By Joanne O'Connor
The show: In the first two series of the The Trip, comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon toured the gastronomic hotspots of northern England and Italy, indulging in musings on middle age and competitive Michael Caine impersonations. For this third outing, the duo take a road trip across Spain, from the port city of Santander on the Bay of Biscay to Málaga on the Mediterranean coast.
On location: The first stop on this culinary grand tour is the Basque Country, which has one of the highest ratios of Michelin stars per capita in the world. After a quick tour of a replica of the Cave of Altamira (access to the original cave is severely restricted to preserve the prehistoric paintings), Coogan and Brydon enjoy their first meal in Txoko, an acclaimed seafood restaurant in the fishing village of Getaria, 25km west of San Sebastián.
They spend their first night in the charming seaside village of Hondarribia, a foodie hotspot famous for its pintxo bars (the Basque equivalent of tapas), before driving to Asador Etxebarri, a Michelin-starred restaurant close to Bilbao where they work their way through the eight-course tasting menu.
Next stop is Sos del Rey Católico, a beautifully preserved medieval town with views of the Pyrenees, before the pair continue south to Prejano, home to La Posada del Laurel, a rustic inn specialising in traditional Riojan cuisine. La Rioja is famous for its wines but less well-known for its many dinosaur footprints and fossil remains.
There’s time for a quick photo-opportunity with a fibreglass Iguanodon (“Which one’s the dinosaur?” quips Coogan), on the so-called Dinosaur Route, before the journey continues south into the heartlands of central Spain.
There are stops in the province of Guadalajara at medieval Sigüenza, famous for its spectacular Gothic cathedral and castle that has been converted into a hotel, and Cuenca, a dramatic fortified city where the houses cling precariously to the mountainside.
From here Coogan and Brydon travel deeper into La Mancha — Don Quixote country — where they dine at the Parador de Almagro, a restaurant and hotel in a converted 16th century convent.
The final episode is filmed in Andalusia with Brydon and Coogan finishing their coast to coast odyssey in Málaga with a traditional tapas feast of serrano ham, grilled prawns, anchovies and artichokes in El Refectorium, one of the city’s best-loved restaurants.
Where to stay: Follow in the footsteps of Brydon and Coogan by checking into one of Spain’s Paradores — luxury hotels that are usually located in castles, palaces, convents or other historic buildings. State-run, the profits go back into the upkeep of the buildings. There are paradores in Hondarribia (in a stone fortress overlooking the Atlantic); Sos del Rey Católico; Sigüenza (in a 12th century castle); the aforementioned Almagro; Cuenca (in a former monastery) and Málaga.
‘The Trip To Spain’ is showing on Sky Atlantic on Thursdays at 10pm
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