Spain blew my mind! Where should the next fine-dining trip be?

I just had a fantastic culinary trip to Spain earlier this month, exploring some of the best restaurants in regions like Madrid, Andalusia, Extremadura, Catalonia, and Valencia. I found it fascinating how diverse the dining styles were. It kept every meal exciting and fresh, never feeling repetitive. The portion sizes were also spot-on, perfect for a serious lunch at a serious restaurant and then enjoying an à la carte dinner at a more casual spot. Plus, the prices were quite friendly compared to other European countries.

This incredible experience has me planning another culinary adventure in Europe for next year, but I'm torn on the destination. My sole focus for this trip is food (no sightseeing or shopping), specifically fine dining. My first instinct was France, as I adore French cuisine and have never experienced fine dining there. I even went ahead and booked a table at Plénitude. However, I can hardly imagine myself eating at French fine dining restaurants for 10 days straight due to the richness of the cuisine.

So, I'm currently weighing two options:

1. Paris + Norway

2. Basque Country to Galicia (and maybe Portugal)

I'd love to hear your suggestions or thoughts on which of these options might make for a better culinary trip. Thanks in advance for your help!

I’d also like to rank the restaurants that I’ve visited during this Spain trip and please feel free to ask me any questions!

• Fantastic! Can’t Wait to Go Back! –

Quique Dacosta (P1&2) – This is, without a doubt, my favorite restaurant right now. Every dish was incredibly flavorful, artistic, and perfectly balanced. I found myself constantly marveling at how good each bite was. The communication with the restaurant was a bit unusual, though.

Atrio (P3&4) -Every dish here was a standout. Despite their focus on pork, you won't feel overwhelmed by it. The cooking, seasoning, plating, and portion sizes were simply perfect. I would absolutely go back, even though I spent over 8 hours traveling from and back to Madrid (the train broke down on the return trip from Caceres).

Suculent – For the price, I couldn't ask for more. Just as fantastic as I mentioned in my previous post.

• Very Good and Would Recommend –

Aponiente （P5&6) – The sea theme is definitely prominent here. They have a great selection of sherries for the pairing. And that bread with seaweed butter? To die for.

Noor （P7&8) – The flavors were truly unique in a good way. The staff were knowledgeable, passionate, and friendly. Plus, the price for the pairing was excellent.

Cocina Hermanos Torres (P9&10) – This restaurant delivered exactly what you'd expect from a 3-star establishment.

Ricard Camarena (P11&12) – Surprisingly good! They really excel with vegetables; the onion with caviar (as a main course) was insane.

Desde 1911 (P13&14) – The red prawn was fantastic. The cheese cart was amazing, almost like a museum, and it's all-inclusive in the price. Desserts were also awesome. However, the main course was far too large for me; I could barely finish half. I think the 3+1 menu would be ample for someone with a normal appetite.

• Not to My Taste, But Still Recommend –

Disfrutar （P15&16) – They use interesting cooking techniques, but I don't think they always enhance the taste. Take their classic "Carbonara," for example; it's visually striking but only average in terms of flavor. For desserts, I'd rate them below average. That being said, I still believe it's a great experience and would recommend it to anyone. However, with an almost year-long waiting period, I won't be going again.

Mont Bar (P17) – Comparing it to other 3-star restaurants isn't fair, but I enjoyed it less than Suculent. The food isn't bad by any means; it just wasn't to my personal taste. Also, avoid the bar seating at all costs, it was uncomfortable and awkward.

• Glad I Went, But Don't Recommend –

Lasarte (P18) – It started well, but I didn't enjoy about half of the courses, especially the main dishes and the tortellini. The service and sommelier were great, though. I wouldn't recommend it for the price.

ABaC （P19&20) – This was my worst 3-star experience, both in terms of taste and service. I literally sat there for over 10 minutes with nothing after being served water, no menus, nothing. Some dishes were truly horrible, like the liquid tomato (?) and what they called "burnt butter" (but tasted more like olive oil). I didn't enjoy most of the dishes; they were either too sour, too salty, or unbalanced. I felt no coherence between the courses, and after the entire meal, I had no idea what the chef was trying to convey.