Visit Basque Country
We recently visited Spanish Basque Country around San Sebastian and Bilbao to take in some good views, good food, and good wine – and we've compiled all of the reasons you should make Basque Country your next vacation destination!
This Spanish region blends modernity and tradition with highlights like Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum, San Sebastian world class pintxos, and Hondarribia's medieval charm.
We were invited on a media familiarization trip through Bilbao by Visit Euskadi – the Basque Country Tourism Board. All opinions are our own.
Our Legendary Trip to Basque Country Spain
We recently took a trip to the Basque region of Spain – on her own, and Katherine with her husband – and we were captivated by the blend of history, culture, and stunning landscapes!
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started her trip in Bilbao which is a vibrant city and home to famous museums and film sets, while Katherine started in Hondarribia – the medival charming city of Hondarribia which boasts colorful building facades wrapped in ancient city walls. Next stop was the gastronomic San Sebastian with its crescent moon sandy beaches and lively festivals, where we met together!
These three cities and the surrounding countryside are a picturesque retreat and give you and glimpse and a taste of the region!
For our top picks for tours and experiences that should not be missed in Basque Country, head to our Basque Viatour shop!
Visiting Bilbao
The easiest place to fly in and out of in Basque country is the Bilbao airport so that's where our adventure began and ended. Bilbao is a city of wonders including the architecture marvel Guggenheim Museum and the bustling gasto historic Casco Viejo district. The famous HBO series Game of Thrones filmed several iconic scenes outside Bilbao at San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, a stunning islet on the Basque coast. This destination has a dramatic rocky pathway leading to a small chapel atop the islet, was used as the setting for Dragonstone. The breathtaking scenery and unique geological formations make it a popular destination. To get all the details for planning your trip see our Travel Guide Bilbao!
Touring San Sebastian
San Sebastian, Spain is well known for its beautiful beaches that are covered in golden sand with crystal clear waters framed by a crescent moon bay. This city is known as a gastronomic (food scene) paradise and is home to tons of Michelin-star restaurants, there is practically a pintxos and tapas bar on every corner. San Sebastian is known for its vibrant cultural scene, especially its annual International Film Festival which brings people from all over the world! Get all the travel details for the planning your trip to San Sebastian here.
Enjoying Hondarribia
Of all the places we visited on our trip Hondarribia was hands down our favorite! Hondarribia is a less known Basque town that is situated on the Bay of Biscay and has stunning views of the lush surrounding mountains from its ancient city walls.
You feel like you are stepping back in time as you wander around on its well preserved medieval Old Town with cobblestone streets and colorful shops and buildings.
The local culinary scene is rich with Basque flavors, fresh seafood, and good pintxos and lots of local txakoli wine. Get our complete guide to visiting Hondarribia here.
More Travel Tips
San Juan Spain – San Juan is a coastal village that has one stone pedestrian road in the old town that is cut into the side of a rock face on one side and the ocean on the other! Its a local gem and a great place for shopping, pintxos, and txakoli wine!
Beloaga Gaztelua – If you are in the mood for a hike you cant beat the views from this ancient castle in the Basque mountains. It takes about 20 minutes to get to the castle and parking is limited so go early!
Ride on the Bike Path – There is a extensive bike and walk path from San Sebastian to an ancient Roman gold ours in the mountains outside San Sebastian called the Via Verdes de Arditurri and it is amazingly scenic. Remember: In Spain all pedestrians walk on one side and all bikes operate on the other side of the path.
Ancient Roman Mine – Arditurri Parketxea Aiako Harria Parke Naturala is an ancient Roman gold ours that is the end point of the paved bike/walk path (Via Verdes de Arditurri). Our husband and we found it fascinating, and it had lovely trails with waterfalls around it. You can tour the ours if you get tickets ahead of time.
Jai Alai – Visiting Jai Alai in San Sebastián was an exhilarating experience for us, as we got to witness one of the fastest ball sports in the world, immerse myself in Basque culture, and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of this unique sporting event.
Spain Inspired Recipes and Guides
We have all the guides you need to see and enjoying right here on our site to plan your solid trip to Spain. If traveling overseas isn't in your budget, you can have a taste of Spain at home and it doesn't have to break the bank. Try making our favorite mushroom pintxos and Spanish tomato bread or a tuna and tomato salad – yum!
