Basque country, Spain

Bilbao

Bilbao is a rather unusual city with its architecture and atmosphere.

The first thing that strikes a tourist at first sight, is that almost all the signs in the city are written in at least two languages - Basque, Spanish and English (sometimes). It is enjoyable to walk along the embankment past the Guggenheim Museum, turning into a beautiful park and along the city’s central streets.

We also visited the Guggenheim Museum on our last day in Bilbao, and if you are a fan of art, it is a good place for you. However, do not anticipate the most up-to-date exhibits; their collection consists of many different art pieces from other times.

But the main reason why people go to the Basque country is the food. You MUST try the local pintxos at the Erribera market.

Make a quick stop at Playa de Bakio…

…and plan your next surf holiday there.

San Juan De Gaztelugatxe

I can speak with no stop about this place. Maybe you will recognize San Juan de Gaztelugatxe as the fortress of “Dragonstone” from Game of Thrones. There are many legends around the island. It is assumed that it had not only religious but also strategic importance. In any case, you must go through 241 steps and enjoy the waves crashing against the walls. Do not forget to ring the bell three times and make a wish.

Have lunch in Bermeo

The city is relatively small but cosy to have lunch and warm up before the road. On the embankment, we found a colossal globe depicting the route of the first round-the-world trip, which ended under the command of Juan Sebastian Elcano, born in the Basque country.

Guernica

The city became famous worldwide after the bombardment (in 1937) that was depicted by Pablo Picasso and became one of the well-known anti-war paintings. We saw the original painting in Madrid and wanted to see the rebuilt city. People tried to recreate the town based on pictures, and nothing besides monuments reminded me of that time. And since the Middle Ages, there have been the Tree of Guernica, under which the Basques were granted autonomy, and where since then, meetings important for the whole region have been held.

Accommodation in San Anton

I still fondly remember this place. The owners split the house into two parts, and guests live in one wing, so you feel like visiting your relatives. The house is almost in the forest, guaranteeing a calm and relaxing atmosphere.

Flysch Rocks

Flysch Rocks is a fantastic beach with a fascinating viewpoint that every traveller must visit. This trail is short but with an incredible view all path long. My husband also descended the rope and walked along a very unusual beach. I am sure you will be lucky and meet grazing cows and horses as we did.

San Sebastian

The city is very multifaceted, as it combines a rather luxurious, relaxed holiday with restaurants and expensive hotels. At the same time, on the beaches of San Sebastian, you can see many surfers conquering the waves. Of course, we tried the famous san sebastian cheesecake and were not disappointed. Unfortunately, we did not visit any of the 8 Michelin restaurants; however, we concluded that it is necessary to plan a trip there in advance.

We spent a New Year’s night and the 1st of January there, and unfortunately, everything was closed, even shops and restaurants. However, we had an excellent relaxing stroll in the old town and saw a fantastic hotel Maria Cristina where stayed such famous Hollywood stars like Elizabeth Taylor, Bette Davis, Woody Allen and Brad Pitt. In winter, the weather was beautiful there, as we watched swimming people, running dogs and brave surfers.

Hondarribia

It was a quick stop before Biarritz. The town is famous for its buildings of the 16th century that have been preserved on the main street.

Biarritz

As soon as we got to the hotel and walked around the city centre, we were overwhelmed by the magic of Biarritz. What is so special about this city is hard to figure out. But it is explicitly designed to enjoy life. We walked all over its centre, looked at the shop windows, had breakfast on the beach and wandered around the port.

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is the second most popular starting point for pilgrims of the Camino de Santiago, which is visited annually by about 33,000 pilgrims. The city is the centre of pilgrims who start their Camino and finish there.

Iglesia de San Salvador de Ibañeta

On the way to Pamplona, we stopped at the top of the pass, where a small church is located. It is now a landmark on the Camino Frances Way, which leads to Santiago de Compostela, and many pilgrims pass through it. From the top, you have a stunning view of the mountains. Be sure to stop there and listen to the silence.

Pamplona

Pamplona is one of the biggest cities we visited during our whole trip. The city is well-known for its annual festival San Fermin and 12 angry bulls chasing people through the streets. The festival lasts a week, and the bulls are released at 8 am every day for 3-4 minutes at maximum. Ernest Hemingway attended this festival and was inspired to write the novel The Sun Also Rises.

You might also like the city because of its vibrant centre and lots of entertainment at night.

Already in the morning, before leaving, we took a walk in The Citadel of Pamplona Park, which turned out to be very large, to our surprise.

Dolmen de Sorginetxe

This day we made a quick stop at an ancient dolmen. Interestingly, it is located in the middle of the field, and it is unknown who was buried under it. The name of the Dolmen consists of two words and means “house of witches”. There are both good and evil legends about this place. Some say that the stones were brought here by wicked witches to arrange sabbats here. Others say that the ancient characters of the Basque mythology, “lamia”, come here and comb their long golden hair.

Vitoria-Gasteiz

I saw a very graceful and elegant city, and it is considered one of the most beautiful and well-preserved in North of Spain. I recommend going up to the observation deck of the building Los Arquillos and watching the sunset overlooking the square in the evening.

Gorbeia Park

Oh, it was a fantastic adventure we will remember forever. We chose a hike of medium difficulty lasting three hours, at least it was indicated in the application. But if you don’t go hiking daily, expect time to double. Since there are few signs along the way, we advise you to follow the GPS and return to the path. It is also better to avoid coming in the evening, as the road to the hike and parking area is a single-lane road, which may not be very safe to drive in the dark.

The hike is a walk through the forest and a steep uphill climb to the main point - a giant stone Eye. After that, we devoted another hour to a hike to two hidden caves, and we advise you to go too. In the middle of the way, you will stumble upon a lodging for the night built to wait out the bad weather. At the end of the hike, there were any rocks and climbs, just a quiet stroll with a fantastic view of mountains that takes your breath away.

Vizcaya Bridge

Vizcaya Bridge is the oldest transport bridge in the world. It was built by a student of Gustave Eiffel in 1893. And by the way, the bridge is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and works almost non-stop. Along the top is a footbridge, and at the bottom is a gondola hanging from strings, holding cars and passengers and transporting them across the river. The bridge is very functional, allowing large ships to pass under it. At the same time, it is compact since extensive supports would not fit due to the proximity of houses.