Taking a trip to the Basque Country? Congrats for seeking to discover one of the most incredible regions of Spain that continues to fly under the radar compared to some other parts of the country.
There are lots of amazing places to visit in the Basque Country, but I will highlight some of the most breathtaking sites on or near the coast in this article here from my travels in the region.
The Basque Country is Spain’s most rugged coast, with amazing surfing waves, rock formations, and cliffs coated in lush green vegetation due to the area’s regular precipitation. It’s so worth spending some time in this area – but first, a few things to know!
Things to Know Before Visiting the Basque Country
The first thing that strikes you about the Basque Country is the lush greenery and bright carpet of grass covering nearly everything (or, at least, that’s what struck me)! If you come from central Spain in the summer (where everything is hot and dead), this is a welcome sight especially contrasted with the layered flysh rocks of the coast.
The temperature in Basque is always lower than most of Spain and generally stays under 30 (or even under 25) even in the peak part of summer. It’s known as the ‘Seattle of Spain’ due to the lower temperatures and frequent rain.
One of my favorite facts about the Basque Country is that there are more Michelin-starred restaurants in San Sebastian per capita than anywhere else in the world! The good food is not only in San Seb, however – it’s all over the region.
The Basque Country is known for the small, bite-sized snacks called pintxos that you can buy for a few euros each at abundant pintxo bars – a tour of which is a MUST while visiting (more on that below). The region is famous for a lightly sparkling white wine called txakoli.
People from the Basque Region are known for being very active and outdoorsy (and also very proud of their home)! I was told that every Basque has a hobby from the likes of cycling, hiking, climbing, swimming, and more.
There’s also a rich history in this region. There’s proof of settlements from Prehistoric times to Ancient Roman ruins, and lots more to learn. There are a few locations where Game of Thrones was filmed around here, which excites many visitors. A fun fact I loved is that the Basque Language is one fo the oldest in the world.
Check out my top Spain travel tips before you go! And now after a brief intro, here are the BEST places to visit in Basque Country (in no particular order).
San Sebastián
San Sebastián, or Donostia as it is known by locals, is widely known as one of the most beautiful beach towns with equally incredible food. San Sebastian is very French-influenced (it is actually only about 30 minutes from France) and is considered quite posh as well.
It has more Michelin-starred restaurants per square meter than anywhere else in the world, and its cuisine is truly delicious and creative, from pintxos to beyond. Gastronomy is very important here; many local chefs have studied in Paris, and there’s also a chef school here.
The most popular “must-do” activity in San Sebastian is to do a pintxos tour. This is the pintxos tour I did and I learned so much about the region, popular foods, and beyond… and ate and drank amazingly!
There are three main hills and three main beaches here, and the views you can get between all of them are simply out-of-this-world! This is a wonderful starting (or ending) point to an adventure along the Basque Coast.
Zarautz
Zarautz is less than 30 minutes away from San Sebastian, and truly captures the essence of a small Basque surf town. What used to be a small town of whalers is now one of the most popular surf beaches in the region; you can rent surfboards and hire instructors to help you learn.
Zarautz is one of the longest beaches in all of Euskadi, and has plenty to do even when you aren’t surfing. You can hike or drive up to some epic viewpoints (like Talai Mendi), explore historic sites (or grab some pintxos and drinks) in the town, or visit wineries in the area (see below)!
Getaria
Not far from Zarautz, Getaria is one of the most amazing places to visit on the Basque Coast as it’s a very traditional fishing village from the Medieval times (and also the hometown of famous explorerJuan Sebastián Elcano)!
The cuisine from this tiny peninsula is simply incredible, and it’s delightful to explore the small town. But it won’t take you very long! Located in the hills above Getaria are some of the region’s best wineries, producing the deliciously lightly sparkling Basque wine called Txakoli (pronounced like shah-koh-lee).
If you ask me, you should head up to the absolutely gorgeous Txakoli Ameztoi Bodega for a tour of their vineyard/winery and a tasting including 3 different kinds of txakoli with an EPIC view. It’s worth touring a winery here because the style of winemaking is completely different here due to the climate. Just look how tall those vines are!
For a tour to see Getaria, a txakoli winery, and a viewpoint overlooking Zarautz (seeing it all in half a day), check out this top-rated tour very similar to the one I did (but without surfing)!
Gaztelugatxe
Gaztelugatxe is defintiely one of the mot scenic places in Spain! It’s a small islet off the coast (about 45 minutes from Bilbao) with two natural rock arches and a medieval stone pathway leading to a hilltop church (with even more jaw-dropping views).
It’s best reachable via private transport or a tour from Bilbao. A tour might be more recommended because, as Gastelugatxe is part of a protected biosphere, you must register far in advance to come here because they only let a certain number of people inside each day.
It’s a tough hike but one of the most memorable places to visit in the Basque Country (and a GOT filming location, too)! Check my video below for more info on this epic site.
Gorliz
Gorliz is a small beach town not too far outside of Bilbao. While there’s not TONS to do here besides appreciate the beautiful beach and coastal rock formations, I think that, like Zarautz, Gorliz represents the quintessential Basque Coastal town.
It’s small but very outdoorsy, friendly, and picturesque. When I visited, it was raining hard and quite cold, but there were dozens of people walking around in wetsuits (with music blasting from a makeshift stage)
for what was about to be an open-water swimming competition. Nothing stops the Basques from their outdoor activities!
Gorliz also has a rich history from the year 1299, a Merino wool industry, lots of hiking trails and viewpoints (Check out Mirador de Isaure or the Faro de Gorliz Lighthouse), a quaint small town, a beach boardwalk, and access to another small town next door, Plentzia.
Plentzia
Directly next door to Gorliz, Plentzia is another cute small town less on the beach and more on an Estuary. It’s also super outdoorsy (after we passed the swimming race in Gorliz, we passed tons of kids doing kayak races and carrying SUP boards in here from the bay). I love the active energy here!
Plentzia is one of the cutest old towns I have seen in the Basque Country, with lots of outdoor spaces. There are some beautiful hidden coves around the cosatline here and even a captain academy (where people train to become certified boat captains). Make sure to check out the Underwater Winery (they actually age wine underwater on a boat) and enjoy a walk along the river.
Bermeo
Bermeo is a slightly bigger but still small town with roots from the 11th century (it was actually the Baque capital far before Bilbao)! That makes it one of the oldest settlements in the region, and if I do say so myself, one of the most picturesque too!
The beautiful old town is on a hill, allowing amazing views from within the town and also from other vantage points surrounding it. The architecture is colorful and classic, and the harbor is worth checking out too.
Ururdaibai Biosphere Reserve
The Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve is an absolutely massive 22,000-hectare nature reserve centered around an estuary on the central Basque Coast. It encompasses the estuary itself (teeming with plant and animal life), some beaches, some amazing inland hillas and viewpoints, and quite a few of the towns on this list as well. There’s even a bird sanctuary here!
One of the best ways to enjoy the Urdaibai Reserve is by renting a kayak and exploring on the water. You can rent from UR Urdaibai and spend some time exploring the crystal blue water and Basque views.
Mundaka
Mundaka is a gorgeous town on the beginning of the estuary within the Urdaibai reserve. It’s known for swimming and also a very famous surf break. One of the best left-hand waves in Europe actually happens right at the beginning of the estuary! When we were here it was quite small and manageable, but apparently it gets a log bigger in the winter.
Mundaka is a small town but surely one of the most charming on this whole list of places to visit on the Basque coast! There’s a small and scenic herbor next to an outdoor park with a wonderful vibe and view —the kind where locals and visitors alike sit outside (whether on the grass or on restaurant patios), laughing and chatting into the evening while watching the sunset and the surfers.
Bilbao
Bilbao is the capital of the Biscay Province and the largest city in the Basque Country (although it’s merely the 10th largest in Spain). It’s not really a coastal city; it’s on the Nervion River which eventually leads to the sea. It’s got great public transport and is easy to get around.
Although a newer city compared to some on this list, Bilbao has a deep history to learn about, lots of attractions to see, amazing architecture, and fantastic food options. The city has roots from the 1300s, but the metropolitan area only recently expanded from the 20th century when Bilbao was purely working class.
The old town is bustling and beautiful, with colorful buildings housing what seems like infinite amounts of pintxos bars and amazing restaurants. I highly recommend doing this pintxos tour in Bilbao (my favorite pintxos in all of Basque are from Cafe Bar Bilbao). If you get another night, try the many-time Michelin-recommended restaurant Los Fueros and do their tasting menu.
Bilbao is perhaps the most famous for the Guggenheim Museum on the river shore, which many travel from far to see. People also love doing boat trips along the river, visiting the incredible Vizcaya Bridge, exploring old town, the Ribera Market, viewpoints, and more historic churches, plazas, and museums.
San Pedro de Atxarre
For outdoor enthusiasts, one of the mot epic places to visit in the Basque Country for amazing coastal views is San Pedro de Atxarre – but you have to work for it! And, by ‘work for it,’ I mean walk up a fairly large hill to reach an EPIC viewpoint looking out over the Urdaibai Estuary and Mundaka (along with its famous surf break).
This viewpoint offers a truly panoramic view from the open sea to the beginning of the estuary to the marshland, making the view interesting in every direction. Relax at a more recent 19th century church at the top while catching your breath and taking tons of photos!
The Oma Forest is yet another Basque Country destination that requires some work to get to, but is extremely worthwhile! A 3km hike will take you to this epic painted forest full of painted trees that play with perspective. You walk around a looped trail with arrows on the ground that, when stood on, align a picture painted on multiple trees, often far away from one another.
The artist, Augustin Ibarrola, brought art from the museum into nature with this idea. He actually started on the forest in the 80’s, but unfortunately it was not private land and the trees got sick and stolen, and the forest didn’t last. But, his forest was so treasured the government paid for it to be recreated in this location in the biosphere reserve. You must now register to visit this amazing place!
There are a lot of themes in the work from the life cycle from child to adult, always being watched (hence all the eyes) and more. I have never seen something so creative, impressive, and cool!
Laga Beach
This is definitely one of the best beaches in the Basque Country for waves, swimming, AND views! And, for one of the best views on the Basque Coast where you can see 3-4 different points on this list from ONE place, try the hike to “Ogoño Talaia Gailurra” and enjoy an epic vantage point.
Guernica
Guernica is another smaller Basque town a bit farther inland that is best known for a few reasons. Firstly, for the 1937 Spanish Civil War bombing that leveled 85% of the city, and secondly, by the famous Picasso painting of the same name that was inspired by the chaos of those bombings. Nowadays, you can visit a tile replica of Picasso’s ‘Guernica’ as a mural overlooking town.
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Passionate, full-time travel blogger with over 230k on social media and 150kMPV blog. Extraordinary photographer with two DSLR's + a drone with a love for capturing candid moments, epic drone shots, and magical compositions. I'm a natural-born content creator originally from California, but I've been on the road for 9 years living, working, traveling, blogging, and photographing my way around the world. I recommend the most amazingly adventurous and unique + boutique travel experiences/stays and helpful products to my audience and write comprehensive guides on my website that have helped millions of travelers so far. I love to inspire people to plan their dream trips, and many readers have given feedback as such. The reach on my platforms continues to soar, especially when combining cutting-edge social content with optimized articles on my high-authority website.