Want to Join a Wine Harvest? This Spanish Hotel Can Get You Amid the Vines

The slow transition from summer to autumn is an ideal time to explore Spain’s Basque Country. As temperatures cool, its coastal vineyards turn shades of yellow and gold, marking the start of the harvest season.

Palacio Arriluce Hotel, in the town of Getxo, makes a great base for a seaside break with added wine appreciation. Getxo became popular in the early 20th century when wealthy residents from Bilbao, just 10 miles away, came here to build cliffside villas as summer retreats. One such pad, the neo-gothic Palacio Arriluce, was commissioned in 1912 for the Marquis and Marquess of Arriluce de Ybarra. Now a 49-room hotel, it retains its stone turrets, stained glass windows and views of Getxo’s marina. The restaurant, Delaunay, serves modern takes on classic Basque dishes while the palace’s chapel is now a cocktail bar.

Guests can tour the hotel’s cellar to learn about Basque wines, including txakoli, a crisp sparkling white that pairs perfectly with the region’s seafood. Once considered a simple house wine, the Basque staple received its first Designation of Origin in 1989.

For a more hands-on experience, Palacio Arriluce Hotel offers harvest tours at one of Biscay’s leading txakoli producers, Bodegas Itsasmendi. From late September to mid-October, guests can pick grapes by hand, sample local varieties and sip freshly pressed grape juice straight from the tanks. The tours conclude with tastings of the final product. Each vintage has a distinctly Atlantic feel, with high acidity and salinity, and notes of citrus and herbs, reflecting the landscapes of the Basque coast.

Three more Basque culinary experiences

Take a pintxo tour

From the hotel, it’s a 15-minute walk to Algorta’s Old Port, a quaint fishing village with whitewashed houses and steep, cobbled streets. Take a guided pintxo tour of the neighbourhood and try bite-sized delicacies, such as fresh Cantabrian anchovies atop slices of baguette at Bar Arrantzale.

Try seasonal produce

Visit an organic vegetable farm on the coastal slopes of Bakio, a half-hour drive from Getxo. At Ekorlegi, farmer Jon Ander grows a mix of crops — from leeks and cauliflower to claw-like Buddha’s hand lemons. Visitors can sample seasonal produce on guided tours with Bilbao Food Safari.

See the cider harvest

Cider is another beloved Basque tipple. During the harvest season from mid-September to mid-November, travellers can tour traditional cider houses on the Sagardoa Route, which crosses the entire region. The crisp, fruity cider is often poured from height to bring out its distinct flavour.

Taste traditional Basque cheeses

Just over an hour’s drive from Getxo, the town of Idiazabal gives its name to the region’s most famous cheese. Aged for at least two months and made from the milk of native latxa and carranzana sheep, idiazabal has a rich, nutty flavour. Learn about its history at the town’s Cheese Tasting and Interpretation Centre or arrange a tour of a nearby factory, such as Gaztañaditxulo, to see the cheese-making process first hand.

Attend a talo-making workshop

In Beasain, a 10-minute drive from Idiazabal, travellers can tour a 17th-century mill and join a talo-making workshop at the Igartza Monument Complex. This traditional Basque corn tortilla is served with a variety of toppings, from cheese and sausage to chocolate.