We spent the day in San Sebastian, considered by many to be the most beautiful city in Spain. Situated in the mountainous north, this is Basque Country, a region with its own unique language (Euskara), food, and culture.

We took a walking tour of this resort city next to France to observe the beautiful architecture, bridges, and churches. Then, we all walked through the old section of the city to visit the Txoko Gastronomic Society, where we sampled several different Basque dishes. Some guests walked up the hill for panoramic views.

In the afternoon, National Geographic Explorer cruised out of the very narrow Pasaia Harbor under blues skies. What an amazing sight, as we went by old buildings, fishing boats, waving people, tilted rock layers, and several lighthouses…all very close to us due to the narrow harbor mouth.

During the afternoon, we had delicious Swedish pancakes in the bistro for teatime. Later, the captain gave his farewell toast, thanking the entire staff during cocktail hour. Finally, we had a fantastic dinner on our final evening to celebrate an amazing eleven-day voyage around the Iberian Peninsula.