Had a fantastic time with Julen on our producers tour in the mountains. Julen went above and beyond not only in the producers he introduced us to, but in sharing his town, family recipes, and cooking us a fabulous meal! Everyone had an amazing time, including our 4 year old daughter who loved seeing all the animals and playing around the gastronomy club grounds. Thank you Julen for the lovely day that we’ll always remember!

Best part of our trip. Easily the most authentic. We did the pintxo tours, but this was 10 hours and only 300 each. Julian is from the area. He took us to all these places you won’t find in the city or books. He loves his region. He knows all about the history. And just look at my pictures. Where else can you get that? It was like a religious experience going to the peak.

June our guide was fantastic introducing us to the local walking scene but also giving us a fun historical and cultural description of the area. I wish we could have stayed longer and done another tour with him as his friendly demeanor made us feel like we were his friends! Thank you! M

We went on a customised hike planned in details through great dialogue with Julen. He was amazing at understanding our needs as a family (children aged 11 and 15) and planned a three days' trip which included hikes, sleeping in guesthouses and visiting hidden gems such as spectacular views and cosy local restaurants. We met for a warm welcome and instructions, and after that we were on our own - with Julen only a WhatsApp or phonecall away to help us. By the end of the trip, we met again for a cosy wrap up and sharing of stories. The most personal, local and spectacular experience that we can highly recommend.

Julen is the greatest! He customized a private tour for us after our original activity had been cancelled last minute by another tour company. He took us to tour the local markets, buy ingredients and then go learn how to make some classic Pintxos. He also gave us a lot of information on other things to go see & do in San Sebastián. We learned so much about the Basque food, culture, history and traditions. We were in Europe for 21 days a did a lot of awesome things, but this was one of the most memorable experiences we had! Thank you Julen. We are back in the U.S now making our own Pintxos almost every weekend to enjoy here at home

Julen is an amazing guide and knows all the rich history of the Basque Country. My partner and I were looking for an excursion/day trip in the Basque Country that centered around food, wine, meeting locals, and learning about the life of the folks that live in this beautiful area, and that’s what Julen delivered, plus more! I really appreciated how Julen was incredibly flexible, and we collaborated on the vibe throughout the day! As a person, Julen is incredibly kind, outgoing, and popular! He knew so many people and introduced us to the locals. He was super responsible (while we drank like fish), and we felt super safe and comfortable hanging out with him all day! Do it! Book a day with Julen! You won’t regret it! Best, Mary & Greg

Julen’s food tour of San Sebastian was the absolute highlight of our trip! Our whole family had so much fun exploring the city and learning about the unique history and culture, all while trying delicious new food and drinks. It was such a fabulous introduction to the region and an absolute joy to spend time with Julen who was knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and a lots of fun. Not only did Julen teach us about the region’s food and drinks, he had lots of great recommendations for our stay and made us feel like friends visiting, not just tourists. I cannot recommend his tours highly enough! Totally worth the splurge and a great way to get to know the surrounding area.

Julen was great right from the moment he hoped out of the van. Such a sweet person. He is very knowledgable and passionate about this region. We first went to a beach cafe outside of San Sebastien for breakfast. After that the drive to our hiking destination was as beautiful as the hike in the Basque Mountains. Just Gorgeous. The clouds were coming in and out as we hiked with glimpses of valleys well below us. The horses and sheep roaming on the mountain side made the experience even better. After getting to the summit we hiked down a little and had lunch at a refugio ( great food which made this experience even better). Julen is one of the Best hosts we have ever had! Highly recommended.

We were a family of 6 visiting San Sebastián for the first time. Our trip lived up to all of our (high) expectations. We booked a half day with julen & it was certainly a highlight of our time there. We’re a mixed bunch…..parents, young adult, teenagers & a 12 year old! Julen managed to keep us all very happy & entertained. As well as being an excellent guide & ambassador for the Basque region he’s also great company & fun to be around. We spent a few hours surfing - first timers. Some of us did better than others but we all loved it! Afterwards Julen brought us to the best pincho bars in the old town. He showed us how the locals eat & drink. Was really enjoyable & it also meant that for the rest of our stay we made better food choices. Would thoroughly recommend booking one of the packages on offer. Money well spent!

Basque Country, the people and the culture are all very special. Julen, our guide, was also VERY SPECIAL. Do yourself a favor and experience this great place with the best guide we have ever hired, anywhere. If I could give him 6 STARS I would.

This was an unforgettable hike. On the day we hiked, it was very windy so the toughest part was the heavy wind (otherwise, it was pretty easy). We recommend wearing layers. There were great views. At the top, there was a grassy field filled with horses wearing bells. I loved hearing the wind blow and the bells ringing-- it was so peaceful. There was also a restaurant at the end of the trail where we each had a plate of food (eggs, fries, and a meat), broth, cidre, coffee, and a shot. This was exactly what we needed after the hike up. Julen is the perfect guide-- gracious, informative, and so friendly. We are so lucky to have him as a new friend and loved getting to know him and learn about Basque Country. We recommend booking this tour immediately and being open to new adventures that may come. Through Julen's friendliness and sheer luck, on the way down, we met some locals hiking and had the privilege to get to know them over coffee, wine, and good cheese. It may not be possible to replicate this organic experience, but I believe that good people attract other good people, and Julen is good peoples. As such, you will have a beautiful experience no matter what.

We were a group of seniors (eleven)visiting the Basque Country. Our interests covered a range of activities from trekking to cultural events and of course food. Julen and Naroa from Aupa Hi produced a programme combining such many pleasures, walks of course by the coast and inland but also specials events on water (traineras competition and Urdaibai), gastronomic delights and visits to museums and exhibitions. They also helped in hotel and restaurants reservations. Always attentive, full of enthusiasm and competence, Julen and Naroa paid constant attention to our well being. The whole resulting in an intensive and very successful week. Great job!

For anyone out there who is passionate about the prospect of learning not only about how to cook a tradition of food which has reached a peak in the European culinary world, but also learning about the culture and history of the Basque region, this class is for you. Julen, our instructor, made learning how to cook a six course meal accessible to those who had no experience cooking and exciting enough that those who are regulars in the kitchen to be captivated for the entire time. The cooking experience in and of itself would have been enough to make this class worthwhile. I have yet to talk about the dishes, all of which were delightful and many of which were surprising. It’s always a treat to be proven wrong when it comes to food. Many of the dishes we had were classics, the basque cheesecake for example, however, the dishes I found to be the best and most exciting were those I had never heard of or never thought to try. Thanks to Julen and this class I left San Sebastián with a new set of tools in my culinary and happy than ever for getting to spend time with such an amazing person.

It's hard to put into words how incredible our day with Julen was. Since we went in the off season, we had a private tour. He picked us up promptly and we were instantly friends. His warm and welcoming personality radiated his passion for Basque culture. The 1-hour drive into the mountains passed quickly with beautiful scenery and Julen's conversation. We visited a small traditional family bakery in the hills above the village where three generations of bakers were making bread together on a busy Saturday! Their bread was so tasty and made with love. Next, an organic family cheese farm welcomed us with open arms and tons of adorable animals to pet (sheep, goats, horses, kittens, dogs!). We shared a snack together and felt like we were hanging out with old friends. We walked to their gastronomic society for a coffee break. Yes, we lucked out with gorgeous weather. We took a pastoral walk in the foothills before driving back up the mountain to another gastronomic society. There, we met Julen's father and cooked an incredibly tasty meal together. We had bread from the bakery, and chorizo and cheese from the cheese farm. Local Txakoli wine free flowed. We ended our meal with Julen's dad's favorite digestive liquor. After the big meal, we learned how to play handball to wake ourselves up from our food coma. The drive back to San Sebastián was equally wonderful and beautiful. We went home with a bag full of incredible local food. We aren't typically people who like tours. But this one exceeded all expectations and provided exactly what a tour should: an experience that can't be repeated anywhere else. Don't wait to book this tour. Do it. Right now. :)

We had the best day with Julen exploring the Basque countryside and tasting local foods. We were exploring the Basque Country and Julen was kind enough to begin our tour picking us up in Bilbao then dropping us off at days end in our hotel in San Sebastián. This greatly simplified our travels as we had no desire to rent a car just for a day and trains and other transport weren’t great. We started with a quick jaunt to see the amazing San Juan Gaztelugatxe from a perfect viewpoint followed by a perfectly timed visit to an artisanal bakery rediscovering the traditional recipes an techniques for bread. There we had a “light snack” with hot bread, salumi, cheese and cider. After a pleasant visit we moved on to a farm making beautiful cheeses and met the cheese makers and watched the process. The grand finale was a very traditional Basque lunch at a mend’s cooking club above a small village. Julen is a real people-person and delights in showcasing the local foods and traditions. Julen’s slogan-the tour for non tour lovers-is apt. Spend some time immersed in the Basque lifestyle and culture with your new friend in the Basque Country. You’ll be very glad you did!