A Local’s Guide to Visiting Spain’s Basque Country
“Ongi etorri, maitia!”. Do you know what that means? Hard to even guess, right? Well, that’s because those three words mean “welcome, love” in Basque —the oldest and most unique language in Europe, as well as the best representation of the Basque Country. Euskadi, as this region is known in the Basque language, is deeply special: mysterious yet friendly, ancient yet modern, isolated yet cosmopolitan – it’s a bit of everything all at once.
The main reason for the Basque Country’s exceptional and unique nature within Spain is its secluded location. An ever-green enclave in the country’s far north, the Cantabrian Sea and the Pyrenees mountains are our nearest neighbors, to the north and east, respectively.
Within the region, you’ll find landscapes dominated by mountains and hills, creating a series of valleys, rivers, ranges, and remote towns that were practically impossible to enter from the outside world – at least until a few hundred years ago. While we do border various other Spanish regions, these natural barriers have always kept the Basque Country somewhat separate, maintaining its distinct identity.
Going back thousands of years ago, while much of the rest of Spain fell under Roman and Arab rule, the Basque Country retained its independence, thus us to keep our ancient culture and language alive. While you might think that this detachment from the rest of Spain and its history would create a people and region closed off to the outside world, nothing could be further from the truth.
During the last few centuries, the Pais Vasco (Basque Country in Spanish) has probably become the most open and modern region of Spain.
Cities like Bilbao, San Sebastián, Vitoria, and Pamplona are closer to the European continent than any other in Spain, both geographically and culturally. And this contrast is where the main charm of the Basque Country resides, in the mix of a traditional, atavistic land with the contemporary influence of the modern, globalized world.
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Table of Contents
What is the Basque Country
Where is the Basque Country
How to get here
Why visit?
Best time to visit
How long to spend
Where to stay - best bases
Top places to visit
Best things to do
Local help with your planning
Basque Country is one of the most interesting regions of Spain and everything here feels slightly (and sometimes very) distinct. The language, culture, cuisine, and even geography are simply different from everywhere else you’ll go.
You’ll never run out of things to do in the Basque Country, so your only problem is how to fit them all into a trip!
For a little help sorting through all your options, consider scheduling a Spain travel consultation with our San Sebastian-based local expert, Alfonso!
These are one-hour Zoom calls where you’ll get to chat with Alfonso about the trip you’re planning and he’ll share his tips and advice, answer your travel questions, and help you perfect your itinerary.
What is the Basque Country?
The Basque country, sitting in the far north of Spain on the border with France, is one of the country’s 17 official autonomous regions. While its boundaries today are clearly defined, the historic Basque Country (Euskal Herria, in Basque) extended beyond these modern borders and also encompassed the north of Navarra and the southwest corner of France.
Despite not being particularly large, the diversity of this area is astonishing. In just a couple of hours, you can travel from the arid vineyards of Alava and Navarra’s deserts to the mountains of the Pyrenees and deep forest of Gipuzkoa.
From east to west and north to east, there are four key elements everywhere in this region. First, there is an almost godly respect given to the mountains, which are present all throughout the territory. The historic home to Spain’s most renowned mountaineers, every corner of the Basque country has its own revered mountain.
Second, there is the importance of the Cantabrian Sea, our northern neighbor, which has permeated our cuisine, culture, history, and way of living.
Third, we are fiercely proud of our history, language, and traditions. You’ll find evidence of this everywhere, but the preservation of the Basque language is perhaps the most striking proof.
And fourth, we live for food. The Basque Country is known as one of Spain’s gastronomic powerhouses, and you will find local specialties and fantastic fare everywhere from our bigger cities to tiny remote villages.
Where is the Basque Country?
The borders of the Basque Country. Photo: TUBS, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Basque Country is in far north-central Spain, on the westernmost part of the country’s border with France. As I’ve already mentioned, the Cantabrian Sea and the Bay of Biscay bathes its northern shores, while the Pyrenees Mountains separate it from France (on its northeastern edge).
The region is bordered to the west by the green and mountainous region of Cantabria, to the to the south and southwest by Castilla y León and La Rioja, and the east by Navarra.
While the Basque Country and its fellow northern neighbor of Cantabria are extremely green, the border areas to the south and southeast offer a real change of scenery, being much drier and more similar to the Spanish Meseta Central.
San Sebastián, in the north of the region, is about 285 miles away from Madrid, and takes about 4.5 hours to reach by car. Barcelona is about 355 miles away, and the drive takes closer to 6 hours.
How to get here
The cultural isolation that was the norm in Basque history until modern times now stands in stark contrast with the wealth of connections that the region currently offers with the rest of Spain and Europe. In fact, the Basque Country might be the best connected region in Spain, apart from Madrid and Barcelona.
Arriving by air
The main Basque airport is in the city of Bilbao, and if you’re coming to Spain and the Basque Country from elsewhere in Europe, the airport (BIO) has direct flights with 30+ destinations on the continent (as well as Morocco). It’s also well connected with a host of Spanish cities via cheap and quick domestic flights.
While Bilbao’s airport is almost certainly where you’ll fly into, it’s worth noting that 3 other cities in the region - San Sebastián, Pamplona, and Vitoria - also have airports (albeit smaller ones) which could be an option depending on where you’re coming from.
If you are arriving into Spain from outside of Europe, you will almost certainly first fly into Madrid or Barcelona, and then make your way up here.
For onward travel within the region, Bilbao’s airport is directly connected with San Sebastián by bus (run by the company Pesa). The bus runs all throughout the day from early morning until late in the evening and takes about an hour and fifteen minutes.
Euskotren, the Basque commuter rail service, also has a stop at the airport, and offers connections with San Sebastian and other cities and towns throughout the region.
Basically, you will have no issues getting anywhere you want to go quickly and easily from the airport.
Arriving by train or bus
If you’ll already be traveling in Spain before coming to the Basque country, the high-speed train is probably your best bet for getting here (unless you’re in the far south, in which case a flight is probably easier).
All four of the main Basque cities - Bilbao, San Sebastian, Pamplona, and Vitoria - are connected with Madrid and Barcelona by train via regular daily departures, typically costing around 50 euros. Renfe is the official state-run train company in Spain.
For public transportation to other destinations or between these cities and towns, the bus and Euskotren (a local Basque train company) provide comprehensive coverage.
Another great option for reaching the Basque Country from other destinations in Europe is the French high-speed train, the TGV. There are multiple departures every day between Paris and the French Basque city of Hendaye, which is only 25 kilometers away from San Sebastian.
The journey takes about 4 hours and one-way tickets typically cost less than 40 euros. Once in Hendaye, you can catch a quick train ride on to San Sebastian (departures are very frequent and tickets are cheap).
Where to buy public transport tickets
In general, I recommend booking your public transport tickets directly with the service provider. That said, when you have a lot of options or when you’re not familiar with the different companies, it can be a real hassle to look them all up in order to compare routes and prices.
Omio is an aggregator I like that shows options for public transport routes all over the world. When you do a search, you’ll be able to see all your options for trains, buses, flights, and even ferries along with a host of different companies that provide the services. Comparing prices is easy, the site has a great design, and you can keep all your bookings in one place. It costs a little bit more than booking direct, but it’s really convenient.
How to get around
The Basque Country has excellent public transport, but to really explore the region you’ll still want a car. This is because some of the most beautiful places are hard or time consuming (or both) to reach via public transit. To get into the mountains, the remote countryside, or secluded beaches, you’ll want your own set of wheels.
Renting a car
If you decide to rent a car, you’ll find all the major international rental companies in the Basque Country as well as some smaller local ones which are often less expensive. Any medium-to-large city will have rental agencies, but for the best selection you’ll probably want to rent somewhere with an international airport or a busy train station (Bilbao, for example).
To check prices and book, I recommend using the following two car rental websites:
DiscoverCars includes offerings from all the major international rental companies as well as lots of smaller local agencies, which often have much better pricing. You can often find great deals.
RentalCars is very similar, although they tend to list mostly larger companies. It’s now owned by Booking.com, so is backed by a familiar and reputable brand. Their prices are good too.
By bus
The main option for long/medium distance trips here would be ALSA, the bus company that connects all of the main cities and towns in the North of Spain (including the Basque Country)
Tickets can be purchased in advance online on ALSA’s website, or onsite at every bus station. Ticket prices range from 10 to 70 euros depending on the duration of the journey.
Major Basque cities also all have their own city buses that will allow you to move basically everywhere within the city. Cities are also very walkable, so there’s really no reason to ever use a car inside the city.
By train
The Basque Country has an economical suburban rail network operated by the company Euskotren. The network connects the main cities of San Sebastian and Bilbao with smaller villages near to them.
The train rides will often take you through beautiful scenery and countryside, and there are actually lots of options for getting to fairly remote places. You still won’t be able to get everywhere though.
Where to buy bus and train tickets
As I mentioned before, my recommendation is typically to book your tickets directly with the service provider. For local buses and trains, you can always buy your tickets on the day of travel directly at any station or kiosk.
For longer distance services, the website/app Omio is also very convenient to use.
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Why visit
Mugarra Mountain, seen from the town of Mañaria. Photo: Assar, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped from original
The beach near Mundaka, in the Biscay district. Photo: Ben Bender, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
When Spaniards talk about visiting the Basque country, the first thing everybody thinks of is food. Basque cuisine has a well-deserved reputation both locally and internationally, and some of the most sought-after restaurants in Europe are found here.
Whether you go for some pintxos in the Old Town of Donostia (San Sebastian), for a txuleta (t-bone) in one of the region’s famous asadores, or for seafood in literally any coastal town, you’ll probably have one of the meals of your life.
But our cuisine is far from the only noteworthy aspect of the Basque Country. Bilbao, the biggest city, hosts the Guggenheim Museum, an architectural masterpiece and Spain’s most-visited museum outside of Madrid. For many, the Guggenheim is reason itself for traveling to the Basque Country.
Elsewhere, every July Pamplona celebrates the week-long festival of San Fermín, a party that enchanted the writer Ernest Hemingway and attracts millions of people from all over the world for the running of the bulls.
And coastal San Sebastián, with its beautiful La Concha beach, lovely historic center, and unbeatable gastronomy, is a true gem on the Iberian peninsula. The city also hosts two of the best known festivals in Spain: SSIFF (San Sebastián International Film Festival) and the music festival Jazzaldia.
Do you need more reasons? Well, how about supreme access to the outdoors? The Basque Country has an extensive coastline dotted by charming fishing villages and beautiful beaches; we have mountains in abundance and more hikes than you could accomplish in a lifetime; we have deep forests, undisturbed by man, where you can feel totally lost in nature.
The Pais Vasco also has two of the most famous surfing spots in European continent, Mundaka and Zarautz, as well as a cycling tradition only matched by Belgian region of Flanders.
If you’re looking to head outside and get active, nowhere else in Spain, or possibly even the whole of Southern Europe, has the diversity of options that we do.
Food, culture, outdoors – if that’s what you’re after, you’ll find it here.
Best time to visit
The nicest time to visit the Basque country is from late spring through the middle of the fall, from May through October, more or less. You will usually have pleasant weather for much of this period, especially in the summer, but should expect some chilly and rainy days on either side of it.
Each season offers distinct advantages and disadvantages though, so which specific month or season is best for you will depend on what you’re looking to do and experience here.
Late Spring and early-to-mid Fall
Late Spring and early-to-mid Fall offer many positives for the typical visitor. The weather is moderate, neither too cold nor too hot, and the rain isn’t overly frequent, so you can have a very pleasant active trip, with lots of time spent hiking, cycling, exploring cities, and just being outside generally.
On top of that, this is the shoulder season, so you won’t find hordes of tourists anywhere, not even in San Sebastián or Bilbao.
Visiting in Spring
In spring, the landscape bursts into life, with greenery everywhere and flowers in bloom, so this is a beautiful time for traveling in the Basque Country. There’s still a fair deal of rain, so you might experience muddy trails and some wet days, but as long as you bring the appropriate clothing, it’s nothing too bad.
Visiting in Fall
In the fall, iconic Basque natural areas like the Selva de Irati forest or the Plateau of Urbasa show off their gorgeous autumnal colors, as the foliage of the abundant beaech forests changes and paints an impressionist masterpiece.
Visiting in Summer
As for the summer, this is unquestionably the nicest time of year from a weather standpoint. Days are longer, sunshine is fairly abundant, and the temperatures heat up considerably, but nothing like the unbearable highs you’ll find elsewhere in Spain.
The sea water is warm and perfect for swimming, and the rains that are common during the rest of the year become scarce (or so we always hope – because we Basques are faithful people!).
If you’re coming to the Basque Country for the beach and outdoor adventure, and you want to be almost guaranteed good weather, summer is probably the right time to visit. Also, summer is when big events such as the San Sebastián Film Festival and San Fermín take place.
Visiting in Winter
Winter, our final season, is usually not my recommendation unless you’re after something very specific. Winters here are cold and wet, the days are short and dark, and it would not be unusual for you to have rain throughout your entire visit. Honestly, it’s not ideal.
However, if you’re primarily interested in exploring our cities and visiting cultural institutions, a wintertime visit has some positives: restaurants, museums, and villages will be quiet and calm, with almost no other tourists and an “only locals” kind of vibe. If you want to feel like a Basque, this is the time to visit.
Also, since tourism is at its lowest during this period, prices drop, and you can get quite nice accommodation for much more affordable prices than at other times of year.
How long to spend
A visit to the Basque Country is worth it no matter how long you have, as it’s easily accessible from Spain’s two biggest cities (Madrid and Barcelona) and even only a few days here will give you a taste for the region.
3 days at the very least
Our cities are well connected and fairly close together, so even something as short as a 3-day trip would still let you visit both San Sebastian and Bilbao, possibly even with time for a day trip to one of the villages, another city, or a natural area.
You’ll just be skimming the surface, and you’d most definitely be rushing to fit all of that in, but it’s better than nothing.
7 to 10 days to really explore the region
If you have more time, I usually say that 7 to 10 days is the perfect amount of time to see the Basque Country to the fullest. With a week to a week and a half, here’s what I’d suggest:
Spend a few days in both Bilbao and San Sebastián exploring the two main centers of Basque culture, head out to the surroundings towns, beaches, and nature for some days trips, and get a taste for the Pyrenees Mountains in Navarre, and the fantastic wines in the wine region of Álava.
I would propose that you start your trip in San Sebastián and spend two days in the city enjoying Basque cuisine and the lovely French-like atmosphere and architecture. Then, head east to the Pyrenees, visiting the Zugarramurdi caves and the Baztán Valley in one day, and then the Selva de Irati forest the next.
From there, take a 2-hour drive south to the town of Laguardia in the district of Álava, which is the perfect base to enjoy some vineyard and winery tours in the Basque side of La Rioja, Spain’s premier wine producing region.
After a day or two in Laguardia, head north about an hour and finish your trip with a couple of days in Bilbao and road tripping around the beaches and villages along the nearby Bizkaia coast.
Where to base yourself
The Basque Country is not a huge region, so you can pretty comfortable use only one or two bases for a trip here. Of course, a road trip staying in a different place every night or two will let you see and do a lot more and will cut down on daily travel times, but if you’d prefer not to pack up your things every day, there’s no need to. Everywhere is fairly close.
Bilbao and San Sebastian - the big cities and cultural hubs
The two most common places to stay are our two biggest cities: Bilbao and San Sebastián. Both are interesting, fun cities, and the former is close to all of the attractions in Vizcaya and Alava, while the later serves as the gateway to the Pyrenees.
Pamplona and Vitoria - for smaller, less-touristed city life
There are other good possibilities though, especially if you’re looking to get away from the big cities. Staying in Pamplona or Vitoria could be good options for certain type of trips – if you’re going to the San Fermín festival, visiting the vineyards of Álava, or just want to experience local life in a mid-sized but not especially touristy destination (of course, this is only true for Pamplona at some times of year).
Hondarribia and Bermeo - a taste of village life on the Basque coast
And there is also the option of establishing a base in one of the charming, quiet coastal villages like Hondarribia (in the far northeast of the region – close to San Sebastian) or Bermeo (in the northwest – close to Bilbao), both of which are close enough to the nearby big city that you can visit them anytime you want, but far enough away to escape from the rush.
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Best places to visit
The Basque Country has a few premier destinations, all of which I’ve already mentioned throughout this guide, but it also has many other less known and further flung places that are well-worth checking out.
Frequently, these little places, which you arrive into with no expectations at all, leave you with just as strong an impression as their more famous neighbors. After all, it’s the unexpected little joys and experiences that are often most rewarding, right?
So, below are 10 of my favorite places in this region, all of which merit a visit for different reasons. You’ll notice that a few of my recommended spots are actually in the region of Navarre, which you might think is cheating. But since the historic boundaries of the Basque Country encompassed those areas, I’ve decided to include them.
1. San Sebastián
Despite being a relatively small city (less than 200,000 people), San Sebastián is one of the most visited cities in Spain, and the hype around it is well-founded. Here, you’ll find a unique mix of fantastic cuisine, gorgeous architecture, nearby nature, and stunning beaches.
San Sebastián is well-known as the Basque region’s culinary capital, having the most Michelin Star-awarded restaurants by square kilometer in the world, and its pintxos are famous around the world. Spending a night hopping from bar to bar in Lo Viejo, San Sebastián’s old town, is something you must do once in your life.
But there’s more to the city than “just” food. Being so close to the border with France, San Sebastián’s architecture has that belle epoque feel, and walking along its avenues, alleys, riverbank, and waterfront offers an unmatchable feeling. This is a really lovely town.
And you can spend your evenings in the city watching gorgeous sunsets from La Concha, one of the most beautiful urban beaches in the world. For surfers, start each morning catching some waves at La Zurriola, the city’s other excellent beach.
2. Bilbao
I know I’ve already mentioned the Guggenheim Museum, but it’s worth mentioning again. Known the world over as an architectural masterpiece, the building itself is reason enough to visit, never mind the excellent collections inside it. The museum is also the emblem and flagship of the most vibrant city in the Basque Country - the one and only Bilbao.
Once a tough and fairly ugly industrial town, Bilbao was reborn at the end of the 20th century and has blossomed into a cultural hub. And it’s done so without losing its soul or the gritty charm it once had.
If you’re in the search of how contemporary culture permeates Basque traditions, Bilbao is the place to go. Kafé Antzokia hosts the most interesting music shows in the north of Spain. The city’s opera house and theaters are always putting on new and innovative performances.
A football game in San Mamés, known as the Cathedral of Spanish Football, is the best way to travel back to those faraway times when English sailors first brought this sport to Bilbao at the end of the 19th century.
And for a night out in the city, head to the old quarter (Casco Viejo) and its Seven Streets and enjoy an evening bar hopping and eating far, far too much food at the traditional bars and taverns all around you.
In short, Bilbao is modern, bustling, refined, artistic, and exciting, and it’s unlike anywhere else in the Basque Country and even all of Spain.
3. Pamplona
Navarra’s capital city, Pamplona is a bustling little university town with a historic center that fills with life and excitement every weekend. It’s a lovely town and it’s little visited apart from during the San Fermín festival, so is a great place to go if you want somewhere with a fun, local feel.
Of course, Pamplona is internationally famous for the San Fermín festival, a huge party that starts on July 7th every year and continues on for a week. Each day kicks off with the encierro, the running of the bulls, when these huge animals rush through the city’s streets all the way to the plaza, with people charging ahead in front of them.
Afterwards, everybody goes for an almuerzo - a strong breakfast of eggs, Navarran sausages, fries and, why not, a few beers - and keeps partying until the next encierro the following day.
If you want to party, Pamplona is the place to go.
4. Selva de Irati
The Irati forest. Photo: Fernando Domínguez Cerejido, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
An impressive beech forest at the foot of the Pyrenees Mountains on the eastern side of the Basque Country, the Selva de Irati worth a full day spent hiking its many trails and just enjoying being out in nature.
The best time of the year to visit is the autumn, when the foliage turns a million different colors and, if you’re lucky, there will already be snow covering the nearby mountain peaks.
After a day of hiking, you’ll have built up quite an appetite, and nothing will satiate it as well as a good Basque meal in Asador Restaurante Kixkia, down in the beautiful mountain town of Ochagavía.
5. Vitoria-Gasteiz
The city of Vitoria-Gasteiz is a must-visit if you’re interested in experiencing a less-Spanish kind of party, by which I mean, in case you’re tired of nights out that go on until well into the early morning. Because here, in the the capital city of the Basque Country, you can enjoy the best and earliest poteos (evening or afternoon drinks) in the region.
Starting at around 5:00 PM every weekend, almost everyone in the city heads down to the old town for pintxos and wine (from the nearby Rioja region). The streets are packed, the atmosphere is festive, and the food and wine abundant and delicious.
Everything gets going early, so you won’t need to wait until 10:00 PM for dinner or feel like you’re missing out if you head to bed before midnight. Sometimes in Spain, that’s a relief.
6. Urbasa
A stunningly blue spring-fed pool right near the source of the Urederra River. Photo: Barasoaindarra, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The plateau of Urbasa is yet another gem in the wild territory of Navarra. Located about 1,000 meters above sea level and at the border between the wet Cantabrian and Pryenean forests and the Mediterranean influences just to the south, Urbasa offers a peculiar mix of climates and vegetation.
The perfect 24-hour plan for visiting this mountain range is to arrive in the early morning, set up camp in Urbasa Camping, do a little mountain hike from there, have dinner at the campground, and get an earty night’s sleep, after witnessing a spectacularly starry night sky.
The next morning, head to the Urederra River source - simply a magic place, where the turquoise waters of the river flow among beech forests. If you haven’t already fallen in love with Navarra yet, you will here.
7. Bermeo & Hondarribia
Bermeo. Photo: Euskalduna, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
As I’ve already mentioned a few times, the Basque Country as a region is highly influenced by the Cantabrian Sea. From its cuisine to its way of living and its history, every aspect of Basque culture demonstrates that closeness to the ocean. And there’s no place to feel that proximity better than in fishing towns like Bermeo and Hondarribia, a 20 to 30-minute drive from Bilbao and San Sebastián, respectively.
Bermeo and Hondarribia were home to the famous Basque whale fishermen of the 15th and 16th centuries, who as legend goes, supposedly got to America even before Christopher Columbus did, and created their own version of the Basque language in Iceland.
Although today’s inhabitants of these villages aren’t quite so adventurous, they do preserve their fishing traditions and you can see fisherman coming in to port every morning with the day’s catch. When you get hungry, go for a walk through the historic core of the villages, and then find an old-school fish tavern where you can enjoy that very same freshly caught fish.
8. Getaria
Photo: Arseniog, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped from original
Getaria is another historic fishing village, but even smaller and more off the beaten path than the two mentioned above. Juan Sebastián Elcano, the sailor who completed the first circumnavigation of the Earth in 1522, was born here and the town’s maritime soul has been kept alive for more than five centuries.
All its narrow streets lead down to the port, and there will be grills roasting up incredibly fresh fish in every corner of the city. If you want the best taste of those 500 years of seafaring history, make a reservation in Elkano restaurant, and enjoy fantastic food with great views of the harbor.
9. Tolosa
Tolosa. Photo: Josu Goñi Etxabe, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The stunning nature right outside of and all around Tolosa
But the Basque country is not only about the Cantabrian Sea, sailors, and villages with that ocean breeze; the town of Tolosa is the living proof of that. The historic capital of the province of Gipuzkoa, Tolosa is the gateway to the mythical mountainous regions of the Goierri and Aralar, lands of shepherds, mountain refuges, sheep’s cheese, difficult terrain, and a rough climate.
You can feel that remote mountain influence everywhere in this little town’s streets, markets, restaurants, and shops. For a taste of mountain life, Tolosa can’t be beat.
10. Sierra de Aralar
Wild horses grazing in a field along the path that leads up to Gaintza in the Serra de Aralar mountains. Photo: Ketari, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
When in Tolosa, you have the perfect opportunity to visit the Sierra de Aralar, the mountain range that serves as the border between Navarre and Gipuzkoa. This isolated, mountainous, and ever-green area holds some of the best hiking routes in the Basque Country, including some multi-day ones.
When you set out on these mountain trails, you’ll feel like the shepherds of yesteryear, or maybe just the modern ones, who still walk their sheep through this land!
If you’re a cheese-lover and want to try sheep’s cheese, opt for a hike that takes you through the town of Idiazabal, the Basque cheese capital.
Things to do in the Basque Country
Any trip to the Basque Country should include a mix of the following four things: food, nature, beaches, and culture. Thankfully, this region provides all of that in fantastic abundance.
Below are some of my favorite things to do here:
1. Go bar hopping and taste all the pintxos in San Sebastián
Lo Viejo, San Sebastián’s old town, is the zenith of Basque cuisine, and Basque cuisine is the zenith of Spanish cuisine. So here I’m going to propose you a route through the best restaurants and pintxos of Lo Viejo. This is going to be an experience that will stay with you forever.
Begin your tour in a place called Paco Bueno, where you can sample some gildas (olives, guindilla peppers, and salted anchovies – the first-ever pincho) and gambas con gabardina ( shrimp in a trench coat – look it up!), both classics among the city’s pintxo dishes.
Next, head to Kapadokia, one of the newest and most innovative restaurants in Lo Viejo. From there, continue to Bar Sport, famous for its foie gras.
You’ll have been eating standing up at the counter at all three of those fabulous restaurants, so next it’s time to grab a seat and sit down in Txuleta, one of the best places to eat a t-bone steak in San Sebastián.
And to finish a perfect meal, you must try the quintessential San Sebastián’s dessert - the cheesecake from La Viña.
2. Walk to Pasaia, outside of San Sebastián
If you find yourself in need of a nice walk after days of stuffing yourself in San Sebastián, you’re in luck - and you won’t even have to leave the city! Make your way to Zurriola beach, from where you can start the climb up through Ulía mountain all the way to the Bay of Pasaia.
This 7-kilometer trail along the city’s the hilly coastline is the main walking route for residents, and it will take you past La Plata Lighthouse and the Faktoria Albaola, both historic landmarks and testaments to the Basque people’s relationship with the sea.
To end the route, catch a boat in San Pedro and cross over the Bay of Pasaia to the town of San Juan. The boat only costs 2 euros and it will leave you right next to Txulotxo restaurant, where you can enjoy a good seafood or fish dish.
Finish the day with a coffee while sitting in San Juan’s beautiful main square.
3. Surf in Zarautz
Zarautz is the biggest surfing town in the whole of Spain. Internationally known surfers like Aritz Aranburu or Axi Muniain were raised here, and you can take classes in one of the town’s many reputed surf schools.
The beach is long, the sunset is just marvelous, and a few after-surfing beers in the bars of this California-esque beach town are the perfect way to wind down an active day spent out on the water.
4. Visit the Zugarramurdi Caves
I’ve already written about the mystique that the mountains hold in Basque culture, and there’s no place that you can feel that more acutely than in Zugarramurdi, right in the Baztán Valley.
Here, at the foot of the Pyrenees (but just a 1-hour trip from San Sebastián or Pamplona), you can visit the caves where the famous witches of Zugarramurdi carried out their akelarres (Basque witches' Sabbath). At least, until they were infamously persecuted by the Spanish Inquisition from 1609 to 1614.
Today, the caves represent the survival of Basque traditions and the region’s own ancestral religions, as well as its resistance against the ancient Spanish Kingdoms’ efforts to homogenize the area and bring it under their rule. Ultimately, Spain’s rulers failed and today you can enter the caves and climb the mountains where these so-called witches defied the power of Spain.
5. Try Orio’s famous sea bream
Orio, seen from the hills outside of town. Photo: Euskalduna, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Orio is a little coastal village that is worth visiting in its own right: it’s youthful, it’s fun, it’s walkable, and its beach scene during the summer months is unmatchable in the Basque Country. It’s less than 20 kilometers from San Sebastián. However, more than any of that, there is one reason that attracts most visitors here: the sea bream (a type of fish).
Orio’s restaurants, such as Xixario or Joxe Mari, are famous among fish lovers in the whole of Spain for being the best places in the country to eat grilled sea bream (besugo, in Spanish).
Is Orio worth going to even if you don’t care about the sea bream? Yes, definitely. Would it be a mistake not to try it though? Also yes, also definitely.
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6. Sample Tolosa’s black beans
Is this another food-driven plan? Yes, but when it comes to the Basque Country, Spain’s culinary capital, what am I supposed to do? You’re visiting a place with one of the best cuisines in the world, so you should make the most out of it.
Tolosa, as I’ve already mentioned elsewhere in this article, is the gateway to the mountains of Gipuzkoa. Being a mountain town with a harsh climate and rough terrain, the people here had a need for something rich, filling, and hearty. That’s where the black beans come in.
During the winter months, people from all over Spain come to eat Tolosa’s black beans, one of the dishes that the town’s shepherds most enjoyed when they had to spend cold, snowy nights out in the mountains. Try them accompanied with some cider and you’ll be able to climb any Basque mountain.
7. Visit the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve and drive along the coast from Mundaka to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe
A marshy landscape in the Reserve around Busturia. Photo: Oi91oi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
After filling up on hearty black beans in Gipuzkoa, it’s time to head to Bizkaia, the most western province of the Basque Country. And here, there is nothing better than a road trip along the coast, starting in the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve.
The Reserve is a 12 kilometer stretch of nature within the Urdaibai Estuary that contains low mountains, valleys, marshes, beaches, and a plethora of wildlife (especially birds).
Still within Urdaibai, you can also visit Gernika, the Basque Country’s symbolic capital and a place bombed by Franco and later immortalized by Picasso in his painting Guernica. For surfers, you might want to head to Mundaka, where you’ll find the beach with one of Europe’s most famous breaks, rivaled only by the Portuguese town of Nazaré.
And if you’d just like a quiet day in nature, the reserve offers countless hikes and trails, including a 14-kilometer loop trail from Gernika-Lumo to Kortezubi and Forua, and on to the lookout point in Murueta Punte.
After Urdaibai, hop back in your car and drive along the hilly coast of Bizkaia until you reach the chapel of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, fully surrounded by the ocean. This is the place where the fictional Dragonstone in the Game of Thrones TV series was based.
From there, or from the nearby Cape of Matxitxako, you’ll enjoy one of the best sunsets of your life.
8. Stargaze in the Bárdenas Reales
The producers of Game of Thrones were surely fans of the Basque Country because San Juan de Gaztelugatxe was not the only place in the region depicted in that famous TV show. The Bárdenas Reales, an uninhabited desert full of bizarre rocky formations in the south of Navarra, was also featured in the show, as the place where Khaleesi and the Dothrakis wander before beginning their conquests.
While you probably won’t be leading an army here, you can still come to the Bárdenas Reales and camp for the night, enjoying an incredibly bright starry sky in one of the least light polluted areas in all of Southern Europe.
9. Climb a mythical Basque mountain
I know I’ve already commented on the importance of and almost-godly respect given to the mountains in Basque culture, as well as the region being home to some of Spain’s most famous alpinists, but that’s because this is such an important aspect of the region. So, if you want to get in touch with your “Basque side”, why not trying climbing one of these mountains yourself?
I offer you two options, both suitable for anybody that is in reasonable shape and accustomed to mountain routes, but still hard enough to make it rewarding: Txindoki in Gipuzkoa and Amboto in Bizkaia.
Whichever of these approximately 10-kilometer hikes you choose, after summiting and returning to the trailhead, your next is the same: go find a bar, get a bottle of cider and a chorizo sandwich, and get ready for a good Spanish nap.
10. Attend a sporting event
But mountaineering is not the only traditional Basque sport - not at all. In fact, if you’re a sports lover, you have a wide range of options of traditional Basque sports to try out, each of which you’ll only be able to enjoy in this region.
Games of pelotamano (a type of traditional squash played with bare hands and incredibly hard balls) are played every weekend in Basque cities and villages from autumn to spring, and the attendance is massive, with the games becoming a huge party, events in and of themslves.
Then, during the summer, the trawler regattas take over, with the Regata de la Concha in San Sebastián being the peak event of those months. These are boat races where groups of rowers (around 16 per boat) race through the sea in traditional wooding fishing boats, which were once used to catch sardines close to land.
And you also have Basque rural sports, a total sui generis discipline.
If you love sports, you’ll love the Basque Country.
11. Visit vineyards and wineries in la Rioja Alavesa
Vineyards outside of the town of Laguardia in the Rioja Alavesa. Photo: G. Villar, CC BY-SA 3.0 ES, via Wikimedia Commons
If you’re a fan of wine, you have one must-do while in the Basque country: going to the town of Laguardia, on the southern border of the Basque Country, where the landscape changes and becomes drier and warmer during the summer months and colder in the winter.
Laguardia is one of the main epicenters of wine production in Spain, so you can’t skip it if you’re interested in Spanish wine. Walk around its old town, enjoy some light bites, and prepare yourself for the wine tour of your life at the Marqués de Riscal winery.
In Marqués de Riscal, tours are available from Monday to Sunday and the price ranges from 26 to 56 euros depending on the type of tour you want to take. There are no bad choices though, as all the tours are worth doing.
And while their wines are exceptional, that’s not the only noteworthy thing here: the winery’s spectacular building was constructed by Frank Gehry, the same person who designed Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum.
Can you imagine a better way to end a trip than with a glass of wine inside this wonder?
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