Basque Country, a wild coast for real, with estuaries and vineyards an hour away.

The Basque Country is small: from Hondarribia, on the border with France, to Laguardia, among vineyards beside the Ebro, it is barely over two hours by car. Three very different landscapes fit into that space. The coast of Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa, with cliffs, estuaries and fishing ports. The green interior of farmhouses and low hills. And south of the Sierra de Cantabria, the Rioja Alavesa, already Mediterranean, with vineyards, wineries and stone villages above wine cellars. That is why it works so well for day trips: from Bilbao, San Sebastián or Vitoria-Gasteiz, almost everything is less than an hour and a half away.

Which part should you choose?

• Urdaibai and San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. The Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve brings together Gernika, with the Casa de Juntas and its tree, the Mundaka estuary, which you paddle down by canoe at high tide, and the hermitage of Gaztelugatxe on its islet, reached by a stone staircase. In the busiest months access on foot is booked for free on the Bizkaia Provincial Council website: check before you set out. From Bilbao it is the shortest outing, also by Euskotren train to Gernika, Mundaka or Bermeo.
• Hondarribia. At the mouth of the Bidasoa, Hondarribia has a walled old town of cobbled streets, the Marina quarter with its houses with coloured balconies and Mount Jaizkibel above. A motorboat crosses to Hendaye in a few minutes. From San Sebastián you get there by car or on the Lurraldebus bus.
• Getaria and Zarautz. Two villages on the Gipuzkoa coast linked by a seafront promenade. Getaria and Zarautz bring together the harbour, the fish grill restaurants and the Cristóbal Balenciaga museum, txakoli vineyards above the sea and one of the long beaches of the Cantabrian coast, with surf schools.
• Laguardia and the Rioja Alavesa. On the other side of the sierra, Laguardia is a walled town with the polychrome portico of Santa María de los Reyes and wineries dug beneath its streets. Around it, the Marqués de Riscal winery in Elciego, lagoons, dolmens and villages such as Samaniego and Labastida. Logroño is twenty minutes away; Vitoria, about three-quarters of an hour.

How do you get there and get around?

By car, the AP-8 motorway runs along the coast between Bilbao, San Sebastián and the border, and the AP-1 and the N-622 go down towards Vitoria. For the Rioja Alavesa, from Vitoria you cross the sierra over the Herrera pass; from Logroño it is almost next door. Bear in mind that in Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia several motorways are toll roads.

Public transport works better than in almost any other region in the north. Euskotren links Bilbao with Gernika, Mundaka and Bermeo. Lurraldebus takes you from San Sebastián to Hondarribia, Zarautz and Getaria, and has lines to Zarautz from Bilbao and from Vitoria. Álava Bus links Vitoria with Laguardia and continues to Logroño. Each page gives the specific line. With a car, in summer the problem is parking: at Gaztelugatxe, Hondarribia and Getaria, arrive early or take the bus.

When should you go?

On the coast, from May to October: long days, terraces, the boat to the Jaizkibel cliffs and the motorboat to Hendaye until late. July and August bring more people and full car parks; June and September are the best balance. The Cantabrian Sea is cool all year and the weather changes quickly: always bring a jacket. In the Rioja Alavesa, September and October are the months of the grape harvest and of vineyards changing colour; in summer midday is hot. In winter many coastal restaurants close for a few weeks: each page notes its closures.

What do you eat?

Grilled fish at the Getaria grill restaurants, with whole turbot as the signature dish, Getaria txakoli, from the vineyards you can see from the village, and pintxos at the bars in Hondarribia. In the Rioja Alavesa, Rioja appellation wine, lamb chops grilled over vine cuttings and Riojan-style potatoes. At grill restaurants and on Sundays it is best to book: at midday they fill up with people from the capitals.

Sunday outings and short breaks

From Bilbao, Urdaibai and Gaztelugatxe are the nearest Sunday; Getaria and Zarautz are an hour away. From San Sebastián, Hondarribia is half an hour away and Getaria less. From Vitoria-Gasteiz and Logroño, the Rioja Alavesa is the natural outing, which can be combined with Haro. With a night, the coast can be covered entirely from Gaztelugatxe to Hondarribia, or you can sleep among the vines in Laguardia.