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Basque Country Travel Guide: Touring From Bilbao to Biarritz
Words by Julie Hunter
August 4, 2026
Spanning the border between Southern France and Northern Spain, the Basque Country is a lesser-explored region that beautifully balances refined opulence with historic authenticity and a relaxed rhythm of life.
Our Basque Country travel guide reveals how best to explore this wonderful region, including its unique culture, irresistible cuisine and unmissable cities, from Bilbao to Biarritz and beyond.
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Why the Basque Country should be on every discerning traveller’s radar
As we celebrate the launch of our first tour of the Basque region, this is the perfect time to explore this special destination.
While the Basque Country has no official boundaries, the region is found in the western Pyrenees, stretching around 100 miles from Bilbao in Spain up to Bayonne in southwest France. It encompasses towns and cities including the glitzy Biarritz and culinary haven of San Sebastián, along with Hondarribia, Getaria and the capital city of Vitoria-Gasteiz.
The culturally rich cities of the area are often in the spotlight, yet the Basque Country is brimming with underrated coastal scenery. Take your pick from the beaches of San Sebastián, the island of Lekeitio (to which you can walk at low tide), or the dramatic islet of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe in Bermeo – a filming location for Game of Thrones.
Scenery aside, the Basque region offers a distinctive culture that incorporates many of France and Spain’s best lifestyle elements, minus the flamenco dancing or paella associated with other areas of Spain. In fact, the Basque Country boasts its own language, known as Euskara, along with its own flag, symbol (the lauburu), and ball game (pelota).
The Basque region also boasts enviable culinary mastery, embodied by a large concentration of Michelin-starred restaurants, including the legendary three-Michelin-starred Azurmendi in Larrabetzu. But the area is also replete with al fresco bistros, casual seafood restaurants, and rustic bars serving pintxos – the quintessential Basque Country food.
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Bilbao: the Basque Country’s cultural capital
Any Basque Country road trip has to incorporate at least a few days in the cultural capital, Bilbao – the opening city on our Basque to Bordeaux supercar tour.
Sitting in the province of Biscay, Bilbao is easily one of Spain’s most interesting cities, perfectly blending tradition and modernity. This mix of eras is perhaps best epitomised by the bridges that connect both sides of the Nervión estuary, from the fourteenth-century San Antón Bridge to the contemporary Zubizuri (Frank Gehry) Bridge and the striking La Salve Bridge.
Yet nothing has shaped Bilbao’s landscape, culture and reputation more than the arrival of the Guggenheim Museum in 1997. Overlooking the river, this avant-garde masterpiece has become the landmark most closely associated with the city.
In stark contrast to the iconic Guggenheim, Bilbao’s old town of Casco Viejo dates back 700 years. Its cobblestone streets and the Plaza Nueva – the old town’s vibrant square – offer an idyllic spot for wandering, shopping and dining, particularly if you want to experience the Basque region’s famous pintxos culture alongside a refreshing aperitif.
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San Sebastián: the culinary heart of northern Spain
Taking a short coastline drive west from Bilbao brings you to San Sebastián, celebrated as the region’s culinary capital.
San Sebastián (or ‘Donostia’ in the native language) has a relaxed old-town atmosphere. Bring your appetite as this gourmet town is bursting at the seams with rustic pintxos bars. This is where you’ll try classic and modern takes on pintxos – the tapas of the region, often featuring local ingredients skewered onto bread with cocktail sticks. Don’t feel obliged to stick to one bar – instead, ‘pintxos hop’ around the city to sample everything on offer.
If you have a sweet tooth, head to La Viña cafe for a taste of the original Basque-style burnt cheesecake, which has since appeared on menus around the world. San Sebastián is also the place to enjoy a taste of the Basque Country’s signature drink, txakoli. This slightly sparkling, clean and dry white wine is perfect paired with seafood and salty dishes, but equally enjoyable on its own.
While food is a major reason to visit San Sebastián, it’s also home to one of Europe’s finest beaches, La Concha. This 1.3km-long sandy beach boasts shallow waters, a stunning island backdrop, and plenty of nearby bars and shops.
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Exploring the Pyrenees: one of Europe’s greatest road trips
After eating, drinking and exploring your way around the north coast of Spain, our unforgettable Basque Country tour will take you on a mountain drive through the Pyrenees as we cross into the French side of the region.
A good Pyrenees road trip will offer a constantly changing landscape, from rolling foothills and forest-clad mountains to traditional Basque villages and sweeping Atlantic vistas. As you climb away from the coast, you’ll encounter winding mountain roads that offer scenic cruising, with countless opportunities to pause for photographs.
Descending towards France, the scenery gradually softens as the Pyrenees meet the Atlantic, before arriving into the elegant city of Biarritz.
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The French Basque Country: Biarritz and beyond
As Spain meets France, the Basque Country landscape retains its dramatic coastline, but the atmosphere becomes distinctly more refined. Cities and towns including Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Bayonne offer charming and sophisticated settings, but the real elegance of the Basque Country’s French side is best experienced among the Belle Époque grandeur of Biarritz – the Atlantic coast’s understated answer to Monaco.
Here, elegant boulevards, plush hotels and remarkable restaurants create a sense of understated glamour that has attracted royalty, artists and discerning travellers for generations. Just one look at the flamboyant Hôtel du Palais – once the summer residence of Napoleon III – or the Art Deco façade of the prestigious Casino Municipal will give you a sense of Biarritz’s glamour.
Yet the city also retains a relaxed Basque coastal spirit. Biarritz is widely regarded as the birthplace of surfing in Europe, with one of the continent’s first surf beaches, and remains a must-visit for surfers seeking prime waves alongside haute cuisine and cocktails in the sun.
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The perfect finale: Bordeaux and Saint-Émilion
To end any Basque Country holiday in style, head to the illustrious French wine region of Bordeaux.
The driving route from Biarritz takes you through the magical Landes Forest – the largest man-made woodland in Western Europe, offering straight, pine-lined roads with very little traffic. If time permits, take a short detour to climb the Dune du Pilat – the tallest sand dune in Europe, with panoramic views of the Atlantic and surrounding forest.
As you approach Bordeaux, the scenery gradually opens up into rolling countryside peppered with historic vineyards and châteaux. Bordeaux as a city boasts the stunning architecture and vibrant dining scene you’d expect from a French wine capital, though the jewel of the area – and our home for two nights during the tour – is the illustrious village of Saint-Émilion.
The medieval town and UNESCO World Heritage site is a haven for wine lovers, with Grand Cru estates aplenty. Taking a Bordeaux wine tour here is essential to enjoy tastings and comparisons from exceptional producers.
For such a small town, Saint-Émilion boasts a surprising concentration of Michelin-starred restaurants. These include our favourite, La Table de Pavie at the spectacular Hôtel de Pavie in Saint-Émilion, and one of the town’s oldest restaurants, Logis de la Cadène.
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When to visit the Basque Country
No Basque Country travel guide would be complete without a look at when to visit this distinctive slice of Europe.
The best time to visit the Basque Country tends to be from late spring through early autumn, when the region is at its most vibrant and comfortable for travel. April to June brings lush green landscapes and milder temperatures, ideal for long days of city and vineyard exploration.
A visit through September to early October is also worth considering, with lingering warm weather, calmer roads and the added appeal of wine harvest season in nearby Bordeaux.
Of course, the summer months of July and August offer exceptional weather, lively coastal areas and cultural festivals, but it’s naturally a much busier season in both cities and beaches.
Experience the Basque Country and Bordeaux on a luxury supercar tour with HunterMoss
Whether it’s the epic scenery, legendary supercars, gourmet dining or world-class wines, the finest way to experience the Basque region is on our unforgettable Basque Country and Bordeaux supercar tour.
Michelin-star restaurants are seen as the pinnacle of dining, and rightly so. These are establishments where outstanding cooking, exceptional ingredient...
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Basque Country Travel Guide: Touring From Bilbao to Biarritz
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