Northern Spain
 

I have read through Mirabel's guides for these cities and the Fodor's guidebook. Since Fodorites have been so helpful in the past, I wondered if you might tell me your highlights or favorite things to do. We will only have four days in the area next month -- one full day in Bilbao and three in San Sebastian.

Also, we're having trouble getting reservations at the top restaurants this late, but are going to try with a reservations service. Looking at Mugaritz, Arzak, Berastegui. If I can only do one, which one would you choose?


Thanks as always for your help!

Personally speaking, I would say Arzak. Mugaritz and Arzak are both listes in the best restaurants in the world, in the top 10.

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit there. Great (beyond great) food, great presentaton, and ambiance.

Elena Arzak is considered the best female chef in the world, by many organizations.

Arzak in in town, while Mugaritz is off in the countryside.

Elena comes around and talks to the guests. She has an excellent command of the English language. I asked her about an ingredient in one of her concoctions as it looks like an El Bulli chemistry creation. She said the bonding was tapioca.

Her father is mostly retired, but still visits the restaurant frequenty. The restaurant is housed in a building the Arzak family has owned for well over 100 years.

Surprisingly, reservation was easy to come by. It took a confirmation call when entering Europe to firm the reservation.

Good luck. I'n not sure where you live. She is enamored with Alice Waters and has several of her cookbooks.

Thanks, Rastaguytoday!

We're in Honolulu, so it's a long way to Spain, and hope to make the best of it.

We've been to Barcelona, Madrid, Toledo, and towns in southern Spain. But this area of Spain is where we've been looking forward to for a long time.

Leburta..The towns you have mentioned are awesome but SS is beyond awesome. Northern Spain is a place like no other. I didn't even try to go to Bilboa, as I was so enarmored with SS, so I can't comment but if I had to pick a return place in the world SS would be right up there. We were there in the Fall and the weather was great. The 4 mile beach walk was repeated time after time and the "comb of the winds" kept calliing. In fact I think I can hear it now. You will not be disappointed.If your suitcase is overweight it may be because I have hidden in it!!!

Yeah is there anything besides the Guggenheim to make it worth going to Bilbao?

Elena is a bit overrated (because of dad). Andoni is by far one of the best chefs around today and lunch or dinner at Mugaritz is worth the taxi ride.

http://gourmettraveller.wordpress.co...5/24/mugaritz/

Just hearing your comments makes me so anxious to start our vacation! In the end, whether we go to Mugaritz or Arvak may just depend on which we can get reservations at.

We thought to take a tour to the Rioja wine country, and it was suggested to us that we should start from Bilbao. My only misgiving about taking a tour is that we might be taken to mediocre wineries. Any suggestions for a private guide or driver?

You can contact Mikel who does a blog on EiTB (http://www.blogseitb.us/basquetourism/). He does guided tours of the Rioja and will take you to the right places. Just remember, you can only do 3 wineries in one day.