This was our first GRJ holiday but it was to an area that we already knew from our motor homing days. It was very well organised and had an excellent tour manager. We enjoyed the combination of free days and organised trips. Hondarribia is a lovely town on the France/Spanish border, or as the locals would prefer, in the middle of the Basque country. Its mix of old medieval town, a seaside location and foodie vibe, close to San Sebastian and Biaritz makes it an ideal sightseeing holiday location. The Jauregui hotel was perfectly placed between the pedestrianised street of tapas/pinchos bars and the old harbour, where the regular ferry goes to Hendaya in France. It did not have a pool, spa or lounge but the tables and chairs outside were ideal for people watching and taking a drink out from from the bar. The group dinners provided plentiful food and wine and an opportunity to make friends. The food was not gourmet, except the panacota, but varied and adequate given that 38 peo...
We left early to go back to coast again a bit further south stopping off Batalha which is original capital city of Portugal. It has a monastery which is part church, part museum and part national monument to the unknown soldiers who died in WW1 and WW2. We have never heard of it before but is a very impressive structure which took over 200 years to complete. King Henry the navigator and many other kings are buried here.
