In the northeast of Spain, the Basque Country, otherwise known as Euskadi, occupies a special place. Rich in its strong identity and unique culture, marked by a language like no other, the Basque autonomous community is a multifaceted destination. By exploring this territory, the traveler goes to meet dynamic and avant-garde cities, authentic fishing villages, but also of beautiful nature, between beaches and mountains. Peregrinations that are also an opportunity to taste the flavors of local cuisine and the famous wines of Rioja Alavesa. The Basque Country is, moreover, very easy to access from France, there is no reason to deprive yourself of discovering it without any moderation.

San Sebastian

Open on La Concha bay, between Mount Igueldo and the island of Santa Clara, San Sebastian, aka Donostia-San Sebastián, cultivates a very attractive lifestyle. At the foot of Mount Urgull, it is good to walk in the lively alleys of the old town, where there are successive shops, gourmet restaurants (the city has three restaurants with 3 stars, a record in Europe) and pintxos bars , Basque tapas. San Sebastian has also been elected “world capital of pintxos”

There are also provisions for beautiful buildings, such as the Basilica of Santa María del Coro, the Church of San Vicente or the San Telmo Museum, housed in a former convent. Finally, do not miss a stop at one of the terraces of the Plaza de la Constitución, whose colorful facades still bear numbers reminiscent of the time when it was used as a bullfighting arena.

After which, you can reach the Paseo de La Concha, which runs along the large eponymous beach, bordered by the London hotel, the Miramar palace and the large spa center of La Perla. Designated European Capital of Culture 2016, the beautiful capital of Guipúzcoa organized this year more than 400 events (exhibitions, concerts, theater, dance, gastronomy and literature).

Bilbao

Things are also changing in Bilbao, which has not finished its transformation since the late 1980s, going from the status of an industrial city to that of a city at the forefront of design.

All the big names in contemporary architecture seem to have met here. There is, of course Frank Gehry, who designed the famous Guggenheim museum , but also Norman Foster (the metro), Arata Isozaki (the twin towers of Isozaki Atea), Santiago Calatrava (the Zubizuri footbridge, pier on the Ría) or César Pelli (the Iberdrola tower).

However, the city has not given up on its historical heritage. In the Casco Viejo, the old town, you can admire the Gothic cathedral of Santiago and the churches of San Nicolás, Santos Juanes and San Antón. Among the must-sees are also the Bidebarrieta Library, John’s Palace and the Arriaga Theater. And, to stock up on local products, go to the largest covered market in Europe, that of Ribera, in Art Deco style.

Finally, here, as everywhere in the Basque Country, we are good living, conviviality being the watchword. And as soon as the opportunity arises, we meet up with friends to nibble on pintxos and indulge in txikiteo, the art of strolling in good company to taste wine Basque, that goes without saying.

Vitoria-Gasteiz

Finally, towards the hinterland, to discover Vitoria-Gasteiz, which, not content with being the seat of the Basque Parliament, is also the greenest city in the Community.

Rich in many natural spaces, it is surrounded by a green belt: 6 large parks, which can be explored on foot or by bicycle. That of Salburua, with its lagoons, is on the migratory route of migratory birds, and attracts birdwatchers.

But the attraction of Vitoria Gasteiz also lies in its cultural riches. The Casco Antigo, Old Town, retained the almond shape it had when it was founded, there are eight centuries, hence the name of medieval Almond. You can admire the Gothic cathedral Santa María, but also fabulous Renaissance palaces.

We also taste the sweetness of life, gastronomy being, again, in the spotlight. Do not hesitate to embark on the “Tapas Route”, to enjoy pintxos, accompanied by a glass of wine from the neighboring Rioja Alavesa, or artisanal cider from Guipúzcoa.

100% Basque villages

Along the coast, there are authentic villages full of charm, where the Basque identity is fully expressed. If today, the whale is no longer on the menu for outings in the Cantabrian Sea, fishing remains a very lively activity.

Half an hour’s drive west of San Sebastian, the medieval village of Getaria, surrounded by walls and clinging to the mountainside, is particularly picturesque. He was born in the 15 th century, the navigator Juan Sebastián Elcano, whose memory is celebrated every August 7 at traditional festivals. The other great figure of the place is the fashion designer Cristóbal Balenciaga, born here in 1895. A beautiful museum is dedicated to him.

At the option of the small alleys, we discover the Gothic church of San Salvador, before arriving at the port, where we taste an ultra-fresh fish: sardines, sea bream or horse mackerel (txitxarro). Among the Basque specialties that should not be resisted, there are txipirones, calamari, delicious grilled a la plancha, or even kokotxas, fish cheeks.

For a perfect match, accompany these dishes with a glass of txakoli, a fresh white wine, produced in particular in Getaria and Bakio. Fans of seaside pleasures will also find something to satisfy their hedonism on the superb beaches of Malkorbe and Gaztetape.

About fifty kilometers further west, the fishing village of Lekeitio is also backed by a mountain. While traversing the lanes of this pretty borough, one discovers the basilica of the Asunción of Santa María, which conceals an altarpiece decorated with gold considered as the third largest of Spain, but also the palaces of Uriarte, of Oxangoiti, of Uribarri and Abaroa. There is no shortage of beautiful panoramas here, especially if you take a short hike from Isuntza beach. From the San Juan Talako hermitage, you also have a superb view of the Biscay coast.

Even further west, we stay in the maritime atmosphere in Bermeo, a village of character that was once fortified. From its ancient walls, remains the arch of San Juan, and in the old quarter, there still stands the Gothic tower of Ercilla, which seems to watch over the old port and now houses the Fisherman’s museum. Do not hesitate to enter the neoclassical church of Santa María, with Doric columns, and that of Santa Eufemia, in Gothic style. From Bermeo, it is not difficult to reach Bilbao, just half an hour away.

On the wine route, we taste

The city of Vitoria Gasteiz is the ideal starting point for exploring the Rioja Alavesa, which enjoys a microclimate and whose situation, between the Ebro and the Cantabrian Sea, is ideal for the flowering of the vines.

There is no shortage of opportunities to taste nectars from the prestigious Rioja appellation in the cellars that line this wine tourism route. And if you are not motorized, do not panic! You can discover the Rioja Alavesa aboard the Oenobus, which links the cities of Eibar, Bergara, Arrasate-Mondragón, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Bilbao and Laguardia.

Beyond the pleasure of tasting, visiting the cellars is also an opportunity to learn the secrets of the development of these exceptional wines. Knowledge that we also discover at the Laguardia Wine Museum, a beautiful medieval village, as are those of Samaniego, Elciego and Labastida, also linked to wine culture for centuries.

But do not imagine that the province of Alava lives in the past. Here, as in Bilbao or San Sebastian, history and tradition coexist with modernity, the medieval cellars next to the most avant-garde cellars, designed by renowned architects. Among these are the Bodegas Ysios, by Santiago Calatrava, the Ciudad del Vino complex, by Frank O. Gehry for Marqués de Riscal, or the Bodegas Baigorri, by Iñaki Aspiazu Iza.

And for the immersion to be complete, do not hesitate to go to sleep in the middle of the vineyards, in old cellars transformed into hotels. And why not even initiate yourself to vinotherapy in a spa?

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