Basquing in Walks and Wine Highlights of Spain and France’s Basque Region

The Basque region is in the northern central part of Spain along the Atlantic coast and extends into the Pyrenees mountains into southern France. Fly into Bilbao. It’s a quick commute from any of the major air hubs like Paris or Barcelona and will allow you to spend more time in the beautiful Basque countryside. (Make time to visit the Guggenheim museum on your way in or out!)

Rent a car so you can explore the charming smaller towns and trailheads. Driving is easy in Spain and GPS is your friend. Highways in the area are in excellent condition. Medieval city centers are a little more difficult to maneuver, but you can always find a place to park just outside.

The drive from Bilbao to San Sebastián is full of “ooos” and “ahs” at every turn. You hug the coast and can stop off at any time for a better view and photo ops.

One stop you must make is Getaria. Wander the cobblestone streets, walk out to the water and explore the churches. One must-do is to eat seafood while there! Elcano is a Michelin-starred restaurant where you can try the freshly caught grilled fish. If you can’t get in there, you can still enjoy this delicacy at one of the seaside restaurants. Txacoli wine is from this area and you must sample it while there. Gaintza Txacolina is an excellent winery to tour in the area.

There are several hikes starting in Getaria. Most of the loop hikes are around six miles long and have fabulous sea views. For a shorter hike, walk out to the Mirador, which is a small peninsula visible from the village.

Continue your drive for another 30 minutes to San Sebastián. Stay at least three nights if you can. The setting along the ocean is gorgeous. The hikes around the town will take you on parts of the famous Camino de Santiago trail. Definitely climb to the top of the Monte Urgil, which is a 2-mile trek and have a beer at the restaurant overlooking the city and the sea below. It’s also fun exploring the Military Fortress from the 12th century as well as the English cemetery.

You are in for a treat at night. San Sebastián is considered one of the top food destinations in the world. Wander through the beautiful streets and sample the pinxtos (Basque tapas). Each restaurant has its own specialty. Point to what you like that is displayed on their bar. Eat what you want and your tab will be calculated by the number of plates or toothpicks when you are done!

The next stop is the Rioja region for world-class wine tasting. There are many picturesque villages where you can walk to wineries. Some of the best small towns are Haro, Etziego, LaGuardia and Briones. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit the Hotel Marques de Riscal. The view of the modern architecture compared to the medieval backgrounds is enough of a reason to visit alone. If you aren’t able to stay there, you can make a reservation to dine and one of their restaurants.

Departing Rioja, head to a very different landscape. Wind up to the Pyrenees mountains and cross into France. The Santiago trail runs through the beautiful village of Saint Jean Pied de Port, and there are many trailheads here for hikes. We stayed in the lovely small town of St. Etienne de Baigorry, where we could wander the cobblestone streets, tour wineries and chocolateries, as well as hike up the mountain beside a babbling brook!

On the way back to Balbao, drive the coastal route and stop in the French village of Saint-Jean-de-Luz on the French side and Hondarribia, just over the Spanish border. We had one of our best meals of the trip there!