Fans of the midlife crisis, culinary road trip comedy genre (with a few Mick Jagger impersonations to boot) have not been disappointed with the brilliant, sometimes cringingly funny third installment of the ‘ The Trip to ..’ series. Starring, the now over 50s team of Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, the artists are reunited on ‘The Trip to Spain’ (Sky Atlantic) After their previous outings, visiting the Lake District and Italy (shown on the BBC) this series has them visiting some of the most stunning areas in Spain.

The series, directed by Michael Winterbottom is interspersed with dramatic scenery and the hilarious Coogan versus Brydon impersonation battles (look out for the Sir Roger Moore duel) the duo commences their journey in the port city of Santander on the Bay of Biscay and travel in Coogan’s Range Rover down to Málaga on the Mediterranean coast.

Here is a taste of some of our favourite locations, and award winning restaurants from the series:

In Episode 1 the duo visit the picturesque port village of Getaria and dine in El Txoko Berria

Situated on the coast of Guipuzcoa about 30kms west of San Sebastian you’ll find the fishing village of Getaria. Boasting medieval, homes an attractive, working harbour and their own lighthouse. Home to the 15-century Gothic Church of San Salvador, it is also a place of cultural interest. It is of great historic importance, as it was the site of the General Council of 1397, which declared Guipuzcoa a province.Known as ‘The Getaria mouse’ the peninsula which finishes at the mount of San Anton takes its name from its mouse like shape.

Getaria is located in the heart of one of Spain’s wine region, Txacoli-so be sure to enjoy a glass or two over lunch (if you’re not driving!)

In Episode 2 The comedy comes as they drive to historic Sos del Rey Catolico, Rob sees how long Steve can go without mentioning his Oscar-nominated film Philomena. The restauarant choice, Asador Etxebarri in Atxondo, Basque Country voted 6th best in the world in Restaurant Top 50 Awards 2015. Here Head Chef Victor Arguinzoniz, cooks everything over a grill, the results look delicious!

Episode 3 La Posada del Laurel: After sampling Riojan cuisine, Steve and Rob head down the Dinosaur Route and inject Marlon Brando into the Spanish Inquisition.

Episode 4 takes you further into south west Spain,the next destination is The Cathedral of Sigüenza in Castile-La Mancha. Dating back to 1121, this gothic cathedral is well worth a visit with its two square towers, 164 feet (50 m) tall it’s easy to find!This region is famed for the setting of the famous Spanish novel Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes.

The repartee is as amusing as ever as teetotal Steve leaves the wine sampling to Rob. The location for this leisurely lunch is the nöla restaurante.

During Episode 5 the duo visit the Parador de Almagro in La Mancha. Steve and Rob dress up as Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, before another comedy duel at the Corral de Comedia.

Corral de comedias, literally a “theatrical courtyard”, is a type of open-air theatre specific to Spain. In Spanish all secular plays were called comedias, which embraced three genres: tragedy, drama, and comedy itself. During the Spanish Golden Age, corrals became popular sites for theatrical presentations in the early 16th century, when the theater took on a special importance in the country. Source Wikipedia

From here they travel to The Alhambra Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an amazing wonder worth a trip on it’s own:

Please ‘click’ on the map above for the route

If you’re driving, the overnight ferry departs from Portsmouth to either Santander or Bilbao or from Plymouth to Bilbao.
Alternatively, flying to Bilbao and picking up a rental car is an option with flights available from our affiliate partner Skyscanner.
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Alhambra photo credit Jebulon