The Basque Country, or Euskadi, is a small but wonderful gem in the northeast corner of Spain. Its coastline – facing a sometimes-turbulent Bay of Biscay – has been shaped by history and weather. Craggy, serene and dramatic, it has dozens of picturesque villages, impressive rock formations and the lovely Bay of San Sebastian-Donostia.

The cities in the Basque Country are enthralling. An example is the picturesque capital, Vitoria-Gasteiz. The “Old Town” was burnt in 1202 and energetically re-built.

Notice the influence of the “guilds” that were so much a part of medieval society, saddlemakers, shoemakers, and so on. They jostle with churches and monuments, including one to the battle of Vitoria. The “New Town,” is fascinating in a different way. You’ll find it dotted with musems – of heraldry, of Fine Art, and spectacular parks.

The Basque northern landscape can be intensely green. Look across a green field, down into a green valley and up at the green-sided mountains! In the south, where high ground gives way to wide dry plains, the colors change to shades of ochre. In between are soaring mountains where walking and climbing are favorite ways of enjoying this highly visual land.
In the Basque Country, or Euskadi, you’ll discover a surprising variety of sights to enjoy, from the truly ancient to the spectacularly modern. For many, the new titanium and glass Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao-Bilbo is a stand out. The Museum, designed by Frank Gehry, is a symbol of forward thinking and cutting-edge of modern art. But there are many more reasons for visiting this enthralling region. In architecture, they include masterworks such as Rafael Moneo’s Kursaal Centre and the Metro in Bilbao.

Look at the Guggenheim, and at the 5,000 year-old dolmens – ancient burial places – and you’ll see past meet present. Also reflecting the living traditions are Basque fiestas where musicians enjoy the ancient art of instruments like the “txalaparta” and the “alboka.” Words like these, from Basque (the oldest language in Europe), are used today in poetry,

literature and conversation. The fiestas reinvent themselves every year, and everybody joins in (including you!). And don’t worry about the language... Spanish is the other official language and English is widely spoken.

Cuisine is also a vital part of Basque social life. Friends wander amiably from bar to bar to snack on “pintxos,” washing it down with local wines such as reds from the Rioja Alavasa and white “Txakoli”. And watch them have fun in the colorful cider houses! So eating and drinking in Basque Country is something special. Look for exquisite squid in ink, elvers and hake, all popular with the locals, as they will be with you. Give your taste buds a treat, in the Basque Country, a fascinating and flavorful corner of Europe.