Enjoy a 6 night adventure to four unique destinations. Spend your first night surrounded by vineyards in France's wine capital - Bordeaux. Take the train across the French-Spanish border passing quaint villages enroute before arriving in Spain's legendary gourmet city of San Sebastian. From here, it’s a short journey to Pamplona, home of the San Fermín "bull running" festival and renowned for its beautiful sculptures marking the pilgrims route to Santiago. Spend your final two days in Spain's thrilling capital city, Madrid.
From $1,217 per person
Speed through the Channel Tunnel from London to Paris before transferring onto your TGV train to Bordeaux taking approximately 3 hours 15 minutes. Enjoy the beautiful landscape as you travel through French destinations such as Pierre-Des-Corps and Poitiers before arriving in France's famed wine capital - Bordeaux.
Check in at the Best Western Bordeaux Bayonne Etcha-Ona for your overnight stay.
As a city of art and history, Bordeaux is a delightful place for an overnight stay. As a UNESCO heritage site, the city has some of the most beautiful 18th century urban areas, much sought after by film makers and artists. Take a wander through the Basilica of Saint-Seurin, Bordeaux's oldest church and the Musée des Beaux Arts (Fine arts museum), which holds some of the finest works in France. Bordeaux also features the largest shopping street in Europe at 3 quarters of a mile, full of pretty boutiques and designer shops. Enjoy your evening with a glass or two of some local wine!
Depart Bordeaux and travel onto San Sebastian, stopping at the French-Spanish border towns of Irun on your way. Journey time is approximately 3 hours. Pass through the Parc National Regional des Landes and along the Basque coast through picturesque towns such as Bayonne and Biarritz.
Check in at the Astoria 7 for your 2 night stay.
Explore the thrilling city of San Sebastian at your own leisure. Known as a treasure of the Basque region there is plenty of opportunity for sightseeing and enjoying the many traditions of the city. Wander through the streets, passing the Iglesia Parroquial San Salvador, a 15th Century church with a fascinating history, Muralla del Puerto, San Sebastian's city walls and the Palacio de Miramar, built for Queen Maria Cristina.
San Sebastian locals are extremely fond of their food making their reputation for some of the best cuisine worldwide undoubtedly justified…so much so that the tradition is to eat six meals a day! However, with countless cafes, Jazz clubs, traditional Basque bars and beautiful restaurants overlooking the sea, this will not be too hard to manage!
Spend a day at one of the sun-kissed beaches of San Sebastian. Playa De Concha, the largest and most popular is perfect for water sports, including kayaking, canoeing, and sail boating. At night white lights are scattered across the beach, creating a fairytale atmosphere as they reflect off the water. Alternatively visit Playa de Ondarreta, translated as "little beach" in Euskera which features a lovely walkway for watching the yachts and sailboats.
Enjoy a morning stroll to the Farmers market to discover the heart of San Sebastian's culinary secrets. See the fresh local produce and tasty delights the market has to offer and pick up a snack for the train journey to Pamplona.
Travel the brief hour and half journey to Pamplona and check in to the Maisonnave Pamplona for your overnight stay.
Spend the rest of the day in Pamplona. Visit the Plaza de Castillo square, where bullfights took place up to 1893. Have a drink in one of the beautiful cafeterias in this square, considered to be the heart of town. Take time to walk through Pamplona in the way thousands did before you on their pilgrimage to Santiago. Stop to relax in the evening with a "Picho" or "Pintxo" - a phrase used when having a drink and snack together which is very popular with the locals!
Hop aboard the Spanish Alaris train to Madrid, taking approximately 3 hours.
Check in to the Catalonia Puerta del Sol for your 2 night stay.
Located in the heart of the Iberian Peninsula, Madrid attracts visitors from every corner of the globe thanks to its love of art and enthusiasm for life. Spend two days sightseeing in this exciting capital. Visit the Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, filled with some of the most beautiful Spanish Art. Wander through the city passing Madrid's finest monuments such as the Habsburg Empire and the Prado Museum.
Spend your evening enjoying Madrid's effervescent nightlife. Have dinner in one of the many traditional tapas bars, decorated "Belle Epoque" style and sip a Cava or Rioja in Gran Via or the ultra-trendy Paseo de la Castellana.
Spend a second day at your leisure exploring more of Spain's capital.
Take a trip on the Teleférico, one of the world's most horizontal cable cars set over La Rosaleda, a delightful area looking out over western Madrid. The teleférico travels for 2 and a half kilometres across into the Casa de Campo, Madrid's enormous green open space to the west of the city centre.
Spend the morning in Madrid taking advantage of some last minute shopping and sightseeing before flying back to London with British Airways.
For a more luxurious holiday, Railbookers can upgrade your hotels and rail travel. Why not stay at the following hotels to make your trip that little bit more special -
Grand Hotel Bordeaux - Luxurious bedrooms and a beautiful gastronomic restaurant help to make your stay unforgettable!
Hospes Madrid - Located in the heart of Madrid, this boutique hotel is equipped with Egyptian linen, a gourmet restaurant and relaxing spa!
Best Western Bordeaux Bayonne Etcha-Ona
Bordeaux
Astoria 7
San Sebastian
Maisonnave Pamplona
Catalonia Puerta del Sol
Madrid
Royal Palace Madrid
Special Occasion?
Bordeaux has been producing wine since the 8th century and is capital of the Aquitaine region of France. It is home to the longest shopping street in Europe and a number of historically important buildings such as the Saint-André Cathedral and Église Sainte-Croix, both of which are connected with the historic pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Don’t leave without taking a wine-tasting tour of the Bordeaux vineyards or a ferry ride down the River Garonne.
San Sebastian is a gem of the northern Basque country. The city is home to three beautiful beaches (the most famous being Playa de la Concha) as well as host of sightseeing opportunities. Within the lovely old quarter are the Baroque Church of Santa Maria, the Gothic Church of San Vicente and the Museo de San Telemo as well as picturesque parks and bustling farmers markets. San Sebastian is also the cultural capital of Spain with more restaurants per head than anywhere else in the world!
As the capital city of Navarre, Pamplona is world-famous for the San Fermín festival, in which the brutal “running of the bulls” or “encierro” is the main attraction. Ernest Hemingway loved Pamplona for this spectacle. Throughout the rest of the year, Pamplona remains a great destination to visit, full of picturesque parks, impressive statues and thrilling fiestas. As an important stop on the historic Pilgrims road to Santiago, Pamplona features many religious, ancient relics such as the impressive La Magdalena Bridge and 14th Century Gothic cathedral. Pamplona offers fine wines, gourmet food and beautiful views overlooking the surrounding mountain ranges.
Spain’s capital Madrid is a vibrant city with world class museums and a lively tapas fuelled nightlife. Visit the famous Prado Museum and the Museo Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, home to Picasso’s epic Guernica or shop along Gran Via and in the fashionable Salamanca area. Madrid is a city with its own rhythms and a culture all its own. Don't expect to eat early (many restaurants don't even open their doors till gone 9pm) but do expect to eat well. You may even catch a performance of flamenco!
The Best Western Bordeaux “Bayonne Etche-Ona” Hotel is set in a historical 18th century building. The hotel is located in the centre of Bordeaux, close to the Opera. Bordeaux's main attractions, sights, shops and restaurants are within walking distance from the hotel.
Some facilities may be subject to an additional charge at the hotel.
The Astoria 7 is a unique hotel with 102 individually decorated rooms dedicated to the San Sebastian Film Festival. All rooms are equipped with air conditioning and complimentary WIFI. The hotel is situated on a pleasant main road 15 minutes walk from the old town and only 10 minutes from the station.
Some facilities may be subject to an additional charge at the hotel.
The Maissonave hotel is a beautiful establishment dating back from the 1920's. Located in a unique setting with wonderful views over Pamplona this hotel is an ideal base for exploring the town. Spend an evening in the hotel's own restaurant "El Mirador" featuring Navarrese cusine from their own personal chef. Alternatively relax in the hotel's Spa or enjoy a coffee and piinchos is the charming café next to the hotel. The hotel is situated in the centre of the old town and just a 5 minute walk from the principal square - Plaza Castilla and other main attractions such as the cathedral, the city hall and the Navarra Museum.
Some facilities may be subject to an additional charge at the hotel.
The Catalonia Puerta del Sol Hotel is a modern hotel. The hotel has a peaceful reading room. The hotel is in the centre of Madrid, close to Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor.
Some facilities may be subject to an additional charge at the hotel.
This package includes standard single Eurostar travel and onward single TGV train travel to Bordeaux, standard single train travel from Bordeaux to San Sebastian, standard single train travel from San Sebastian to Pamplona, standard single train travel from Pamplona to Madrid, British Airways Euro Traveller flight from Madrid to London, 1 night accommodation in Bordeaux, 2 nights accommodation in San Sebastian, 1 night accommodation in Pamplona, and 2 nights accommodation in Madrid. Prices are subject to availability and based on 2 people travelling and sharing a twin or double bedroom. Please note - this itinerary does not include tickets from Irun to San Sebastian as these are occasionally only payable locally at approximately 10EUR (adult single).
Add extra nights to your holiday, stop off en route, or book train travel from a European train station.
Call us on (646) 770 2894, and let us help you plan your perfect holiday.
Prices are shown in United States Dollars $
Price per person for 6 night holiday:
Holidays can be tailor-made for you (including stopovers or additional nights) call us on (646) 770 2894.
Prices are subject to availability, based on 2 people sharing a twin / double room and based on best priced seats on trains.
Supplements may apply if best price travel not available. Supplements will apply for single occupancy.
Hotel and room facilities may be subject to an extra charge or are on request.
We accept all major credit and debit cards. If you pay by debit card there is no extra charge; if you choose to pay by credit card a 2% surcharge applies.
Holidays including flights are operated by our sister company Railbookers Signature Holidays, a trading name of Travel Definitions Limited which is ATOL protected, number 9040.
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Catalonia Puerta del Sol
“ Excellent hotel in the centre of Madrid within walking distance of all major museums and attractions, with plenty of restaurants and cafés in the vincinity. ”
Railbookers - Apr 2008