The Basque country located in the North of Spain awaits with unique distinctive nature and numerous historic highlights. Accompanied by the rushing Atlantic Ocean you will always walk along the green and impressively rugged coast. You will pass through innumerable small villages gently nestled between the hills and the sea, whose colourful harbours and alleys have retained their original charm over the years. In Guernica you get to know more about the rich history of the Basque country, before the incredible view of the hermitage of Gaztelugatxe situated high up on the cliffs comes into view. At the end of your holiday lively Bilbao welcomes you in all its facets, a visit to the renowned Guggenheim Museum is for sure the crowning glory as a finale!
Details on the hiking holiday Basque Country & Atlantic Coast
Our hiking holiday in the Basque Country and on the Atlantic coast in Spain takes you in eight days to impressive natural landscapes, historical sights and picturesque harbours. The starting point of your first hiking stage is Zumaia. Great views along one of the most stunning stretches of coast in the region await you on the hike to Deba. The next day leads you on beautiful hiking trails to the hermitage of San Lourenzo and finally to the idyllic fishing port of Lekeitio, where you can enjoy delicious freshly caught fish in the evening. Then onwards to the small fishing village of Ea and the very next day to the village of Elantxobe perched on a hillside. On the sixth day of your hiking tour, you will walk via the hermitage of San Pedro de Atxarre and a fantastic viewpoint to today’s day finish, the historic city of Guernica. The final stage of this hiking holiday also features plenty of impressive panoramas for you. You can enjoy the perfect end to your active time-out in the port city of Bilbao.
Highlights of the hiking tour Basque Country & Atlantic Coast
Picturesque film setting: Right at the beginning of your eight-day hiking holiday, the spectacular stretches of coast near Zumaia await you, which also served as a film set for the fantasy television series Games of Thrones.
Picturesque hermitage of Gaztelugatxe: The final hiking stage has something particularly worth seeing in store for you – the hermitage of Gaztelugatxe with the former monastery of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, which is located directly in front of the rocky coast of the Costa Vasca. To get to the hermitage in the Bay of Biscay, you have to climb 237 rocky steps.
Modern Art in Bilbao: At the end of your hiking tour you reach your final destination in the port of Bilbao. Modern art enthusiasts will get their money’s worth in the Guggenheim Museum covering an area of 11,000 square metres.
Things to know about the walking holiday Basque Country & Atlantic Coast
This hiking holiday in Spain is assigned our level of hiking ‘Walking’. With daily walking times of 4 to 6.5 hours, the route takes you along fantastic hiking paths and stretches of coast. For the coastal tours we recommend sure-footedness and a good fitness level. Particularly convenient: the longer hiking stages can also be shortened by public transport or by taxi transfer if desired.
Even more holiday suggestions and inspiration for coastal hiking at a glance.
An absolute highlight awaits you right at the beginning of your hiking tour: rocks that drop steeply into the sea, covered with lush greenery and always offering magnificent views. On the beaches you can marvel at the jagged rock slabs that reach far into the sea. Again and again you will pass small farms scattered in the otherwise lonely and wild landscape.
Today you initially walk for a bit along the Camino Norte until you reach the colourful harbour of Mutriku. Then via a beautiful viewpoint onwards to Ondarroa, where the ascent starts to the hermitage of San Lourenzo situated in the high-lying hamlet of Azterrika. The glistening sea always within sight you finally arrive at the charming fishing harbour of Leikeitio and the island of San Nikolas.
From Lekeitio you ascend the Otoio peak. From the peak the path leads through dense oak forests down to the coast again and then descends to the little, enchanting harbour of today’s Day Finish Ea. Enjoy a stroll along the beach and through the picturesque alleyways of this very special village.
Gently hilly through the Basque landscape all the way to the harbour of Elantxobe, with its spectacular location perched on a mountainside. During a circular tour you ascend Mount Ogoño, once you reach the top you can enjoy an incredible view onto the rugged cliffs and the sea below. After this you walk back via green slopes to Elantxobe for your overnight stay at the sea.
Through lush oak forests, you climb up to the hermitage of San Pedro de Atxarre, where you will be rewarded with stunning views of the coastal town of Mundaka, Urdabai Bay and the breathtaking cliffs of the Ogoño. Afterwards you will descend to Guernica, a town of historical and cultural importance.
In the morning a short train ride to Mundaka and walk to Bermeo. From there you ascend to Burgoa, where a gorgeous panoramic view over the bay and the sea awaits. At the end of your hike your path will lead you to the hermitage of Gaztelugatxe, which is boldly situated on an island in the middle of the sea. After an extensive visit you reach the bustling harbour town Bilbao.
approx. 4 hours
11 km
660 m
490 m
Day
8
Departure or extension
Characteristics of the route
Stunning hiking tours along the Basque coastline. Along the cliff coasts in parts we urge you to tread cautiously, a good basic fitness level and surefootedness are enough for the daily tours with maximum walking times of up to 6,5 hours. The slightly longer tours on Day 3 and Day 6 can optionally be cut short by bus or taxi.
Eine wirklich beeindruckende Tour entlang der Küste Nordspaniens! Gut ausgewählte Strecken und Etappenziele, vor allem der Abschluss in Bilbao war nochmal ein Highlight.
TanjaHaringanswered:
Vielen herzlichen Dank für die nette Rückmeldung. Es freut uns sehr zu hören, dass Sie eine schöne Zeit mit Eurohike hatten. Hoffentlich dürfen wir Sie schon bald auf einer neuen Wandertour begrüßen.