A Basic Guide to the Basque Country
Background
The Basque Country, known in the local Basque language as Euskal Herria or, in its political region Euskadi, is the "Land of the Basque speakers". With mountains and coastline, Basque culture is both isolated and international, being fishers and shepherds. Shepherds and farmers have raised sheep renowned for Basque cheeses such as the famed Idiazabal and have grown grapes used to make the traditional white wine known as "txakoli". While having contact with other European conquerors such as the Romans, who exploited the mountains for iron, and the Castilians who exploited the Basques' superior shipmaking skills and knowledge of North Atlantic fishing and whaling waters, they were never truly "conquered", allowing their language, one of the oldest and most mysterious in Europe with no known connection to the Indo-European language family, to survive.
They had an ancient form of democracy known as "fueros", where representatives would meet under the Oak of Gernika to set and enforce laws, and were early capitalists, trading in salt cod, shipbuilding, iron, and whales since the Middle Ages with other groups such as the Vikings. This form of government partially inspired John Adams, one of the US Founding Fathers, in its nascent government. The Basque Country is one of the wealthiest regions in the EU, generating a GDP on par with some countries on their own thanks to the industry that was developed in the 19th century and the 1960s, and Basque cuisine has become one of the most famous and renowned around the world.
Bizkaia
🌉 Possibly the most famous museum in all of Spain (despite not being the most visited), it opened in 1997 and reached 1 million visitors within one year. Designed by Canadian-American architect Frank O. Gehry, locals considered it a fool's errand when Bilbao put its name in the hat to host a Guggenheim Museum. However, the money spent to get considered and then build the museum was soon recouped and led to the development of the entire region as a tourist hub. Even without entering the building itself, it's worth a visit just to enjoy the architecture from the outside.
🌉 Bilbao's answer to Barcelona's Mercat de la Boqueria, this is the perfect place to sample local pintxos (Basque tapas) and other foods, and purchase groceries for yourself!
🌉 Designed by renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and installed in 1996, it's the perfect way to explore both sides of the Nervión River that divides the city near the Guggenheim.
🌉 Zazpikaleak, "Siete Calles" ("Seven Streets") in Spanish, is the old section of Bilbao. It's a relatively new city by Spanish standards, being founded in 1300 by Spanish noble Don Diego López de Haro. This neighborhood also has some of the best restaurants in the entire Basque Country!
🌉 Ready for some of the best views of Bilbao? Take the cable car up to this park and take in the panoramic views of the entire city! Grab a bite to eat at some of the restaurants up here with a glass of txakoli, Basque wine!
🌉 This 19th-century bridge in the municipality of Getxo is one of the largest existing transporter bridges in the world. Go up to the top for privileged views of the Getxo port and cross to the other side into Portugalete for some amazing churros and a beautiful walk into the fishing town of Santurtzi.
🌉 "Game of Thrones" fans will immediately recognize this islet as being the setting for Dragonstone in the series. It's a beautiful peninsula with a tiny church at the top of the stairs dedicated by and to Basque fishermen, and if you ring the bell three times, you'll either be granted a wish or the love of your life depending on which legend you believe.
🌉 This beautiful natural park out in the mountains is perfect for hiking. Basque mountains are truly out-of-this-world with their beauty and immensity, and this park is also special due to its connection to Basque mythology.
🌉 This beech forest is renowned for its density, and is especially beautiful in autumn when the leaves turn color, but is truly spectacular any time of year.
🌉 This ancient fishing town played a crucial role in Basque maritime history. The port is truly spectacular, and the tiny buildings on the seafront are truly beautiful. Grab a bite from any of them and be treated to some of the best, freshest fish and seafood you can dream of!
🌉 This town (pronounced ger-NEE-kah and not GWER-nick-uh) was famously bombed during the Spanish Civil War in April 1937 and immortalized by Picasso for its destruction. All but the famous Gernika Oak Tree, where leaders in medieval times would get together to discuss the laws and legislation of the Basque Country (reportedly inspiring US President John Adams' view on democracy by and for the people), and the Santa Ana Church were destroyed, not to mention the human casualties. Definitely check out the Peace Museum, dedicated to the bombings, and the Casa de Juntas with the trunk of the oak tree that survived the bombings and one of its descendants.
Gipuzkoa
This province is currently the Basque cultural center, as a greater proportion of residents are Basque-speaking than any of its neighbors. The most famous city is San Sebastián, or "Donosti" to Basques, but it also has immense amounts of natural beauty just outside the city.
🐟 Consistently ranked as one of the world's best urban beaches, it's a must-see for your visit to the city! It's called "La Concha", or "the shell" due to its circular shape resembling a scallop shell.
🐟 The central square for the old city of Donosti, it's surrounded by some of the best restaurants to try out Basque food without breaking the bank as these are the restaurants that are most likely to be frequented by locals (who often don't have 3-Michelin-Star money).
🐟 This mountain in the Goierri ("highlands") of Gipuzkoa is perfect for hiking and exploring the countryside and getting a taste of the Basque experience.
Álava/Araba
This province features the Basque administrative capital of Vitoria-Gasteiz, but is culturally the "least" Basque of the three provinces of the Spanish region of Euskadi or "País Vasco" and has more in common geographically with areas further south such as Burgos, but also happens to be the home of one of Spain's foremost winemaking regions: the Rioja Alavesa (the sister region of Rioja wines).
🍇 Located right in the center of Vitoria's old city, the renovations on the cathedral in the early 2000s helped inspire Ken Follett to write his most famous book "Pillars of the Earth".
🍇 This small town located at the very south of the province is essentially the capital of the Rioja Alavesa winemaking region. There are wineries dotted all throughout the outskirts of the town that produce some of the best wines in Spain.
🍇 Straddling the provinces of Bizkaia and Álava, this park features the tallest mountain in the Basque Country and some of the best hiking and natural beauty in the region. Hike up to the top, or don't, but either way, enjoy some of the best scenery the Basque Country has to offer!
Delve Deeper
Check out some of my other guides to help inspire your trip to the Basque Country!
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