Basque Country

A cultural region straddling northern Spain and southwestern France, famed for San Sebastián's food, Bilbao's Guggenheim and Biarritz's surf.

The Basque Country (Euskal Herria) is the cultural region traditionally inhabited by the Basque people, spanning Spain's Basque Autonomous Community, Navarre, and the western part of France's Pyrénées-Atlantiques department (the French Basque Country). This entry covers the cross-border region as visitors commonly understand it, not Spain's single autonomous community. Highlights: San Sebastián's shell-shaped beach, its Old Town pintxos bars and an extraordinary density of Michelin-starred restaurants; Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum and the Old Town's Seven Streets; Gaztelugatxe, a Game of Thrones filming location; the coastal towns of Zarautz and Getaria (home of txakoli white wine); on the French side, the surf resorts of Biarritz and Saint-Jean-de-Luz and the inland red-pepper village of Espelette. A classic route: 1–2 days in Bilbao, 2–3 days along the coast road to San Sebastián, then 1–2 days across the border in Biarritz and Saint-Jean-de-Luz, for 5–7 days in total; food lovers can add Pamplona (the Running of the Bulls in July) and the wineries of Rioja Alavesa. On transport: Euskotren and buses link Bilbao, San Sebastián and Hendaye, making border crossings easy; both Bilbao and Biarritz have airports. Road signs in Basque often appear alongside Spanish and French.

Destinations

• San Sebastián
• Bilbao
• Biarritz
• Pamplona

Itineraries

• French & Spanish Basque Coast Car-Free – Cross the border from Biarritz to San Sebastián and Bilbao, connecting the Basque coast by train and bus.
• Green Spain Coast-to-Coast Road Trip – Drive west from San Sebastián along the Bay of Biscay to Santiago de Compostela, connecting the coasts and mountains of…
• Basque & La Rioja Wine Country Loop – Starting and ending in Bilbao, this loop connects Vitoria-Gasteiz, Logroño, Haro wineries, and San Sebastián.
• Car-Free Bilbao & San Sebastián Tour – Connect the two major Basque cities by public transport to see the Guggenheim, an island hermitage, La Concha Bay, and…
• Across the Pyrenees to San Sebastián – Crossing the Pyrenean passes from Toulouse, through Lourdes to the Basque coast.
• Trans-Pyrenees Road Trip: Barcelona to San Sebastián – Drive from the Mediterranean to the Bay of Biscay, connecting Andorra, the Boí Valley, Ordesa, Irati, and the Basque Co…
• Navarre: Mountain Forests to Desert Loop – Head north from Pamplona to the Irati Beech Forest, then south to the Royal Palace of Olite and the Bardenas Reales.
• Camino Francés: Roncesvalles to Logroño 9-Day Trek – Walk from Roncesvalles to Logroño, covering about 140 km of the Camino de Santiago across Navarre in six stages.