Euskadi: The Basque Country

We are having a 3-day visit to two of the main cities in the Basque Country (also known as Euskadi): Bilbao and San Sebastián. The Basque people are the oldest traceable ethnic group in Europe. Their language, Euskera, predates any of the commonly spoken Romance languages; its origins, like that of the Basque race itself, are lost in obscurity. The riddle of the Basque language has puzzled linguists and ethnologists for years; its grammar, syntax, and vocabulary are unrelated to those of any other European language.

The region is called Euskadi. In a very narrow sense it refers to three provinces of Spain: Guipuzcoa, and Alava (with its capital at Vitoria). But to Basque nationalists, Euskadi also refers to the northern part of Navarre and three provinces in France, including the famed resort of Biarritz.

If anything characterises the Basque Country, it is its excellent cuisine and the quality of its restaurants, from the most sophisticated, to the most humble. Basque traditional cuisine, based on simple elaboration processes, bases its success on the quality of the raw materials (fish, meat, cheeses, etc.). On a parallel level, new trends are appearing in Basque nouvelle cuisine, which have transformed the Basque cuisine in one of the best in Europe nowadays, according to the American press itself. All these dishes are always accompanied by Rioja wine, from the region of Alava, or with cider or "txakolí" (Basque white wine); all three wines that are typical of Euskadi.

Apart from this, Euskadi offers many music festivals, like the Jazz festivals in Vitoria and San Sebastian, examples of the intense cultural activity that the community has to offer throughout the year.

Bilbao

Bilbao´s Old Town or Casco Viejo give off an age-old atmosphere. This historical corner, which keeps intact its buildings from the beginning of the 20th century, rebuilt after the 1983 floods, is one of the most alive and dearly loved areas of a city which is full of contrasts. In the city there are other interesting and beautiful visiting sites, like the Arriaga Theatre, several baroque churches, the Cathedral, the monumental Ribera Market, a popular food market where one can still buy fish, fruit and vegetables in the old way, etc. The Basque people have an interesting and qualified museum proposal whose main flagship is the famous and peculiar Guggenheim Bilbao Museum. Its exhibition rooms or its singular monuments take one by surprise due to their variety and quality.

San Sebastian

In the unique Basque language, the name of this city is Donosti. It is the number 1 sightseeing destination in Euskadi, featuring the shell-shaped La Concha beach, one of Spain´s best-loved stretches of sand. The La Concha is half-encircled by a promenade, where crowds mill during the evening. Ideally situated on a choice spot on the Bay of Biscay, it´s surrounded by green mountains. From June to September, the population swells as hundreds of Spanish bureaucrats escape the heat and head for this tasteful resort as it has few of the tawdry trappings associated with major beachfront cities. San Sebastián is an ideal base for trips to some of the Basque country´s most fascinating towns. San Sebastián contains an old quarter, La Parte Vieja, with narrow streets, hidden plazas, and medieval houses, but it is primarily a modern city of elegant shops, wide boulevards, sidewalk cafes, and restaurants.