Basque Country

A culinary culture unlike any other

The Basque Country has more Michelin stars per capita than almost anywhere on earth, and the obsession with food runs through every layer of society. San Sebastián's old town is lined with pintxos bars where small bites of extraordinary craft are passed over marble counters, washed down with crisp local txakoli wine. Bilbao's Ribera Market, one of Europe's largest covered markets, hums with the commerce of the sea: salt cod, spider crab, fresh anchovies and slabs of tuna hauled in from the Bay of Biscay.

An ancient language and a living culture

Euskara, the Basque language, is one of the great linguistic mysteries of Europe: ancient, unrelated to any other known tongue, and very much alive. Street signs, menus and greetings come in both Spanish and Basque, and the region's cultural identity is celebrated through music, festivals and the spectacular rural sport of stone lifting. The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Frank Gehry's shimmering titanium landmark, brought the city global attention in 1997 and sparked an urban transformation that has never really stopped.

Capital elegance and coastal freedom

Vitoria-Gasteiz, the seat of the regional government, is a city of wide boulevards, a beautifully preserved medieval quarter and some of Spain's most liveable urban planning. Beyond the cities, the coast road west of San Sebastián threads past surfers' beaches and whitewashed villages, while the interior valleys conceal Romanesque churches, cider houses and vineyards producing Rioja Alavesa wines. Whether you are here for world-class food, singular culture or the simple pleasure of a long Atlantic walk, the Basque Country tends to exceed expectations.