San Sebastian Highlands and typical cider restaurant
We’ll visit the mountains that surround San Sebastian and enjoy some magnificent views. The city is surrounded by beautiful scenery and natural parks such as Aiako Arriak and the forest reserve of Añarbe. We’ll discover places of natural beauty and virgin forests to immerse you in the essence of this truly stunning area.
A typical cider-house restaurant, the apple-orchard and cider-tasting
Hard cider is a drink made from fermented apple juice. In old times, it was a daily drink for families from the mountainous areas in Guipuzcoa and the north of Navarra. Wine, which came from the south of Alava and Navarra, was a scarcity in these tough to navigate zones. In the basque language, cider is “sagardoa,” which means, quite literally, apple wine.
Cider House
Hard cider was not just important in rural areas, but also for sailors. Codfishers often spent months at a time at sea, in some cases reaching as far as Iceland and Scotland. Hard cider was a nutritious, easy-to-preserve drink which would keep for long periods on board. Furthermore, it prevented illnesses related to the nutrient-poor sailors’ diet, such as scurvy.
Nowadays the cider house isn’t just for cider production but also a place to enjoy the traditional cider house lunch: a simple array of cod omelette, fried cod, and a t-bone steak, cooked over wood coals, followed by a simple desert of local cheese, walnuts, and quince paste, or “dulce de membrillo.” Everyone who tries this gourmet experience finds it to be a highlight of their trip; come make it one of yours.
Tour description
We will visit the mountains that engulf San Sebastian to get a sense of the local scenery and walk among the woods discovering secrets of the ancient past. We will have a chance to meet the regional fauna like wild horses. After our walk we will eat at a typical cider house restaurant were we will taste regional food which is a very important aspect our gastronomy.
If the client requires it, a hiking tour can be included to whet the appetite. Always a customized hiking for our clients.
Highligths:
- San Sebastian Mountains
- Local fauna
- Ancient monuments
- It is possible to include a light hike
- Typical cider house restaurant
- Traditional meal based on local fish, big stakes and more. All the products cooked on the charcoal fire.
