The Basque Country is an autonomous region, situated in the North-East of Spain, next to the border with France. It officially belongs to the State of Spain, bu was granted the status of nationality, because of its strong historically constituted identity and cultural diversity.
Having visited already Madrid and Barcelona, a question kept strolling in my mind: is this place really different, and what has this Autonomos Community got that is so special?
Fue a discubrirlo en autostop!
Victoria-Gasteiz
My amazing solo trip started in the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz. I reached the city by plane from Milan, at the beginning of August. The airport is very small, and a bus connection bring passangers directly to the city in around thirty minutes.
I visited Vitoria-Gasteiz with my couchsurfer Javi, who was extremely knowledgeable and proud of his region. The city center is very small, but characterised by a medieval building style and a beautiful municipality square. The word Gasteiz is the name of the city in Basque language, which is still very important in the region and benefits of official translations in every panel, even though all the people already speak perfect spanish.
Victoria Gasteiz was elected European Green Capital in 2012, having huge parks and nature within its urban area
During the night, we went with a Japanese girl, also hosted by Javi, eating Pintxos, Basque versions of Tapas that you can find for a couple of euros in every bar of the city. It exists a huge variety of them and matched with wine they are just delicious!
The next day started the big challenge of the trip: I went next to a traffic light in the outside of the city and waited with a panel on which I wrote San Sebastian. I waited for at least thirty five minutes and I started to lose faith, but a van finally stopped. It was Jorge, an electrician who was working for the national company and had never left Spain before. He was amazed by my bravery and really appreciated to give me a help, to finally reach.. the Ocean!
Donostia-San Sebastian
My arrival in San Sebastian was actually on a motorbike. Jorge had to stop in a village for work, so I had to wait for another pick-up which happened to be a guy on a motorbike and two helmets. When I saw the water over the horizon my heart bubbled up with joy!
I reached safely to my hostel and had a quick round on the city. San Sebastian is the Montecarlo of Spain, a little paradise for the rich, with Casinos and nightlife. Its Basque name is Donostia, which can be stretched in “Dona Stian”, having literally the same meaning as its Spanish version. Donostia is featured with a very long and sandy beach where dozens of surfers gather everyday to learn how to surf the waves. On its right edge it culminates forming a promontory, dominated by a Christ statue, that makes it look like a little Rio de Janeiro. Under the statue there is a little free museum about the city that is really worth visiting!
Walking on the opposite direction, till the left edge of the city is located the sculpture “Peine del Viento” [Comb of the Wind], where the sea waves crash on the rocks producing an incredible and breathtaking landscape.
Bilbao
After the amazing visit of San Sebastian, a French couple on a minibus dropped me in direction of Bilbao. They had equipped it with a double bed, a shower and a little kitchen and they were travelling on it. We spoke French all the time and I got to discover thousands of things about travelling in a pair and being on the same wavelength.
Arrived in Bilbao they set me down in front of the Museum Guggenheim. I already visited the one in New York but this one led me just astonished! Its architecture from the outiside calls to mind a shining floating boat and the big puppy flowering the entrance is just an extra warm welcome.
After the Museum I visited the city, that has a lively historical centre that only waits to be discovered. I joined a very interesting free tour and it is there where I met Mike Weiss, the Brazilian guy who visited the whole world!
At the time I met him, he already had been to 101 countries, including a lot of States of Africa whose name I didn’t even heard about yet in my life. Talking to him was a really great inspiration for me: for the first time I realized that people can go literally everywhere and this big dream I had to travel around the world could be done in a lifetime, and here I am pursuing it.
Santander
The last step of my trip was the city of Santander. This does not belong yet to the Basque Country but to the autonomous region of Cantabria. It had, although, a lot of interesting activities and things to see. Some that I advise are:
Monumento a los Raqueros, having seen its photo previously on Facebook of all the statues in the world, I couldn’t be more excited to find these intriguing sculptures in Santander.
Jardines del Piqio, a little bit further away from the city centre but easily reachable by bus, these gardens are the perfect place to enjoy the beach and have a relaxing walk on the promenade. The big balcony on the seafront is just so romantic.
Centro Botìn, an art centre designated to make social development and wealth, realized by the popular italian architect Renzo Piano
It was in Santander that I took my plane back home. I spent in total eight days during my stay, two in each city. Leave a comment if you enjoyed the article and let me know if you visited or would like to visit these cities!
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