• Provinces
• Cities
• Other destina...
• Talk
• Get around
• See
• Do
• Eat
• Drink
• Stay Safe
• Get out

The Basque Country (Basque: Euskadi) is a region at the north of Spain, bordering the Atlantic Ocean and France. It is defined formally as an autonomous community of three provinces within Spain, and culturally including a fourth province and a small portion of France.

Basque Country is one of the world's top gastronomic destinations, with key gourmet centers in San Sebastian, Hondarribia and Bilbao.

[edit] Provinces

The following Spanish provinces make up the autonomous community of Pais Vasco:

• Alava (Basque: Araba), capital Vitoria-Gasteiz (Basque: Gasteiz).
• Guipuzcoa (Basque: Gipuzkoa), capital San Sebastián (Basque: Donostia).
• Vizcaya (Basque: Bizkaia), capital Bilbao (Basque: Bilbo).

Culturally, Basque Country also includes the Spanish province of Navarra (Basque: Nafarroa), and the French territories of Labord (Basque: Lapurdi), French Navarra (Basque: Behenafarroa), and Soule (Basque: Zuberoa).

[edit] Cities

• Bilbao (Vizcaya)
• Vitoria-Gasteiz
• San Sebastian (Guipuzcoa)
• Hondarribia (Guipuzcoa)

[edit] Other destinations

[edit] Understand

[edit] History

Under the Franco regime all languages other than Castillian Spanish were severely restricted. The Spanish constitution of 1978 established the provinces of Araba, Gipuzkoa, and Bizkaia as the Basque Autonomous Region. The Basque Autonomous Region (Communidad Autonoma Vasca) has a great deal of autonomy from the national government (including the autonomy to recognize Euskera as an official language of the region) but this has not satisfied all factions of the Basque community. The Basque people have had a stormy relationship with the nation of Spain, and for decades there had been incidents of violence made in the name of self-determination and/or independence. The ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna -the Basque terrorist organization) announced a permenant ceasefire effective at the end of March of 2006. The ETA finally decided to a stand again, but killing two people in 2007 with a car bomb.

[edit] Talk

The native language of the region is Basque (euskara). Spanish is widely spoken, but you'll also see signs in Basque. From the region's location, you might expect this language to be a blend of Spanish and French, but it's actually unrelated to either of them... or any other known language, having developed in relative isolation from neighboring peoples.

See also: Basque phrasebook

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

• Bilbo-Bilbao: Loiu airport [1] is the largest in Basque Country, with a stunning terminal building designed by Santiago Calatrava. It has cheap flights with Easyjet to London and with Vueling to Barcelona and Malaga. There are many connections to other European cities with another companies as Iberia, Lufthansa, Bruxelles Airlines.
• Gasteiz-Vitoria: Foronda airport has cheap flights with Ryanair from Dublin and London(Stansted)
• Biarritz: it has cheap flights with Ryanair from Dublin, London(Stansted), Shannon (Ireland) and Frankfurt, and with Sterling Airlines from Oslo and Copenhagen.

[edit] By train

Daily connections to main cities from Paris, Madrid and Barcelona. Check RENFE(Spain) and SNCF (France) websites.

[edit] By bus

Daily connections with Madrid and Barcelona from Bilbo/Bilbao, Donostia/San Sebastian, Gasteiz/Vitoria and Iruña/Pamplona.

[edit] By car

The motorway between Paris and Madrid goes through Baiona/Bayonne, Donostia/San Sebastian and Vitoria/Gasteiz. The tolls between Baiona and Donostia are pretty expensive. Another motorway links Iruña/Pamplona with Barcelona There are motorways between all the main cities: Bilbo-Gasteiz, Bilbo-Donostia, Donostia-Iruña, Gasteiz-Iruña.

[edit] Hitchhiking

Sooner or later people normally stop. It's better to do it in the exits of the towns where the traffic is more calm than in the motorways. Being between Paris and Madrid so many trails cross the Basque Country and could be quite easy to find someone who takes you directly from Madrid or Paris to Basque Country.

[edit] Get around

[edit] See

• The Guggenheim Museum, [2], in Bilbao is world-renowned for its contemporary architecture and modern art. It was designed by Frank Gehry, and opened in 1997.

[edit] Do

• Come in mid-August for Bilbao's annual week-long festival.

Take a small group escorted tour that will reveal the best this region has to offer. Ophorus organises tours in both French and Spanish Basque Country with your own private driver guide. Destinations include the cities of Bilbao (Guggenheim), San Sebastian, Saint Jean de Luz, Biarritz and the small villages of Sare and Aïnhoa that are classified as most beautiful of France.

[edit] Eat

• Pintxos

[edit] Drink

Txakoli: white wine from the regions of Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa, also now produced in a part of Araba/Alava.

Rioja wines: produced in La Rioja, south of Araba/Alava and southwest of Nafarroa/Navarra.

Cider (Sagardoa in basque): is not like British or Nordic cider, it doesn't have gas and is more similar to the wine. Is mostly produced in Gipuzkoa around Donostia/San Sebastian but also in some parts of Nafarroa/Navarra and Bizkaia. In winter between January and March the cider cellars are open as restaurants where you can have dinner and you drink all the cider you want.

Kalimotxo: low quality wine with coke. Typical drink of teenagers and for parties.

Patxaran: sloe liquor. Typical after dinner.Tastes a bit like the cough medicine 'night nurse.'

Beer: if you want a tap beer (normally cheaper) you can ask caña or half caña called zurito. Normally the glass is not filled to the top and depending on the place, the barman or your face it could be a big or small measure. Bottled beers are normally smaller than any other place 20cl.

[edit] Stay Safe

With a rate of only 33.4 crimes per 1000 inhabitants, the basque country has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe.

Crime rates however can vary significantly between rural and urban areas, not meaning urban areas are dangerous. Violent crime is extremely rare however the usual precautions will keep you out of any problems.

In the bigger cities, only a few areas like for example San Francisco in Bilbao are best to be avoided.

If you find any signs of vandalism, don't be alarmed. Burned buses and ATM machines are uncommon but you might see them in the press - however this is not linked to tourism but to the political issues in the area.

It is also advisable not to wear any spanish symbols. Spain tops, Spain flags or Real Madrid and Atletico flags are best avoided. There has not been any news of assaults to people wearing them, however some people might feel upset about them.

As well take into account that the people are divided amongst those who support independence and others who support unionism with Spain. If speaking to strangers, avoid political conversations as it can cause upset or make others offended.

[edit] Get out