Linda Fox's report on the Basque Country - Tips
Posted On
20.03.07
Elisa Yarkony, Travel Counsellor The Basque country is beautiful, steeped in history and has gorgeous unspoilt beaches. Visit it to see the ‘real Spain’ before the region becomes over-developed. Basque people are fiercely independent but everyone is friendly and English isn't widely spoken. These are hardy people who for years have been under the terror rule of ETA. However in March this year ETA announced a ceasefire. The people of the Basque region are over the moon about this. My grandfather was a born and bred Basque, and very proud of it too.
Julie Savill, Travel Counsellor Bilbao is only really interesting for the Guggenheim but the gorgeous city of San Sebastian is a short train ride away. I love the evening ritual from around 7pm when bars in the old town serve tapas and everybody wanders in and out socializing. I lived in Spain for four years and these were the best tapas. The local drink is Pacharan, a berry liquor which is drunk more like wine. Some of the smaller towns along the coast like Mundaka, Bermeo and Zarautz are pleasant if you have a car. They are great surfing locations so accommodation can be hard to find if you visit the coast during the summer surfing championships but the atmosphere is great.
Jessica Taylor, Travel Counsellor St Jean De Luz, just 10kms from Biarritz is a great place with fantastic sandy beaches. It's a medieval town with Moorish influences, lots of lovely winding cobbled streets scattered with monuments and old churches. At night it comes alive with open air restaurants and street entertainment. A Basque Choir traditionally sings in one of the squares every summer Sunday morning. There are the best fish restaurants I have ever experienced - fresh spicy fish soup is a traditional starter I can highly recommend - and most places have a live fish tank where you can choose what you will eat. The Grand Hotel, part of the Leading Hotels of the World group, is in a beautiful, hundred-year old building on the sea front and perfect for a long weekend break.
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