Cheese tours

All participants should arrive at the Gran Hotel Silken Durango by
8:30 for registration. The hotel will serve as the meeting point, and buses will depart from there at 9:00. The return to the same meeting point is scheduled between 17:30 and 18:00.

A detailed PDF with more information about the visits is available for download here:

Below is a brief description of the dairies included in each tour.

• Each tour has a maximum capacity of 40 participants. Places will be allocated in order of registration.

• Lunch is included in all tours.

Tour 1 – FROM COOPERATIVE FARMING TO FAMILY INNOVATION: TWO MODELS OF FARM-BASED CHEESEMAKING

This tour brings together two contrasting approaches to adding value to milk: a long-established cooperative model based on extensive organic farming, and a family-run dairy that integrates technological innovation with on-farm processing.

Bizkaigane (Errigoiti, Bizkaia)

A cooperative livestock and dairy project founded in 1983, committed to extensive organic farming and direct sales. Bizkaigane produces fresh and semi hard cheeses, yoghurt and other dairy products from its own cow’s and sheep’s milk, combining diversification, collective organisation and strong ties to the local area.

Soloitza Gaztandegia (Arespalditza, Álava)

A family-run dairy established to add value to milk from the Urruela family’s own herd of cows. Combining advanced technology, robotic milking and sustainable design, Soloitza produces fresh cheese, blue cheese, yoghurt and pasteurised milk, all made exclusively from its own milk.

Tour 2 – GOAT’S MILK CHEESE AND WINE-GROWING LANDSCAPE IN THE RIOJA ALAVESA REGION

A tour combining recent artisanal goat cheese diversification with the emblematic wine-growing landscape of Rioja Alavesa.

Moraita (Laguardia, Álava)

An artisan goat dairy located in the historic centre of Laguardia, producing fresh and semi hard cheeses from its own Malagueña goats’ milk under the Eusko Label and Euskal Esnea quality schemes.
The tour also includes a visit to a local winery, highlighting the strong connection between cheese production, the territory and wine culture in this renowned region.

Tour 3 – CHEESE PRODUCTION LINKED TO EXTENSIVE LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT

This tour explores cheese production systems based on extensive livestock farming, strong territorial ties and artisanal processing in Gipuzkoa.

Telleria (Mutiloa, Gipuzkoa)

A small-scale livestock and cheese farm producing cow’s milk cheeses from Fleckvieh cows raised under an organic, semi-extensive system. Telleria focuses on a limited range of artisan cheeses, maintaining full control of the process from pasture to final product.

Ondarre (Segura, Gipuzkoa)

An artisan sheep’s milk dairy deeply rooted in the pastoral tradition of the Idiazabal area. Working with Latxa sheep under extensive grazing systems, Ondarre produces PDO Idiazabal cheese from raw milk and combines cheesemaking with a strong agrotourism component.

Tour 4 – DISCOVERING BASQUE SHEPHERDING AND CHEESEMAKING

A tour centred on pastoral knowledge and the cultural heritage of Basque sheep farming in mountain environments.

Urien (Abadiño, Bizkaia)

A multi-generational family farm producing organic sheep’s milk cheeses under an extensive grazing system linked to seasonal mountain pastures. Urien produces PDO Idiazabal cheese, blue cheese and mountain cheese exclusively from the milk of its own Latxa sheep.

Gomiztegi (Oñati, Gipuzkoa)

Located in the Arantzazu area, this farm produces PDO Idiazabal sheep’s milk cheese and hosts the Basque Shepherding School (Artzain Eskola), playing a key role in training future generations of shepherds.

Tour 5 – DIVERSITY AND SMALL-SCALE CHEESEMAKING IN LEA ARTIBAI REGION

A tour showcasing species diversity, artisanal production models and the strong link between livestock systems and on-farm milk processing in Lea-Artibai region where ESNEKI Dairy Centre is located.

Txikiñena Esnekixek (Etxebarria)

A diversified farm run by Aimar and Amalur, combining cows and goats, where grazing-based milk production is closely linked to on-site processing into a wide range of dairy products.

Baskaran Gaztak (Santamañe)

A family-run sheep dairy managed by a new generation, focused on producing PDO Idiazabal cheese from Latxa sheep, maintaining tradition while ensuring continuity.

Larruz Gaztak (Markina)

A specialised goat dairy run by two brothers, processing all their milk into fresh and semi-hard cheeses, with a focus on product identity and herd development.