Our entry into the “Basque” country was in Bilbao, Spain. Bilbao is a stately town, surrounded by mountains and bordering the Bay of Biscay.
It has an industrial origin and is located in the north-central part of Spain. Its early history was one of trade because of its Port. In the late 1920's, when an economic change occurred, it started its transformation into the picturesque city that it is today.
In large part, the construction of the Guggenheim Museum contributed to that. Designed by Frank Gehry, it is a standout in the city. Look at our pictures on placespeoplepurpose.com to see the unique beauty it offers. You may also choose a tour that will show you the spectacular filming locations from Season 7 of Game of Thrones.
The best time to travel there is from May through September; keeping in mind that July–August has the greatest influx of visitors. We were there at the very end of September, and this year it was truly delightful short-sleeved weather. We have been so fortunate to have had wonderful weather throughout our whole trip to the Iberian Peninsula.
Yes, we were favorably impressed with Bilbao and were introduced to Pinchos there (Pintxos in the Basque language). Essentially, they are small pieces of bread loaded with many MANY different toppings. Not limited to what we used to call canapes back in the days, there are a myriad of other choices, such as the "Gilda", a combo of small pickled peppers and anchovies, and a dish that tasted like good old-fashioned pot roast wiped up with bread, of course. We were inclined to stick with the seafood, which is so plentiful and fresh, but we loved the Gilda and stuffed red pepper on bread with lots of olive oil!
When we reached San Sebastián, we were blown away by a town whose life and breath are its food! The Pinchos are elevated to a gourmet standard, and there are an abundance of Michelin-starred restaurants. It is so easy to become part of the mentality and join in the festive energy it creates!
We were equally impressed with the town itself. The Basque name is Donestia and was originally founded in the mid-nineteenth century, not as a port or because of industry but as an attractive tourist destination. There are many interesting stories about how that came about if you want to investigate on your own. The obvious result is that the San Sebastián population is a fun-loving people that loves a celebration, and even though it has been established that their language is ancient and one for which no one can find its origin, they don’t care! They speak it with pride but are more than happy to accommodate you in Spanish and often English as well. Here is “thank you” in Basque: Eskerrik asko. Our super guide told us to just say “Scary Costco” in English and we would have it! What a hoot!
You will want to take a tour or two to get acquainted with the city. Three city beaches are La Concha for swimming (it also has a wonderful promenade you won’t want to miss), the surfing beach La Zurriola, and the quieter beach, Ondarreta. You will find more activities available in the summer months, but of course that is also when you will find more crowds. We loved being here in late September and early October. In three days, there would be a minimum amount of time to spend in San Sebastián.
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