The 12 most beautiful towns in Euskadi (Basque Country)

The Basque Country is a region in the north of Spain and the south of France with its own language and culture that make it very special in the eyes of those who visit it. Its nature and gastronomy make it ideal for those who love good food and landscapes that take your breath away.

Bathed by the Cantabrian Sea, its coast is a Mecca for surfers and every year thousands of them make a pilgrimage to its waters hoping to enjoy the waves. Its inhabitants have been sailors, farmers and shepherds for centuries. In today's article we will see what towns this small region hides.

• We recommend you read: "The 10 most beautiful towns to discover in Galicia"

The 12 most special towns to discover the Basque Country

The Basque Country is full of pretty towns. However, we have compiled a list of those that gather the most charm.

1. Zumaia

In the province of Guipúzcoa, surrounded by green mountains that descend to the sea in the form of steep cliffs, we find Zumaia, a seaside village with two beautiful beaches and a modern marina.

Zumaia is famous for its flysch, impressive cliffs where the different layers are clearly observed. It is a surface of abrasion originated as a consequence of the erosion of the sea, which can be better observed at low tide, that period of the day when the sea retracts inward.

Zumaia also has a beautiful old town that still preserves its medieval layout. Strolling through its narrow and steep streets we will find the parish of San Pedro, a Gothic church from the 13th century. If it stands out for its exterior sobriety (it has an imposing tower), inside you can see a of the most beautiful Gothic naves in the Basque Country with the Juan de Antxieta altarpiece declared a Monument National.

2. Lekeitio

Lekeitio is a beautiful fishing village located on the coast of Bizkaia, which is so beautiful and quiet that it was chosen for his summer days by Queen Elizabeth II and other figures of the aristocracy and bourgeoisie Central European.

Strolling through its historic center is always a good option, in it you will find the beautiful Basilica of the Assumption of Santa María and a wide variety of bars where you can eat good seafood and thousands of fishing boats everywhere.

Another of its attractions is the island of San Nicolás that is located right in front of one of its beaches and many classify it as magical since It can only be accessed when the tide goes out and reveals a small path to access the island only populated by trees and seagulls.

3. San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

Scene of pirates, covens and legends, San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is classified as a protected Biotope and far from any urban nucleus. It is a majestic islet that is attached to the coast through a stone bridge and a stairway of neither more nor less than 241 steps.

At the top of the island, a picturesque hermitage awaits you that houses votive offerings from sailors who have been saved from a shipwreck. According to tradition, once you arrive at the hermitage, you must ring the bell three times and make a wish. The effort of climbing the stairs is compensated when one contemplates the landscape with the wild Cantabrian sea at its feet and the wind and the mystical energy that the place gives off. It is not surprising that the Game of Thrones series has chosen this place to shoot part of its seventh season.

4. The guard

Laguardia is a beautiful Alava municipality surrounded by fabled wineries. The place is so beautiful that Laguardia belongs to the association of the most beautiful towns in Spain. And it is that all the vineyards make up such an impressive red tide that more than one must stop the car to observe the beauty of its landscapes.

The shape of its historic center is reminiscent of that of a ship and in it is the Church of Santa María with a richly decorated portico, which is a must-see. Throughout the 16th century, underground caves were built with the function of storing and preserving wine, although at certain times they were also used as war shelters. The number of caves is so high that Laguardia could walk entirely through the underground corridors that make up its wineries.

5. Getxo

Located in Bizkaia, Getxo is only 20 minutes from Bilbao and hides a history worth knowing. It is known for having a suspension bridge, the Bizkaia bridge, which was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2006 and is a work of engineering and architecture.

If you are an active traveler, Getxo is your town, since there can be countless activities, from activities to to do on the coast, routes to visit its monuments, gastronomic experiences, family plans or routes to discover the trade local. Without stopping talking about its cliffs and its great fishing port.

6. Getaria

In Gipuzkoa, you will find the town of Getaria, popular for being the birthplace of the designer Balenciaga and the sailor Juan Sebastián Elkano, the first man to go around the world. Many say that it is one of the most charming coastal towns in the Basque Country.

It is known for its Txakoli wineries, its local wine, in case something stands out Getaria is for its culture gastronomic, since there are many restaurants that offer good raw materials cooked to the Grill. Its coast, with its sea and waves make it the ideal place for surfing or diving.

7. Hondarribia

Formerly known as Fuenterrabia, Hondarribia is an incredible Gipuzkoan town, which is on the list of the most visited in Euskadi. Located on the Basque coast, it has the Marina neighborhood, declared a Historical Monument, which is characterized by having vividly colored houses and which can boast of the environment that is created.

Its old town is walled and has two main gates. One of its doors is the Puerta de Santa María Atea, a must-see place. Precisely this door gives access to Kale Nagusia, one of the most beautiful streets in this town and where we find the town hall and the Zuloaga Palace, both in baroque style.

8. Elantxobe

Elantxobe is a very small town in Vizcaya, which from the sea offers a picture of steep roofs and streets that protect a small fishing port. The town has survived thanks to its importance in the fishing industry and has adapted its needs to the unique characteristics of the terrain.

It is immersed in the Urdaibai environment, an ideal place for those who enjoy contemplating the landscape, as there are different viewpoints scattered throughout the municipality that offer spectacular views from the picturesque town and its privileged situation.

9. Toulouse

Tolosa is one of the most beautiful towns in the interior of Gipuzkoa that always has great cultural activity. Its carnivals and the bean festival are a small representation of its active cultural life.

Located on the banks of the Oria River, it is a town of great historical importance, which proudly looks at its past but which, in turn, has managed to adapt to the present. It was an important place of passage on the commercial route that communicated Navarra with the other towns of the Cantabrian Sea. Its squares and buildings of historical-artistic interest stand out, such as the parish of Santa María dating from the seventeenth century and the baroque town hall.

10. Oñate

The town of Oñati, located in the south of the province of Gipuzkoa, is one of the most monumental towns in the Basque Country, to the point that it is known as “the Basque Toledo”. Its old town is full of stately buildings, churches and schools built in a classical style.

The epicenter of Oñati is the Plaza de los Fueros, a square space adorned by buildings with impressive facades. In it you can see the sanctuary of Arantzazu, which was only a hermitage when it was built in 1468. Starting in 1950, prominent Basque artists took it upon themselves to reshape it. For example, the architects Saenz de Oiza and Laorga, had a concrete bell tower erected that reminds of thorns, while the doors are signed by the well-known sculptor Chillida.

11. The blind

Located in the province of Álava, Elciego is a small town that has a historical heritage in which works such as the Basilica of Our Lady of the Virgin stand out. from the Plaza and the church of San Andrés, a large building that shows a very austere exterior where the portico with two towers of different termination.

Near the church, are the Bodegas Marqués de Riscal, with its hotel designed by the architect Frank Gehry, which will remember the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao. It is a spectacular construction where materials such as stone, glass and metallic elements are combined.

12. Ea

With a very brief name, Ea, it is one of the most charismatic towns in the Basque Country. His The old town is full of stone bridges that have fallen in love with half the world. It is a different, special people, often classified as charismatic.

We recommend that you get lost in its small old town until you go out to sea, walk the Paseo de la Tala and watch the boats come and go. The houses in the port area and the farmhouses scattered around the territorial limits are its great attractions. Although it is a very small town, it has neither more nor less than four churches and three hermitages.