10 days in Basque Country - What Cities to Visit?

[Mjstout]

I am planning a trip out to the Basque Country in the end of August through the beginning of September for 10 days. The one place I know I want to visit is San Sebastian. We are planning to go there for 5 days because of a deal we can get with out hotel points.

But after San Sebastian, I am a bit lost on where to go. I have read about Bilboa, Biarritz, St Jean de Luz, LeGuardia and other places but I am having a hard time finding out what the vibe is in each place.

My wife and I mostly like to eat amazing meals and wine. When we are not doing that we like to stroll around and just kinda decompress. So we are looking for amazing food, nice people and some beautiful scenery. We don't really have to do any touristy stuff when we are there but I guess it is a bonus. I would like to keep it to 1 or 2 other cities/towns.

Based on that, where would you guys (and gals) recommend?

[Pathological Eaters]

Here are two articles which may help inspire you with regard to Basque Country as well as an article on the Cider House phenomenon. Enjoy!

http://countrybred.com/regions/basque-country
http://countrybred.com/countrybred/th...

[avrv1]

10 days in the Basque country is, no offense intended, a lot of days in the Basque country. Although with enough of a budget you can definitely keep yourself busy with the food.

Will you have a car? Cantabria and Burgos are not far away.

[Parigi]

May I disagre.
Basque country, if it includes French Basque country, will mean, in the least, San Sé, Bilbao, St Jean de luz, Biarriz, Bayonne, St Etienne de Baigorry, Les Aldudes, St Jean Pied de Port, Sare, Ainhoa. 10 days is not enough. But I am most certainly not the if-this-is-Wednesday-it-mut-be-Bilbao kind of traveler.

[Mjstout]

A car as an option, but I am not the type to drive every day. I don't mind driving every few days though.

What were your favorite cities out of those?

[Parigi]

You asked for cities, not towns, not villages.
1. Bilbao
2. San Sebastian
3. St Jean de Luz
4. Bayonne

But you don't have to stay in a whole bunch of different places. 1 and 2 are near enough each other that I would stay in 2 and day-trip to 1.
Ditto, I would stay in 3 and day-trip to 4.

[ChrisB]

Personally, I think that the Basque Country is all about the little towns and villages--not the cities (althought the cities that Parigi mentioned are all well worth visiting).

Hiking is a very popular activity in euskadi. If you like to hike, it's a great way to see some beautiful spots and to get off the tourist trail. The most enjoyable meals for me are the ones in these villages.

Another option is to drive the coast and just stop in the little port towns along the way.

[Parigi]

"Personally, I think that the Basque Country is all about the little towns and villages--not the cities (althought the cities that Parigi mentioned are all well worth visiting)."

I agree with you, ChrisB, but that is specifically not the poster was asking about.
If I had 10 days in the Basque country, I would, well, still keep San Sebastian (about 3 days) but would stay in a strategically located village with good restaurants like Ciboure (7 days, as a base).

[Mjstout]

Thanks for the great input!

So if I were to stay in a smaller village, how is the transportation? Is a car a must have? I would like to drink a few glasses of wine during the day and I don't like to drive after drinking any alcohol.

[Parigi]

"So if I were to stay in a smaller village, how is the transportation? Is a car a must have?"

Yes

"I would like to drink a few glasses of wine during the day and I don't like to drive after drinking any alcohol."

That's why I would choose Ciboure (or some village/town with a high concentration of good eateries like it) as my base. Ciboure has great restos - Chez Mattin, Arantxaleak, L'Ephémère, chez Margot, - and I have not even included the restaurants in adjacent (walkable) St Jean de Luz.
For lunches, DH, who is the driver, limits himself to 2 glasses when we dine out, plus we take a good long walk for an hour or longer afterwards.