Astigarraga Cider House Tour: Txotx Ritual & Meal

Sip fresh cider straight from barrels while savoring a traditional Basque meal

A guided tour from San Sebastian to the cider houses of Astigarraga, where you visit apple orchards, farmhouse presses and cellars, then join the Txotx ritual: tasting natural cider directly from barrels while eating a traditional cider house menu. The tour runs four hours and includes hotel pickup, an air-conditioned vehicle, and a multilingual guide in English, Spanish or French depending on the group.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit cider house and tasting

• Pick up from San Sebastian
• Visit apple orchards and cider-making areas
• Tour farmhouse presses and cellars
• Taste natural cider via Txotx ritual
• Enjoy traditional cider house menu

The experience

Astigarraga is the cider valley just outside San Sebastian, and the tour starts with pickup from your hotel or meeting point in the city. You'll ride in an air-conditioned vehicle to the first cider house, where the guide walks you through how cider has been made here for a thousand years: the apple orchards that feed it, the stone presses and fermentation cellars, the whole chain from fruit to bottle. This is not a museum visit. You're inside a working farmhouse operation, seeing the barrels and the equipment the producers actually use.

The meal and tasting are the heart of the day. You sit down to a traditional cider house menu: a snack to start, then cod omelette, cod with peppers, grilled T-bone steak, and cheese with quince and nuts. Between courses comes the Txotx ritual: a Basque call that signals it's time to taste cider straight from the barrel. You'll pour from several different barrels as the meal unfolds, tasting how the cider changes from one cellar to another. The guide explains what you're drinking and why the ritual matters to Basque culture. You get free time to explore the cider house menu at your own pace and ask questions.

What’s included

• Hotel or city pickup in San Sebastian in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• guided tour of apple orchards, farmhouse presses and cellars.
• traditional cider house menu including snack, cod omelette, cod with peppers, grilled T-bone steak, cheese with quince and nuts.
• cider tastings from the barrel during the Txotx ritual.
• all fees and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday, Tuesday, Thursday and SaturdayDeparts at 12:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (14 to 17 years) · Child (4 to 13 years) · Infant (under 4)

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by SAGARDOA ROUTE

Is this one for you?Hotel pickup in San Sebastian gets you to the orchards and farmhouse without driving, so you can focus on learning the cider-making process and participating in the Txotx ritual hands-on.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (14 to 17 years); Child (4 to 13 years); Infant (under 4).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is the Txotx ritual?

Txotx is a traditional Basque call that signals time to taste cider directly from the barrel during a cider house meal. You'll pour from several different barrels throughout lunch, tasting how the cider varies between cellars and producers.

Does the tour include the full meal, or just tastings?

The tour includes a complete traditional cider house menu: a snack, cod omelette, cod with peppers, grilled T-bone steak, cheese with quince and nuts, and cider tastings from the barrel paired throughout.

How long does the whole tour take?

The tour runs four hours from pickup in San Sebastian through the orchards, cellars, and cider house meal in Astigarraga.

What is Astigarraga known for?

Astigarraga is the cider-making heart of the Basque Country, home to centuries-old farmhouse cider houses that still use traditional stone presses and barrel fermentation to produce natural cider.