the Basque Country: bays, Bilbao & Rioja vines

San Sebastián

Known in Basque as Donostia, San Sebastián is an elegant coastal city built around the near-perfect arc of La Concha bay. It is famous for its belle-époque architecture, its beaches and one of the highest concentrations of acclaimed restaurants in the world.

The city curves around La Concha, a sheltered bay of golden sand framed by green headlands and a small island at its center. A balustraded promenade runs the length of the beach, and the bay opens up best from above at Monte Igueldo to the west or Monte Urgull to the east.

Behind the seafront, the Parte Vieja, or old town, is a dense grid of narrow streets packed with pintxos bars. The city is closely tied to Basque cuisine, with numerous Michelin-starred restaurants, and its blend of beach, mountains and food makes it a year-round destination.

Where to take photos

• La Concha bay — a near-perfect crescent of golden sand and a balustraded promenade, seen best from the Monte Igueldo funicular
• Monte Urgull — a wooded hill above the old town topped by a statue and fortress, with views over the bay
• Parte Vieja — the old town, a warren of narrow streets crowded with pintxos bars
• Peine del Viento — Eduardo Chillida's wind-comb sculptures anchored into the rocks at the western end of the bay, thrilling in rough seas

Bilbao

Bilbao is the largest city in the Basque Country, a former industrial port transformed into a cultural destination by the opening of the Guggenheim Museum in 1997. It pairs bold contemporary architecture with a well-preserved medieval old town.

The city's reinvention centered on the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, a curving, titanium-clad building designed by Frank Gehry along the Nervión River. Its skin shifts with the light and weather, and the surrounding riverfront has become a showcase of modern bridges and public art.

Away from the river, the Casco Viejo, or old town, keeps its historic core of seven original streets, arcaded squares and the Gothic Santiago Cathedral. Walking from the gleaming museum quarter into the traditional old town shows you two very different sides of Bilbao.

Where to take photos

• Guggenheim Museum Bilbao — Frank Gehry's titanium-clad landmark beside the river, its surfaces shifting with the light
• Puppy — Jeff Koons's giant flower-covered dog sculpture guarding the museum entrance
• Casco Viejo — the medieval old town of arcaded streets and squares around the Santiago Cathedral
• Zubizuri — Santiago Calatrava's white, curving footbridge spanning the Nervión River

Logroño

Just south of the Basque Country, Logroño is the capital of La Rioja, Spain's most famous wine region. A stop on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route, it is celebrated for its tapas culture and surrounding vineyards.

The city sits on the Ebro River amid the vineyards of Rioja, and its compact old town centers on Calle del Laurel, a street lined almost entirely with tapas bars, each with its own particular specialty. As a Camino town, Logroño also has notable churches, including the twin-towered Co-Cathedral of Santa María de la Redonda.

Beyond the city, the Rioja wine country spreads across rolling hills planted with vines, dotted with historic bodegas and some boldly modern winery architecture. The region pairs an animated urban tapas scene with broad agricultural country to drive through.

Where to take photos

• Calle del Laurel — a dense street of tapas bars in the old town, each specializing in a signature dish
• Co-Cathedral of Santa María de la Redonda — a church distinguished by its twin Baroque towers above the old town
• Stone Bridge over the Ebro — a riverside crossing on the Camino de Santiago with views along the river
• Rioja vineyards — rolling vine-covered hills around the city, turning gold and russet at the autumn harvest

Food to try in Basque Country, Spain

Pintxo with cured ham

In the Basque Country the humble pintxo is elevated to an art form, here a slice of cured ham draped over crusty bread. Wash it down with a splash of txakoli or cider, exactly as the locals do on a buzzing San Sebastián evening.

Plated fish over beetroot

A white-plated fillet set over a deep-red beetroot base and finished with herbs and oil. It shows the polished, modern side of Basque restaurant cooking.

More guides to explore

Gijón, Spain

Gijón Travel Guide: Chillida's Elogio del Horizonte & San Lorenzo Beach

Spain

Spain: northern coasts, golden stone cities & Atlantic light

Madrid, Spain

Madrid Travel Guide: Plazas, Palaces & Late-Night Tapas