Basque Country in August?

[The_Rev]

Thinking of making a pilgrimage to the hometown of Unai Emery. 

 

Actually, that's not true at all.   But I've basically been everywhere in the UK but I'm embarrassingly not very well travelled around Europe.  I'd like to do a bit with the family before it's too late and now post pandemic we seem to be in a place where we can finally do something.   There are a few factors I'm limited by: 

 

I've got prescribed holiday at work. It has to be in August.   

The wife and my oldest don't do very well in stifling heat. 

We don't drink. Not interested in sitting on the beach or by the pool for a couple of weeks or being surrounded by pissed up English tourists.    

There's an age spread with the kids.  Oldest is 17, youngest will be 6 when we travel. 

Don't want to leave Europe this year, nor do we want to go anywhere where brown people feel vulnerable.  Halal food availability is a bonus but not a must. 

 

I've arrived on the idea of the Basque country.  Bilbao is supposed to be lovely and I know there is a not unpopular opinion that San Sebastian is the best city in Spain.  The climate there is warm but not hot as it's on the Atlantic coast and surrounded by mountains.   

 

 

Anybody been?  Any recommendations? 

[villa89]

Been to Bilbao and San Sebastian. Both lovely places. Food is amazing. If you are into fine dining then there's michelin star restaurants everywhere. I ate 9 michelin stars while I was there (two three star and three one star). If not the standard tapas in bars and cafe is still lovely. Just outside bilbao this restaurant has great food and doesn't cost the earth : http://www.andra-mari.com/en/presentacion.php. Guggenhiem is worth a visit too, some cool expo's in there. San Sebastian is beautiful, has a lovely beach that's not full of germans on sun loungers and a nice walk around the promenade.  the Aquarium is definitely worth a visit, especially if you have kids.

Between the two places you'd get a lovely week's/ 5 day holiday. Miles better than malaga or anywhere down south/on the med.

 

 

[Rolta]

On 21/04/2023 at 13:59, The_Rev said:

Thinking of making a pilgrimage to the hometown of Unai Emery. 

 

Actually, that's not true at all.   But I've basically been everywhere in the UK but I'm embarrassingly not very well travelled around Europe.  I'd like to do a bit with the family before it's too late and now post pandemic we seem to be in a place where we can finally do something.   There are a few factors I'm limited by: 

 

I've got prescribed holiday at work. It has to be in August.   

The wife and my oldest don't do very well in stifling heat. 

We don't drink. Not interested in sitting on the beach or by the pool for a couple of weeks or being surrounded by pissed up English tourists.    

There's an age spread with the kids.  Oldest is 17, youngest will be 6 when we travel. 

Don't want to leave Europe this year, nor do we want to go anywhere where brown people feel vulnerable.  Halal food availability is a bonus but not a must. 

 

I've arrived on the idea of the Basque country.  Bilbao is supposed to be lovely and I know there is a not unpopular opinion that San Sebastian is the best city in Spain.  The climate there is warm but not hot as it's on the Atlantic coast and surrounded by mountains.   

 

 

Anybody been?  Any recommendations? 

I've only been to San Sebastian—though Emery may prefer its Basque name Donostia judging by his use of Basque on social media—and it's a lovely place. The good news is that in August it should be bearable temperature-wise, as opposed to anywhere from the middle of Spain down, which will be unbearable! I hear good things about Bilbao too, and there are loads of nice places in the countryside. Villages and beaches and so on.

Edited May 1, 2023 by Rolta

[choffer]

If you’re in the area, try and get a table at Mugaritz. It’s been on my bucket list for ages. 
Other than that, I don’t have much insight to offer. San Sebastián is lovely, as is Biarritz, which is just over the border. Food is awesome, people are friendly, you’ll have a great time. 

[viivvaa66]

I have been there and I have planned a trip there later this month.

For me it is all about food, the area have 3 restaurant in the worlds 50 best restaurants, number 6, 16, 21, also number 55 on the 51-100 list. I have secured table bookings for Elkano (16) and Mugaritz (21) and Arurmendi (55). I ate at Asador Etxebarri (6) at my previous visit. Number of Michelin star restaurants are higher then anywhere else in the world.

There is also the Pintxo bars/restaurants in the old part of San Sebastián, this time I’m getting Basque Cheesecake from La Viña.

It is nice to walk around Bilbao and San Sebastián, both are quite charming in different ways. Bilbao is a more modern city, while San Sebastián have old parts and beaches.

[The_Rev]

I’ve ended up just going with ten nights in Bilbao, it’s just easier with kids in tow. Still plan to go to San Sebastián, it seems a bus/coach is the best way to do it.  Any advice @viivvaa66 ? 

[viivvaa66]

3 hours ago, The_Rev said:

I’ve ended up just going with ten nights in Bilbao, it’s just easier with kids in tow. Still plan to go to San Sebastián, it seems a bus/coach is the best way to do it.  Any advice @viivvaa66 ? 

Bus is the best option, see Alsa. There are coach trips to San Sebastián, that include guide tour of San Sebastián, see Local Experts Tour. I used them to visit wineries in Rioja.

If you are staying that long in Bilbao, do you plan to visit Vizcaya Bridge? You get there by underground from Bilbao.

[villa89]

18 hours ago, The_Rev said:

I’ve ended up just going with ten nights in Bilbao, it’s just easier with kids in tow. Still plan to go to San Sebastián, it seems a bus/coach is the best way to do it.  Any advice @viivvaa66 ? 

Yeah just get the bus, it's quick and easy and goes from town centre to town centre. Plus the bus station is underground in Bilbao which is interesting.

[The Fun Factory]

The Guggenheim is much quoted as a excellent example of a modern building really adding something to city for visitors to come to.

[villa89]

10 hours ago, The Fun Factory said:

The Guggenheim is much quoted as a excellent example of a modern building really adding something to city for visitors to come to.

It's definitely worth going into. There's a good few exhibitions, some won't be great, some are interesting, but even the architecture of the building itself is nice to see. 

[The_Rev]

I'm absolutely going to the Guggenheim, I bloody love museums and it's a must see.  Food is going to be weird, we eat halal so it's probably going to have to be a case of sticking to fish and/or vegetarian stuff and given that I'll have a couple of fussy kids in tow then some of the better restaurants in the area just aren't going to work for us.   No booze either (holidays must be easy if all you want to do is sit by a pool with a book and drink for two weeks!) but I wouldn't mind finding a beach somewhere at some point. I know Bilbao is inland but the Metro seems to go a long way towards the coast so is there anywhere on it which is good for finding a beach?    Also the Spanish fixtures get released in July and I'm kinda hoping I get to a Bilbao game with the boy while we are there.   There was an outside chance that Villa would be there in the Europa Conference (August 24th) but Bilbao lost against Real Madrid on the final day and ended up missing out by two points.  

[HKP90]

Had my Stag do in Biarritz in late August. Awesome place. The wine flows like water.

[viivvaa66]

On 22/06/2023 at 17:54, The_Rev said:

I'm absolutely going to the Guggenheim, I bloody love museums and it's a must see.  Food is going to be weird, we eat halal so it's probably going to have to be a case of sticking to fish and/or vegetarian stuff and given that I'll have a couple of fussy kids in tow then some of the better restaurants in the area just aren't going to work for us.   No booze either (holidays must be easy if all you want to do is sit by a pool with a book and drink for two weeks!) but I wouldn't mind finding a beach somewhere at some point. I know Bilbao is inland but the Metro seems to go a long way towards the coast so is there anywhere on it which is good for finding a beach?    Also the Spanish fixtures get released in July and I'm kinda hoping I get to a Bilbao game with the boy while we are there.   There was an outside chance that Villa would be there in the Europa Conference (August 24th) but Bilbao lost against Real Madrid on the final day and ended up missing out by two points.  

I’m just back from my trip to Bilbao/San Sebastian.

In addition to Guggenheim there is a fine arts museum, and the tour of the Atletico stadium includes the Atletico museum.

I was there for the food, the end result was 13 Michelin stars across the restaurant we visited. But we also visited at lot of random restaurants and the standard is just amazing either they have Michelin stars or not. They do fish and seafood brilliantly, but less impressed with meat or vegetable dishes. Most bars/restaurants are divided into two sections, one bar sections where you eat pintxos and drink, and a restaurant section in the back. Trying pintxos is a must, this is the food culture in the region, the cold pintxos are displayed in the bar, like potato/cod omelette, slices of baguette with some toppings and a few other options. There are hot pintxos, but you have to order them, they are listed in Spanish at the bar. People are very helpful, so I’m sure you will get some good food. Here is a guide for Pintxo in Bilbao, I used a similar guide in San Sebastián with great success.

The nearest beaches are in Getxo, the first one Playa de Las Arenas can be reached from Metro stop Areeta, that also is the stop for the famous bridge. The stops for the other two beaches are; Neguri and Bidezadal. I have only walked past Playa de Las Arenas, when I visit the bridge, it’s small, not crowded, looked clean, but since I haven’t seen the other two I cannot compare them.

 

[The_Rev]

The stadium tour is going on the list.   I'm trying to score some tickets to Sociedad vs Celta Vigo too, but they aren't on sale yet.  Annoyingly Bilbao are at home the day we land and the day we leave, they've got Osasuna away in a Basque derby on the middle weekend but getting tickets to that might be almost impossible and I suspect the atmosphere could be tetchy even if we did go.  There's still a small chance Villa will get Bilbao in the Conference League while we are out there and that would be amazing.  I think I'll try and grab some sea food too. 

The Semana Grande festival is on too.  Had no idea it was even a thing but it looks fun. 

[Risso]

We're looking around that area too Nays. How did our eldest kids get to be 17 by the way, doesn't seem 5 mins since they were born.

[The_Rev]

First time I’ve looked at this thread in weeks.  Been here since Tuesday afternoon, turns out we arrived on a bank holiday (assumption of Mary) so everything was closed but me and the boy went to San Mames to do the tour on Wednesday and did a couple of museums yesterday, one in the old town and the Guggenheim.  Had provisionally planned to go to San Sebastián today but it’s gonna be really hot, I’m not entirely sure how to get bus tickets or where the buses go from.  We did get tickets to the Sociedad vs Celta game so I guess we will be figuring that out on the fly tomorrow.