastián to Bilbao. This custom tour highlighted both natural and historical landmarks that make this region so wonderful. The rich history of the region and people were explained in a thoughtful and informative way. Do not hesitate to plan an excursion or day trip with Iker. You will not be disappointed!

Iker is the best tour guide! He is so knowledgeable about Spain and explained everything very well. He was responsive, prompt, and had great recommendations :)

If you're looking for the definition of Basque hospitality and expertise, look no further than our tour guide, Iker. From the moment we met him, it was evident that he embodies the spirit of the Basque Country – warm, welcoming, and deeply knowledgeable. Iker’s passion for Basque cuisine is infectious. Each meal felt like a culinary adventure. He can break down many dishes into layman’s terms and shares local hotspots for food in season. Beyond his culinary prowess, Javier's fluency in the Basque language added an extra layer of authenticity to our experience. He effortlessly wove Basque phrases and anecdotes into our conversations, allowing us to connect more deeply with the culture and its people…he’s also a great teacher of key words. But what truly sets Iker apart is his charm and gentlemanly demeanor. In short, if you're seeking an unforgettable journey through the Basque Country, Iker is the guide you need by your side.

Iker was excellent! Very friendly, professional, knowledgeable and organized. He took me and a group of friends on a tour to Zarauz, Getaria and Zumaia one day and to Gaztelugatxe, Bilbao and the Guggenheim another day. He was very responsive, happy to accommodate us, and had multiple suggestions to make our tours really enjoyable. We enjoyed wine tasting and excellent restaurants. We highly recommend Iker if you are traveling to the beautiful Basque Country!

Daniel and Iker are fantastic guides! Very knowledgeable and personable. Would highly recommend.

Thanks to Iker for a fabulous 3 days of tours from San Sebastián. He worked with me to design the perfect combination of activities to fit our family dynamic. We learned about the area and its history all while eating, drinking and enjoying.

Hands down the best pintxos tour in San Sebastián. Our guide (shout out to Gonzalo) was not only very enthusiastic and knowledgeable but made the experience incredibly memorable for us. My favorite? The Gilda but there was so many more that you have to experience it for yourself!!

Iker is an incredibly knowledgeable and passionate guide. He possessed a deep understanding and appreciation for the rich history and culture of the Basque country. From where we were based, San Sebastian, he drove us to a few other towns (including Biarritz) and gave us a good sense of how the locals live day to day. He also showcased his love for the local flavors and ingredients. On a follow-up food tour in San Sebastian, with his guidance, we were able to savor the most delectable pintxos and traditional dishes. To enhance his culinary knowledge, he is still taking cooking and wine-tasting lessons! Iker is a good communicator. And his enthusiasm was contagious, and we couldn't help but feel a deep appreciation for the Basque culture.

One of the best tour guides we have ever had. My family vacationed in the Basque Country the week of thanksgiving and we had an amazing time. Iker was kind, funny, patient and full of great information. It was like going on a trip with a friend who had so much knowledge about the area. Little did I know that my great-great grandfather’s town was nearby and Iker was so kind to take us there to visit as well. He also had us trying pintxos from his favorites spots and they were delicious. Thank you Iker for being our tour guide, we are taking home wonderful memories of San Sebastián, Saint Jean de Luz, Hondarribia and of my ancestors town Lasarte. Gracias!!

Wij hadden een super leuke private pinxtos Tour met Gonzalo. Hij heeft ons meegenomen langs de leukste barretjes om de beste pinxtos te proeven, allen uiteraard met een lekker drankje erbij. Naast alles proeven krijg je ook de informatie mee over de stad, en alles wat je verder wilt weten.

A truly unique and immersive experience, Iker took me to the market, for pinxtos, and we cooked an amazing traditional Basque meal (even with his Grandmother's recipe,)in one of the most historical men's gastronomy clubs. A Basque native, you can't help but be swept away by Iker's passion for his homeland! He was a wealth of knowledge about Basque history,culture,and philosophy.This was a truly unique experience and a memory Of A Lifetime! If you want to take a "package" tour go elsewhere...Iker was warm and ingraciating and treated me like a friend in his home, not just a tourist. I can't wait to return and book another experience with him, he's the real deal and an exceptional human!

Incredible team! Very friendly, informative, and helpful!! Highly recommended!

Our three days in the Basque country were a joy with our guide Daniel. I would say he was the best guide we have ever had. He was a great communicator about history, politics, and geography. We learned a lot about the culture. He was friendly and easy to understand. He listened to us and he was in tune with our needs and likes. He easily handled transporting my mobility scooter and dropped me off close to our touring sites. We highly recommend Basque Guides as your tour company.

Our group of 8 had the MOST fun with Iker! We first enjoyed a town walking tour with a great mix of history & fun tales. We then visited the market to get food before entering the gastronomie club for wines, appetizers & a fabulous meal prepared by Iker! He had prepped some foods the day before, so we entered the club to a beautiful table, appetizers & lovely wines. We all SO enjoyed the day, local foods, his fresh tuna, but most especially charming Iker! All agreed it was a SPECIAL day! Def 5 stars!!

We had a fantastic San Sebastian tour of the old town and a private cooking class. Iker led us through the old town explaining Basque and San Sebastian history and culture that concluded with a fun shopping experience. The olive and oil tasting was a highlight. Then Chief Ben instructed us on various pinchos and a beautiful clam and monkfish dish with a tasty pastry to finish the night. This experience was one of the best events of our two-week time in Spain. Highly recommend!!!

Sin palabras atención inmejorable excelente predisposición Un guía Juan de lujo como persona y conocimientos Sin apurar al turista amplio conocimiento de la historia geografía y cultura Lo super recomiendo Apenas pueda vuelvo y los contrato nuevamente

I just returned from the 5-day Basque country tour with Iker Bardaji and his team. I was in Europe for 5 weeks and this was my favorite time there. I have wanted to visit the Basque country for several years and it fit into my itinerary this year. I chose the 5-day tour and I loved every part of it. I found Iker's company online through Google. The reviews which I always pay attention to, were wonderful. Iker has had this company for 14 years and has put together an excellent overview which one can add to or change. I was very impressed that even with an 8-hour time difference, he responded quickly to all my questions via email and WhatsApp. He is very personable, well informed and worldly, timely and organized, and so knowledgeable about the history, economics, politics, and culture of the Basque region. It was wonderful to experience the region with someone who has always lived here, speaks the Basque language and was fun to travel with.

If you’re looking for an authentic experience from a relational guide who is passionate about providing an experience you’ll savor for many years to come, consider calling on this team of artisanal guides.

Iker is a fabulous tour guide. He’s knowledgeable about the history of the region, its culture and its food. He was personable, kind and considerate of our needs. After touring the area he cooked us a fantastic lunch. It was like spending the day with a friend.

A wonderful 4 hours learning about the history and culture of San Sebastián combined with a delicious wine and pinxto tasting. Iker really knows his stuff!

If you are searching for a history and review of the Basque country, this is the tour! We did this tour with Iker who, being a local person, provided us with his indepth knowledge of the history and secrets of the area. We first did a visit to the coastline where we had a stop with a fantastic view of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. His timing was perfect on this clear day as we saw the sun reflecting off the church for perfect pictures. Then, on to the fisherman's Village of Bermeo with its beautiful harbor and quaint streets. There is a natural beauty here found in few places. As we walked around the village, Iker pointed out the points of interest with the history and stories behind each one. On to the countryside to the town of Guernica which was devastated by bombing in 1937 and became the inspiration for Picasso's painting by the same name. Iker was like a walking history book taking us back to the pre bombing era and then how the town fought to rebuild. And, it is still fighting to reclaim the Picasso. Last, but, not least, we returned to Bilbao for a look and review of the Giggenheim Museum and some history on the evolution of Bilbao. It was amazing and Iker even knew where to stand for the best shots. We didn't get to visit inside this time, but, it is truly a work of art on its own. Iker is very flexible with his time and anything you want to see or do, he will try to accommodate you. Since this was our first trip to this area, we let Iker decide what would be best for our time frame, and he did it right!, I promise, you won't be disappointed.

Iker came highly recommended from three sets of friends who have used his guide services before. Our expectation was already very high when we contacted him, and amazingly, he actually exceeded those expectations. Iker brought the history, the stories, the heartbreak, and his pride of being a person of Basque culture to life. We took a bus tour of both the French Basque and Spanish Basque regions, followed by a pintxos tour the next night. Both tours were exception now only for some of the unique places that we visited, but also the historical & personal stories that Iker told us brought everything to life. I would highly recommend his services to anyone looking for an in-depth & positive experience to learn about the Basque region.

My wife and I are both wine lovers and foodies. We wanted a very specific personalized wine and cooking experience in the Rioja region. We did not want to be on one of those wine bus tours that stop only at the gigantic wineries. We also did not want a big group cooking class in which the chef speaks with a speaker and you can’t even look in the pan to see what is going on. We wanted a guide to take us to great small to mid size wineries (so we don’t have to drive after tasting and have the tasting room booked at the winery). We wanted a personalized Spanish cooking class with an excellent trained cook or chef. We got both of these amazing personalized experiences using Basque Guides.

We had two wonderful experiences. Throughout both, Basque Guides made booking easy, communications were prompt and efficient and always felt welcome, but control of what we wanted. Firstly, our Pintxos tour. Carlotta was lovely and so engaging. Clearly loving Donostia and proud of it. She knew how to engage with us and worked her magic in the madness of Pintxos. The Rioja tour was booked last minute, but again swift service gave us what we wanted and more. An unbelievable experience of beautiful Rioja, good wines, unique experiences and stunning views. Juan our guide was so knowledgeable, cheerful and new exactly how to treat people on holiday. Can’t recommend Basque Guides enough.

Excellent personalised Pintxos and Rioja Wine Region tours that I'd definitely recommend to people visiting San Sebastian. Daniél was a superb host, thankyou for the terrific tours 😁

Can’t recommend Basque Guides highly enough. From private pinxto tours in San Sebastián to tours of Bilbao to restaurant, wineries and wine recommendations all over the region - (but off the beaten path), Iker and his team were terrific. Incredibly personable, professional and plugged in. We’re just sorry we didn’t know about Iker sooner so he could have planned and joined us on our entire trip!

Had a wonderful day touting Bilbao, the Guggenheim and surrounding areas. Would encourage all of my friends to go.

I would like to thank Iker for a fabulous day exploring Bilbao. We (a group of 8 Australians) were picked up from our hotel in Sans Sebastián and driven to Bilbao. We explored The Guggenheim Museum and the city of Bilbao. Iker spoke excellent English, and was able to lead us through various exhibits explaining as we went along. We stopped for coffee (our request) on arriving, then went to a restaurant at the Museum which had fabulous food and was well priced. I would highly recommend Basque Guides. Many thanks to Iker for such a professional and informative day.

Our day with Iker was perfect! A great guide can take a trip to the next level, and Iker certainly delivered. His local knowledge and friendly demeanor made for a wonderful day of exploring. I would recommend any tour that Baque Guides offers!

Great 3 days with iker- very knowledgeable of the region and he has a passion for what he does

Best way to visit Basque region and travel with a very knowledgeable and friendly tour guide that will make sure you get the best experience. Our guide Iker tailored the entire experience to our tastes and we spend an amazing day together tasting and learning about wines, visiting hidden gems and discovering local cuisine and culture. Will for sure book them again when we come back.

What a great time we just had during our visit to the Basque Country ! Iker was waiting for us at the San Sebastián airport to start our adventure thru Donostia , Rioja , Bilbao and much more . Iker is more than a guide he becomes your friend during your stay .. he is very knowledgeable, respectful , funny , flexible and goes well above and beyond his duties ! The safest driver .He will discuss history , gastronomy , wine , language , culture etc and everything you need to know about this magical and beautiful land and more in a very entertaining manner . I strongly recommend Iker ! I can’t wait to go back and continue to explore the wonderful Basque country and Rioja.

We enjoyed two different tours with Iker, pinxtos just hours after arriving from overseas and a city tour the following morning. He did an excellent job of making sure one of us did not eat any gluten (celiac) and he introduced us to some unusual wines. We learned plenty of history and culture! Also he provided some dining recommendations and described how to find the Camino hike (to Pasia). During planning he responded very quickly to our questions and we were able to make deposits before our arrival. We also learned that he is a licensed guide (not required), but this means he has several years of education (in addition to being from a family who have lived in San Sebastian for many generations). The best guide if you are a foodie (and want to learn about the Basque people).

Una magnífica elección para disfrutar viajando.

Iker is one of the best guides we have ever had in 20+ years of travel. He is professional, extremely knowledgeable, eager to share Basque culture and history, very accommodating to individual needs and offers many different type tours and experiences. He communicated quickly via email or WhatsApp in planning tours, was always on time and has an extremely warm and friendly personality. He was fun and engaged everyone in our group of 10 family and friends in the four days we all spent with him. Basque Region and Iker have so much to offer, it's a must when traveling to Spain!

We took Iker’s tour of the Guggenheim museum and Bilbao. He made it so easy, picked us up at our hotel in San Sebastián and drove us to Bilbao. He was very informative and had lots of insight into basque history since he was born here and architecture (he was a drafter). He is passionate about food and took us to a fantastic pintxos spot and ordered our food and drinks. We felt very taken care of. He even recommended other spots for us to visit (attractions and restaurants) for the rest of our trip. We can’t wait to return and do another tour.

Amazing tour along the french basque country! Iker is an amazing guide, very friendly and professional. He went far and beyond our expectations and amazed us with his deep knowledge and expertise about basque country and its culture. Details make the difference and Iker was always attentive to all our needs. I highly recommend Iker as your next guide in San Sebastián and Basque Country !!

Amazing experience along the Basque Country on a private tour with the local guide Iker Bardaji. Very professional private guide that showed us more than expected by far! We planned a 4 day trip with Basque Guides and from the first moment we felt as part of the basque comunity. Iker's treat to us was simply perfect. Thank you for such unique experience, totally local, private and exclusive as discussed prior to our tours.