A holiday guide to The Basque country in Spain |
| The Basque people are arguably the most famous ethic minority in Europe. A small nation split between France and Spain, they stubbornly clung to their language of Euskera throughout Franco's nationalist dictatorship and continue to celebrate their unique identity to this day. Technically the Basque Country also includes the Spanish region of Navarra, but traditionally the term refers to the provinces of Alava, Biscay and Guipuscoa. Located in the misty northwest of Spain, it is a land of green mountains and colourful fishing villages, endowed with some of the best gastronomic tourism in Europe.
Oenophiles should enjoy the countryside around Vitoria-Gasteiz, in Alava province, as it is home to one of the finest wine-producing regions in the world. Sharing the banks of the Ebro with the better-known region of La Rioja and nestled in the foothills of the Pyrenees, Alava's countryside is one of rolling hills and vineyards, and the wines serve as an excellent accompaniment to fine Basque roasts and seafood. San Sebastian, on the other hand, is the setting for one of Europe's finest urban beaches, La Concha. Across town is another outstanding beach, although in this case for surfers, La Zurriola. San Sebastian is also a stylish city, and a choice place for the image-conscious to go shopping. Food in the Basque Country is driven by the bounty of the Ebro Valley on the one side, and the sea on the other. The Basque have their own version of tapas, called pinchos, which typically consists of snack-sized bites of bread with something pinned to it by a toothpick ("pincho"). This could be anything from ham to anchovies to roasted peppers. Seafood dishes include the fish stew Marmitako, made with potatoes, onions, peppers and tomatoes, and the ever-popular bacalao. The Basques are also fond of grilled and roasted meats. The Basque Country is known for the dry Txakoli white wine and a wine-like cider, and produces sheep's milk cheeses like Ossau-Iraty and Idiazábal. After partaking of all the yummy snacks and fine dining the Basque Country has to offer, a good way to work off the calories is with some cross-country hiking. There is a network of old walking paths and cobblestoned Roman roads that run from Zumaya to San Sebastian, and over the Pyrenees into France. Avid hikers can set out from one corner of the Basque Country to the other, staying in village inns and city hotels the entire way. The main airport in the Basque Country is at Bilbao, which is connected to London by Easy Jet, Madrid and Barcelona by Spanish carriers, and to other points in Europe. There are also airports with service to the UK and Ireland in Biarritz and Vitoria-Gasteiz. |
| Hotel accommodation in Bilbao can be found HERE |
| Hotel accommodation in San Sebastian can be found HERE |
| Hotel accommodation in Pamplona can be found HERE |
| Hotel accommodation in Vitoria can be found HERE |
| Tours in the Basque Country |
Camino de Santiago Tour from Bilbao Independently Walking with support of a Driver Guide
Camino de Santiago Tour from Bilbao by Self Drive and Independently Walking with some guides and meals
Deluxe Art and Nature of Green Spain Tour
Deluxe Art and Nature of Green Spain Tour by Self Drive with some meals
Cooking Class in San Sebastian (Traditional Cuisine)
Tapa tour in San Sebastian
Bilbao Guggenheim Museum Artistic Tour
Bilbao Guggenheim Museum Old Quarter and Panoramic City Tour
Wine Roads and Historic sites of La Rioja
The Basque Coast and Txakoli Winery Tour
Basque Cuisine and the Cantabrian Coast
Short Break Basque Cuisine Cooking Tour
Private Driver Chauffeur Car Service and Transfers in the Basque Country
Bilbao Weekend City Break and Guggenheim Artistic Tour
Cooking Class in San Sebastian (Avant-garde Cuisine)
Green Spain Group Tour from Madrid
Highlights of Northern Spain Group Bus Tour from Madrid
Northern Spain and Portugal Coach Tour from Madrid
Green Spain Group Tour from Barcelona
Highlights of Northern Spain Group Bus Tour from Barcelona
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Bilbao is the largest city in the Basque Country. It is the home of Frank Gehry's celebrated Guggenheim Museum, but also of four excellent examples of 15th and 16th Century Gothic cathedrals. The capital, on the other hand is in Vitoria-Gasteiz. The political centre of the Basque Country has an ancient core or narrow, winding streets that still bear their medieval names. Lovers of medieval architecture, however, should head directly for the well-preserved walled fishing town of Hondarribia.
