The Basque Country
Ah the land of my ex-girlfriend, a place I always dreamed of as some make believe part of Spain and France given that I never heard of the Basque Country before meeting her. She always told me it was her home, and I never understood why, but after spending a few days between San Sebastián and Bilbao, I felt at home in this beautiful part of Europe.
The main cities of the Basque Country are San Sebastian and Bilbao in Spain, and Bayonne and Biarritz in France. I only visited the Spanish region, which is known as one of, if not the best, regions in the entire world when it comes to cuisine. San Sebastian has one of the highest densities of Michelin starred restaurants in the world, and it was easy to see why. The city is almost centered around food where people celebrate the art of cooking. We originally flew in to San Sebastian (after getting our flight cancelled then our next flight re-routed to Bilbao, then re-routed again to Santander), so I'll start this blog with that.
Where to eat: Literally anywhere
Sorry for the vagueness of this recommendation but its true. Any tapas bar will have the best food you've ever had. It's almost ridiculous. I just ate lunch and am drooling while writing this. The seafood and meat are simply unparalleled, as are the drinks-wine, sidra (will get to this in a second), and beer.
Where to go to feel like you're in the Caribbean: Any beach
This is also quite vague, but also true. The beaches of San Sebastian are surprisingly beautiful, complete with expansive, soft sand to go with clear blue water. Thanks to the geography of the region, the water is calm most of the time and the views are stunning.
Where to go to see the entire city, and basically the whole Basque Country: Monte Urgull
Take the thirty minute trek to the top of this hill and be rewarded with fantastic views, as well as some interesting monuments and castle architecture.
Where to go to feel like you're in Game of Thrones: Zumaia
The home of Dragonstone (if you know, you know) is filmed here, and it is easy to see why. Dramatic cliffs and stunning rock formations make this beach thirty minutes west of San Sebastian one of the most interesting and beautiful in the world-hence why it’s the home of Khaleesi.
Where to go to get smashed by waves: Peine del Viento
This man-made blowhole at the tip of San Sebastian's boardwalk offers a great way to watch mother nature at her best, as the waves smash against the sea walls and through the blowholes, making for an entertaining hour or so.
Where to go to see some of the best modern sculptures: Otieza
Located about an hour from San Sebastian (the drive is stunning so it's a part of the experience), this stunning museum in Alzuza is an architectural gem which houses some of the best work from legendary sculptor Jorge Otieza. IF you're an art or architecture fanatic, this museum is a must.
Where to go to pretend you're in the running of the bulls: Pamplona
Also about an hour from San Sebastian, Pamplona is home to the legendary Run of the Bulls in Spain. This is the city's identity, as you'll find memorabilia almost everywhere showcasing the city's pride in this absurd and infamous event.
Where to go to get drunk, have fun, and eat good: Petritegi
This is called a Sidraria, and I HIGHLY recommend going to one while in Spain, especially the Basque Country. You pay $29, and get an absurd amount of food from a set menu (sausages, cod omlette [cod is huge in this region], steak and chestnuts) as well as unlimited Sidra. Unlimited. And the way it works is as fun as it gets. Basically you go to a back room when someone finishes their drink and yells a Basque phrase (Basque language is super super weird for the record), and fill up your cup yourself from a massive barrel. But this is no normal tap. Not at all. With the taps of Sidra, you have to master the art of pouring your drink. You have to start from basically the floor and quickly move your glass up to the nozzle, then turn off the nozzle as soon as the glass is just less than half full. It's an experience, and the fact that the food is great and brains are sloshed makes it that much more memorable (kind of).
Where to go to get an introduction into the city's world-renowned cuisine scene: San Martin
This was the first place we stopped, and should be for everyone visiting San Sebastian. The place has a little bit of everything when it comes to food, and the cheap prices and small portions will let you try everything and get a general understanding of what the food is like in San Sebastian (spoiler alert: it's good).
Then we took a day trip out to Bilbao, which was especially exciting for me as I have always wanted to visit the city for it is the home of one of the best architectural works in the world: the Guggenheim Bilbao.
Where to go to see the world's best art in one of the world's best art museum: Guggenheim Bilbao
This building lives up to its hype and then some. Jeff Koons welcomes you to the museum with a massive sculpture of a dog made out of flowers, and Serra introduces you to the interior of the museum with his iconic planar pieces of massive, interactive art work. The most famous artists in the world show their art in this museum, and the space itself is an architectural gem, as it is one of Frank Gehry's most well-done.
Other than the Guggenheim, Bilbao is home to some fantastic architecture. The city government used the best architects in the world to revive the city, and they have done so brilliantly. Walk across the Santiago Calatrava bridge, ride through the Norman Foster subways or explore Frank Gehry's art museum. It's a great city that's easily doable in a day but just as easily able to be extended to several.
The Basque Country in general will hook you. There is no faulting anything here. Sure, it's on the smaller side and not necessarily the most efficient, but the food is the best in the world, the views are breathtaking, and the people are much more laid back than the rest of the country. And the girls, from experience, are fantastic.