País Basco, Spain: things to do, when to go and how to get there

Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

País Basco (Euskadi, in Basque) is in northern Spain, between the Cantabrian Sea, the Pyrenees and the border with France. It is an autonomous community with its own language, euskera, which has no known relatives among other European languages, and a strong culture visible in the double names of cities: Bilbao is Bilbo, San Sebastián is Donostia. The climate is Atlantic, with rain fairly evenly spread through the year, mild summers and green hills that descend to the sea.

Bilbao, the largest city, grew with steelworks and shipyards on the Nervión ria. When the industry declined, the city bet on culture and architecture: the Museu Guggenheim by Frank Gehry, opened in 1997, changed Bilbao’s image and spurred the renewal of the ria’s banks. The Casco Viejo, with the Siete Calles, the Mercado de la Ribera and the Plaza Nueva, preserves the old city.

San Sebastián, about 100 km to the east, has been an elegant seaside resort since the 19th century, when Queen María Cristina began spending summers there. La Concha bay, sheltered by the island of Santa Clara and the Urgull and Igueldo hills, is the city’s center. The Parte Vieja concentrates the pintxos bars, snacks served at the counter, and the city has several Michelin-starred restaurants.

Bilbao has an international airport, and the two cities are a little over an hour apart by bus.

This destination brings together 3 cities: San Sebastián, Bilbao, Irún.

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One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.

Where País Basco is

Outlines: IGN/CNIG, unidades administrativas, CC BY 4.0. Adapted by Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: País Basco

✈ Aeropuerto de San Sebastián (EAS), in Hondarribia · 20 km to San Sebastián

✈ Aeropuerto de Bilbao (BIO), in Loiu · 100 km to San Sebastián

Confirm before you buy tickets. Bilbao airport receives flights from Europe; San Sebastián has a small airport in Hondarribia. From Madrid, the Alvia train takes about 5 hours to Bilbao and a bit longer to San Sebastián; many prefer to fly. Between the two cities, the bus takes around 1h20.

Suggested arrival point: San Sebastián

País Basco · País Basco Suggested arrival point

San Sebastián

San Sebastián (Donostia, in Basque) is the city of the bay of La Concha, enclosed by the island of Santa Clara and the hills Urgull and Igueldo. It became a royal seaside resort in the 19th century and preserves palaces and promenades from that period. The Parte Vieja is the center of pintxos bars, and the city hosts an international film festival in September.

País Basco · País Basco

Bilbao

Bilbao (Bilbo, in Basque) is the largest city of País Basco, on the banks of the Nervión ria. The old shipyard and steel city became an architectural reference with the Museu Guggenheim by Frank Gehry and the renewal of the riverside. The Casco Viejo, of the Siete Calles and the Mercado de la Ribera, preserves the old city, and the Puente de Vizcaya is near the estuary.

País Basco · País Basco

Irún

Irún is a city in the Basque Country on the banks of the Bidasoa river, on the border with France, opposite Hendaye. It was the Roman town of Oiasso, whose port and streets are shown in the Roman museum in the center. In the river is the ilha dos Faisões, administered half the year by Spain and half by France, where the Paz dos Pireneus was signed in 1659. The bay of Txingudi has a marsh park with birds, and on top of Monte San Marcial stands the hermitage that recalls the 1522 battle, celebrated every June 30 with the Alarde. It is the starting point of the Caminho do Norte. Basque and Spanish are spoken.

The local experience

Things to do in País Basco

Bilbao · Basque Country · Museum

Museo Guggenheim Bilbao

Museum of modern and contemporary art by Frank Gehry, covered in titanium, opened in 1997 on the ria's bank, with works by Richard Serra, Jeff Koons's Puppy and the spider Maman.

Irún · Basque Country · Museum

Museo Romano Oiasso

Archaeological museum about Oiasso, the Roman town and port discovered beneath the center of Irún, with objects from the excavations and the visit to the medieval hermitage of Santa Elena, above the Roman necropolis.

San Sebastián · Basque Country · Beach

Playa de La Concha

A light-sand, shell-shaped beach in the center of San Sebastián, protected by the island of Santa Clara, with a promenade featuring a white railing and iron lampposts from the early 20th century.

Irún · Basque Country · Church

Iglesia de Santa María del Juncal

16th-century church, with a Gothic structure and Renaissance details and a Baroque portal, which houses the image da Virgem do Juncal, patron saint of Irún.

See 23 more places in País Basco

Bilbao · Basque Country · Museum

Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao

Museum of art from the Middle Ages to the 21st century, in the Doña Casilda park, with El Greco, Goya, Zurbarán, Gauguin, Basque artists and the Agravitas extension by Norman Foster.

San Sebastián · Basque Country · Historic neighborhood

Parte Vieja de San Sebastián

Old neighborhood between Monte Urgull and the Urumea river, rebuilt after the 1813 fire, with the Plaza de la Constitución and dozens of pintxos bars.

Bilbao · Basque Country · Historic neighborhood

Casco Viejo de Bilbao

Medieval center of Bilbao on the right bank of the ria, with the Siete Calles, the Plaza Nueva with neoclassical arcades, and dozens of pintxos bars.

Irún · Basque Country · Island

Isla de los Faisanes

Small island in the Bidasoa river with sovereignty divided between Spain and France, six months each, where the Paz dos Pireneus was signed in 1659; visible from the Behobia bank.

San Sebastián · Basque Country · Viewpoint

Monte Igueldo

Hill at the western tip of the bay, reached by a 1912 funicular, with a viewpoint over La Concha bay and an old amusement park featuring a 1928 roller coaster.

Bilbao · Basque Country · Cathedral

Catedral de Santiago de Bilbao

14th-century Gothic cathedral in the Casco Viejo, with a 15th-century cloister and a side porch that used to shelter pilgrims of the Caminho do Norte.

San Sebastián · Basque Country · Park

Monte Urgull

Wooded hill between the Parte Vieja and the sea, with trails, cannon batteries, the Castillo de la Mota at the top and the statue of the Sagrado Corazão overlooking the city.

Irún · Basque Country · Park

Parque Ecológico de Plaiaundi

Area of marshes and lagoons on the shore of the Txingudi bay, restored as a nature park, with paths and birdwatching hides for the birds that pass through the mouth of the Bidasoa.

Bilbao · Basque Country · Market

Mercado de la Ribera

Covered market from 1929 on the banks of the ria, in the Casco Viejo, with art déco stained glass, fish, meat and produce stalls and a ground floor of pintxos bars.

Irún · Basque Country · Viewpoint

Monte San Marcial

Hill above Irún with the hermitage of San Marcial, erected in memory of the battle of 30 June 1522, commemorated in the Alarde; views over the Bidasoa, Txingudi bay and France.

San Sebastián · Basque Country · Monument

Peine del Viento

A set of three steel sculptures by Eduardo Chillida embedded in the rocks at the end of Ondarreta beach, with a granite plaza punctured by holes through which the sea blows.

Bilbao · Basque Country · Viewpoint

Funicular de Artxanda

Funicular from 1915 that rises in three minutes from central Bilbao to Monte Artxanda, with a park, grill restaurants and the best view of the city and the ria.

San Sebastián · Basque Country · Museum

San Telmo Museoa

Museum of Basque society in a 16th-century Dominican convent at the foot of Urgull, with a Renaissance cloister, murals by José María Sert and a contemporary extension.

Bilbao · Basque Country · Church

Basílica de Begoña

16th-century Gothic basilica atop a hill above the Casco Viejo, sanctuary of the Virgin of Begoña, patron saint of Biscaia, reached by stairways or elevator.

San Sebastián · Basque Country · Church

Basílica de Santa María del Coro

An 18th-century Baroque church at the end of Calle Mayor, with a sculpted façade that frames the Buen Pastor cathedral at the far end of the street and Saint Sebastian atop the portal.

San Sebastián · Basque Country · Aquarium

Aquarium Donostia-San Sebastián

Aquarium and oceanographic museum dating from 1928 at the end of the port, at the foot of Urgull, with a submarine tunnel under a shark tank and rooms about Basque maritime history.

Bilbao · Basque Country · Cultural center

Azkuna Zentroa

Former 1909 wine warehouse converted into a cultural centre by Philippe Starck, featuring 43 different columns in the atrium and a glass-bottom pool on the top floor.

Bilbao · Basque Country · Museum

Itsasmuseum Bilbao

Maritime museum of the ria of Bilbao located at the former Euskalduna shipyard, featuring the dry dock, the Carola crane and historic boats displayed outdoors.

San Sebastián · Basque Country · Palace

Palacio de Miramar

A 1893 palace in the English country house style, built for Queen Maria Cristina on the hill that separates the beaches of La Concha and Ondarreta, with gardens open to the public.

San Sebastián · Basque Country · Beach

Playa de Zurriola

An open-sea beach in the Gros neighbourhood, popular with surfers, with the Kursaal — Rafael Moneo’s glass cubes — at one end.

Bilbao · Basque Country · Bridge

Puente de Vizcaya

1893 transporter bridge between Portugalete and Getxo at the mouth of the ria, whose suspended gondola carries pedestrians and cars. A UNESCO World Heritage site.

San Sebastián · Basque Country · Cathedral

Catedral del Buen Pastor

A 1897 Neo-Gothic cathedral in San Sebastián’s modern center, with a 75-meter tower and stained glass, aligned with the Basilica of Santa María along Calle Mayor.

Bilbao · Basque Country · Church

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

A hermitage atop a rocky islet connected to the mainland by a stone bridge and a staircase of 241 steps, on the Bermeo coast about 35 km from Bilbao.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

From June to September the weather tends to be drier and warmer, good for La Concha beach, but accommodation is more in demand. May and October usually have mild days and fewer crowds. It rains at any time of year, more from November to April. In September, San Sebastián typically hosts its film festival.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Two days in Bilbao are enough for the Guggenheim, the Casco Viejo, the ria and the Puente de Vizcaya. Two days in San Sebastián cover La Concha, the hills, the Parte Vieja and a pintxos night. With one more day you can add San Juan de Gaztelugatxe and the coastline between them.

Which city to stay in

In Bilbao, the Casco Viejo is good for those who want bars and old streets within walking distance; Abando and the Ensanche, on the other side of the ria, have larger hotels near the station and the Guggenheim. In San Sebastián, the Parte Vieja is the pintxos hub but noisy at night; the Centro and the La Concha promenade are calmer, and Gros, near Zurriola beach, has a neighborhood feel.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about País Basco

What are pintxos?

Small snacks served at the bar in Basque bars, often on a slice of bread. The tradition is to go bar to bar, ordering one or two pintxos and a drink at each place, especially in the Parte Vieja of San Sebastián and the Casco Viejo of Bilbao.

What language is spoken in País Basco?

Spanish and euskera, the Basque language: both are official. Signs appear in both languages, and many places have two names, such as Donostia for San Sebastián. Everyone understands Spanish.

How to go from Bilbao to San Sebastián?

By bus, in about 1h20, with several daily departures from Bilbao Intermodal terminal. There is also the Euskotren train, slower, at around 2h40, and the AP-8 motorway, about 100 km.

Does it rain a lot in País Basco?

It rains considerably more than in the rest of Spain, even in summer, with drizzly days. Bring an umbrella and a light jacket at any time of year.

Do I need a car in País Basco?

Not for Bilbao and San Sebastián, which have good public transport and bus connections between them. A car helps for the coast, like San Juan de Gaztelugatxe and the fishing villages.

Routes in Spain

País Basco is on the Northern Way (Camino del Norte) to Santiago on foot

The Camino de Santiago along the Cantabrian coast: from the Basque Country to Galicia on foot, via San Sebastián, Bilbao, Santander and Gijón, between the sea and the green mountains.

Illustrated map of Northern Way (Camino del Norte) to Santiago on foot — Illustrative map, not to scale. Tap a city to open its page.

Explore the Northern Way (Camino del Norte) to Santiago on foot

País Basco

A region to enjoyat your own pace.

The cities on this trip

How to get there: País Basco

San Sebastián

Bilbao

Irún

Things to do in País Basco

Museo Guggenheim Bilbao

Museo Romano Oiasso

Playa de La Concha

Iglesia de Santa María del Juncal

Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao

Parte Vieja de San Sebastián

Casco Viejo de Bilbao

Isla de los Faisanes

Monte Igueldo

Catedral de Santiago de Bilbao

Monte Urgull

Parque Ecológico de Plaiaundi

Mercado de la Ribera

Monte San Marcial

Peine del Viento

Funicular de Artxanda

San Telmo Museoa

Basílica de Begoña

Basílica de Santa María del Coro

Aquarium Donostia-San Sebastián

Azkuna Zentroa

Itsasmuseum Bilbao

Palacio de Miramar

Playa de Zurriola

Puente de Vizcaya

Catedral del Buen Pastor

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

Practical information

Frequently asked questions about País Basco

País Basco is on the Northern Way (Camino del Norte) to Santiago on foot

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A region to enjoy
at your own pace.