This is our classic tour of the Camino de Santiago commencing on the border of France in the Pyrenean village of Roncesvalles and traveling the 750 kilometers to Santiago de Compestela. As pilgrims, we intend to cover 120-miles over an 14-day walking period while exploring stone villages, monasteries and cathedrals. In Roncesvalles, we are blessed as pilgrims were 1000 years ago by the monks at the monastery as we partake in the special evening mass. Upon our arrival in Santiago, we celebrate our achievement in the center of the plaza at kilometer "0" with an international group of pilgrims who have shared this long distant footpath with us.

14-days of glorious hiking with 13-nights of carefully selected accommodations; visits to historical sites with professional art historians and off-the-Camino side trips are all part of this multicultural experience. All meals, including the local wines are also part of this tour. Your guide is a culinary trained chef who takes particular care in the foods provided--picnics are a gourmet experience!!!

Our Coastal Camino de Santiago and Picos de Europa trip offers day after day of postcard-perfect images - imposing ocean cliffs, soaring mountains, ancient religious sites, coastal fishing villages, inland farming hamlets. Scenes that inspire and awe travelers, even veterans of the popular Camino Francis, Spain's inland pilgrimage route. On our adventure, we walk 8 to 10 miles each day, tracing the historic pilgrims' trail to the holy city of Santiago de Compostela, where the remains of St. James are thought to be buried. This route is unique, however, in that we journey across the northern coast of Spain along the Camino del Norte, exploring a part of Iberia where typical travelers don't often venture.

We begin our pilgrimage in Santillana del Mar (Santander), proclaimed by Jean Paul Sartre as the most beautiful village in Spain and home to the prehistoric caves of Altamira. We follow white beaches and coastal cliffs to the seaside village of San Vicente de la Barquera, where seagulls soar overhead and fisherman bring in the bounty for our evening meal. Next, we trek across the dramatic valleys of the Picos de Europa National Park, where mountain tops raise to 8,000 feet above sea level.

Along the way, we visit monasteries, hike by centuries-old stone houses, and enjoy gourmet picnics with mountain landscapes as our backdrop. Returning to the coast, we follow the Atlantic shoreline west before heading inland through the lush, sleepy farmland of Galicia. Here, our path merges with the more popular Camino routes as we walk our final steps into Santiago. 12 days of glorious hiking with 11 nights of extraordinary coastal accommodations; visits to historical sites, ancient churches and monasteries; and a cable car ride in the Picos de Europa are all part of this multicultural experience. All meals,including local wines are part of this tour. Your guide is a culinary trained chef who takes particular care in the foods provided -- picnics are a gourmet experience.

Le Puy en Velay to Conques 200 kilometers of beautifully marked footpaths through a rural part of central France. On this 12-day walking holiday, starting in Le Puy en Velay at the headwaters of the Loire, we follow an ancient Roman Road and the Way of St. James (the GR 65) to the pilgrimage site of Conques where stands a magnificent Romanesque abbey and the relics of Saint Foy, a Christian martyr and patron saint of prisoners. This site once attracted thousands of pilgrims on their journey to Santiago de Compostela, located 1400 kilometers away in the northwest corner of the Iberian peninsula.

Come Walk and Talk and have fun with the Spanish language. Hike the historic Camino, the pilgrimage route of the Middle Ages, while you learn "Traveler's Spanish" with your bilingual guides and teachers, Lorraine Miller and Coral Bergman. Following the itinerary of the Camino Sampler, this 11-day journey along the famed pilgrimage trail finds you learning Spanish in a fun, non-threatening way while also experiencing the culture and history of Spain. The close of each day finds you practicing your newfound language skills amid the charm of select family-run hotels and painstakingly restored manor houses. Partake in regional cuisine while you converse with your local hosts. Join us in this fresh approach to language learning done in a nontraditional venue - on the road! Come enjoy the culture, cuisine and conversation as you experience this historical trail to Santiago de Compostela. (Individual attention is assured by a group limit of 12, so finalize your plans quickly!)

Granada and the Land of the Moors Almeria to Granada

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This nine-day tour takes us coastal walking within the Cabo de Gato Natural Park. Small hotels perched over the sea, white sandy beaches and flamingos makes this an Andalucian dream come true. We stroll mountain pathways through the Sierra Alhamilla and Sierra Nevada, leaving footprints in timeless tiny villages, and staying at cozy inns known for their fine hospitality and amenities. We enjoy the uniqueness of a hotel built over Roman/Arab baths with Arab-style architecture and Moorish cuisine. We finalize the journey in Granada, where a fusion of cultures and historical splendors await us. All meals are included in the tour price.

Photo Spain (Road Trip) Bilbao to Avila

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From the awesome Guggenheim museum in Bilbao to the cathedrals and castles of Castilla, this 14-day journey is designed for lovers of photography, or just about anyone who wants to take a "photo-oriented trip". Light hiking and early morning shoots will allow you all the freedom you want to explore and photograph the people, the towns, and the countryside of this wonderfully warm and friendly country. Days are loosely organized (as most photographers would prefer), leaving the travel details and logistics to your experienced guides. This tour is designed for those who are familiar with the use of a camera. Our expert cameraman, Ken Bartle, will be along to assist in making sure you have all the guidance you want, should you wish for assistance in taking the perfect photo. We know the villages; we know the hidden walking trails; the best foods, wines, the mountains, the cathedrals and the castles. This is a wonderful tour of some of less-traveled roads of Spain. All breakfasts,10 lunches, and 10 dinners are included in the price of the tour. Call for detailed itinerary and dates.

Camino Sampler

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This 8-day tour begins on the border of Galicia in the fertile valley of El Bierzo and climbs to the small Celtic village of O'Cebriero. Our daily hiking pace is 9 to 12 miles along marked footpaths, rolling hills and through ancient villages. This tour guarantees the Compostela--the pilgrim?s diploma. We cover the final 164 kilometers of the Camino walking from inn to inn, always with the van trailing close behind for those who wish to relax a bit. The hotel selection has been a greatly received by former Spanish Steps pilgrims, many returning for a second time to envelope the beauty of this forgotten corner of Spain and to luxuriate in the fabulous country homes selected by our staff. All accommodations are owner-operated and ensure a high standard of quality service.

Camino By Car

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Starting in Bilbao, we first visit Frank Gehry's magnificent Guggenheim Museum, which has broght international aclaim to this one-time industrial powerhouse. We then head east re-tracing the lesser known Camino del Norte to the charming coasting village of Hondarribia where we enjoy a typical Basque meal. The next day strarting from the boarder of France, we embark on the entire 750 kms of the Camino de Santiago. We will traverse Spain traveling from Roncesvalles and ending up in Santiago de Compestela like millions of pilgrims have done for more than 1,000 years. Our pilgrimage, however will be blister free as we ride in the comfort of a car with our experienced bi-lingual guide. Some optional light walking will also be available for those wanting to hit the road! Some of the highlights of our journey include: an authentic pilgrims' mass, a visit to a bodega in Spain's famous Rioja wine region, the spectacular Gothic spires of Burgo, the marvelous stained glass windows of Leon, and arrival to SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE IN THE YEAR 2000. While crossing Spain, we also have the opportunity to appreciate the diversity of history, culture, and cuisine that these distinct regions in Spain each have to offer.

Discover the splendors of the Tuscan countryside with Spanish Steps and Roman Roads as we explore some of the Western world's most beautiful landscapes. We meet in Siena, one of Italy's most charming cities and travel north to the heart of the beautiful Chianti wine region.

Our daily hikes will take us to famed medieval hill towns and forgotten villages as well as small country markets and wine tastings. We'll also spend a day in Siena with an expert on history and local customs.

Our home base for the week will be beautifully restored independent apartments situated on the grounds of a 13th century castle and winery.

Enjoy a glass of the estate wine by the pool or on the terrace of your own apartment while chef Judy creates a special dish developed from her repertoire of year of European travel.

Or take part in the evening meal as chef Fabio Mucchi shares his secrets of la Cucina Italiana.

We average between 7 and 10 miles of moderately paced hiking per day along country roads that traverse budding vineyards. Seven nights lodging on the estate of the castle, daily breakfast, all dinners and 6 lunches are included in the tour price.

All ground transportation to and from Siena is provided at the beginning and end of the tour.

Group size is limited to 8 people. Private Italian language lessons with a local university professor are available upon request.