# November long weekend from San Sebastián: getaways for All Saints Getaways from San Sebastián for 1 November: the ochre vineyards of Laguardia and Haro, birds in Txingudi bay, Ainhoa and Abbadia, Arcachon in autumn and Romanesque in Aguilar. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/basque-country/san-sebastian/getaways/november-long-weekend · Revisado: 2026-11-13 Origen: San Sebastián - [A weekend in the Rioja Alavesa, 45 minutes from Vitoria](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/basque-country/laguardia-and-rioja-alavesa/itineraries/rioja-alavesa-wine-weekend-laguardia.md) (1 night, Laguardia and the Rioja Alavesa): With the harvest in, in early November the Rioja Alavesa vineyard is in its last ochres and reds before it is left as bare vines. The wineries no longer have September and October's pressure, so the tastings under Laguardia are booked with less notice. - [Haro: winery, grill house and Briñas](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/la-rioja/haro/itineraries/station-quarter-wineries-and-lamb.md) (Day itinerary, Haro): In winter the Station District wineries remain open by booking, and in November they have the new wine freshly in tank. The 1877 grill serves lunches on Sunday. If it rains, the Conchas de Haro gorge stays for another day. - [Hondarribia: old town, the Marina and Jaizkibel](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/basque-country/hondarribia/itineraries/walls-ferry-and-jaizkibel.md) (Day itinerary, Hondarribia): In autumn and winter Txingudi bay receives migrating birds, and the Plaiaundi ecological park has observatories ten minutes from the old town. The motor boat to Hendaye still crosses, although in winter it ends at 18:00: come back before dark. - [Lapurdi villages and a castle above the sea](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/nouvelle-aquitaine/french-basque-coast/itineraries/winter-ainhoa-espelette-abbadia.md) (Day itinerary, French Basque Coast): The La Rhune train stops running in early November, and this is the Lapurdi plan for the months without it: Ainhoa and Espelette in the morning and Abbadia castle above the cliff. The Euzkadi in Espelette is closed from mid-November to mid-December. - [An oyster weekend on the Arcachon bay, 2 h 30 from San Sebastián](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/nouvelle-aquitaine/arcachon-bay/itineraries/oyster-weekend.md) (2 nights, Arcachon Bay): All Saints falls in the French autumn school holidays, and on those days the bay has more activity than the rest of autumn; in winter, many oyster huts open only at weekends. The Pilat dune, in autumn wind, is climbed without summer's heat. - [A weekend in Aguilar de Campoo: Romanesque, Las Loras and bison, an hour and a quarter from Burgos and Santander](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/castile-and-leon/aguilar-de-campoo/itineraries/aguilar-de-campoo-romanesque-and-bison-weekend.md) (1 night, Aguilar de Campoo and the Romanesque of Palencia): The Romanesque of Aguilar de Campoo and the European bison are visited all year, and in early November the oak woods of the Montaña Palentina still hold colour. The Convento de Mave closes at the end of October, so eat in Aguilar. The bison visit is booked beforehand. - [Gaztelugatxe, Mundaka and the Casa de Juntas](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/basque-country/urdaibai/itineraries/sunday-at-gaztelugatxe-and-mundaka.md) (Day itinerary, Urdaibai): In November you normally climb Gaztelugatxe without queues; check the provincial council's controlled-access calendar all the same. In November the swell breaks against the islet, and from the path it looks better than when calm. If it rains heavily, the Gernika Peace Museum opens on Sunday morning. ## A holiday for staying close In early November the Basque coast enters its storm season, and the All Saints long weekend lends itself more to short trips than to grand plans. 1 November is a holiday in the Basque Country, with no other day added: there is a three-day long weekend if it falls on a Monday or Friday, four if it falls on a Tuesday or Thursday and you take the day in between, and none if it falls on a Wednesday or at a weekend. It is a short-getaway long weekend. Many people spend it between the cemetery and the family meal, and besides, November weather on the coast does not encourage going far. That is why this page has mostly day plans and one-night getaways, under two hours away. ## When France is on holiday In France, All Saints falls in the middle of the schools' autumn holidays, which last about two weeks, and 1 November is also a holiday. The Lapurdi coast has on those days the atmosphere of a spring long weekend, with families from across the country. The La Rhune train, moreover, stops running in early November. The solution is the Lapurdi interior. Ainhoa and Espelette, with peppers drying on the façades, are best seen first thing, and Abbadia castle, in Hendaye, can be visited inside even if it rains. If you want sea and few people, Hondarribia has in Txingudi bay the Plaiaundi marsh, with observatories for the birds that come down in autumn. ## Rioja after the harvest An hour and three quarters from San Sebastián, Rioja Alavesa changes rhythm in November. The grapes are already in the wineries, the trailers have vanished from the roads and the vineyard lives its last days of colour, with leaves between ochre and garnet. A night inside the Laguardia wall, with a tasting under its streets, is this long weekend's getaway. The next day, Haro, with the Station District wineries and a grill for lunching on lamb. ## Rain, swell and first frost Early November on the Basque coast is rain and swell. A day of Indian-summer sun may appear, but you should not count on it. In the Rioja it rains less and mornings are colder. In Aguilar de Campoo, at over 800 metres, there may be the first frost: bring a coat for the bison, which are seen outdoors. ## A fairy-tale castle and a bird observatory The Biarritz aquarium and Abbadia castle, with its fairy-tale air, are the rainy-day plans. At Plaiaundi, the bird observatories are at a child's height and the walk is flat. Gaztelugatxe, with its 241 steps, is climbed well from about age eight, and in November without summer's heat or queue. ## Bookings and closures This long weekend is booked without stress, except Arcachon, which on those days receives French families on holiday. In Aguilar, the Convento de Mave has already closed its season. In Espelette, the Euzkadi closes from mid-November. And in the Rioja, although there is less pressure than at harvest, tastings have fixed slots: book them. ## More cemetery traffic than travel traffic The busiest road of the long weekend is the cemetery road, not the travel one: on the morning of 1 November there is more traffic than usual around the cemeteries of the city and the villages. Towards the Rioja on the AP-1, the exit the night before goes calmly; the return on the last day, from mid-afternoon. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### Can you go up La Rhune at All Saints? It depends on the year: the train closes its season in early November. If it no longer runs, the summit can only be reached on foot, and the Lapurdi interior, with Ainhoa and Abbadia, is a better plan. ### Is Rioja Alavesa worth it in November? Yes: the vineyard is in its last colours, the wineries have the new wine and there are far fewer people than at harvest. ### Are there plans under cover within an hour and a half? Abbadia castle, the Biarritz aquarium and the Gernika Peace Museum are visited under cover, less than an hour and a half away. ### Is Lapurdi full at All Saints? More than on other autumn weekends, because it coincides with the French school holidays and 1 November is a holiday there.