spanish adventure with a taste of france
9 Days, 8 Nights
Northern Spain boasts some of the country’s most stunning landscapes and architecture. Although close to its neighbor France, it has a distinctly autonomous identity shaped by its own languages, traditions and way of life. This trip is tailored for animal lovers who like to give something back when they visit a new place. By volunteering at the Green Heart Sanctuary, you will be supporting rescued animals in need of care and learning some new skills along the way.
After all your hard work, there is plenty of time to enjoy yourself, learning to cook traditional Basque dishes, heading over the border to France for kayaking and visiting a medieval city. Your tour also takes you to Barcelona and provides the chance to challenge yourself at the wonderfully ludicrous Wipeout: Warriors of Fun obstacle course!
Day 1: Arrival
You will be met at Barcelona airport by your tour guide and taken to the project accommodation. On the way, you will stop off for lunch in the historic city of Zaragoza, the capital of Aragón.
Arrive at your accommodation for the next few days, a historic medieval castle parador in the beautiful Navarran village of Olite. Tonight you will dine in the hotel.
Overnight: Olite
Day 2: Project Work
Today, you will receive an introductory session about the Green Heart Sanctuary. The Sanctuary was established to provide exploited and objectified animals a chance for a dignified life. It offers a space for animals to live in a natural environment with freedom and respect.
Your responsibilities involve caring for the sanctuary's diverse inhabitants, including 130 animals from 15 species. Your tasks include providing them with breakfast, maintaining clean living spaces, walking them and attending to their comfort needs.
Following lunch, you will return to the accommodation to freshen up and then head to Pamplona for an evening visit and dinner.
Overnight: Olite
Day 3: Project Work
Starting at 7:30am your day begins by serving breakfast to the animals and guiding them to their grazing zones, ensuring they have fresh water and clean stables. Tasks for the day include pond cleaning, brushing the donkeys and leading some of the animals on walks.
Summer
After lunch, it’s time to explore the nearby Artamendia Nature Adventure Park. Set within a beautiful forest, you can walk among the treetops using swings, nets, zip lines and suspension bridges to navigate through the woods.
Rest of the year
After lunch, you will visit the village of Ujué, renowned as one of Spain's most picturesque villages. Ujué sits on top of a hill, with stunning medieval architecture against a barren backdrop. Then, venture across the Bardenas Reales Biosphere Reserve, a unique desert landscape, and finish the day with a visit to the Royal Palace of Olite. Although officially a palace, it conforms to the perfect Disney-esque version of the medieval castle of your dreams! Olite is like a film set, a classic medieval village that feels forgotten by time.
Day 4: Project Work - Bilbao
The project work ends at noon, then a final lunch and time to say goodbye to your hosts before taking a coach to beautiful Bilbao. Once a heavily industrialized city, Bilbao has reinvented itself with amazing success. It’s now a vibrant, innovative place which has a quirkiness and charm all of its own, with a lovely riverside walk, great local markets and a gorgeous arcaded main square in which to sit and people watch. A fun funicular ride up into the hills will take you through some of the flower streets of the local neighborhood and give you fabulous views out over the ocean.
Upon arrival you will take a tour of this highly engaging city and have dinner at a local restaurant. The Basque Country is rightfully known for its world class cuisine, about which you will learn more tomorrow…
Overnight: Bilbao
Day 5: Cooking Lesson and San Sebastian
Today, you will extend your culinary repertoire with a lesson on how to cook Basque pintxos, starting with a walk with the chef through the vibrant Mercado de la Ribera, Bilbao´s largest food market. With its stunning art deco stained glass windows and colorful array of delicious local fare, this beautiful market is a treat for all the senses! Set in the heart of the historic centre of the city, it has maintained its local identity and authenticity. Back in the kitchen, you will get to enjoy your creations for lunch.
Later, head to San Sebastian for some time at one of the top beaches in the country with its lovely horseshoe shaped bay and pristine golden sands. San Sebastian is a lovely place to spend an evening strolling its historic old quarter and seeing if the tempting pintxos on display measure up to those you created at lunchtime!
Overnight: San Sebastian
Day 6: Carcassonne and Sète
Time to cross over into France today, beginning with the beautiful medieval city of Carcassonne, one of the largest surviving medieval walled cities in Europe. After lunch, you will be taken on a tour of the fortified town that includes ramparts, a château and a Gothic Basilica. This evening you will be staying on the French Mediterranean coast in Sète one of the most beautiful fishing ports in the Mediterranean.
Overnight: Sète
Day 7: Sète
Known as the ‘Venice of the Languedoc,’ Sète is surrounded by canals, the Mediterranean and Lake Thau. You will have a kayaking lesson on the lake this morning, exploring secret caves and hidden coves. After a morning on the water and a spot of lunch, it’s time to go back to Spain, staying in the gothic quarter of Barcelona.
Overnight: Barcelona
Day 8: Wipeout: Warriors of Fun and Flamenco
You may have seen game shows on TV where contestants have to navigate absurd and entertaining obstacle courses. Well today you get to have a go yourself! Time to let off some steam as you try to complete the obstacle courses through giant inflatable barriers and see whether it is as easy as it looks on TV.
After lunch and a chance to freshen up back at the hotel, it is time for a flamenco dance class, then return after dinner to watch a flamenco show.
Overnight: Barcelona
Day 9: Barcelona
A local guide will take you around the stunning city of Barcelona this morning, including the world-famous Sagrada Familia, a cathedral that is still under construction after 140 years. For lunch, you will be taken to the Born area of the city, full of artisan shops and a good place to pick up a souvenir.
This afternoon we’re hopping on bicycles and exploring the port and beach areas of Barcelona from the saddle, a great way to experience the city .
Your last evening meal together is on a rooftop terrace, the perfect way to end your trip.
Overnight: Barcelona
Day 10: Departure
You will be taken to the airport in time for your flight home, time to say adiós and au revoir.
Total Cost: From $4300
What is included
Activities:
Wipeout: Warriors of Fun
Kayaking
Beach
Artamendia Nature Adventure Park
Cooking lesson
Flamenco class and show
Project:
Green Heart Animal Sactuary
Accommodation and services:
A 24/7 tour manager accompanying you throughout the trip
Private transportation throughout the trip
Project accommodation in project center
Post project accommodation in 3 and 4* hotels
Three meals a day when on Project, two meals a day otherwise (please note we can cater to all dietary requirements)
Medical insurance up to $50,000 and baggage insurance
tickets and Tours:
Zaragoza
Pamplona
Village of Ujué
Bardenas Reales Biosphere Reserve
Royal Palace of Olite
Bilbao
Carcassonne
Barcelona
Not included in this Trip:
Flights (we can set these up for you)
Visa costs
Any vaccinations required
Cancellation insurance (Medical insurance up to $50,000 and Baggage insurance are included)