About the Area:
One of the best ways of touring its districts and approaching its culture is through the cuisine. Basque cookery has international prestige thanks to its raw materials and the skill of its cooks, who have both traditional and imaginative repertoires.
It must be said that some of the most renowned restaurants in Spain are in San Sebastian. Recipes made with vegetables, fish and shellfish must always be accompanied by chacol from Guetaria/Guetariako Txakolina, with its own Denomination of Origin.
The province of Guipuzcoa satisfies the tastes of any traveller, offering a long coastline of excellent beaches and fishing villages, while inland there are natural areas where you can find important historic towns. Going along the coast from France towards Vizcaya you will have the chance to visit the historic centre of Hondarribia/Fuenterrabia, declared a Historic-Artistic Monument, and to stay in its Parador de Turismo.
Other towns that combine interesting monuments with extensive beaches are Zarautz, Getaria, Deba and Mutriku.
Rivers and valleys lead you inland. Following the course of the Oria, the historic towns of Tolosa, Ordizia and Lazkao preserve important legacies of monuments. The Urola valley has the old town and spa of Cestona/Zestoa, the medieval streets of Azpeitia and the Sanctuary of San Ignacio de Loyola, a Baroque site that is the centre of Basque religious life.
Bergara is one of the smartest towns in Guipuzcoa and the lovely houses of Elgeta unfold along the Deba valley. The Aitzkorri, Aralar, Aiako-Harria and Pagoeta natural parks also show us the quality of their ecosystems.
Attractions
Kursaal - Avenue de la Zurriola, Gros, San Sebastian. This postmodern concert hall was designed by the world-famous Spanish architect Rafael Moneo. Not just a concert hall, the Kursaal is also home to a film society and convention centre. The complex looks as if it is built of gleaming cubes of glass, which are meant to represent a visual stepping-stone between the nearby Mountains.
Getaria Town - The town is thought to date from the early 13th century. Since then it has been an important commercial and fishing centre. The port itself is protected by Mount San Anton, which is locally known as the "Getaria mouse", because of how it looks from a distance. Getaria has had some famous former inhabitants, particularly Juan Sebastian Elcano, who was the first man to sail around the world. Also born here was the designer Cristobal Balenciaga.
Guggenheim Museum - Bilbao. A visit to the Guggenheim is a must if you are in the Basque country. It opened in October 1997 and changed the face of tourism in the city practically overnight. The building is covered with a stunning 30,000 sheets of titanium, and has a huge atrium, which is more than 150 feet high and is connected to the nineteen galleries by means of a series of suspended metal walkways and glass elevators.
Hondarribia - This is a small coastal town with lovely coastline, a historic quarter with a fabulous array of monuments and many outstanding restaurants that serve both traditional Basque food and the new, innovative Basque cuisine.
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