TWO WORDS: BASQUE COUNTRY

Spanning the border of France and Spain on the Atlantic coast, and nestled beneath the Pyrenees , le Pays Basque is an ancient, underrated and absolutely outstanding part of our world. Yes, it deserves the underline and emboldening! Since visiting the area in September 2015, I want to shout from rooftops about it.

Biarritz
Let’s begin our journey in Biarritz, where surfboards and haute couture collide in the pretty streets. Unassuming elegance is on show everywhere and, threaded through it all, you’ll see plenty of boardshorts and bronzed bodies. There’s a chic deco vibe here, and trendy goes hand in hand with demure. We fall in love with the place immediately, even though it is raining. A wet afternoon does not daunt the surfers who head to the waves in droves.

The sun returns next day and watching the surfers and people meandering along the promenade while taking breakfast on the Grand Plage, the city’s main beach, is a timeless pleasure worth repeating numerous times. Surfing was introduced to Europe in this very city back in the 1950s and it’s now part of everyday culture and adds to the allure of the place.

The view from the balcony of our perfectly located hotel (Hotel de la Plage, simple, fabulous, recommended) reminds me of a Lowry seaside painting, but with 2015 infused into it. Down below, the small “Old Port” beach is a beautiful surprise, tucked into the rocks with plenty of swimmers enjoying the calm waters. And that’s a bar I spy, nestled into the rockface, with unobstructed views to the Rocher de la Vierge (the iron bridge that Eiffel designed that goes out to the island with the Virgin Statue) and on out to the horizon.

It’s an impressive vista that is impossible to forget. The walk out to the island is even better.

Further round the point you’ll come to the Cote des Basque which stretches south to Spain and is where the locals surf. Add to all this natural beauty a fabulous market, easy shopping, a huge choice of bars and restaurants, a renowned spa and friendly locals and voila, here is a truly wonderful place to enjoy the best of everything. We'd like to live here for a while. Seriously.

St Jean de Luz
To the north lies the Anglet coast, comprising 11 beaches which unfold for miles. And to the south lies the impressive coastal expanse of St Jean de Luz. This stunning beachside town is a bustling hive of activity on a Sunday. Artists sell their works along the waterfront and the choice of eateries is mind-boggling. Glitz and glamour meld with seaside abandon. You can walk right along the promenade up to the headland, the golden sands turning into rocky shores along the way. Everywhere you look, there is sea and sky and splendour, and a large measure of French style. The place has charisma galore.

Hondarribia
Onwards across the border into Spain and the charming town of Hondarribia. Set on the river mouth, the new part of this town is modern, with a maritime vibe. The main street is bursting with pintxo bars (Basque tapas) and there’s a built-in festive atmosphere as people sit outside under umbrellas and awnings enjoying the local seafood and all manner of gastronomic treats. The food and drink scene in this part of the world is second-to-none and Hondarribia boasts some of the best restaurants in the area.

The old town is in complete contrast to the newer part. It is incredibly well preserved and wandering through the narrow cobbled streets and ancient squares makes for a delightful few hours. There’s a rather fabulous looking fortress that now operates as a hotel. It overlooks the entire town and coastline and transports you right back to the Middle Ages. We’re tempted to stay the night but San Sebastian is calling.

San Sebastian
A city of real distinction, San Sebastian is one of the most aesthetically beautiful cities you will ever see. There’s a harbour and city surf beach, as well as The Concha Bay, a long curved bay with caramel coloured sand embraced by a wide promenade that takes you from one side of town to the other. An attractive white balustrade runs the entire length of the promenade. Street performers and buskers are dotted along the way to entertain and amuse.

At the top of Monte Igueldo, on one side of the bay (take the funicular) there is an old tower that is rather eerie in a very pleasant way, and full of fascinating photographs of yesteryear. A small amusement park which opened in 1912 still operates today. Kitsch and fabulous, with views across the entire city, it evokes yesteryear. The quirky roller coaster, with its track jutting scarily out over the sea, is a ride that’s well worth taking. Not just for kids.

The old part of this town is full of character, the narrow streets lined with pintxo bars and lively people. Be sure to do a pintxo bar crawl each night you are there. The wine is cheap and very good and it is rather daunting fun selecting pintxos from the huge array of delectable morsels on offer. The variety and quality is astounding, and the very accomplished pintxo barmen can multi-task better than any male I’ve ever seen. They will ensure you are replete with good tastes and delightful repartee for next to nothing. The cheesecake at La Viña is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

We stay in the very charming and perfectly located Pension Amaiur which we discover is actually the oldest house in town. The staircase may look like it’s about to topple over, but the place is made of sturdy bones, with a huge dose of enchantment added. Our room even has a small balcony with premium views of those pintxo bars. We couldn’t be more content and as the street closes down for the night, we sink into the happiest of sleeps. We have walked for miles, eaten lots of treats and soaked up the naturally happy vibe of this magnificent place. Leaving is hard, but Bilbao beckons.

Bilbao
Bilbao is a revelation. Once an industrial town that had seen better days, it is now a city revived. It has everything going on.

The river wends it way through the city and the iconic Guggenheim museum stands proudly on one side of it. Spending a whole day inside this masterpiece is easy. Much of it is glass so you don’t actually feel like you’re inside at all, and there are plenty of decks and outdoor areas to enjoy a drink or just soak up city life happening all around you. Richard Serra’s “A Matter of Time” is an astounding and enormous installation – circles, ellipses and waves made of steel perplex and disorientate you as you wander throughout. It is a thing of utter magnificence.

Bilbao is a thronging town, without being unwieldy or crowded. The old town hums and the new town invites you to stay a while with its pedestrian precincts and countless pintxo bars where the food and wine is even cheaper than San Sebastian. And that’s saying something.

Public transport is seamless and cheap and getting around is a breeze. The unique and very impressive Vizkaya Bridge straddles the river between Portugalate and Getzo, north of the city. Walking across it requires you to leave any phobia of heights at home. You can take the gondola across if you prefer. It’s a marvellous feat of engineering from vision to creation.

We walk along yet another notable beachside promenade in the town of Getxo and, passing mansion after mansion, we learn of the history of this area. The Basques were in fact the wealthiest people in Spain at one point, and commissioned large homes here, designed by the eminent architects of the day. Many are still in the same family ownership and our walk provides an intriguing peek into this playground for the rich, tucked away on the Atlantic coast. It’s not ritzy but it does have an understated air of prosperity.

Basque Country has a distinct point of being just that bit different, of having unusual stories to tell. The language, aligned with Spanish but with an abundance of Xs and Zs planted throughout the words, is rather incomprehensible. English is reasonably widely spoken in the main centres, and the locals are ultra-friendly and always happy to chat. But once you’re out of town, it’s Basque language all the way. A smattering of Spanish is very useful, but you’ll still get tripped up by those pesky Xs and Zs.

We fell in love with everything Basque. From the people to the places to the food to the history to the modern edge and more, from top to bottom there is simply nothing not to love. We cannot wait to return.