This trip starts in Bilbao and finishes in Santiago.

The simplest way to get there is to fly into and out of Bilbao (BIO). Comfortable buses and trains also link the city with Madrid, so it's no hardship to fly into or out of the capital either and we can host you for some time there too if you like.

It's also possible to travel by train from London or Paris. If you are coming from the UK, then if you set off at breakfast you can take three trains from London St Pancras and be in Bilbao by dinner time. It's a short hop between stations on arrival in Paris and away you go. We can also host you for a night in Paris if you want to break the journey.

Ferries also run from the south coast of England to Bilbao.

Coming home, you can fly out of Santiago (SCQ). It's also easy to take a train to Madrid and travel from there - particularly useful for North Americans.

In theory, this trip can run anytime from mid-April through October. In reality, there are a couple of sweet spots you should always aim for.

Given free choice, we'd choose to go in spring or fall. Late April through June is particularly beautiful as everything is lush and green, there are wildflowers and birds everywhere, temperatures are pleasantly warm and the crowds are few and far between. If you are including time in Rioja, then September into October is lovely because you have the wine harvest and the onset of fall colors.

Peak season is from mid-July to the end of August, but we do not generally offer this trip during that period as the area is busier with summer holidaymakers from Spain, and it is too hot for most. During this time you risk losing the wild feel to this trip because of the crowds. Beaches and some mountain hikes can be hard or impossible to access.

In common with the variety of landscapes and destinations on this trip, the accommodation has a bit of everything. In the cities we aim for boutique style, always with a central location but quiet and very comfortable rooms. In the countryside, things tend to be more rustic but the hotels are chosen for their charm, the warmth of their hosting and their sense of place. If they have a nice pool and serve good food then all the better.

Please get in touch for full details.

For sure! As well as the time you spend with your guides and hosts, locals themselves of course, this trip gives you lots of opportunity to observe and interact with locals as much as you'd like to.

Generally, it can be as active as you want it to be.

Where you are with a guide, you simply discuss options with them and they can tailor things accordingly.

Elsewhere, this trip is a blend of walking days and car-based discovery. Where you are exploring by car, you are usually making shot stops in towns and villages or on beaches and capes. There's not a lot of walking involved at each stop. Food and wine experiences require little in the way of athletic prowess.

On walking days, we provide details and GPS tracks for a couple of our favorite walks. Of course, you can do something less active on these days, but we know from our experience that these walks are wonderful ways to move slowly through the beautiful landscapes and really feel like you are experiencing them, not just passing through. All of the trails are rated around moderate, often with options to push on a little more, or simply turn back when you have seen enough. There's never a need to rush them, naturally, and it's basically impossible to get lost.

Away from the cities, the roads tend to fall quiet and traffic is usually very light. We love driving in Spain because of the freedom it gives you. That could mean changing plans over breakfast, or simply pulling over at the side of the road to soak in a view you might otherwise have sailed straight past.

As the roads are generally quiet, smooth and scenic, it's designed to be a pleasurable part of the experience, rather than a price to pay for said freedom.

You can expect a medium-sized vehicle such as a VW Golf, though we can’t guarantee a specific make or model. Where it is a realistic option, we will always try to provide a hybrid vehicle.

Note that if you are dropping off a car in a different location to where you picked it up you should expect to pay a one-way fee of €40-€60. This is something we try to include and pre-pay but many hire car companies insist it is paid locally. If you are visiting cities, expect to pay parking fees of around €20 per day. Outside of the cities most hotels offer free parking.

Some vehicles have sat nav built in, but we find the best way to navigate is simply to use Waze or Google Maps on your smartphone. These can both be used offline to avoid data charges and your phone can easily sync with your car's Bluetooth so that it talks to you through the radio. All in all, it's not really much different to navigating in a part of your own country you've not been to before.

No, your hosts speak English perfectly well. In busier areas of the main tourist places, English will be widely spoken. In smaller restaurants and in villages and the countryside, it is spoken infrequently but don't sweat it, you'll get along just fine.

Yes, as long as we retain the essence of this trip through the pacing and content. In the first instance, note that we also have a two-week and three-week version of this trip that may suit you better. It's also possible to tweak the content here or there, or add time in somewhere like Madrid or even northern Portugal at the end. The best thing to do is to just share your questions and ideas and we'll go from there.