This article suggests a route for visitors to discover the most attractive landscapes of the Basque Country. It is designed so that travelers can enjoy the complete range of offerings that the region has in store from the freedom and comfort of their own vehicle, or by public transportation. Discover cosmopolitan cities, fishing towns, and medieval villages. Start the trip with the scent of the sea breeze or by watching the morning fog fade away over a valley surrounded by mountains. Savor the renowned cuisine of the Basque Country in a restaurant at a fishing port, or watch from the terrace of your hotel room as the sun sets over a hill of vineyards. To make the trip more environmentally sustainable, the sections of the route are also fully prepared to be enjoyed by electric motorcycle or car. The route is divided into three sections, stretching from Lekeitio to Zarautz, from Vitoria-Gasteiz to Laguardia, and from Ordun\u0303a to Bilbao, as we make our way through the three historical territories of the Basque Country.<\/p>\n
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Lekeitio \u2013 Zarautz<\/strong><\/p>\n Lekeitio must be discovered from the Santa Catalina Lighthouse and by strolling through its alleyways lined with the colorful \u2028fishermen’s houses. We start out by following the BI-3438 highway along the rugged coast until reaching Ondarroa. With an old town protected by the monumental Santa Mar\u00eda Church and the port, Ondarroa possesses a true curiosity of engineering: the Alfonso XIII Swing Bridge.<\/p>\n Following the GI-638 highway \u2013and now in Gipuzkoa\u2013 we arrive to Mutriku, which made a living from whaling for centuries. The old town is medieval and features many steep slopes upwards \u2028and downwards. Taking the GI-638 highway eastward, we’ll cross the Deba River and link up with highway N-634. Following the river to its mouth, we reach Deba, a town that played a very important role in European trade. The Santa \u2028Mar\u00eda Church has a polychrome portico and, inside, a Gothic cloister \u2013 the first to be built in Gipuzkoa.<\/p>\n We return to the N-634 highway towards San Sebasti\u00e1n to reach the rural neighborhood of Itziar and visit its Gothic sanctuary. To the south, route GI-3210 takes us to \u2028Lastur Valley, a hidden spot where a native breed of bulls is bred (and fought), the “Betizu.” Once past the Lastur quarry and Azkarate heights, we link up with route GI-2634 to Azkoitia, a picturesque and noble town. On the way to Azpeitia, we\u2019ll visit the San Mart\u00edn Hermitage, perched atop a hill with views of\u2028 Izarraitz Crag. In Azpeitia, in addition to the basilica dedicated to Saint Ignatius of Loyola, we can visit the highly interesting Basque Railway Museum. We follow the River Urola to Zestoa, a town with ties to tourism centered around thermal waters. The Ekainberri Cave (a reproduction, open to the public, of the Ekain Cave) is considered a European sanctuary for cave paintings featuring animal figures that exude realism. In Zumaia we reach the sea again, as well as a unique landscape known as the Basque Coast Geopark. The Algorri Interpretation Center will tell us all about the geological phenomenon, but the only way to really experience it is to walk along it.<\/p>\n Route N-634 runs\u2028 very close to the ocean \u2013 so close that as the sea swells, waves may caress the roadway. Getaria is famous for its fish roast houses. Zarautz has no port to boast of, but it can be proud of its beach, with surfers taking advantage of its waves so as to practice the sport they are passionate about. A lively boardwalk, a handful of mansions,\u2028\u00a0the photography museum,\u2028 and the I\u00f1urritza Dunes (declared a protected biotope) round off the area’s vast offerings.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Vitoria-Gasteiz \u2013 Laguardia<\/strong><\/p>\n Years ago, Vitoria-Gasteiz opted for a green future, constructing pedestrian streets, bike paths, and urban parks. It bet on green and won, \u2028managing to become a city with an enviable quality of life and an ideal size to be discovered on foot or by bicycle. The medieval Santa Mar\u00eda Cathedral is its most emblematic monument. It is located in the heart of the old town, just a few steps from the famous Virgen Blanca Square and the Artium Museum.<\/p>\n We leave Vitoria-Gasteiz along route N-104 until passing Ilarratza and then take the A-3110 turn-off. We drive on roads parallel to the Way of Saint James, all of which feature numerous monuments linked to this ancient route \u2013 such as the Romanesque Sanctuary of Our Lady of Est\u00edbaliz and, next thereto, the Romanesque Interpretation Center of \u00c1lava. At Elburgo, we will be surprised by the Romanesque San Juan de Arrarain Hermitage and at Alegr\u00eda-Dulantzi, the lanky tower of the church awaits us. Upon passing Adana and Guere\u00f1u, we will connect with route A-4140 which \u2013in seconds\u2013 will leave us at the gates of Alaitza. Its Asunci\u00f3n Church houses one of the few examples of Basque Gothic frescoes. History repeats itself in nearby Gazeo, whose medieval temple features striking Gothic frescoes \u2013 this time with biblical scenes.<\/p>\n Agurain\/Salvatierra is the most monumental village on the \u00c1lava Plain and\u2028 the one that best preserves the remains of the city walls that once protected it. On the map, the shape of Agurain\/Salvatierra is reminiscent of that of Vitoria-Gasteiz: a medieval almond with only three parallel streets and numerous stately homes emblazoned with coats of arms. At either end, it houses two fortress-like churches: the Church of Santa Mar\u00eda and the Church of San Juan, both integrated into the old city walls.<\/p>\n Along route A-2128 towards Opakua and then along \u2028route A-4112 towards Arriza, we will arrive at the Sorginetxe Dolmen, one of the great megalithic monuments of the Basque Country. Now we\u2019ll set course for Opakua and climb one of the highest mountain passes in the Basque Country, with its enviable views. We descend to the Arana Valley and, by means of a leafy canyon, we reach Santa Cruz de Campezo and Anto\u00f1ana, two markedly medieval towns.<\/p>\n Along the A-3136 highway towards Bernedo, accompanied by the rocky walls of the Sierra de Cantabria Mountain Range, Izki Natural Park is a little paradise worthy of a weekend\u2019s stay. Kripan, Elvillar, with its famous \u201cLa Chabola de la Hechicera\u201d Dolmen (\u201cThe Witch\u2019s Hut\u201d), El Campillar, and Lapuebla de Labarca, with its Baroque and Renaissance fa\u00e7ades, are all towns we\u2019ll pass through on the way to Elciego, where we\u2019ll be surprised by an imposing titanium building which is situated alongside a Baroque church. We have reached the Rioja Alavesa region, with its\u2028 sea of vineyards spreading out at the foot of the Sierra de Cantabria Mountain Range and with Laguardia as the capital.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ordu\u00f1a \u2013 Bilbao<\/strong><\/p>\n At the foot of the Sierra Salvada Mountain Range, Urdu\u00f1a-Ordu\u00f1a is a town with a protected old quarter. Routes A-625 and A-624 take us to Artziniega, another town declared a Historical Monumental Complex which looks like a film set. We retake route A-624 once again towards Balmaseda to discover the Las Encartaciones (or Enkarterri) area, a little-known territory of Biscay.<\/p>\n Balmaseda is its \u2028capital and it was the home of \u2028the La Encartada Beret Factory, which has now been converted into an industrial museum with a beret shop inside. The old part of the town is reached by means of a medieval bridge. After visiting the San Severino Church with its asymmetrical fa\u00e7ade and beautiful Gothic windows, we take route BI-630 to enter the Karrantza Valley. The tourist office is in Ambasaguas and\u2028 a couple of kilometers later we must take route BI-4679 on the right, which goes up towards the village of Ranero.\u2028We\u2019re heading to a special place, the Pozalagua Cave \u2013 the soul of the Arma\u00f1on Natural Park, discovered by coincidence and which houses a large number of eccentric stalactites that give it its unique character.<\/p>\n We head back towards Balmaseda and turn off at the Traslavi\u00f1a neighborhood, in Artzentales, in the direction of Sopuerta. Among the greenery here, there are many dispersed centers of population arranged in the form of small neighborhoods. A little before reaching the town of Mercadillo, we take the little road that leads to the Arce neighborhood and then to Concejuelo-Loizaga, where a fourteenth-century tower has been turned into a museum of antique and classic cars that highlights Rolls Royce.<\/p>\n Now we will head towards the sea. Traveling from Sopuerta along route BI-2701, we will pass through El Pobal, a sixteenth-century forge, to reach La Arena Beach, which is shared by Zierbena and Muskiz \u2013 a unique place on the Basque coast due to its collection of dunes, marshes, and waves much appreciated by surfers. Its Pobe\u00f1a neighborhood is very popular for taking a walk, having some tapas, and exploring the Itsaslur Greenway.<\/p>\n Route N-634 and then route BI-3791 will take us first to Santurtzi (we must try the grilled sardines in this seafaring place) and then to Portugalete. There, we will cast our eye upon the Vizcaya Bridge and the taverns of the old town.<\/p>\n We retake the A-8 highway towards Bilbao until exit 124, where we link up with route N-634 which will take us to the Aguinaga Museum, a treasure trove for car lovers and Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts. It\u2019s only a dozen kilometers along route N-634 from there to Bilbao. The best panoramic view of the city can be seen from the Artxanda Viewpoint, an ideal place to plan your visit. At its feet is the Guggenheim Museum of Bilbao, that beautiful mass of titanium plates, the Euskalduna Palace, recognizable by its Corten steel fa\u00e7ade, and the Bilbao Estuary Maritime Museum. We mustn’t forget to sample some pintxos\u00a0<\/em>around the old town and to visit the Ribera Market and the Azkuna Zentroa Contemporary Culture Center to discover the city’s varied cultural program.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n