Blog
The Euskal Herria magazine
Guides, itineraries, portraits of craftspeople, food discoveries, Basque stories — three articles a week to explore the seven provinces from a different angle.
CultureLauburu: the origin and meaning of the Basque cross
Where does the lauburu, the Basque cross, come from, and what does it mean? What the old stelae show, what it has been made to mean, how to draw it with a compass, where to see the oldest ones, and a detour via the ikurriña.
NatureXoldokogaina: the little summit above Biriatou that looks over two countries
At 486 m above Biriatou, the Xoldokogaina looks out over Txingudi Bay, La Rhune, Aiako Harria and the sea. The route from the village, what you see from the top and practical tips for the climb.
TravelThings to do in the Basque Country when it rains: 15 ideas to enjoy it whatever the weather
Museums, aquariums, caves, covered markets, cider houses, Bayonne hot chocolate, thalasso, pintxos: a great day in the Basque Country, even in the rain.
Food & wineEspelette pepper: history, cultivation and 5 iconic recipes
All about PDO Espelette pepper: origins, growing area, drying, how it differs from paprika, how to spot the real thing, plus 5 Basque recipes.
WellnessThermal baths, thalasso and spa resorts in the Basque Country: the complete guide
Cambo-les-Bains thermal spa, Biarritz sea-bathing history, coastal thalasso and spas, La Perla in San Sebastián, historic spas of Zestoa, Elgorriaga and Fitero.
TravelThe best museums in the Basque Country: from the Guggenheim to the Basque Museum in Bayonne
Bilbao’s Guggenheim and Fine Arts Museum, San Telmo, Chillida Leku, Balenciaga, Artium, Museum of Navarre, Bayonne’s Basque Museum, Bonnat-Helleu, Villa Arnaga.
ShoppingShopping in the Basque Country: the best streets in Bayonne, Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, San Sebastián and Bilbao
Where to shop in the Basque Country: the best shopping streets, designer boutiques and neighbourhoods, plus opening hours and sales rules in France and Spain.
WellnessThe Basque way of life: txokos, poteo, fiestas and feel-good traditions
What makes Basque wellbeing: gastronomic societies (txokos), poteo with friends, the cuadrilla, bertsolaris, rural sports (herri kirolak) and village fiestas.
Living hereLive on one side, work on the other: a cross-border worker’s guide to the Basque Country
Live in Hendaye, work in Irun, or vice versa: Franco-Spanish cross-border tax rules, health cover and the S1 form, the Topo train, cross-border cooperation.
Living hereHousing in the Basque Country: property prices, rents and market rules
Price per m² in Gipuzkoa, Biscay, Álava and Navarre, French Basque coast rents, rent caps, stressed areas, holiday lets: what to know before house-hunting.
Living hereMoving to the Spanish Basque Country: the paperwork step by step
French or Belgian and moving to Euskadi or Navarre? EU registration and NIE, padrón, health card, jobs, autónomo status, foral taxes: official-source guide.
Living hereBasque-language schools: ikastolas, bilingual streams and classes for adults
Basque-medium schooling in the French or Spanish Basque Country (Seaska, bilingual streams, models A, B, D) and learning Basque yourself: a guide for families.
Food & wine10 iconic restaurants in the Basque Country (France and Spain) — 2026 selection
Our pick of 10 restaurants in the Basque Country: six Michelin-starred tables (2026 guide) and four iconic spots in San Sebastián, Bayonne and Ciboure.
WellnessSurfing, bodyboarding, paddleboarding, yoga and sea walking: gentle exercise in the Basque Country
Learn to surf or bodyboard on beginner spots, paddleboard in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Hendaye or La Concha, ocean yoga, sea walking: gentle Basque Country activities.
ShoppingBasque Country food souvenirs: what to bring home and where to buy it
Bayonne chocolate, Adam macarons, gâteau basque, Espelette pepper, ham, sheep’s cheese, Izarra, patxaran, txakoli: the best food souvenirs and historic shops.
WellnessNature escapes in the Basque Country: 16 places to unwind and switch off
Iraty, Holzarté, Txingudi, Urdaibai, Urkiola, Gorbeia, Valderejo, Bertiz, the Urederra, Bardenas Reales… 16 places to recharge in nature in the Basque Country.
ShoppingThe best markets and food halls in the Basque Country: days and opening times
Food halls in Bayonne, Biarritz and Saint-Jean-de-Luz, La Bretxa, La Ribera, Santo Domingo, Ordizia, Tolosa and village markets: a day-by-day guide.
CultureBasque actors, actresses and singers: from Money Heist to Luis Mariano
Itziar Ituño (Lisbon in Money Heist), Karra Elejalde, Maurice Ravel, Mikel Laboa, La Oreja de Van Gogh, Amaia… Basque stars from both sides of the border.
CultureETA: the history of a conflict, from 1959 to its dissolution in 2018
ETA explained impartially: origins under Franco, attacks and victims, supporters and opponents, end of the armed campaign, disarmament, dissolution and legacy.
ShoppingBasque crafts: linen, makila, espadrilles, chistera and txapela — where to buy them
Iconic Basque crafts and the workshops that still make them: Basque linen, Larressore makilas, Mauléon espadrilles, Anglet chisteras, Tolosa berets.
Food & wineTxakoli: everything you need to know about the Basque Country’s lightly sparkling wine
Txakoli guide: the 3 PDOs (Getaria, Biscay, Álava), grape varieties, the high pour, food pairings, producers and where to taste it.
NatureBasque Country wildlife and plants: Pottok ponies, sheep, vultures and great beech forests
Basque Country wildlife: Pottok ponies, Manech sheep, betizu cattle, griffon vultures, the Pyrenean desman, migrating birds and the great beech forests.
NatureWhale and dolphin watching in the Basque Country — where to go (2026 guide)
Dolphins, pilot whales, fin whales and sperm whales in the Bay of Biscay: boat trips from Hendaye, Bermeo and Santurtzi, season, species, prep and etiquette.
Food & wineSan Sebastián pintxos crawl — from the Parte Vieja to Gros
From the Old Town to the Gros neighbourhood, a pintxos crawl route for tasting your way around San Sebastián, in Gipuzkoa.
NatureGeology of the Basque Country: flysch, caves, gorges and desert
Basque Country landscapes explained: Zumaia’s flysch cliffs, the caves of Sare, Isturitz, Ekain and La Verna, the Kakuetta and Holzarté gorges, Bardenas Reales.
TravelBasque Country by train — the 2026 eco-friendly travel guide
How to explore the Basque Country by train: TGV, TER, Euskotren, Renfe, Bilbao Metro, little tourist trains and car-free itinerary ideas. The green option.
TravelThe Basque Country with kids: 12 family days out for young and old
Biarritz and San Sebastián aquariums, Cité de l’Océan, La Rhune train, Sare and Isturitz caves, Ekainberri, Eureka, Sendaviva: Basque Country family days out.
CultureFêtes de Bayonne 2026: dates, programme, what to wear and tips
Fêtes de Bayonne 2026 guide (15–19 July): origins, day-by-day programme, King Léon, the festival pass, white and red dress code, practical and safety tips.
CultureBasque pelota: history, frontons and disciplines
Hand pelota, chistera, pala, cesta punta: Basque pelota explained — origins, the three types of court, champions and where to watch, like Biarritz’s Gant d’Or.
NatureBest beaches in the Basque Country: Labourd, Gipuzkoa and Biscay
La Concha, Zarautz, Laga, Bakio, Hendaye, Anglet, Biarritz, Bidart, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Zumaia… Basque Country beach guide: vibe, swimming or surf, Blue Flags.
TravelBasque Country 7-day itinerary — what to do in a week (2026)
A day-by-day itinerary for a week in the Basque Country: both sides of the border, beaches, mountains, villages and museums. Transport and tips.
TravelThe 25 most beautiful villages in the Basque Country — on both sides of the border
Our pick of the 25 most beautiful Basque villages, in France (Iparralde) and Spain (Hegoalde): what makes each special, where to stay and when to go.
NatureLa Rhune hike — the complete guide to Labourd’s iconic summit
Start, route, timings, kit and the train alternative — everything you need to climb the legendary summit of the French Basque Country (905 m).
NatureBest hikes in the Basque Country: from La Rhune to the Pic d’Orhy
Easy, tough and legendary Basque Country hikes: La Rhune, Artzamendi, Holzarté, Pic d’Orhy, Jaizkibel, Gorbea, Anboto, Aizkorri, Txindoki. Heights, times, tips.
Food & wineBasque food: traditional dishes and local produce you have to try
Piperade, chipirones, marmitako, bacalao al pil-pil, axoa, gâteau basque, Ossau-Iraty, Kintoa ham… A complete guide to Basque food on both sides of the border.
CaminoSanctuaries of the Basque Country: Loyola, Arantzazu, Javier, Leyre, Eunate and Roncesvalles
Six spiritual and heritage sites in the Basque Country and Navarre, even for non-pilgrims: Loyola, Arantzazu, Javier Castle, Leyre, Eunate and Roncesvalles.
CaminoPreparing for the Camino de Santiago from the Basque Country: credencial, Compostela, Napoleon Route
Before walking the Camino from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port or Irun: the credencial, Compostela rules, the Napoleon Route winter closure, pilgrim office and lodging.
CaminoCamino del Norte in the Basque Country: the coastal Camino de Santiago
Irun and Hondarribia to Bilbao and Kobaron: the Northern Way’s Basque stages, 214 km of sea and mountains, UNESCO-listed since 2015. Plus the inland route.
CaminoCamino de Santiago from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port — stage by stage
Camino Francés guide from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port: how to prepare, the legendary Stage 1 to Roncesvalles, what to pack and the stages that follow.
CaminoCamino de Santiago routes in France and the French Basque Country: Ostabat, Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and the coastal route
How the French Camino routes from Le Puy, Vézelay and Tours meet at Ostabat and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, and the coastal route via Bayonne and Hendaye.
CultureHow to pronounce Basque place names — a mini-guide for visitors
Bilbao, Donostia, Iruñea, Baiona… A practical guide to pronouncing some thirty essential Basque place names, with simple rules and easy English sound-alikes.
CultureEuskadi or Euskal Herria — what’s the difference?
A short guide to telling the Basque Autonomous Community (Euskadi) apart from the historic seven-province Basque Country (Euskal Herria).