These are the Top 10 activities in Gipuzkoa: Have you tried them all?
These are the Top 10 activities in Gipuzkoa: Have you tried them all?
Gipuzkoa, one of the three provinces that make up the Basque Autonomous Community, is a region full of places of interest such as Hondarribia, Pasaia, and Donostia-San Sebastián, where numerous events and meetings are held, such as Cider Day and the weekly markets, and in which nature displays all its power with spectacular landscapes like the flysch formations and the natural parks. We invite you to discover Gipuzkoa’s Top 10.
Chillida’s Creative Mark
Gipuzkoa is the ideal starting point to discover Eduardo Chillida’s creations. ‘The Comb of the Wind’ in San Sebastián and the doors of the Aránzazu Sanctuary in Oñati are amongst his most noteworthy pieces.
Chillida-Leku, the museum dedicated to the artist’s work, is located in Hernani: an estate where the viewer can feel in harmony with iron, stone, and alabaster – the sculptor’s favorite materials. To learn more about the way in which he created his works, especially those made of iron, it is advisable to visit Chillida Lantoki, in Legazpi, an old paper mill that has been turned into a museum and which reveals the relationship that the artist had with the town, deeply linked to iron, where he forged some of his best-known works.
A Historical Journey through the Land of Saint Ignatius
The La Antigua Hermitage, the Loyola Basilica, and the Aránzazu Sanctuary make up the triangle known as the Route of the Three Temples. This 45-kilometer journey emulates the one undertaken by Saint Ignatius of Loyola in 1522, whose final destination was Jerusalem.
In addition to these three historic buildings, also in Ignatian Land, the Basque pelota courts designed by Jorge Oteiza are worth visiting, as are the Oñati-Arrikrutz Caves, an exceptional showcase of the karst landscape. At the caves, numerous traces of woolly rhinoceroses, cave bears, giant deer, and even a cave lion have been found.
The Land of Cider
Astigarraga is the epicenter of the Basque cider tradition, where most of the cider houses are found, and where the Sagardoetxea Museum is located. The history of the town, its culture, economy, customs, ways of life, and rituals are closely linked to this drink.
In Astigarraga, Hernani, and Usurbil the Sagardo Eguna (Cider Day) is held annually, and the cider house season opens each January and lasts until April.
Having Pintxos in San Sebastián
In Gipuzkoa you can eat big with very small portions. Pintxos (small traditional snacks) are a fun and versatile way to enjoy local gastronomy. Little by little, bite by bite, it is possible to taste the best flavors of different cuisines. Although this tradition originated in San Sebastián, nowadays great creations can be found in practically every corner of the Province, especially in Hondarribia and Tolosa, where haute cuisine in miniature has really caught on.
Rural Paradise and Traditional Markets
The so-called ‘Rural Paradise’ is the heart of Gipuzkoa, a great labyrinth of mountains that captures the purest essence of Basque culture, its customs, and its age-old language, known as euskera in Basque. It houses among its narrow and fertile valleys a sample of unique corners where visitors can pet sheep, exchange impressions with the locals, and get their hands dirty making bread and cheese. The markets are one of the hallmarks of this area, the most famous and oldest of which are the ones in Tolosa and Ordizia.
A Stroll through the Old Town of Hondarribia
The Old Quarter of Hondarribia, declared a historical-artistic monument, is a unique ensemble of palaces and emblazoned houses. Some of its attractions have to do with the art of war, which had to dominate the town due to its border position: the slender Santa María Gate, the Castle of Charles V, and the Plaza de Armas Square are all good examples of this.
From the Bay of Txingudi you can cross to Hendaia in a small boat, or visit Cape Higuer, the easternmost cape of the Cantabrian Sea, illuminated by a lighthouse built in the 19th century.
From Zarautz to Getaria
Zarautz boasts the longest beach in the Basque Country and one of the best for surfing; in fact, every April it hosts the Pro Zarautz Competition, a classic test of the European surf circuit.
Following the coast you reach Getaria, an idyllic town whose star product is txakoli wine. Getaria is famous for the Gothic Church of San Salvador, for having a peninsula shaped like a mouse, for its grilled fish, and for its illustrious inhabitants Juan Sebastián Elcano and Cristóbal Balenciaga. There is a museum dedicated to the latter in the town, which contains an exceptional collection of his elegant creations.
A Route through the Flysch Formations
The Basque Coast Geopark, which can be visited on foot or by boat and was declared a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2015, offers one of the most unique and attractive nature tourism proposals. Made up of the abrupt coastline that winds among the municipalities of Mutriku, Deba, and Zumaia, the impressive flysch cliffs contain more than 60 million years of the Earth’s history.
The Geopark continues inland until reaching the karst formations, where the largest set of archaeological cavities in the province is located, among which is the Ekain Cave, a World Heritage Site.
Nature and Hiking
Aizkorri-Aratz, Aralar, Peñas de Aia, and the Leitzaran Valley; the rugged orography of Gipuzkoa makes it an ideal place for hiking. In addition to the myriad of marked routes that cross the Aralar and Aizkorri Mountain Ranges, the region offers a complex network of long-distance trails: these are marked as ‘GR’ trails – a sign of more ambitious adventures.
The Pasaia Bay
At the Pasaia Bay, you will find Pasai Donibane, a fishing village that has only one street. It is so unique that the French novelist Victor Hugo described it with great admiration in his book ‘The Alps and Pyrenees.’ In addition to visiting the writer’s house-museum, it is recommended for you to go up to the Santa Ana Hermitage to enjoy a panoramic view of the port.
A motorboat allows you to cross the estuary to San Pedro, the last stop on this tour of Gipuzkoa, where Albaola is located, a shipyard-museum where the visitor can watch –live– the construction of the full-scale replica of the San Juan whaling ship, a sixteenth-century Basque galleon that was shipwrecked in Canada.
Gipuzkoa
