Great experience in a wonderful setting. Easy walking distance from our hotel. Right on the river. Kitchen is beautiful. Mikel was an amazing tutor and an excellent storyteller. We had a most enjoyable evening. Left with full bellies and the recipes. Definitely don’t need dinner afterwards. Very good value. Highly recommend.

Booked this last minute, and was glad we did. This has only recently opened, but the wine bar looks as though it will be really good in a short while. The cooking class is held in a completely new kitchen, and Chef Mikel was brilliant. He has cooked to 3star Michelin standard in Spain and the UK, and his knowledge of food and wine is superb. He also relates really well to all the class participants. From my point of view, I would have preferred some more complexity to the dishes, but this has to be something which can be done by someone with minimal cooking experience, so I can forgive that. The wine flowed freely from start to finish which may have enhanced the convivial atmosphere. Recommended

My family (husband, wife, daughters 13 and 14) were so fortunate to have the opportunity to experience a night cooking and eating with Irene and David at their lovely home outside of Castro Urdiales. Irene and David welcomed us like members of their own family, and customized a meal plan that accommodated our limitations (no shellfish) while still offering a series of dishes that were distinctly basque. They took the time to explain the source of ingredients used in each dish (some of which came from their own garden) and the origin of their creation (e.g. the Gilda pintxo and the Tarta de Santiago). My daughters can sometimes be picky eaters, but they so enjoyed the process of making and learning about each dish that were inspired to test the boundaries of their comfort zones. As an added bonus, Irene has WSET Level 3 sommelier certification and provided the perfect wine to pair with each dish (again with an explanation of the unique characteristics of each wine and why she selected it). In many ways, it was a combination of a cooking class, wine tasting class, and history class. All of this was great, but what made the night so special was getting to know Irene and David as people and how warmly they welcomed my family into their home.

My wife, two friends and I shared an incredible experience with Irene and David. After Irene picked us up in Bilbao, she took us to Castro Urdíales which is a village on the coast with a rich fishing history, a beautiful church and stopping point for pilgrims on their what to Santiago. Our next spot was her home which is an oasis to be cherished. She mentioned that people don't always want to leave after party and it is easy to imagine why. We prepared three pinchos and a delicious fish stew. This was clearly an experience that will remain in our memories forever. I have no doubt we will do this again when we return to Northern Spain.

My husband and I did a cooking class with Irene during our honeymoon to northern Spain, and it was by far one of the highlights of the trip. Irene is so personable, fun, and knowledgeable and made us feel so special during our time with her. I can't recommend enough doing any of her tours if you're in the area. We left feeling like we had made a friend.

My wife and I took a cooking class with Irene as part of our honeymoon, and it so far has been the highlight of our trip. Irene, and her partner David, are some of the most charming, nice, and personable people we have ever met. Our tour of Castro-Urdiales was beautiful and very personable. Irene showed us the town and made sure we felt welcome! Her cooking class was the most insightful and inspiring class I have ever taken. I am not much of a cook, but her step by step direction was both fun and appreciative all that went into Basque culinary experiences. If there is one thing you do while visiting Bilbao, I would recommend this. You'll walk away having made and ate good food, and with two amazing friends!

My nephew and his girlfriend are living in Bilbao for a year. He is a wonderful cook with an intense curiosity about gastronomy and travel and culture. I made the arrangements with Irene from afar and she was incredibly accommodating as I asked questions and requested a flexible booking and gift certificate that we could present to my nephew upon his college graduation. After the tour, my nephew and his girlfriend sent a letter thanking us for "one of the most amazing experiences" of their lives and raving about the cooking, the wine, the village and Irene's incredible home and surrounding spaces. In short, they loved the experience and we could not be more thrilled with the outcome. I highly recommend Northern Spain Gastronomy and look forward to someday experiencing it firsthand (and meeting the amazing Irene in person). Until then, I'll look forward to my nephew recreating some of the pintxos when he returns to the US.

What an incredible day. My friend and I lucked out in that we were the only guests for the day so the day was very personalized. Irene picked us up and drove us to the most beautiful village. On our way to the village Irene talked about the history, culture, and food of the Basque people. What a rich heritage! At the village we met David, Irene’s “boy”, who had gone shopping for the day’s supplies. From the village we went to Irene and David’s home, which is stunningly located up a small canyon. The rest of the day was cooking and learning more about Basque food and culture. This was an amazing day - skip the 2 hour cooking classes located in the city - do this because it is an experience. We were able to experience things that we probably would not have had we not done this. When I return to Bilbao I will definitely reconnect with Irene and David because they offer something beyond the typical.

If I could give this tour 6 stars, I would. Undoubtedly, a must-do while in northern Spain ! Irene and David went above and beyond for us and truly made our Bilbao experience unique and memorable. We cooked and shared over some wine learning everything there is to appreciate the Basque Country! Truly an unforgettable experience. Would recommend 11/10!!!

We didn’t only make fabulous pinxo’s- we made other wonderful Basque food as well. Irene and David’s home is warm and welcoming and they are fabulous hosts. Our food and wine was totally delicious. We loved our tour of the seaside village where Irene grew up and even though it wasn’t included....David treated us to beautiful music on the piano too. Remarkable hosts, beautiful home and an experience we’ll never forget.

Wow! This was an awesome experience made possible by two tremendous hosts - Irene and David. We were promptly and gracious greeted at our hotel by Irene in her clean Range Rover, and then headed off to the quaint fishing village of Castro Urdiales. We walked around the village and were greeted by many of Irene's friends. She explained the deep history of the area, and it's influence on the local cuisine. We then headed to their quant and beautiful villa next to the side of a beautiful mountain, where we met David - Irene's partner and character extraordinaire! Like others have described, we quickly felt as if we were old friends, and quickly felt at home. We learned a number of new cooking techniques, and Irene provided the details on what makes the perfect pintxos. While the wine flowed, we created a number of creations, all better than the previous. We left full, delighted, and very very happy! We should note that we traveled with our son who has disabilities. Irene and David were most accommodating, and empathetic. They are both gifted and talented friends! My wife and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this experience. We cannot wait to return!

This was our second visit with Irene, and again, it surpassed our expectations! Irene is a wonderful host, both in talking about the history and culture of the area, and with cooking instruction. She radiates genuine joy for what she is sharing with her guests. She and her partner David welcome us into their home as if we were long time friends. Castro Urdiales and the area are stunningly beautiful. We have been lucky on both our visits, in late September, for perfect weather. The food we cooked and ate was outstanding, and they pair regional wines to complete the gastronomic experience. We can’t recommend an experience with Irene highly enough!

If you love great food and wine, beautiful scenery and architecture, history and meeting amazing, talented people, then this is the dream travel experience for you! It was inspiring to spend time with Irene and David at their Basque hillside paradise just 30 minutes outside of Barcelona. The tour of the magical seaside village of Castro-Urdiales, on the Camino de Santiago, to learning how to cook the most delicious pintxos of our trip, to tasting local wines and learning how to appreciate its unique qualities, this boutique gastronomic experience could not have been any better! Irene & David were kind, generous and infectiously passionate about food and wine. They welcomed us into their amazing home as if we were family. Honestly, we were ready to move in by evening’s end!

This is much more than just a Pintxo Cooking Class. Irene opens up her own home to you and treats you like an old friend. We started with a tour of a quaint fishing village,Castro Urdiales, which included a walking tour hosted by Irene, Pintxos and wine. Then, off to Irene's own Villa where we spent the rest of the day making and eating Pintxos, drinking wine, tasting local cider and enjoying the hospitality of Irene and her companion David. Secret: David plays the piano and may just be willing to play and sing a song for you! Irene and David, Thank you so much for a wonderful experience!!! This experience is first rate and we highly recommend it, it will be one of the highlights of your trip.

My husband and I booked the cooking class with Irene at her gorgeous home. We both agree it was the perfect choice and our favorite part of our trip! Irene picked us up from our hotel promptly. We started off the trip in the lovely town of Castro Urdiales. I would’ve missed this lovely town had it not been for Irene. She explained so much of the history and showed us though her eyes the love of this beautiful village. After our tour, we had a few Pintxo’s and wine at this wonderful restaurant near the harbor. Delicious! From there we went to their jaw droppingly gorgeous, newly renovated home. We met her partner David. With Irene and David it felt like we were with old friends. The love and light that they both give offered such a wonderful retreat. We spent the day learning how to make different Pintxos. She introduced us to hot Pintxos and ones we had not seen before. All the while she taught us the history of each. Each was paired with the perfect wine. We even got to try Cider in the traditional way. Irene was great at instructing us and gave us the confidence to feel like we could cook Pintxos for friends at home. After some delicious smoked cheese and an apéritif, David played the piano. The wine, the food, the company was better than I could have expected!

Irene, the cooking instructor is a gem! She grew up in Bilbao, gave us a short tour then went to her villa for the hands on cooking class. She paired each pintxos with wine. Irene makes you feel like family. Wonderful way to spend the afternoon! Highly recommend this class.

Dear Irene, Thank you for that wonderful day!!!!! Full of gastronomic, alkoholic and personal experience. Really loved you fantastic food, very good wine and you unforgettable hospitality. Love also to David and your two lovely dogs

If you're looking for a cooking class or food tour a bit out of the ordinary and with a personal touch, this is the one for you. Definitely worth the money. Just such a pleasure spending the day with Irene and David seeing the beautiful village Castro Urdiales, and cooking, drinking and eating in their wonderful villa. Excellent service all the way, so friendly and with great attention to details. Had great knowledge about wine, food, history and culture of the region. Would love to come again and stay in their new guest house!

It is people like Irene that make travel such an enjoyable experience. Not only was she professional and punctual, but she also went out of her way to make our day extra special. I booked the Pintxos cooking class for a relaxing day with my Father while he was visiting the Basque Country. It was a fantastic experience and indeed a special day that we will not forget for the rest of our lives. My father and I don't get to spend much time together anymore. However, Irene's talent and knowledge of the region created a unique experience that made an unforgettable day. Thank you, Irene.

Irene picked us up at our hotel and was punctual and upbeat. Took us to the ancient village for a spectacular photo op and a quick snack giving a short history lesson along the way. Then to her beautiful home in the mountains of Northern Spain. A very simple/informative/lovely tapas/ pintaxs class were we cooked, ate and socialized with Irene and David. Lovely afternoon! Dropped off at our hotel where very shortly I discovered I had left my phone at her home (15 miles away). Early the next morning my phone was delivered via taxi. I can’t say enough good things about this adventure! The Guggenheim Museum brought us to Bilbao Spain but the highlight of our visit was definitely this cooking class! I highly recommend a short visit to this area only if you can include at least a day to let Irene show you around and teach you to cook!