Top Things to do in Basque Country
Countries
What to do and see in Basque Country, Spain: The Best Things to do Good for a Rainy Day
Discover the best top things to do in Basque Country, Spain including Bodega Casa Primicia, Bodegas Fos, Gaintza Txakolina, Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Estadio de San Mames, Bilbao subway system (Metro Bilbao), Bilbao Fine Arts Museum, Catedral de Santa Maria, Centro de Interpretacion y Degustacion del Queso Idiazabal, Santuario de Loyola.
Restaurants in Basque Country
1. Bodega Casa Primicia
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 319 reviews
Casa Primicia is the oldest civil building in the medieval town of Laguardia, the place where the Church received the taxes of the peasants since the XV Century, the first winery in Rioja Alavesa. Visiting Casa Primicia you will discover the true history of wine in Rioja and you will be amazed by our incredible caves digged 900 years before where we keep our best secret; our wine.
Reviewed By elizabethhV9647CC
What a beautiful bodega! We had a wonderful tour and tasting here. They made us feel welcome and safe. Our guide Juan gave a very in-depth and knowledgable tour of the cellars in English. The tastings were great, with extra nibbles. A must visit if you are in LaGuardia, would recommend to all. It’s tucked away just inside the town walls with incredible 11th century cellars.
2. Bodegas Fos
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 22 reviews
3. Gaintza Txakolina
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 73 reviews
At Gaintza we take great pride in receiving guests. During our guided tours, the visitor will learn about the history and tradition of local txakolina wines. We start the visit by observing how this tradition has formed the actual landscape, then our visitors will be able to visit the winery, or "bodega". The visit finishes with a wine tasting session where our visitors can taste and learn about the 3 wines we produce at Gaintza, the traditional txakolina, our rosé and our special Aitako wine. The wines are always combined with local products to taste. The visit costs 16 euros per person. Please write to us or call us to make a direct reservation.
Reviewed By tricia7b
We arranged a tour at the last minute through our hotel which was a short but very uphill walk away. The tour consisted of an explanation of the growing process of the grapes then an indoor tour of the processing of the grapes to the bottling plant and then finally a fabulous tasting with some lovely anchovies ,bread and olives and three different varieties of txakoli . The tour was made very special as there was only one other couple with us which meant it was very personal and also the guide was extremely knowledgeable and also answered all our questions.
4. Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 17,393 reviews
American architect Frank Gehry is responsible for this architectural masterpiece: this fantastic chrome and metal creation houses a large collection of modern and contemporary art, a continuation of the Guggenheim legacy.
Reviewed By RicherTrips - Monterrey, Mexico
Even if you don´t like museums, even if you don´t like modern art, this place is a must. Forget about the art display, the building is the main attraction. If you´re lucky you may actually enjoy the collections and exhibitions (I enjoy immersing in "The matter of Time" by Richard Serra, and watching Kiefer´s "Sunflowers" and Jenny Holzer´s digital poetry). Before or after visiting the museum, take a slow walk around the building, since every spot gives a completely different view. And my favorite works of art are in the outside: "Tall Tree & the eye", by Anish Kapoor (the same that made the Bean for Chicago), Koon´s "Tulips", Buren´s "Red arches" on the bridge, Bourgeois´ spider: If your wander around long enough, you may catch the Fire Fountain and the Fog Sculpture. On the main entrance, Koof´s flowered Puppy isn´t my favorite.
5. Estadio de San Mames
6. Bilbao subway system (Metro Bilbao)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 149 reviews
Reviewed By 227ianc - London, United Kingdom
Over 20 years after it opened, people have probably forgotten a time before the metro, one of Bilbao's major regeneration projects, opening in 1995. Norman Foster was in charge of the architecture, design and signage - not many architects have designed signage about a 6000 euro fine if you trespass on the lines - in two languages. It does mean that there is a consistent high design standard throughout. Most famous are probably his worm-like structures emerging from the ststions, now known as “Fosteritos”. Staying in Getxo, we use the efficient, clean, spacious modern metro to reach Bilboa. If you want to forget the architecture, the service and the trains are pretty good also - and a lot cheaper than London....
7. Bilbao Fine Arts Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,492 reviews
The Bilbao Fine Arts Museum is an art museum located in the city of Bilbao, Spain. It is the second largest and most visited museum in the Basque Country and one of the richest Spanish museums outside Madrid. It houses a valuable and quite comprehensive collection of Basque, Spanish and European art from the Middle Ages to contemporary.
Reviewed By 855ninac - Hampshire, United Kingdom
Interesting way to organise art - alphabetically. A wonderful collection of a wide range of art, old and new, side by side. The Zuloaga exhibition was an added bonus. Just a short walk from the Guggenheim & definitely worth including in your itinerary.
8. Catedral de Santa Maria
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,512 reviews
Reviewed By Dyegourmet
We joined a tour given in Spanish but were handed audio guides in English which worked very well.This was an extremely interesting and well researched tour, taking you down into the crypt and showing the area beneath the vast cathedral pillars, explaining the history of the site, the building itself and the necessary work (currently 20 years - and running) which has taken place to stabilise it for the future. It seems that 1960s renovations weren't too helpful. The tour takes visitors (who must don fetching hair covers and hard hats) into the body of the cathedral, up to the triforium and the parapet and into the bell towers before finishing with a visit to the portico and the beautiful set of arches. Don't scorn the hard hats. Some of the arches you pass beneath are very low and it would be all too easy to graze or thump you head. It's not advisable if you suffer from vertigo - and some of it would be tough-going if you can't climb stairs easily. However, some areas are accessible by lift and I noticed one elderly visitor who had negotiated parts of the tour this way. Don't miss this tour. It's unique, informative and extremely professionally presented.
9. Centro de Interpretacion y Degustacion del Queso Idiazabal
10. Santuario de Loyola
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 274 reviews
Reviewed By JudyBoz
We had no idea this lovely place was here and just lucked upon it when looking for something to do in Azpeitia. The towered house is the birthplace of Saint Ignacio de Loyola in 1491 and the adjacent sanctuary, a round basilica, very impressive was built over a century later.
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