Around Tours

Recomiendo al 100% esta agencia para conocer Guipúzkoa, Navarra, La Rioja y alrededores. El trato recibido y los conocimientos del entorno hacen del tour una experiencia muy atractiva. Llevo 2 tours con ellos y sin ninguna duda el año que viene repetiremos. ¡Y aún con lluvia Álvaro es capaz de sacar el máximo valor al tour!

We spent two wonderful days touring the Basque Country with Álvaro. It was a magical experience. Not only because he knows very special spots, but because he adapted the tour to our needs. Thank you Álvaro.

A wonderful walking tour of San Sebastián. Not to be missed.

We spent two delightful days touring with Alvaro. One day was primarily Pamplona, where we learned about the bull fighting culture. It was fun to retrace the path the bulls run and explore this beautiful city. Another day we explored the coast and had a delicious wine tasting. Both days, we had wonderful advice on restaurants and had excellent meals. He was a terrific guide and you will enjoy touring with him. He has so much interesting information to share and makes sure to take very good care of you.

Our Rioja wine region tour with Alvaro was excellent! Alvaro was prompt for pickup and took us to very representative wineries of the region. We would highly recommend to anyone looking to explore the areas of Basque Country!

We had a wonderful day with Alvaro. He was very informative on many levels. Always special when you go to a place and someone can fill you in on the architecture and the history as it makes the experience much richer. And with no stress. He was easy to be with, spoke good English and made for a great and comfortable day. The transportation was also very comfortable. Would use him again and I understand the food tour is fabulous

Alvaro and Around Tours was great. The evening Pincxos tour was a great way to see more of San Sebastián.

Alvaro provided a fantastic tour across Basque Country! I would highly recommend him for any tour around the area.

We have enjoyed tour with Alvaro, very friendly and flexible. Check out his website for more trips around San Sebastian.

Todo el equipo de home store es extraordinario pueden ayudarte y transformar tu hogar para sentirte en paz y con una belleza extraordinaria .

This was our second tour with Alvaro. The first was a Basque tour, picking us up in Bordeaux and stopping in Bayonne, Biarritz and St Jean de Luz, with a drop off in San Sebastián. Today he picked us up in San Sebastián and drove us to Bilbao, with several stops, including a great lunch of grilled fish. In one village a Basque Festival was taking place, with the town decked out in traditional Basque dress and a party atmosphere. Alvaro took time to stop, tell us about the festival and have some pinxtos. Also, there was a traditional boat race in San Sebastián when we were there and Alvaro provided the history, background and help to navigate the crowds. It was a blast seeing the race from our hotel balcony and watching the fans in their village team colors. Alvaro is extremely knowledgeable about the Basque Country and provides a very personal and unique experience. We highly recommend him to anyone visiting the area.

Thank you for a fantastic afternoon! We had such a lovely time and took us to plenty of places we would never have gone to by ourselves. Would definitely recommend / come again. Ioan and Nia

I would 100% recommend a tour with Alvaro - he is fabulous! He has a great personality and excellent knowledge regarding the history of San Sebastián. The combination of driving around and then walking was perfect; he truly provided a comprehensive look at this beautiful city. As someone who loves food and wine, I really enjoyed popping into various local spots for a quick drink and several delicious bites. Alvaro is also quite knowledgeable about food and wine, which is a great bonus! Awesome tour, worth every penny.

Alvaro knew just where to take us, spoke perfect English, and was a knowledgeable guide. We had a blast!

We had such a wonderful time with Álvaro during our three days in San Sebastián. From the city and Pintxos tour, to the visit with his colleague Iñaki to a nearby town, and finally the beautiful scenic drive to Bilbao with stops along the way, everything was so thoughtfully planned. Álvaro was incredibly patient, friendly, and accommodating, and it truly felt like we were exploring with a good friend rather than just a guide. He made our time in the Basque Country extra special, and we’re so grateful!

Alvaro gave us a superb tour of the environs of San Sebastian and Getaria with stops in the back country where his family lived. While trying unsuccessfully for several hours to get a last minute reservation for us at a seaside restaurant, when we actually appeared he worked his charm again. We had a delightful meal at Mayflower- Erretegia. We enjoyed the local wine, txakoli, and kokotxas (fish throat) cooked over the famous parrilla (hot open air grill). Alvaro provided insight on the food as well as the journey of Getaria's favorite son, Juan San Sebastian Elkano, who was the first person to sail around he world. I heartily endorse Alvaro and his company!

We had the absolute pleasure of touring with Alvaro from Around Tours during our stay in San Sebastián, and we can’t recommend him highly enough. Over several days, he guided us through a variety of experiences that truly made our trip unforgettable. We started with a pintxos tour, where Alvaro’s insider knowledge brought us to some of the best spots in the city—places we would have never discovered on our own. He also gave us a San Sebastián city tour, blending history, culture, and local insights in a way that was engaging and fun. He also was reachable anytime with questions during our stay. I even texted him once when we were at a local pintxo bar and he recommended what to order. Everything was perfect. One of the highlights was our day in Rioja’s wine region, where Alvaro curated visits to exceptional wineries and made the entire experience seamless. That same day my wife got sick and Alvaro went above and beyond to make sure she was ok. He even checked in on her that evening to make sure she was ok. Last day, when we transferred from San Sebastián to Bilbao, he didn’t just drive us—he turned the journey into a tour, with thoughtful stops along the way that made the most of our time. A truly unforgettable moment was in Getaria, where thanks to Alvaro’s personal connections, we were given a private tour of Kaia Kaipe’s wine cellar and fresh seafood storage area by the owner himself. It was an incredible, behind-the-scenes experience we never could have had without him. Alvaro is warm, knowledgeable, and incredibly dedicated to making every detail perfect. His passion for the Basque Country shines through, and traveling with him feels less like being on a tour and more like exploring with a local friend. You will have great conversations with him anything from running a business, to local politics. He also told us about his family. You can see the love he has for his family. Truly a down to earth guy. If you want to experience the best of San Sebastián, Rioja, and beyond, don’t hesitate—book with Around Tours and ask for Alvaro. He made our trip truly extraordinary.

Alvaro was a great guide that gave us choices on what we wanted to do, explained the history of the places we were visiting very clearly, was patient when we wanted to take a little extra time at some places, and made a lot of great recommendations. He was also just a great person to have a conversation with. We highly recommend him!

Around Tours was recommended by our hotel without hesitation. Alvaro reached out to us ahead of our visit which was really helpful, to make the most of our evening and he offered some very useful travel tips for our stay in San Sebastián and beyond. His passion for the city and its food culture was infectious and immediately made us feel immersed in the experience. His local knowledge meant we visited places we wouldn’t have discovered on our own. If you are a food lover like us, this will be a highlight of your trip.

Alvaro was amazing! The tour was fantastic and the food was unique and extraordinary!

We had an amazing time with Alvero discovering the best places to eat pintxos in San Sebastián and the history behind them . Just enough walking to give us an overview of the city and just enough wine to make it fun. Alvero is knowledgeable, charming, patient and genuine. Highly recommend his tours. Juliet- July 2025

A beautiful comprehensive tour ; With excellent historic & cultural coverage ; Very knowledgeable about the entire Basque region , Spain & Europe ; Excellent & careful driver ; Good taste in helping with selection of food . Very warm personality; Highly highly recommended.

Guides expérimentés et faisant découvrir des sites inconnus et peu touristiques avec de la cuisine gastronomique pas trop chère

Wow! Such an amazing experience. Alvaro shows you the beauty, food and culture of Basque Country. Highly recommend.

This was the best tour, full of sights and lots of history. I cannot recommend Al Around Tours San Sebastián highly enough. Al was flexible and so warm and personable. We always want to get to know the culture and people when we travel. We learned so much. If we were here longer we would definitely want to do his gastronomy tour. Don’t come to San Sebastián and miss this incredible experience from someone born and raised in San Sebastián!

We had the absolute best time on our food tour in San Sebastián! From the moment we met Alvaro, he made us feel like family—warm, funny, and incredibly knowledgeable. We learned so much about the city, its rich culture, and the fascinating history of pintxos, all while enjoying amazing food and great company. This experience was truly a highlight of our trip, and we can’t recommend it enough!

Over two days we had a tour of San Sebastián including an excellent winery visit and lunch. Alvaro is a very thoughtful, engaging and knowledgeable guide, and we will use him again on our next visit. Highly recommended!

We visited San Sebastián from Portland Oregon and Álvaro made our trip. He was thoughtful, full of suggestions, and really made us feel like we were getting a local experience instead of a tourist experience. His team, including Carlota and Iñaki, were extremely kind and great to spend a day with. Our connection with him made our trip.

We had a wonderful two days being shown around San Sebastián and the Basque countryside in comfort with Alvaro and his team.

Álvaro was not only a great, knowledgeable guide, he became our good friend for the day. My girlfriend and I came in with zero knowledge of the areas we visited in Biarritz, San Juan De Luz, or Hondarribia, and we left them feeling like we could go right back feeling like locals. Excellent recommendations and itinerary, stimulating conversation, and friendly vibes. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a worthwhile tour in the region.

If you want to feel like a local with Michelin star taste - then you have to book this Tasting Tour with Alvarro! We were a family of 4 with two young adult sons and we had a blast with delicious food!

Great time with Alvaro, owner. Good driver. Informative, casual, patient and enthusiastic. Punctual too.👍

It was wonderful. Alvero was timely, knowledgeable and very personable. A great day and well spent.

Had an amazing day with Alvaro on the full day city and pintxos tour - he was incredibly professional, personable, engaging, knowledgeable about all things Spain and Basque country, full of energy and helpful to us in arranging other plans while in Spain. And he really has the pintxos places figured out! We ate so well that afternoon we never even had dinner! Can’t recommend him and Around Tours highly enough. 5*.

My wife and I did a city walking and pintxos tour with Alvaro. He did a great job of explaining the history of San Sebastian, in an entertaining and interesting way, and providing beautiful views of the city. The different wine and pintxos we tried made for a wonderful sampling of what different restaurants in San Sebastián has to offer. We would highly recommend him.

Excellent tour company to work with.

Alvaro and his trainee Inaki were the perfect guides of the Basque regions of Spain and France. Alvaro starts with a video chat to go over the itinerary options and was very flexible. I’ve gone on many tours of this kind and Alvaro’s ability to change course on the fly was perfect for our group of three. His attention to detail from having water onboard, recognizing when we may be “thirsty”, or hungry was excellent. This is the way 😀

We loved all our time with Alvaro. He was knowledgeable, helpful, sensitive to our needs/wants and was a pleasure with which to spend time. Book this company without any concern. Alvaro’s background means he knows the area in depth and took the time to show us things we would have missed because of his passion to do a great job. He was a highlight to our visit to the Basque region.

Amazing tour of the market, selected items to prepare for lunch - In a private country side location! Highly recommend.

This was a wonderful day with two lovely hosts! My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and meeting Al and Al.

The last few days exploring Basque country with Alvaro was extraordinary. The attention to detail , the kindness, the perfect information, the history, the context and his ability to understand just what we needed when we needed it was amazing. Light hearted and FUN! We had a wonderful experience! Thank you Alvaro for making it all happen!!!! We are so grateful!

Álvaro is a great guide! That makes of the tour a real experience! Love spending the day with him! Today was awesome!! Thanks

Two fantastic tours with Alvaro. The Pintxo tour had great foods and drinks that only the locals know along with history of San Sabastian. The day trip to taste local cheese and wine was informative, fun, and scenic. Alvaro spoke great English and told great stories.

Alvaro is one of the best tour guides in San Sebastián and the surrounding Basque area. He comes from a family of small business owners and he grew up owns his own tour company and is attentive to every detail. He took us to many great places to eat and drink, including a tour to a cheese producing farm and local family winery. Alvaro speaks excellent English and shared many great stories, some history and soecial sights with my friend and I from the USA. We highly recommend him for your walking and driving tours. Karen Buelow

Great time with Álvaro out in the basque country. 英語でツアーならアルバロの Around Tours をおすすめします。

Best tour guide - we loved our highlights tour of San Sebastián! English was excellent.

We had the absolute pleasure of going on two tours with Alvaro and his team at Around Tours. Our first tour was a morning shopping in a local market to purchase foods to cook together. Before going to our lunch spot, we made a quick stop in San Sebastian to learn more about the area and take in the incredible views. Truthfully Alvaro and his colleague did most of the cooking and it's best that way! Not only was the food delicious but my husband and I got to try some local dishes that were the best introduction to Basque food. Our day with both Alvaros was so fun. They were engaging, knowledgeable and accommodating. Not to mention the setting in which we had lunch was stunning. For the next tour we spent the day with Carlota and she took us to visit a local cheesemaker and a local wine maker. Both experiences were immersive and a great way to connect with small local businesses in the area as well as learn more about their operations and craft. We also made a quick stop in a nearby town to take in views, learn a little history and see more of the Basque region. Carlota was friendly, charming and so helpful as she also served as our translator since both makers spoke Basque. Around Tours included private transportation for both of tours and it was great. Vehicles were clean, on time and very comfortable to travel in. Our two tours with Around Tours were absolute highlights to our time in San Sebastián and I would highly recommend them to anyone.

My 21 year old daughter, 18 year old son, and I had the best time with Alvaro! He customized our tour so we are all had pintxos that we loved. It was a perfect combination of learning the history of San Sebastián, enjoying great food and wine, and having fun together! This tour made our trip special! Thank You Alvaro!

Alvaro was an amazing guide! Knowledge, flexible, and a great sense of humor— we loved spending our day exploring wine and the Rioja region with him!

Álvaro is a rare combination of impeccably organized and effortlessly relaxed. We (two adults and two kids -- a 4 year old and a 2 year old) did four days of tours with him -- old town, two hikes, and a day trip to Biarritz. For each day, he lined up reservations at casual local restaurants that spanned a wide range of Basque gastronomy. Álvaro was very patient with our pace -- quite slow with the little ones in tow -- and communicated on the fly with the restaurants when we were running late to ensure we still had a table. He was also quite patient with my attempts to converse in Spanish! We whole-heatedly recommend that you book a tour (or more!) with Álvaro and his team.

El tour está muy lindo! Los paisajes y la travesía hacia el viñedo estuvieron increíbles, difícilmente como turista iríamos por ese camino. El viñedo, aunque pequeño, está interesante la historia. La atención y el carisma de Álvaro fueron maravillosas!

Alvaro is a world class guide for the San Sebastian food scene and for the history and culture of northern Spain. Absolute pleasure spending the day with him today!

The food tour with Alvaro could not have been better. Because he grew up in San Sebastián, his local knowledge paired with his understanding of food & culture made for a perfect experience. Alvaro’s energetic and friendly character elevated the experience and was a perfect way to lay a foundation for my stay in the city. 100% recommend!

We loved our time with Alvaro owner of AROUND TOURS! He showed us the most wonderful time exploring San Sebastian! I would recommend him highly! Very considerate of our needs and showed us the most beautiful places including his family country get away!

Three of us spent 5 very full days with Álvaro touring the San Sebastián countryside. It was truly an amazing experience! He communicated well, listened to what we were interested in seeing and helped guide us to excellent sites/restaurants. I feel like I am an expert of Basque culture. Álvaro truly hosted us in his country. I have never felt so taken care of. And now I feel like we are family. Well done, Álvaro!! I can’t wait to return!

Amazing pintxo tour! Our guide Martin was knowledgeable and friendly, taking us to some of the best local bars where we tried delicious pintxos paired with excellent local wines. The atmosphere was lively, and we loved learning about the history and traditions of Basque cuisine. Everything was well-organized, and we discovered places we wouldn’t have found on our own. Highly recommended for food lovers visiting the area!! 😊

Alvaro. Thank you so much for 3 wonderful days exploring the Basque region and all it has to offer. We appreciate your ability to adapt and make changes for us with no notice. Your stories and knowledge of the area are wonderful and really gave us a unique take on the local life around the San Sebastian area and the Rioja region. We will recommend you to anyone coming here in the future and look forward to seeing you again when we come back. Thanks again. All our best. Rick and Libby

Wonderful experience for a group. Definitely recommend.

Incredible evening in San Sebastián - Alvaro knows all of the best bars and restaurants and what each of them specialise in. A five star, personalised experience exceeding all expectations! Thank you for showing us the best of San Sebastián.

Alvaro (from Around Tours San Sebastian) took us on an fantastic wine and tapas tour. He was on personal terms with most of the establishments and bartenders and had a friendly and relaxed style of showing you the very best of what San Sebastian has to offer. Knowledgeable and fun, this tour is a must for any travelers who want a inside experience of the nightlife of San Sebastian and an education on this region of Spain. Two enthusiastic thumbs up!

We loved our time with Alvaro! He took us on a wonderful trip in the Basque region!

Safe driving skills., Fluent English., Just the right amount of information., Polite and friendly, Clean and comfortable car.

My wife and I had a wonderful day in Rioja with Alvaro. Two wonderful wineries to visit. Actually had a tour with the owner's daughter at the first one. Good wines to taste....and buy! Afterwards we had a really nice lunch at a "locals" place we would have never known about. My third tour with Alvaro and we will do it again.

Alvaro was so welcoming and knowledgeable of the area. Provided a friendly, professional tour with the outmost relaxed and flexible attitude. Took us to beautiful sites and gorgeous lunch venue. Would highly recommend! We so enjoyed our day enjoying the beauty of Bilbao and Getaria, Alvaro made it special!

Did a pintxos tour with my familly and had a terrific eperience with Martine. He was so knowledgeable and proud of San Sebastian and its rich history. And the food he introduced us to was phenomenal! Definitely recommend a tour on your first day to understand the customs and get to know the best spots.

All my recommendations for that guy Alvaro, our guide, super friendly and very professional, we loved seeing San Sebastian with him, with total harmony and knowledge of that Basque region.

We had a great time with Alvaro. He is very knowledgeable, professional and just a great guide. He is fluent in English, Spanish, Basque and a bit of French as well. We highly recommend him!!

Alvaro was an amazing guide and definitely showed us a side of San Sebastian we never would have seen otherwise. Having the ability to speak to a born and raised native about their home was truly a gift

Great experince along the French coast— My family and I came to San Sebastián for the first time for New Year’s in 2024. We’d never been to Basque region but we had heard that there was some great places to visit outside San Sebastián on the French side of the Basque region. Alvaro took us to three destinations about an hour or so outside of San Sebastián in France. The transportation was wonderful and clean and the drive was great (his van could fit up to 7 but we were only 4 so we had plenty of space). We started in Biarritz, FR and Alvaro took us along the beach and to some of the sights while explaining some of the history of the historic beach town. I loved doing some local shopping and bought some wonderful prints for my apartment. Then after a couple hours we hopped back into the van and drove down the beautiful coastal highway to St Jean De Luz, a picturesque fishing town. We did some touristy stuff there and Alvaro showed us some of the best shops and the beautiful church (which my parents loved). After a couple more hours of sightseeing and shopping we drove down to the Spanish side to Hondarribia where we got a wonderful pint is lunch with Alvaro (he’s a local so everything he recommended was spot on). We then headed back on a 30 minute drive back to San Sebastián where Alvaro drove us back to our hotel. Overall it was a wonderful excursion and a wonderful way to get to know another part of the Basque region while we stayed in San Sebastián. We’re from the states (NYC and San Diego) and we had never met Alvaro but were so glad we got to take the tour with him and we’d highly recommend a tour with him. He speaks both English and Spanish very well (and will help you get through the French parts too). I know he does tours of San Sebastián as well since he’s a local, but I highly recommend the France coast tour we did, Biarritz was incredible. Overall, great experience and thanks for a great time Alvaro, hope to be back soon!

We had an incredible experience with Alvaro during our family tour of the French coast. From the moment he picked us up at our hotel in San Sebastián, we felt an excellent rapport and were excited for the day ahead. We were picked up in a spacious and comfortable van that was perfect for our family, allowing us to relax as Alvaro drove us to beautiful towns like Biarritz and San Juan de la Luz, along with a neighboring town in Spain. His local knowledge truly made the tour special, as he shared fascinating insights into the history and significance of each site we visited. One of the highlights was Alvaro's recommendations for food. He took us to the best spots to eat and snack in each town, and when it came to our sit-down meal, he guided us through ordering pinxtos like locals. His passion for the local cuisine, history, and cultural dynamics added an authentic touch to our experience. Alvaro is not just a knowledgeable guide; he’s a great person who made us feel comfortable and engaged throughout the tour. We’ll definitely be recommending him to our friends and family when they visit the region. We can’t wait to return!

From initial contact, our guide Alvaro was so helpful and friendly. We ended up doing two tours with him, one of Bilbao and the Basque coast and a city tour and Pintxo crawl in San Sebastián. It felt like we were cared for and guided by a local friend. He adapted his tour on the fly for us to show us some off the beaten path places and make sure we tried everything we desired. It was a joy to be with him and we can’t wait until next time! Plus he took amazing photos of my family!

Alvaro is an amazing steward of basque food, culture and way of life. We’ve been dreaming of coming here for 15+ years, Alvaro really made every experience so special. We did 3 separate days with him, each was unique and added to our understanding, appreciation and joy. We will always remember our time in this beautiful place with beautiful people and beautiful food.

Que ta,l mi experiencia fue muy agradable , el guía Alvaro muy profesional y preparado , vale la pena , muy recomendado todo el tour y las visitas !!

סיור מעולה בסביבות העיירה סאן סבסטיאן. אלווארו מדריך נעים, מקצועי ועם ידע רב. בסיור ראינו נופים שהם out of this world. מאד ממליץ!

An amazing half day tour with Alvaro. It was more like hanging out with a friend. He took us to some hidden gems just outside San Sebastián where we drove through scenic landscapes, charming towns & small farms. The winery tour at K5 was fantastic as well - it was the most detailed, personal & friendly experience at a winery I’ve ever had. Everyone went above and beyond to ensure we were well looked after as well as enjoyed the rest of our time at San Sebastián. If you’re looking for something off the beaten path, away from the crowds and truly local - you can’t go wrong booking this!

We had the best day with Alvaro! He took us to wonderful places, and we loved his stories about the local history, his family, and growing up in the area. Our tour of the winery was fabulous, and we had an amazing lunch in Getaria ata restaurant he recommended afterwards. We had a great time and felt very well taken care of. A perfect day!

We had a wonderful afternoon with Carlota, from Around Tours doing a tapas tour. She was really amazing - so much fun and informative and a great guide, and we had very good food and wine! Thank you for a really enjoyable experience, highly recommended

Wow, wow, wow. A magic day with Alvaro discovering a beautiful corner of the Basque region. My wife and I and our daughter were in San Sebastián for a few days and booked a morning excursion with a seaside lunch. It was a delightful way to get out of the city and experience villages and the region that we could never have imagined on our own. Alvaro was so thoughtful in how he combined some physical activity, beautiful views, a winery visit, and experiencing seaside fishing and surfing villages we did not know about. Thank you for a wonderful day that made our trip to Spain magical.

Excelente tour , 5 estrellas, muy recomendable, trato muy agradable.

Alvaro and this experience was 10/10–great way to spend a half day in/around San Sebastián and would highly recommend. Alvaro is knowledgeable, personable, and easy going. The winery was lovely even in the rain, the wine excellent. I can’t wait to return and do a cooking class at Alvaro’s family gathering spot, which is tucked away in the basque countryside and an incredible place. Do not hesitate and book now!

We booked a Pintxos Food Tour with Around Tours as a recommendation from our hotel in San Sebastián. The food tour was brilliant and we had wonderfully entertaining and educational evening. The food choices were delicious in every restaurant we visited. Would highly recommend to anyone visiting San Sebastián, preferably on your first night, as you get to walk all around the town so therefore getting to understand the layout if you have not been before.

Alvaro made our first day in San Sebastián super special . We hit all the best viewing spots , plus best local Pinto tastings . Only someone born and raised in SS would know these secret restaurants. He also had a great knowledge of the history of SS, which I found fascinating. And to top it off he had a fabulous personality! Very glad we did the tour our first day ,so now we have the lay of the land for the rest of our stay .

Alvaro is a great food guide. During our pintxos tour in San Sebastian, he provided us with so much more than good food and wine (although we enjoyed both of those in plentiful supply!). Through our conversation, we gained an insight into the history and culture of the Basque region and San Sebastian in particular. He chose the bars and food very carefully in order to give us a balanced taste of local dishes (he even introduced us to his father's favourite) as well as a balanced meal. He took the time to get to know us and our tastes and finely gauged how far they could be challenged (very successfully). We thoroughly enjoyed the food, drink and conversation and even the thunderstorm and torrential rain that arrived halfway through couldn't dampen our evening!

We had the best experience with Alvaro as our guide. He is a knowledgeable local, as well as personable and friendly. We felt like we were enjoying the city with a friend thanks to him.

Súper recomiendo Around Tours! Mi mamá y yo fuimos a San Sebastián en septiembre y Around Tours nos organizó dos tours increíbles: uno a la costa francesa y otro a La Rioja. Nuestros guías fueron Álvaro y Álvaro, ambos fueron muy profesionales, flexibles y muy amables. Los tours superaron nuestras expectativas y los disfrutamos muchísimo. Cuando regresemos a San Sebastián definitivamente los volveremos a contactar. Gracias por todo!

Alvaro is the BEST

I can’t thank Alvaro enough for guiding us through the beauty, history and the amazing food in San Sebastien. It was an amazing experience.

This was one of the best tours we have done this trip. Amazing scenery and locations across the Basque coast, including an unforgettable trip to a local winery. Alvaro is a great guide and adapts the tour to your needs where he can. Super friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. We will definitely be using Around Tours next time we are here. Thank you!!

Alvaro is amazing. Gave us a city tour along with the Pintxos tour. A true expert of San Sebastián— and more importantly, great fun to be with! Highly highly recommended.

This was by far the highlight of our Spain Trip. Álvaro was absolutely wonderful. Super fun, knowledgeable, and timely. We did the Rioja Wine Tour. The landscape alone is breathtaking. Álvaro has curated a really great selection of wineries, each super unique with amazing variety of wines. Everyone we met at each place who headed up the tastings were lovely and so fun. I highly recommend this tour. Even if you aren’t into wine the whole experience was so great. We’d absolutely do any of his other tours as well, Àlvaro is an incredible guide.

Maravillosa experiencia con Álvaro, gran profesionalidad, y seriedad. Sin duda lo recomendamos a 100%.

Alvaro was a wonderful host who explained the process of making Txakoli very well. He's a very good tour guide and I would highly recommend him. He is very friendly and also shares a lot of his knowledge of Basque history and culture.

Alvaro was a fantastic tour guide who felt more like a friend. His communication prior to our day together was great. He took us to several gorgeous and interesting locations we could not have found on our own. Because he is a Native his understanding of the culture and history was a true unique perspective. What a great day! I highly recommend this amazing tour!

Álvaro provided an amazing pintxo tour in San Sebastián. He tailored it to our interests and preferences and provided helpful historical and current context as we walked from location to location and at locations. I’d do the tour again anytime and recommend to anyone visiting San Sebastián or Basque Country in general!

Absolutely fantastic experience with Alvaro! He took us on an incredible Pintxos tour around San Sebastián, sharing his deep knowledge and passion for the local cuisine. Each stop was a delightful surprise, and his recommendations were spot on. Alvaro's warm and engaging personality made it a lovely night we'll never forget. Highly recommended!

Great tour with Alvaro. Great guide very nice vehicle and wonderful day. Highly recommended

Álvaro did an excellent job arranging our wine tour, selecting locations with different philosophies that we would not have found, was very organized, spoke great English and was fun to travel with. Would absolutely recommend

We had an incredible 4 days with Alvaro! He was very knowledgeable and fun! He created experiences that were perfect for us and left room for unplanned stops and adventures that really added to our time in the Basque Country. Everything was very easy and seamless - perfect way to explore the region!

Amazing experience with Alvero - highly recommended.

Best tour ever! Alvaro is going places with his personal touch of hospitality! Loved the cliff view and amazing Txacoli Vinyard.

We had an outstanding tour. There were 3 of us and the walk and geology lesson as well as the coastal beauty started our tour off. We then had a fantastic wine tour and tasting for a perfect day. I would highly recommend!!!

Solid tour to winery and the Flysch.

Alvoro was a joy to do a food tour with! Everything was super delicious. My best piece of advice is to keep an open mind and try whatever comes your way. I guarantee that at least one meal will blow your socks off!

Great company and wonderful tour guide. Truly put the clients first and often asking if all was going well. Very personalized service

Álvaro is the coolest yet professional Tour guide in San Sebastián and surrounding areas. During my trip to the Spanish and French Basque regions, I had the pleasure to have him as my tour guide and he provided a bespoke tour according to my needs and schedule. He went definitely above and beyond explaining the history, culture, gastronomy and know how processes of the areas. He speaks perfect English which in my case was extremely favorable and he definitely was calm and collected while we were walking around the places and gave me time to feel and appreciate everything with no sense of rush (which sometimes could be a thing with tour guides). Highly recommended!! LIZ FROM CALIFORNIA

Great tour with Alvaro, super friendly and knowledgable. Highly recommend!!

Alvaro was one of the best guides we've ever had!!! He picked us up at our apartment, which really helped us as my husband has some limited mobility. Alvaro then gave us several experiences that far exceeded our expectations, from a nature walk along the cliffs to a wine tasting/walk in the vineyard/most interesting discussion with the host of the family-run winery to beautiful drives along the coast and in the hills. Then, Alvaro helped us select a wonderful lunch--truly spectacular meal. But even more than the experiences was Alvaro's story-telling, conversation, caring, and professionalism. He thought of several “extras” to make the day even more special. I mentioned I did not eat fish and he provided an additional pintxos at our wine tasting of yummy cheese from the area. He even took pictures of us that he shared by Polaroid at the end of the day! We will remember our experiences today and Alvaro's affable tour-guiding hopefully forever. All four of us--my husband and I along with my brother in law and sister in law--strongly recommend Alvaro. He did a superb job!!!

Well, the Gods knew the perfect match for us! It was Carlota!! ❤️ Extremely professional. Funny. Engaging. Kind. Loved her knowledge of the region! So incredibly knowledgeable! When we’re back, and we will be back, we want Carlota for any of our tours. There is no one better suited for us. She was amazing! Thank you for a great guide and an incredible experience. Hasta luego

Alvaro as a great guide and we enjoyed our French Basque tour with him!

I have been dreaming about San Sebastian ever since I saw Anthony Bourdain on a pintxo crawl with Juan Mari and Elena Arzak. My wife and I finally arrived in San Sebastian in May. I had emailed my hotel and asked about a tour guide and they highly recommended  Around Tours headed by the one and only Álvaro . I wanted to see the coastal hills of Basque Country and Álvaro helped me fulfill my dreams. I was awestruck by the surrounding beauty . My wife and I felt like we were traveling with a good friend . We all never stopped talking about life and food and local history. We had lunch together in Gataria and Álvaro had secured the best table in the restaurant . We visited a cheese farm and a vineyard . Álvaro is a charming , polite and educated young man and I hope to have him as a friend for years to come. Thank you Álvaro for the best day of our trip to Spain. Philip W. Nantucket Island USA

What an unexpected surprise and enjoyable day! We had not planned on a Pincho tour but it came highly recommended from our Concierge to do this with Alvaro. We learned so much, had such wonderful food, drink and conversation- the time went so fast. Alvaro was so passionate and knowledgeable. It was just a terrific way to spend the afternoon in San Sebastian.

For a great visit to some of Rioja's best wineries you can't go wrong using Alvaro and Around Tours. Experienced, knowledgeable and flexible, Alvaro will make certain you have a unique and enjoyable day.

A very enjoyable tour of San Sebastián with Alvaro. He was generous with his time and knowledge and we would highly recommend him to anyone wishing to tour the city or the wider Basque region. John & Emma.

We had the most incredible day visiting Bilboa Guggenheim Museum and then tour vineyards and fishing villages with Valvaro. Lunch in Getaria and trying local wine and fish were amazing!!!

Today we had Alvaro as our tour guide for our first time to San Sebastian and he took us to Guggenheim museum through fishing villages and an amazing lunch then drove back along the coast. He is a true local super fun to talk with and learn about the area and make sure you have him eat with you to sit and talk more you will learn so much about the food and area my family and I had a amazing day with him and highly recommend him and his company very accommodating on time and what you want to do. I give them a A++!!!!

Alvaro was the absolute best!! He was so knowledgeable, very accommodating to what we wanted to do and he was so much fun! I will recommend him to anyone looking for a tour in San Sebastián and the Basque region. We did a full day tour to the French Basque region and it was so beautiful and such a great experience! I highly recommend!!!

Alvaro ile gerçekleştirdiğimiz "Panoramic View of San Sebastián & Pintxos" turundan müthiş keyif aldık. Bölgenin insanı olması hem ziyaret ettiğimiz yerlerde bize çok avantaj sağladı hem de kendisinden şehir tarihi ile ilgili önemli, yerinde bilgiler edindik. Cana yakın, dinamik ve odaklı yaklaşımı turun rahatlıkla akmasını sağladı. Old Town'da yaptığımız lezzet turunu sanıyorum bir ömür boyu unutmayız. Özellikle pintxos'ları unutmamız biraz zaman alacak. :) Tur sırasında ve sonrasında verdiğin müthiş tavsiyeler, desteğin ve dostluğun için çok teşekkür ederiz. Umarım yeni bir rotada tekrar görüşürüz! Esra & Efe

On our second visit to San Sebastian we did not hesitate to book 3 tours with Alvaro at the end of April this year. We had a great experience with him during our the first trip in 2022. We had visited the Rioja wine region and the French Basque coast. Both tours were great. This visit we started with a Pintxo tour in San Sebastian on Saturday night. He took us to some great places and we sampled a variety of Pintxos and wines. This gave us a good insight of where to go during our visit. Two days later we visited a family run farm that raises sheep and makes Idiazabal cheese. The tour was very interesting, the family membes were friendly and we enjoyed the tasting of their cheeses accompanied by some cider. Then onto a winery that produces the txakoli wine. Again the tour was very interesting, the wine wonderful and the countryside so beautiful. We ended the day in Getaria, a small fishing village, for so amazing grilled fish. Our next tour we visited the french basque region stopping in a few small towns and of course lunch at a great restaurant in Espelette. Alvaro takes the time to answer your questions and gives you a wealth of information about the Basque area and history. I hope we will revisit San Sebastian again in the near future and meet up with our new friend for more exploring.

Carlota was a fantastic tour guide! She was on time to start the day and a delight during our all day tour where she took us to lunch and three different stops.

The experience was absolutely great! I did not know what to expect and Alvaro’s tour was nothing short of perfect! The choice of bars and pintxos was crisp and on point and he was very accommodative to all our requests. Definitely not to miss and made our experience top notch! Regards, Yasmine

Alvaro was great and took us to the best Pintxos bars in San Sebastián, that we wouldn’t have gone to unless guided. He was extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and it felt like we were out with a friend. Highly recommended.

We had a great time with Alvaro yesterday on our tour of fishing villages outside San Sebastián. He was a great guide, and we enjoyed getting to know the history of the area.

First class pinxtos tour with Alvaro. He took us to all the best places for the superb house specialities. We loved it! An absolute must during your visit to San Sebastián!

Excelente. Muy buen anfitrión y con mucho conocimiento.

Me encanto San Sebastian! Solo estuvimos 2 dias y gracias a nuestro guia Alvaro pudimos apreciarlo todo!!!! Conocedor, responsable, serio y muy amable; ademas tiene las mejores recomendaciones de restaurantes, pinchos y vistas hermosas. Justo al grano

Our first day in San Sebastián we booked a Pintxo and Vino walking tour with Around Tours - Álvaro Elola. He met us at our hotel and quickly we were immersed in the buzz of Basque social life. Álvaro grew up in San Sebastián so he is extremely knowledgeable of the city’s history and culture. We started in the new town visiting two bars and then we continued to the old town where we went to three more locations. Enjoying the local cuisine of both cold and hot pintxos as well as local wine. By the end of the tour, we were well fed with local delicacies as well as local knowledge. Highly recommend this tour - Álvaro is an amazing host!

Very insightful and enjoyable day trip tour! Worth it, highly recommend. The guide very polite, the tour is a good way to explore the areas around San Sebastián!

We had a great day out with around tours San Sebastián with Alvaro. We visited Bilbao and the Guggenheim and had some great Basque Country views, a walk on the cliffs and a fantastic lunch to top it off. Highly recommended and thanks again Alvaro

The tour to French basque was very good and the guide was very kind.

Alvaro was absolutely incredible!! My family and I went on a day tour with him to the Guggenheim and Bilbao. We immediately felt comfortable and were very impressed by his knowledge of the museum, Bilbao and all of Spain. Alvaro made the tour personal and exciting. We enjoyed it so much we ended up going on an extra drive to see another close town near San Sebastián. I definitely recommend Alvaro for your next tour!

Alvaro is an excellent guide and goes above and beyond expectations. He is extremely friendly and articulate, he has a deep knowledge of the area, and he combines just the right amount of professionalism with a personal touch. He can create a custom tour that includes everything from experiencing natural beauty, to enjoying wine tasting and a casual (or elegant) meal, to learning the significance of historic landmarks, and more. All the while you will also feel like you’re with a friend because—although Alvaro is extremely smart and competent—he projects warmth and a welcoming vibe, and he’s interested in creating the best tour for you. We could not have been happier with our tour, and I give him my highest recommendation. Do yourself a favor and book a tour with him.

Alvaro was an amazing tour guide. Not only was he extremely pleasant, but he was very knowledgeable and accommodating to our group of 8. He consulted with us every step of the way and recommended places that were not necessarily tourist spots but beautiful spots visited by locals, which we would have never known about. He even extended our time to make sure we saw it all. We were very fortunate to have found him!

A great introduction to the political and social history of the Basque Country.

Our day with Alvaro was just incredible. It felt like getting picked up by an old friend for a fun day, as he focuses on very small groups. He took us to places we would have never thought about or gone to ourselves. In the span of a few hours, we saw tucked away vistas, medieval streets, ocean views, cliffs, and, of course, the quaint family winery. Surpassed all our expectations, really! And you have the time, definitely stop at the fish restaurants in Getaria. It’s a very unique, local experience not to be missed. Alvaro is also super fun, knowledgable, and thoughtful — everything felt very personalized from the start. He even gave us recos for the rest of our time in San Sebastián and Bilbao.

We had a great day with Alvaro. Saw a good bit of the city and Alvaro added a lot of value by being able to describe the history especially in the context of Spain and the Basque. He is very approachable and easy to talk to. If he didn’t know an answer he’d look it up rather than try and bluff. Was glad to improvise on the spot based on particular interests we had. Highly recommended!

Contactamos a Álvaro de Around Tours último minuto y logró armarnos toda una experiencia. Un día completo en la Rioja con visita a excelentes bodegas, buenos tastings, y paisajes increíbles. Sus atenciones, puntualidad, detalles, etc, todo para lograr que nuestra visita fuera la mejor! Gracias Álvaro!!

We had an amazing time with Alvaro. He took us to local Pintxos places where we tried the best of San Sebastian. He was fun, knowledgeable and gave us other suggestions to enjoy our time in the region. Muchisimas gracias!!

My experience with Around Tours and Alvaro exceeded all my expectations. It gave me a much richer understanding of the area and was so fun! Alvaro is a fantastic guide who offered many amazing recommendations for restaurants and activities in addition to our tour. Highly recommend.

What a great experience. We had a bit of everything ….wine, coastal and valley experiences all delivered in a really informative and friendly way by Alvaro, who was fantastic. Great value ….exceeded our expectations. I’d highly recommend Alvaro and this intimate experience

We enjoyed our tours by Alvaro. Great Pinxtos crawl with perfect selection of food and wine. Tours were informative and filled with interesting information about the area and it’s history. Alvaro seems to know everyone and the tour has a really personal touch that we enjoyed.

It was an amazing experience with our tour guide Carlota. She was extremely accommodating in answering all our inquiries may it be culture, food, geography, wine and anything qbout the Basque Region and Rioja. Our driver Eduardo was excellent too. It was an amazing experience. Muchos Gracias Around Tours ❤️

Alvaro with Around Tours did such a good job planning our full day tour today. He is enthusiastic, knowledgeable and cares about making his clients happy, developing the relationship along the way. He arranged for us to visit, tour and taste at a cheese farm that we will remember forever. We felt that we were in good hands and learned a lot about Basque culture.

Very personalized experience and care for what I wanted to see. I was very happy with the timing the service and the genuine hospitality that Alvaro showed me. He's a local do he had some very interesting things to share about the coast line. I highly recommend this service.

The Trip with Alvaro was really professional organized. He took us to places we never have thought of visiting. It was basque culture, basque nature, food and wine experience. Álvaro was easy to talk with and he was interesting, fun and easy going. It was easy to understand that he was proud of his familiy history and he was open to share everything he knows about the basque countryside and its surroundings. Everyone should have an Alvaro in San Sebastian. Highly recommandeable! Thank you so much for a fun and eduacational day. Marie and Trond Magnus

Alvaro was wonderful! We would highly recommend him!

When we arrived in San Sebastián we knew very little about the city. We were fortunate to be recommended Around tours for a private tour of the city and region. Alvaro was very personable and showed us around by car and foot, giving us insight into local life as well as the rich Basque history and culture. The tour is personalised to suit your interests and he is very flexible, not fixed to a routine itinerary. The next day he arranged a personal tour for us to the Guggenheim in Bilbao with a lovely road trip along the coast visiting fishing villages and an amazing walk along the Flysch cliffs. He and his crew have a lovely energy. I highly recommend their services. 10/10

Alvaro is the best! My husband and I did a half day tour of the Basque coastline from San Sebastián to Zumaia and Getaria with him. He had a very nice van, and we had great conversation learning about local culture, history, starting his own tour guide business as a young entrepreneur, and more. We also did a tour/tasting at a small-ish family Txakoli vineyard, which was delightful (not overly commercial or big box, just us with the owner). Alvaro’s English is great, and he translated for us as needed. If you’re looking for a tour in the area, don’t hesitate to book with him - we felt like old friends by the time our tour was done!

I would highly recommend taking one of Alvaro's tours when visiting the basque region. Despite already having very thorough excursions, Álvaro customizes each tour with his clients in mind. He is not just your typical tour guide, he fully understands the culture, geography and history of the region and incorporates interesting story telling into the time together. We have done several tours with him and will for sure use him again the next time in the area.

What an incredible day on the Basque Country! Alvaro was an exceptional and thoughtful host, taking us along the beautiful coastline, into small villages, and then the most scenic txacoli winery! What an excellent way to see this part of the world! Thank you!!

Our tours (we did 4 different tours) with Around Tours were amazing! Alvaro was knowledgeable and willing to work with us to get exactly what we wanted out of each excursion. Would highly recommend this company! The food tour was a nice intro to San Sebastián. The wine tour was set up to match our tastes and interest. We also did the Cheese Tour with a stop in Getaria for an amazing fish lunch and the trip over to Hondarriba. All amazing!

Alvaro was amazing, so sweet, so knowledgeable, and we had a great day in Rioja with him. Would highly recommend his services!

Álvaro es el mejor guía que podríamos haber encontrado en San Sebastián. Apasionado con su ciudad, nos mostró en un recorrido íntimo y cercano, cada rincón de esta encantadora ciudad. Sin lugar a dudas volveremos, y repetiremos nuestra experiencia con su agencia.

Álvaro knew the area very well whether it was knowing about what to order at the local restaurants or the history of the Basque Country! His scheduling was also very flexible so we were able to enjoy scenic routes and also see other locations we also wanted to see that were not listed on the site. Definitely will be going with Around Tours next time my family is in the Basque Country.

This was a really fantastic tour. Super interesting, fun and tailored to your requirements / interests. Really recommended!

My husband and I toured San Sebastian last month and had an awesome experience particularly because of our tour guide Alvaro. We did an evening tour of the best pintxos bars and not just the most touristy or popular, but he tailored the selection to our taste. His choices were excellent and the food delicious. We both had special request and he accommodated them. We enjoyed our experience so much that we decided to use him again for a tour of the city and countryside. Alvaro is very personable with impeccable English. I highly recommend Around Town touring and Alvaro.

Álvaro is fantastic! We have used many guides over the years and he is excellent, our favorite, very professional. We hired him for a tasting tour in San Sebastián and we’re not disappointed. Àlvaro is a born local and he took us off the main tourist places and we enjoyed food and drinks where the locals eat. His English is very good and he does not rush you. This is your tour and he deeply wants you to have fun and a great experience. Our Hotel recommended him and I wish we found him sooner. He will accommodate any place you want to see and has a breath and depth of information about other areas. Meeting Àlvaro was a bonus addition to our stay in San Sebastián. We hope to return.

Our tour of Old Town with Alvaro was the perfect introduction to the culinary delights of San Sebastián. Alvaro's friendly yet professional approach went beyond recommending the best places to eat; he provided a comprehensive understanding of the region's history, culture, and culinary traditions. Alvaro's warm personality, lively energy, and wealth of knowledge made the tour both informative and enjoyable. As we visited five unique pintxo bars, Alvaro expertly curated his selections based on our personal tastes, ensuring we experienced the best of each establishment. What made the tour even more captivating was Alvaro's storytelling. He skillfully weaved in significant figures and events, adding depth to the overall experience. Alvaro's tour caters to a variety of interests, appealing to foodies, history enthusiasts, and those seeking cultural immersion. His vivid descriptions and genuine passion for the city brought San Sebastián to life. Alvaro's tour offers an enchanting gastronomic journey that not only explores local customs but also provides a tantalizing taste of the outstanding food in San Sebastián. It truly enriched our appreciation of the city, making it a definitive must-do for anyone visiting the region.

What a wonderful experience! Alvaro’s unique tour of the Basque coast was something we would have never been able to do on our own, he showed us the gorgeous coastline, taught us the Basque ways of eating, drinking and living and we had delicious regional wine with excellent views. If you’re staying in San Sebastián for the weekend you MUST do this! 10/10 recommend.

Alvaro was our tour guide for a day trip to Rioja wine country from San Sebastián. He was incredibly kind, knowledgeable about the area, and a pleasure to spend the day with. He was also very accommodating to our requests along the way. We would very much recommend this tour to anyone traveling to San Sebastián and the Rioja area.

Thank you for an amazing day! It was truly fantastic: so many information, beautiful views and atmospheric places. I absolutely enjoyed it. Hope to see you soon 🤩🙌🏻

Our second tour with Alvaro at Around Tours was just as amazing as our first! Alvaro considers every detail and is a natural host. We had a market tour, bought fresh fish in Getaria and had the most beautiful authentic Basque lunch in the countryside - utterly charming! Muchas gracias Alvaro x

Such a special day. Started at the market buying produce for our lunch, stopped at Getaria fish market for monkfish and ended at a family cottage where Alvaro, his dad and uncle cooked a great lunch. We sat on the terrace eating, drinking delicious wine, overlooking the undulating countryside. We were treated as friends and that is why it was a day to remember. I wouldn’t hesitate booking with Alvaro and Around Tours.

We had a great day trip with Álvaro, who went out of his way to cater for us and showed us an amazing time! We learnt lots of interesting information only a true local would know, saw great sights around the coastal villages, enjoyed excellent wine and conversation. Highly recommended!

The tour was amazing! We stopped by the beach in Zumaia which has a wonderful view of rock strata. The wine tasting tour felt very personal, and the wines were great! Alvaro was very friendly and accommodating. He also provided me a list of local restaurants/shops to check out in the area!!

Alvaro and his Around Tours Company is The BEST tour guide EVER! Knowledgeable, friendly, generous, gracious, just really lovely. Had the best experience around Getaria Txakoli- Zumaia - San Juan de Gaztelugatxe and other towns that I can’t pronounce ;). Hands down the best tour guide. Favorite spot San Juan de Gaztelugatxe aka Dragonstone. Do yourself a favor and book any of the tours offered at his website - you won’t regret it!

This was my very first trip to Europe and my mother's first time visiting the northern region of Spain. We had booked our tours and travel accommodations 8 months in advance and were excited to have a no stress vacation once we arrived. The day prior to our arrival, we were informed that the English speaking tour guide from another travel tour company was sick and they didn't have a replacement guide for us. We were disappointed to say the least but what a blessing in disguise! Our hotel (Hotel Maria Cristina) arranged for Around Tours to manage the two days remaining in San Sebastian. We were picked up on time at our hotel by Alvaro. He was very professional and courteous. Tour 1 - La Rioja Wine Region Our first tour was to visit a couple wineries in the La Rioja wine region approximately 2 hours from San Sebastian. During our drive up, Alvaro discussed the history of Spain, giving us some background and an understanding about how the area came to what it is today. I was inquisitive and he was very knowledgeable which left me feeling we were in very good hands. The La Rioja wine region is a must see. The change of season was apparent with the autumn rust, red and golden colors of the grape leaves. Having a private lunch with breathtaking views that overlooked the vineyards at Torre de Ona was relaxing. The drive back to San Sebastian was planned nicely as we stopped into a small mediaeval town with architecture from the 12th and 17th century. The conversation and knowledge that Alvaro provided made the drive back to the hotel well worth the tour. Tour 2 - San Sebastian - Bilbao Along the Coast We had a plane to catch in Bilbao on our way headed to Barcelona so we decided to make best use of our time and booked a transfer tour. The coastal drive from San Sebastian to Bilbao was by far my favorite part of Spain. The vast beauty of the Spanish coast was more than apparent during this drive. We took a small hike to view the Zumaia Flysch and its rock formations. What a view! We then drove by txakoli vineyards to the cobblestone streets of a small fishing village called Getaria. We toured the town church, walked past Cristobal Balenciaga museum (Alvaro offered a visit inside but we declined) and afterwards grabbed a cafe macchiato before heading to lunch. Our lunch spot in Zumaia was the epitome of the word Basque. Bedua Asador Restaurante had picturesque views while overlooking the Urola River. We shared squid in ink, a whole fresh wood fire grilled monkfish, mushrooms and their house crusty french bread accompanied with a glass of txakoli wine. This was the perfect finish to a wonderful tour before our hotel destination in Bilbao. Once Alvaro dropped us off at our hotel, he provided us with a small polaroid picture of my mother and I as a keepsake. His personal touches throughout the tour made our time in Spain the most memorable. If ever back in San Sebastian I will not hesitate to contact Around Tours to help navigate through my next experience in Spain. We have been on other tours during our stay in Spain and Around Tours is by far a 5 star experience.

Interesting, informative, the activity itself was fun and the conversation between stops was fantastic. Alvaro is a great communicator, fantastic English speaker, interested in a wide range of subjects (eg history and politics, food, geology). Highly recommend this tour