Bilbao Basque countyr and around

I will be arriving on the ferry in Bilbao in mid June. I have 4 days three nights to spend in this area with a car. I don't mind have to drive some distance to see things.

I will then be driving back through France to UK.

One day will almost certainly be taken by Bilbao and the Guggenheim.

Any suggestions what to do for the other days? San Sebastian, Pamploma, Burgos? Is there anywhere else? With a car a small spanish town / village will be ok to stay in.

Looking for Spanish/Basque experience without too much parking hassle.

Any recommendations for hotel band b websites in this part of Spain.

Thanks.

I would spend at least 2 full days in San Sebastián, though with a car you might find it easier to stay in Getaria or a smaller town (parking in SS is a pain) and make daytrips. Three days would not be too many (we spent 6 there at the end of September and certainly did not lack for things to see. On your way back up through France I would stop at least for lunch in Hendaye and plan to explore St-Jean-de-Luz.

June is usually a very good moment to visit the Basque country. Days are long, usually warm (rainy cold days can happen anytime, though), and there are many celebrations and festivities in towns and smaller villages. About half an hour from Bilbo you can go to Gernika, this year commemorating the 80th anniversary of the bombing by the Nazi Condor-Legion, that inspired PIcasso for his famous painting. The museum of Peace is very interesting. A very short distance from Gernika you have the Biosphere reserve of Urdaibai, with beautiful beaches, the "painted forest", and interesting towns like Mundaka or Elantxobe. From there a curvy road goes all the way to the beautiful fishing town Lekeitio (great for walking, for foodies or for its beach). On your way to Donostia (S Sebastian), you could stop in Ondarroa, Mutriku, Zumaia, Getaria (I specially like this village, its white wine "txakolina", the museum dedicated to the fashion designer Balenciaga...), and Zarautz. Between Donostia and Baiona (Bayonne), Pasai Donibane and the road uphill to Hondarribia (instead of the motorway) has awesome views, too. And once Lapurdi (we call it Iparralde, the North, meaning the French part), a similar beautiful narrow road goes between Hendaia/Hendaye and Ziburu/Ciboure and Donibane Lohizune/St Jean de Luz. Inland, you can go to Sare/Sara, visit the Caves, or walk the so-called "smugglers way", a short walk now prepared for tourists that crosses the border to Zugarramurdi, a tiny village in Nafarroa/Navarre, with a long history in the Basque mitology and witchcraft.

Other interesting towns and villages inland: Donibane Garazi (St Jean-pie-de-Port), Elorrio and/or Oñati and the mountains above both, Azpeitia, Lesaka...

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