5 suggestions for delighting in the interior of the Basque Country

The Basque Coast is well known for its extensive coastline, but the interior of the Basque Country also has a lot to offer. Visit our most rural areas to discover cheese dairies, dreamy mountains and valleys, and the most gastronomic museums, as well as to enjoy wine tourism and immerse yourself in a thousand adventures.

Our essence cannot be understood without first knowing the most ancestral customs, as our roots and those of our gastronomy are to be found in the legacy of our "baserritarras" and in what is known as the " Euskadi profunda" (deep Basque Country). 

Come and discover it and taste the best of the land and the mountains, breathe fresh air, and reset body and soul to purify everything that worries you…

Are you coming on a route through our inland corners? Say yes!

1. Tradition Corner

To begin this journey, we will get to know the most ancient traditions of our land. Shall we start?

We will leave for Legazpi, a municipality in Gipuzkoa full of palaces, parish churches, and historic farmhouses. We will visit Igaralde where, as well as explaining the context of the farmhouses and their oldest traditions, they will show us how they make bread. From planting the seeds, to obtaining the flour and, finally, the way it is baked. They will show us their mill and the wood-fired oven.

Another nice way to get to know Basque traditions is to enjoy a weekend in Idiazabal territory. A complete plan to get to know the best of traditional gastronomy. You can visit the Igartza farmhouse, a monumental site with a lot of history, and get to know the poteo (bar-hopping) of Beasain accompanied by its famous black pudding. To round off the visit, you can try your hand at being a shepherd for a day in Otzaurte and finish the weekend by visiting a local cider house.

Finally, we recommend a visit to a traditional market full of local products, such as the one in Ordizia or Tolosa, for example. But don't leave without trying some good Tolosa beans first!

2. The secrets of cheese

In this second suggestion, you will learn all about one of the star products of Basque gastronomy: cheese. We will discover all its secrets, from shepherding to the production of this highly prized product. And of course, we will also taste it.

We will go to Oñati for a guided tour of the Gomiztegi farmhouse. There we will learn about the life of the shepherds, the sheep, and nature, and they will explain how they make cheese step by step. Afterwards, we will taste the Arantzazu cheeses with a glass of Oñati txakoli.   

The next stop is Urnieta, where you can discover a series of megalithic monuments: caves, dolmens, and cromlechs that will take you on a journey through Basque mythology. After a good walk, we recommend a visit to the Adarrazpi cheese factory. We will get to know its facilities, its Idiazabal cheese and we will make a handmade curd and fresh cheese. We will also have the opportunity, if we wish, to try their products and taste a roast suckling lamb.

Another option for discovering everything to do with cheese is to follow the Idiazabal Cheese Trail, a 6-stage route through the heart of Gipuzkoa. You will discover mining and ironworks, historic forges, huts, beech forests, cheese markets, and much more!

3. Oenological experiences

From cheese, we move on to wine, and to learn more about this precious wine, we will land in Araialdea and Rioja Alavesa, important wine-growing areas.

We will go to Llodio, located in the beautiful Ayala Valley. We will visit Beldui, a txakoli winery where we can go on guided tours with the family, as a couple, or with friends. We will learn about the production process of this local white wine, and we will even be able to make our own txakoli. To finish the visit, we can eat in the restaurant and taste the delicacies prepared on the grill and in the wood-fired oven.

We will then set off for Rioja Alavesa, stopping off in Elciego to visit the Valdelana Winery. We will visit its Bodega Museum, taking an underground tour of the interior before tasting a few wines, as well as its oil. Afterwards, we will take a walk through the vineyards to appreciate their colours and learn where their wines come from.

After a guided tour of Bodegas Palacio, we will enjoy the Wine Oil Spa in Laguardia, a place to enjoy a variety of treatments using wine and oil. Afterwards, we recommend booking one of the experiences offered at Villa Lucía and/or tasting one of the grill-restaurant menus accompanied by one of their most select wines.

4. Museums to enjoy

Do you enjoy museums? Well, you'll love this section! We suggest some of them to learn first-hand about the history and origins of our gastronomy in a fun and entertaining way. 

One of our suggestions is to visit Rafa Gorrotxategi Museum in Tolosa, dedicated to the sweetest product of our territory: the typical tiles and cigarettes, chocolate, nougat, confectionery... If your mouth is watering just reading about it, imagine visiting it.

In Leintz-Gatzaga you can visit the Leniz Salt Museum and carry out activities such as producing salt with the family or simply learning about the work involved in this process. Another salt-related activity is the Salt Valley in Añana, where you can see the spectacular white threshing floors full of salt and how they are worked.  

In Murgia, on the other hand, you will enter the world of beekeeping, where you will find the Honey Museum. You will learn about the techniques used to produce and collect honey made very close to Gorbeia, so make the most of the opportunity to visit the area!

The Wine Museum, managed by Villa Lucía, is in Laguardia and is designed to savour and disseminate wine culture. Delve into the culture of wine, its history, and rituals, and take part in virtual tastings.

5. Adventure and gastronomy

If you're into adventures and adrenaline, this is the section for you! We propose you to combine sport with the best of our gastronomy, do you dare?

Canoeing, a simple sport for the entire family. We will go canoeing around Lapuebla de Labarca while they explain in detail the tradition of winemaking. We will recover our strength at the Artomaña Txakoli Winery in Amurrio, try their txakolis with a variety of pintxos!  

To continue with the adventure, we suggest you go hot-air ballooning. You can have the flight of your life, and you can toast with cava while you enjoy a bird's eye view of Basque Country. When you come down to earth, stretch your legs in Zumarraga, go trekking, do the Ignatian Way by bike.

You can't leave the Basque Country without visiting the Salto del Nervión, a waterfall that looks like a horse's tail with a 270-metre drop that is sure to leave you speechless.

To top it all off, we propose a quiet and active activity: become a beekeeper for a day at Aldeko Eztia, located in Aramaio.

What do you think of this series of proposals? Tell us, which ones will you start with?