spain - the basque country 2007

70
Etxaburu Tower DEPARTAMENTO DE INDUSTRIA, COMERCIO Y TURISMO INDUSTRIA, MERKATARITZA ETA TURISMO SAILA The partial and/or full copying of the text, maps or pictures included in this guide without the prior authorization of this Department, and of its authors, is prohibited. • 1st EDITION : JANUARY 2001 7th EDITION: NOVEMBER 2006 • PUBLISHED BY: Eusko Jaurlaritzaren Argitalpen Zerbitzu Nagusia / Servicio Central de Publicaciones del Gobierno Vasco. • DESIGNED AND PRODUCED: ACC Comunicación • TEXTS WRITTEN BY: Mikel G. Gurpegui • MAPS: ACC Comunicación • PHOTOGRAPHS BY: Pello López, Archivo ACC Comunicación, Agustín Sagasti, Gonzalo M. Azumendi, Javier Carballo, Mikel Arrazola, Santiago Yaniz, Darío Garrido, Lurrak, Gema Arrugaeta, Bodegas Ysios. • PRINTED BY: --- • D.L.: --- Data updated to September 2006 © Administration of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country, Department of Industry, Commerce and Tourism.

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  • Etxaburu Tower

    DEPARTAMENTO DE INDUSTRIA,COMERCIO Y TURISMO

    INDUSTRIA, MERKATARITZAETA TURISMO SAILA

    The partial and/or full copying of the text, maps or pictures included in this guidewithout the prior authorization of this Department, and of its authors, is prohibited.

    1st EDITION : JANUARY 20017th EDITION: NOVEMBER 2006

    PUBLISHED BY: EuskoJaurlaritzaren ArgitalpenZerbitzu Nagusia / ServicioCentral de Publicaciones delGobierno Vasco.

    DESIGNED AND PRODUCED:ACC Comunicacin

    TEXTS WRITTEN BY: Mikel G. Gurpegui

    MAPS: ACC Comunicacin

    PHOTOGRAPHS BY: Pello Lpez, Archivo ACC Comunicacin,Agustn Sagasti, Gonzalo M. Azumendi,Javier Carballo, Mikel Arrazola, SantiagoYaniz, Daro Garrido, Lurrak, GemaArrugaeta, Bodegas Ysios.

    PRINTED BY:---

    D.L.:---

    Data updated to September 2006

    Administration of the AutonomousCommunity of the Basque Country,Department of Industry, Commerce andTourism.

  • 33

    INTRODUCTION .................................Pag. 4

    Road Map .................................................Pag. 6

    A brief history ............................................Pag. 8

    The Basque Country and art ........................Pag.12

    Fiestas and traditions ...............................Pag. 16

    The love of good food ...............................Pag. 22

    A natural country .....................................Pag. 26

    Theme Routes .........................................Pag. 32

    LAVA-ARABA......................................... Pag. 36

    BIZKAIA ..................................................Pag.48

    GIPUZKOA...............................................Pag. 60

    PRACTICAL INFORMATION .............Pag. 72

    Map of Vitoria-Gasteiz ..............................Pag. 86

    Map of Bilbao ..........................................Pag. 87

    Map of Donostia-San Sebastin..................Pag. 88

    CONTENTS

    T H E B A S Q U E C O U N T R Y

  • 4

    Ana Aguirre Zurutuza

    Councillor for Industry, Trade and Tourismof the Basque Government

    The Basque Country, or Euskadi as it is known locally, is aplace of enormous vitality, a historical, cultural andfinancial vitality resulting from a strong collectivesentiment and a considerable talent for individual initiative.

    From the time when our ancestors portrayed their reality bypainting on the walls of the Altxerri, Ekain or Santimamiecaves, until Jose Mara Olazabals double triumph at theMasters golf tournament in Augusta, this country has just

    about seen it all: universal characters like Juan Sebastin Elcano, SimnBolivar, Ignacio de Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, creators andartists such as Cristbal Balenciaga, a key figure of the French haute

    couture, or the contemporary Chillida and Oteiza amongothers. In addition to these people, the daily andcollective efforts of men and women in the fields and atthe sea, creating companies and working in them, hasgiven rise to a country with enormous entrepreneurialwherewithal.

    Tourism has always been a great tradition in the BasqueCountry, where courts and royalty chose to spend theirsummers, as did the select upper classes at the beginning

    of the century.

    This tourism has contributed to the development of traditional Basquecuisine. The love of good food is a real culture in the Basque Country, as canbe seen at the market place, in homes, and in the over a thousandgastronomic societies and clubs whose members meet to cook in keepingwith a rather peculiar tradition.

    The Basque tendency to act collectively is historically represented by theCasas de Juntas, where the locals would meet to take joint decisions, notunlike an assembly. The best known of these is the Casa de Juntas deGernika, standing next to a hundred-year old oak tree that has now become a

    ALL ROADS LEAD TO THIS LITTLE

    COUNTRY

  • 5

    BILBAO

    VITORIA-GASTEIZ

    B I Z K A I A

    G I P U Z K O A

    A L A V A

    DONOSTIASAN SEBASTIAN

    The coast between Zarautz and Getaria (Gipuzkoa)

    tourist attraction for those wishing to know more aboutthe roots of Basque politics.

    But we Basques also have a tendency towardsindividualism as reflected in the thousands of littleneighbourhoods, hamlets and farmhouses dotted overthe mountains and plains, many of which now offeraccommodation (known as agroturismo) where thevisitor, in addition to finding that personal touch, canalso combine a pleasant rest in deep countryside with the practising of sports,leisure, cultural and professional activities. Theres plenty to do from the Atlanticcoast, land of cider and txakoli, to the plains of the Rioja Alavesa with itsinternationally famous wines.

    Our bustling cities are a mixture of tradition and modernity. Proof of this are theGuggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the Aquarium in Donostia-San Sebastin or

    the old quarter of Vitoria-Gasteiz, home of the BasqueGovernment and Parliament, not to mention the Euskalduna,Kursaal and Europa convention centres with their excellentservices for convention-holders, or the Museo Chillida-Leku,with its collection of oeuvres by this artist of international fame.

    This is a changing, comfortable place, easy to get around,peaceful, carefully tended and perfect for taking a pleasantwalk or doing a bit of shopping.

    You can do just about anything in the Basque Country: you cango surfing, have a round of golf, watch the rural sport events, enjoy the fixed-thwart rowing boat races or bullfights, bet on pelota games, go to the horse-racingor to the casino. Then there are the jazz concerts, others by big orchestras orchoirs, or the exceptional museums and the countless local fiestas in which thevisitor can participate simply by deciding to do so.

    These are some of the recipes to be found in the Basque Country, recipes I hopeyou will enjoy with pleasure, and of which you are always the main ingredient.

  • HuescaBurgos

    Pamplona

    Bayonne

    Pau

    Bilbao

    Vitoria-Gasteiz

    Donostia-San Sebastin

    Santander

    Logroo

    Len

    Gijn

    Oviedo

    La Corua

    Vigo

    Biarritz

    Errenteria

    Antzuola

    Capitales

    Important towns

    Villages

    Smaller villages

    Vitoria-Gasteiz

    Bermeo

    G E N E R A L I N F O R M AT I O N

    BI-3732

    BI-2704

    BI-21

    22

    Balneario dePadres Palotinos

    EMBALSURRUN

    Rio

    O

    RioButrn

    RioKa

    dagu

    a

    Rio

    Kad

    agua

    Rio

    May

    or

    Rio

    May

    or

    RioAgeraEmbalsedeel Juncal

    RioAsn

    Karrantza

    Rio Kalera Embalse

    deOrdunte

    RioOrdunt

    e

    EmbalsedeArtziniega

    RioNe

    rvin

    Rio Ner

    vin

    RioBa

    yas

    Rio

    Bay

    as Rio

    Zad

    orra

    RioAyu

    daRio

    Ayud

    Rio Inglares

    Balneariode Kutxo

    RioOroncillo

    RioTir

    n

    Embalse deSobrn

    RioOmecillo

    Embalse dePuentelarra

    PresaMaroo

    RIOEBRO

    RIOEBRO

    Rio N

    ajer

    illa

    RioAltube

    PantanoUndurraga

    Rio Arratia

    RioIbarzabal

    ISLA

    Ra de

    Cabo de MatxitxakISLA DEAKETZE

    ISLA DE VILLANO

    Cabo Villano

    Playa de Sopelana

    Punta Galea

    Ra de Bilbao

    Punta LuceroSollube648m.

    S. Pelaio452m.

    San Juan deGaztelugatxe

    Jata601m.

    Barrika

    Butrn

    Genekogorta

    992m.

    Andra Mari

    Ntra. Sra.de Unbe

    Sta. Cruz

    Arenaza

    San Pedro de Abrisketa

    Eretza

    888m.

    Ganeran825m.

    Mello626m.

    Alen

    801m.

    Trasmosomos 698m.

    San Sebastin

    C A N T A B R I A

    Castro Urdiales

    Virgen delBuen Suceso

    Pozalagua

    Armaon

    853m.

    Ramales de laVictoria

    Covalanas

    Cotobasero

    829m.

    Kolitza 882m.

    Ntra. Sra. de la EncinaSantuario

    Zalama

    1341m.

    Villasana de Mena

    Dubaltza

    693m.

    Santa Lucia

    Quincoces de Yuso

    Perigaa

    628m.

    Ntra. Sra. de Etxaurren

    BIZKAIA

    Arando

    943m.

    Virgen de la PeaLa Antigua

    Txarlazo

    932m.

    Eskutxi

    1181m.

    Mandoia

    637m.

    Untzeta

    762m.

    Santa Marina

    Jesuri

    750m.San Justo

    Baltzola

    Ntra. Sra. deGarrastatxu

    Gorbeia1481m.

    Zigoitia

    Berretn 1221m.

    Mairuelegorreta

    Valle de Zuia

    Ntra. Sra. de Oro

    Cruz de Ganalto

    897m.

    CONDADO DE T

    Miranda de Ebro

    S. Prudencio

    Irua de Oca

    Txulato946m.

    Virgen de

    Oteros1031m.

    San Vitores892m. Busto

    976m.

    Las Go

    Toloo1263m.

    S. Gins

    L A R I O J A

    San Vicentede la SonsierraHaro

    Briones

    B U R G O S

    Villalba de Losa

    San Milln deSan Zadornil

    San Sebastin

    943m.

    Calleros

    S. Forneria

    URKABUSTAIZ

    Pea Risca

    1007m.Repiko

    1190m.

    Ntra. Sra. de Angosto

    Batxikabo

    1202m.

    Cueto

    1364m.

    S i e r r a d e A r k a m o

    Somo

    902m.

    PARQUENATURAL DEVALDEREJO

    PARQUENATURAL

    DEGORBEIA

    RESERVA DE BIOSFERA DE UR

    S i e r r a d e Gi b i j o

    Belatxikieta666m.

    Salto deGujuli

    S i e r r a B r a v ad e B a d a y a

    Nacedero del Rio Nervin

    Poblado Romanode Irua

    M o n t e s d e V i t o r i a

    FORONDA

    S i e r r ad e

    A r c e n a

    Casa de Juntasde Abellaneda

    Sierra

    deAram

    otz

    Siede

    Eskub

    M

    a ci z o

    d e l

    Go

    r be i a

    Bayas

    Montemayor

    1104m.

    S i e r r aS a l b

    a d a

    S ie r

    r ad e

    O rd u

    n te

    P e a

    s d e

    R an e

    r o

    Paso deSubijana

    Lern

    1236m.

    San Roke

    A-3

    A-3224

    A-2124

    N-24

    0

    BI-2

    235BI-6

    31

    BI-3101

    BI-3101

    BI-2121

    BI-3123

    BI-3123

    BI-3213

    BI-3

    751

    BI-3

    148

    BI-3102BI-3726

    BI-3

    751

    BI-6

    35

    A-8 E-70N-634

    N-2

    40

    BI-635

    BI-2543

    BI-2543

    BI-3524

    BI-3513

    A-3608

    A-3

    608

    A-3610

    A-3600

    A-3600 N-622

    A-3604

    N-1 E-

    80 E-

    5

    A-3302

    A-3

    302

    A-36

    06

    A-3302

    A-36

    02

    N-102

    A-21

    24

    A-31

    02

    A-2622

    A-312

    2

    BU-741

    A-21

    24

    A-3124

    A-3126A-31

    28

    A-3

    202

    A-3202

    A-124

    A-12

    4

    A-68

    A-12

    4

    A-3124

    A-3312

    A-2122

    A-3310

    A-3322

    A-2622

    A-3318

    A-3316

    A-3

    314

    A-3

    314

    A-2521

    A-624

    A-624 A-2522

    BI-62

    5

    A-625

    A-62

    5

    BI-25

    22

    A-3622

    A-3632

    A-36

    38

    BI-625

    A-3318

    BI-

    A-624

    A-3

    641

    BI-3

    931

    A-361

    8

    BI-3641

    A-8 E-70

    BI-3702

    BI-3

    701

    N-634

    BI-26

    04

    BI-3621

    BI-3

    631

    BI-3632

    BI-3631

    BI-636

    BI-636

    A-8 E-70

    N-637

    N-637

    N-634

    BI-6

    31

    BI-6

    31

    BI-3741BI-3704

    BI-2

    704 BI

    -370

    9

    BI-3707

    N-634

    BI-637

    BI-6

    34

    BI-3721

    BI-2120

    BI-3108

    BI-3151

    BI-3151

    BI-2

    153

    BI-3101

    BI-3704

    BI-3111

    BI-3121

    BI-634

    A-36

    30

    A-624

    BI-47

    44

    N-639N-634

    BI-2

    701

    BI-3601

    BI-3614

    BI-3611

    BI-3602

    BI-630

    BI-636

    BI-3636

    BI-3

    635

    A-2122

    A-2625

    A-2622

    A-2622

    A-431

    8

    A-432

    3

    A-2625

    A-4

    334

    A-4337

    A-4330

    A-32

    20

    A-26

    25BI-26

    25

    A-362

    2

    A-4

    620

    A-4619

    A-46

    18

    A-36

    20

    A-2604

    BI-630

    BI-3622

    BI-3629

    N-6

    29

    BI-2

    617

    BI-3131

    BI-3794

    N-1 E-

    80 E-

    5 A-4105

    A-68

    E-80

    4

    A-68

    E-80

    4

    A-3

    612

    BI-2731

    Villabuena de A

    Sam

    Peace

    Labastida

    Zambrana

    Berantevilla

    Trevio

    Armin

    RIBERABAJA

    Comunin

    Lantarn

    Salinas de Aana/Gesaltza-Aana

    Pobes

    RIBERAALTA

    Nanclares de la Oca

    Los Moros

    Villanueva deValdegova

    Zuatzu-Kuartango

    Gopegui

    MurgaIzarra

    Amurrio

    Ordua

    Ayala /Aiara

    ArtziniegaLlodio

    Arespalditza

    Okondo

    Ubide

    Zeanuri

    Areatza

    Artea

    Orozko

    Zeberio

    Arrankudiaga

    Arantzazu

    BediaZaratamoGaldakao

    BilbaoArrigorriaga

    Ugao-Miraballes

    Arakaldo

    Basauri

    Lemoa

    Alonsotegi

    Barakaldo

    Galdames

    Gees

    Gordexola

    Zalla

    Arcentales

    CarranzaLanestosa

    Villaverdede Trucios

    Trucios-Turtzioz

    Balmaseda

    Sopuerta

    Valle de Trapaga-Trapagaran

    Muskiz

    Abanto yCirvana-AbantoZierbena

    Zierbena

    Santurtzi

    PortugaleteSestao

    Getxo

    Leioa

    Sopelana

    Urduliz

    Berango Gatika

    Laukiz

    Loiu

    Erandio Sondika

    Gorliz

    LemoizPlentzia

    Bakio

    Maruri-Jatabe

    BermeoMundaka

    Sukarrieta

    Busturia

    Meaka

    Mungia

    Gamiz-Fika

    DerioZamudio

    Lezama

    Larrabetzu

    Morga

    Fruiz

    ArrietaMurueta

    Forua

    Errigoiti

    Gernika-LumMuxika

    M

    Ib

    Amorebie

    Du

    Maa

    Dima

    Igorre

    ArmintzeROAD MAP OF THEBASQUE AUTONOMOUSCOMMUNITY

    Population ..............................................2.128.801

    Population density......................300,03 inhabit./km2

    Average age .....................................................39,8

    Working population .....................................983.700

    Life expectancy, men ........................................76,4

    Life expectancy, women ....................................83,7

    Birth rate .......................................................9,3 %

    Death rate......................................................8,9 %

    Area covered............................................7.089 km2

    Length of the coast .....................................252 kms

    Maximum height (above sea level)...1.551 metres

    No. of principal rivers...........................................19

    Average annual temperature........................14,36 C

    Average minimum temperature......................9,96 C

    Average maximum temperature ...................19,23 C

  • MOTORWAYDUAL CARRIAGEWAYINTERESTING ROADMAIN ROADCOUNTRY ROADLOCAL ROADOTHER ROADSCASTLECHURCHCAVEPARADORSPA CENTREAIRPORTPILGRIMS ROAD TO SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

    KEY TO THEDIFFERENT SYMBOLS

    A-3130

    EmbalsedeArtikutza

    Embalsede

    Aarbe

    RoOiartzunRoUrumea

    RoLeizaran

    Ro

    Oria

    RoOr

    ia

    RoOr

    ia

    Ro Arakil

    Balneario de Zestona

    Rio

    Deb

    a

    Rio

    Deb

    a

    PresadeUrkulu

    Rio

    Deb

    a

    EmbalsedeAlbina

    SE DENAGA

    EMBALSE DEULLIBARRI

    RioZadorra

    Rio Barrundi

    a

    Rio

    Uro

    la

    RioUrola

    Artib

    ai

    Artib

    ai

    RioLea

    Rio

    Lea

    oO

    ka

    da

    RioEga

    RIOEBRO

    RioEga

    Rio Iskiz

    Ro Bidasoa

    PresaAtxola

    EmbalsedeSanAntn

    Cabo de Higuer

    Playa deHendaya

    Playa de La Concha

    Playa de

    Zarautz

    Punta IzarriPunta Izustarri

    Punta Aitzandi

    Playa de Saturrarn

    Cabo Sta.Katalina

    Cabo Apikale

    Cabo Ogoo

    DE IZARO

    Mundaka

    o

    G O L F O D E B I Z K A I A

    Jaizkibel 545m.

    Ntra. Sra.de Guadalupe

    Hendaya

    FRANCIA

    PARQUE NATURALAIAKO HARRIA

    Adarra 816m.

    Urepel

    1049m.

    Urdelar853m.

    Andatza 562m.

    San Martzial

    Landarbaso

    PARQUE

    NATURAL DE

    PAGOETA

    Otsabio801m.

    N. S. de Andatzarrate

    Altxerri

    PARQUE NATURALDE ARALAR

    Intxurre737m.

    Ntra. Sra.de Loinaz

    Ntra. Sra. de Larraitz

    Txindoki 1340m.

    Intzartzu789m.

    Irumugarrieta 1393m.

    Atxabal693m.

    Izazpe972m.

    Ntra. Sra. Antigua

    Intsusburu943m.

    Loiola Santuario

    Irimo901m.

    Aizkirri

    PARQUE NATURALDE AIZKORRI

    San Adrin

    La Leze

    Ntra. Sra. de Barria(Monasterio)

    Gebara-Torre Etxea

    S. Victor

    Obi

    Sta. Teodosia

    Murube1142m.

    PARQUE NATURALDE ENTZIA

    Ntra. Sra. deSallurtegi

    Arrigorista1153m.

    PierolaConvento

    Ekain

    Ntra. Sra.de Itziar

    Irukurutzeta 896m.

    Kalamua

    769m.

    Klabelinaitz605m.

    Ntra. Sra.de Arrate

    Elgeta

    San Marcial

    Udalaitz1118m.

    Aumategigaa(Saiturri) 1191m.

    Altsasu

    Korosti904m.

    Ntra. Sra. deArantzazuSantuario

    Motrollo594m.

    Sta. Katalina

    San Miguel de Arretxinaga

    Goikoian

    S. Miguel Ereozar

    Illuntzar 731m.

    Sta. Eufemia

    Ziortza Kolegiata

    Oiz 1026m.

    Arteaga

    Ntra. Sra.de Goiuria

    Egoarbitza734m.

    Anboto1328m.

    Bolin

    S. Antonio

    Aramaio

    Elgeamendi942m.

    Kapildui1177m.

    Pagogan1027m.

    Ntra. Sra. de Ayala

    PARQUENATURAL

    DE IZKIBeolarra

    Belabia972m.

    REVIO

    Ntra. Sra. deEstibaliz

    Santa Marina

    e la Pea

    obas

    Jandel1035m.

    OkonPea Alta1246m.Palomares

    1451m.Eskamelo1296m.

    Ntra. Sra. de la Asuncin

    FuenmayorCenicero Logroo

    Santo Espritu

    Joar1418m.

    Costalera1234m.

    Acedo

    PARQUE NATURALDE URKIOLA

    LARDAIBAI

    Balcn deBizkaia

    TorreMuntsaraz

    S i er r a d e C a n t a b r i

    a

    Mon

    t es d

    e Iz k i

    S i e r r a d eK o

    d es

    S ie r r

    a de L o k

    i z

    S i er r a

    d eE n

    t zi a

    N AVA R R A

    S i er r a d

    e U r b a s a

    Mont

    es d

    e

    Altza

    n ia

    S i e r r ad e E l g e a S i e r r a

    d eU r k i l l a

    S i e r r ad e

    Ai z

    ko

    rr

    iS i e r r a d e A r a l a r

    Si e

    r r ad

    e

    I z a r r a i t z

    ArgietaSepulkroak

    rraearatx

    Sierrade

    ArangioOrisol 1126m.

    Hipdromo

    Martutene

    Ernio1026 m.

    Aizkorri1528 m.

    Kurtzeta

    Etxegarate

    GI-3633

    GI-3420

    GI-3631

    GI-34

    51

    GI-3410

    GI-3721

    GI-3410

    GI-2

    633

    GI-3

    710

    GI-3282

    GI-3481

    GI-3630

    GI-3630

    GI-3411

    GI-3720

    GI-4071

    GI-3072

    GI-3071

    GI-3715

    GI-3211

    GI-3502

    GI-3670

    GI-3

    670

    GI-360

    GI-3371

    GI-35

    81

    GI-3

    162

    GI-3730

    GI-6

    31

    GI-631

    GI-3293

    GI-3

    210

    GI-3

    750

    GI-3731GI-3192

    GI-3

    352

    GI-3520

    GI-3540

    GI-3

    572

    A-8 E-70

    N-1

    GI-2132

    GI-2638

    GI-21

    34

    N-638

    N-1

    21

    N-1

    N-634

    A-8 E-70

    GI-2132

    GI-131

    GI-1

    31

    N-1

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    237

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    Lapuebla deLabarca

    ElciegoOyn-Oin

    Moreda de Alava

    Lanciego/LantziegoLaguardia

    Navaridas

    Baos de Ebro

    Alava

    maniegoLeza

    Elvillar/Bilar Ycora

    Poblado PrehistoricoLa Hoya

    Cripn

    BernedoLagrn

    rrada

    Santa Cruzde Campezo

    Araia

    Vitoria-Gasteiz

    Alegra

    Elburgo

    Iruraiz-Gauna

    SalvatierraAgurain

    Egilaz/Egilatz

    Zalduondo

    Asparrena

    AraiaDurana

    Legutiano Leintz-Gatzaga

    Arrazua-Ubarrundia

    Ozaeta

    Otxandio

    a

    o

    Mendata

    Elantxobe

    barrangelu Ea

    Gautegiz-Arteaga

    Ereo

    Kortezubi

    Ajangiz

    Arratzu

    eta-Etxano

    Ispaster

    LekeitioMendexa

    Ondarroa

    Amoroto

    Gizaburuaga

    Nabarniz

    Aulesti

    Munitibar-Arbatzegi Gerrikaitz

    Markina-Xemein

    Etxebarria

    Berriatua

    Ermua

    Zaldibar

    Elorrio

    Abadio

    rango

    Izurtza

    aria

    Atxondo

    Ibarra

    Berriz

    MallabiaGaray

    Iurreta

    Mutriku

    Deba Zumaia Getaria

    Mendaro

    Zestoa

    Aizarnazabal

    Zarautz

    Orio Usurbil

    Elgoibar

    Eibar

    Azpeitia

    Azkoitia

    Bergara

    Zumarraga

    Legazpi

    Arrasate/Mondragn

    Oati

    Urretxu

    Antzuola

    Soraluze-Placenciade las Armas

    Gabiria

    Ormaiztegi

    Mutiloa

    Zerain

    Zegama

    Segura

    Olaberria

    Idiazabal Ataun

    Lazkao

    Beasain

    Ordizia

    Ezkio-ItsasoItsasondo

    Arama

    Zaldibia

    Gaintza

    AltzagaBaliarrain

    AbaltzisketaAmezketa

    Legorreta Orendain

    Ikaztegieta Alegia Orexa

    LizartzaGaztelu

    Leaburu

    Altzo

    AlbizturBeizama Bidegoyan Tolosa

    IbarraBelauntza

    Berastegi

    Elduain

    BerrobiHernialdeAnoeta

    Irura

    VillabonaAlkiza

    Larraul

    Errezil

    AsteasuZizurkil

    AdunaAndoain

    Lasarte-OriaUrnieta

    HernaniAstigarraga

    Pasaia

    ErrenteriaAntxo

    San PedroDonibaneLezo

    Irun

    Hondarribia

    Oiartzun

    Aretxabaleta

    Eskoriatza

    Aia

    Donostia-San Sebastin

  • asque history has always been marked by thedevelopment of local institutions, thus theBasque Country joined the kingdom of Castile

    while maintaining its own charters and organisationin the shape of its general assemblies, or JuntasGenerales. Modern nationalism had already beenborn when the provincial system was dismantledfollowing the Carlist wars. Basque politics entered anew stage after the Civil War, when the first BasqueGovernment had been brought to an abrupt end,with the Estatuto de Gernika.

    The abundance of prehistoric remains confirmsthe early presence of man on Basque soil. The firstBasques, gradually developed their own language,Basque or Euskara, which is considered to be evenolder than the Indo-European languages. By thetime the Romans started moving further afield, thelocal population had already organised itself into anumber of tribes with the names of: Vascones,Aquitanos, Vrdulos, Caristios and Autrigones, whohad very little contact with one or another, or forthat matter with other peoples.

    The mountainous, wooded orography contributedto the north of the Basque Country remainingsomewhat isolated. But not so the south, in lava-Araba, where the Romans established a number ofsettlements. This area was subsequently tobecome a passing place for the Barbarians andserved to hinder the expansion of the Moors. TheBasque territories depended on the kingdom ofNavarre, although it was really the powerful feudal

    lords, or jauntxos who ruled the roost from theirimpressive tower-houses.

    Swearing allegiance to the Basque chapters

    The Road to Santiago, with its constant pilgrimcomings and goings, helped to end this isolation.Throughout the 13th and 14th centuries, theBasque territories broke their traditional links withNavarre to join the Castilian crown, maintainingtheir autonomy by means of chapters to which theCastilian kings had to swear allegiance. Eachterritory was responsible for its own administrationunder the respective Juntas Generales, and thecustoms post separating the area from Castile wasestablished on the river Ebro.

    Thanks to the issuing of charters by the Castiliankings permitting the foundation of towns, anumber of boroughs were erected beyond thecontrol of the feudal lords who dominated the ruralareas. There were continuous confrontationsbetween the jauntxos, the heads of the differentclans, and particularly between the leaders of theirreconcilable Oacino and Gambono clans.

    Skilled fisherman and excellent shipbuilders, theBasques played an important part in Spainsexpansion throughout America. The shipping trade,iron mining and fishing boosted economicdevelopment in the 16th century, before the over-exploitation of American wealth, piracy andepidemics gave rise to an economic crisis.

    The 18th century saw the establishment ofborders separating the Basques on either side of

    B

    A BRIEF HISTORY

    8

    The earliest Basquesburied their dead beneathrobust dolmens like thatof La Chabola de laHechicera in the part of he Rioja region fallingwithin the province oflava-Araba, known asthe Rioja alavesa.Near here, in theprotohistoric village ofLa Hoya, people usedbronze earrings similarto those appearing below.

  • 9

    A BIT OF HISTORY

    100,000 YEARS AGO.Research has ruled out anumber of theories thatthe first Basques arrivedfrom far-off places. Theforebears of todaysBasques had been herefor over 100,000 yearsand probably alreadyspoke a language similarto the local Euskera some7,000 years ago, justimagine! The Stone AgeBasques left us menhirs,dolmens, stone circlesand paintings on thewalls of the Santimamieand Ventalaperra caves inBizkaia, and on those ofEkain and Altxerri inGipuzkoa. Even in theStone Age a number ofcommunities alreadyexisted such as La Hoya,the remains of which canstill be visited in theRioja alavesa region.PROVINCIALAUTHORISATION.Charters are ancientsocial customs that havebecome legal with time.When the Basqueterritories, until thenlinked to the kingdom ofNavarre, became part ofthe Castilian crown(Gipuzkoa and lava-Araba in 1200; Bizkaiain 1379), theymaintained their chartersand administrations inthe shape of the JuntasGenerales. In fact, theCastilian kings had toswear that they wouldrespect these charters,

    and thejuntas had theright to veto royalorders by means ofa so-called PASEFORAL, or PROVINCIALAUTHORISATION. On theother hand, agreementstaken by the JuntasGenerales had to beapproved by themonarchy. This peculiarform of self-governmentcontinued until the late19th century.

    FOREIGN TRADE. TheBasque country, a land offishermen, played anextremely important partin naval trade withAmerica throughout the18th century. The Real

    Compaa Guipuzcoanade Caracas, which at onestage had as many asfifty vessels and theexclusive right to tradewith Venezuela, broughtprosperity to bothDonostia-San Sebastinand to the nearby Pasaia.The companys move to

    Madrid andthe

    subsequentindustrial

    development in theprovince of Bizkaianevertheless lent greaterimportance in the nextcentury to the port ofBilbao.

    A REVOLUTION IF EVERTHERE WAS ONE.Industrialisation in thesecond half of the 19thcentury broughtenormous change to theBasque Country. Fromthe installation of thefirst blast furnaces,namely those of SantaAna in Bolueta (1849),industrial revolution and

    economic developmenttransformed thelandscape of GreaterBilbao and an importantpart of Gipuzkoa. WhileBizkaia specialised in theiron and steel and navalindustries, Gipuzkoabegan specialising in themaking of paper and

    machine tools. Thisperiod saw the beginningof decline in theagricultural world. Thearrival of immigrants ledthe population of Bizkaiato double in barely fiftyyears.

    THE NEW BASQUECOUNTRY. Havingrecovered from theconsequences of theindustrial crisis, the lastfew years of the20th centurysaw localtechnologicaland

    social development, notto mention the renovationof infrastructures andequipment. Perhaps thetitanium of theGuggenheim MuseumBilbao is the best imageof this new BasqueCountry as it strides intothe 21st century.

    Primus circundedisti me. That was the motto on the coat ofarms bearing a globe of the earth awarded by Carlos V to a Basqueman, Juan Sebastin Elkano. This sailor from Getaria was an officeron the expedition headed by Magallanes and finally became captainof the Victoria, the only ship to make it back to Sanlcar deBarrameda after having been the first to have made it round theworld. Elkanos native village remembers him with a monumentand a four-yearly representation of his disembarkation.

    Many other Basques were likewise outstanding navigators andconquerors, such as: Andrs de Urdaneta, Miguel Lpez de Legazpi,Antonio de Okendo, Cosme Damin Churruca and Juan de Garay.

    THE FIRST PERSON TO MAKE IT ALL THE WAY ROUND

    Guggenheim Bilbao Photograph by: Erika Barahona

    DOWN THROUGHTHE AGES FROM

    IRON TO TITANIUM

  • 10

    the river Bidasoa. The new economic boom andspirit of learning gave rise to the appearance ofcompanies including the Real CompaaGuipuzcoana de Caracas or the Real SociedadBascongada de Amigos del Pas. There were alsooccasional popular uprisings, or matxinadas, suchas the one that put paid to the attempts of Felipe Vto dismantle the customs post on the river Ebro.

    Two opposing viewsThe Basque Country was intensely involved in the

    19th century Carlist Wars, which, set around adynastic conflict, brought a provincial vision, thenrelated to the nobility and peasantry of the AncientRegime, into conflict with an incipient nationalvision associated to the new liberal bourgeoisie. In1876, at the end of the Third Carlist War, charterswere abolished and the customs posts weretransferred to the coast and the border withFrance. Despite the loss of sovereignty, a system ofeconomic concerts was established between thedifferent county councils and the state, accordingto which the former would take in taxes andacquire a number of powers, while paying a yearly

    sum to the latter for its services.

    The industrial revolution, together with economicliberalisation and strong immigration, had a radicaleffect on the Basque landscape.

    The late 19th century saw the birth of modernnationalism, which in the Second Republicsucceeded in promoting a Statute of Autonomy,though approved once the Civil War had alreadybroken out, thus putting paid to the newexpectations. Francos dictatorship abolishedeconomic concerts and endeavoured to repress allof the Basque signs of identity.

    On Francos death, in 1979, the Estatuto deGernika was passed, hence granting the BasqueAutonomous Government its own Parliament andGovernment with authority in basic matters. Theprovinces of lava-Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoamaintained the right to collect taxes through theirregional governments and recovered their JuntasGenerales.

    A BRIEF HISTORY

    The tree under which theBizkaian JuntasGenerales would meet, infact a descendent of theoriginal oak, is regardedas highly symbolic by allBasques.

  • 11

    A BRIEF HISTORY

    The tower-houses stillstanding in the BasqueCountry recall a series ofconflicts, known as theguerras banderizas,which spread throughthe country in theMiddle Ages.The territory wasfragmented aroundseveral feudal lords, orparientes mayores, andthe fighters were splitinto two basic factions,the Oacinos and theGambonos, enemies tothe death.

    Tower-houses weretherefore as muchdefensive constructionsas they were economicand organisational units,and the guerrasbanderizas subsequentlyled to Enrique IVforbidding theirconstruction.Those still standing aretall and thick-walled,with a square orrectangular ground plan.Some of the mostbeautiful tower-housesstill surviving todayare the:

    CASA-TORRE DEMENDOZA, near Vitoria-Gasteiz. The OacinoMendozas lived in thistall, impregnable towersurrounded by a wallbearing angle turrets.Later used as a prison,this building presentlyhouses the Museo deHerldica.

    PALACIO FUERTE DEAYALA, in Quejana(lava-Araba). Thisfortified palace of theAyala family, a lineagewhich went on to give itsname to the entire valley,is well worth the visit.Particularly outstandingis the turret containingthe chapel of the Virgendel Cabello, with its

    authentic alabastersepulchres and replica ofthe altarpiece. Theoriginal is on display inChicago.

    CASTILLO DEMUATONES, in Muskiz(Bizkaia). Now beingrestored, this castle haseverything youd expectto find in a medievalcastle, including a moatand double walls.

    CASTILLO DEBUTRON, in Gatika(Bizkaia). The 19thcentury restoration of a14th century tower-housegave rise to an imposing45-metre highconstruction with a

    multitude of little turretsgiving the visitor thefeeling of having beenspirited back to theMiddle Ages.

    TORRE DE ERCILLA,in Bermeo (Bizkaia).Ancestral home of Alonsode Ercilla and presentlyof the Museo delPescador, this tower haspointed openings and aturreted cornice.

    CASTILLO DEGAUTEGIZ ARTEAGA(Bizkaia). EmpressEugenia de Montijo hadthis castle built in the19th century accordingto the contemporaryfashion of recoveringstyles of the past.

    TORRE DEMUNTSARATZ, inAbadio (Bizkaia). Anextremely beautiful towerto which Renaissancewindows were lateradded.

    TORRE LUZEA, inZarautz (Gipuzkoa).Standing in the centre ofthe Kale Nagusia or mainstreet of Zarautz, this isthe best conserved tower-house in Gipuzkoa. Inaddition to its beautifulexterior aspect is a lovelyinterior staircase.

    DEFENSIVE CONSTRUCTIONS Casas de Juntas(ASSEMBLY HOUSES)

    Tall towers with thick walls and slender windows.Thats what the houses of the medieval lords lookedlike. Although many of these tower-houses no longer

    exist, the visitor will discover from a distance theslender stone outline of some of these typicallymedieval constructions, not to mention other highlyattractive castles and palaces.

    TOWER-HOUSES AND CASTLES

    Gautegiz Arteaga Castle

    The Basque Countrycontains a number oftowers symbolisingfragmentation and othersevoking the combinationof forces. This is the caseof the CASA DE JUNTASDE ABELLANEDA inSopuerta (Bizkaia), atower-house at which theJuntas Generalesmeetings were heldbetween the tenrepublics making up theEncartaciones region.Although this ensembleof medieval constructionshas experienced anumber of modificationsover the centuries, itnevertheless continues tomaintain its symbolicvalue. It is likewise homeof the attractive Museode las Encartaciones.

    Better known is theCASA DE JUNTAS DEGERNIKA where theJunta members from theentire Bizkaian feudalestate would meet.Although this is a 19thcentury Neo-classicalbuilding, it wasconstructed over themedieval church of SantaMara de la Antigua.Headquarters of the re-established JuntasGenerales de Bizkaia,both the building itselfand the historic Gernikaoak tree can be visited.

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  • he Basque Country offers an interestingselection of aesthetic styles ranging from

    cave paintings to state-of-the-art constructions.The Romanesque stonework of the Basilica deEstibalitz, the great Gothic temples and towers, theimpressive Baroque style of the Loiola Sanctuary,the joint work of the Basque avant-garde artists atArantzazu or the international modernity of theGuggenheim Museum Bilbao are only some of thefeatures on the long road through the BasqueCountry and its monuments.

    The earliest artistic expressions are to be foundin the caves of Ventalaperra (Carranza),Santimamie (Kortezubi), Altxerri (Orio) and Ekain(Deba). The cave painters hunters leftbeautiful, schematic images of horses, bison andbears. The prehistoric Basques also bequeathed uswith striking funerary constructions dolmens andstone circles or the statue of a mysterious animalin the shape of the dolo de Mikeldi, now housed inBilbaos Museo Arqueolgico Vasco.

    The Romans likewise left their mark in theremains of architectural works, such as Mantiblebridge in Assa (Rioja alavesa), the seven arches ofwhich span the 164 metres of the river Ebro, orthe Oppidum de Irua near Vitoria-Gasteiz, acomplete Roman city.

    lava-Araba, a place of passage and artery ofthe inland route to Santiago de Compostela, wasextremely important in the early Middle Ages,hence the fact that the greatest number andbest examples of Romanesque constructionsare to be found in this province. The churchof San Prudencio, in Armentia, and the basilica

    of Estibalitz stand out sharply against theAlavese Plain.

    Also worth a mention are two somewhat laterRomanesque constructions, the church of AndraMari de Elexalde in Galdakao (Bizkaia) and thesanctuary of Santa Mara La Antigua inZumarraga (Gipuzkoa), considered as thecathedral of Basque hermitages. A number ofRomanesque religious sculptures are also to befound in the area.

    Gothic gems

    Increased development in the Basque Countryduring the late Middle Ages has left its mark incountless examples of Gothic architecture. Inaddition to churches, this style is to be found infortifications, the layout of walled villages andtowns, administrative buildings and tower-houses.The growing importance of cities at that time meansthat we can also admire Gothic constructions inVitoria-Gasteiz (Catedral de Santa Mara), Bilbao(the rehabilitated Catedral de Santiago), orDonostia-San Sebastin (San Vicente Church).

    But we mustnt forget to mention other Gothicgems. The Torre de los Mendoza, the frescoescovering the church of Gaceo and the entire rangeof historical monuments in Laguardia, lava-Araba.The churches dedicated to Santa Mara in Lekeitio,Gernika-Lumo and Ordua, and the Torre deMuatones in Bizkaia. The area within the walls ofHondarribia, the Torre Luzea in Zarautz and thechurch of San Salvador in Getaria, Gipuzkoa.

    The 16th century saw a rise in Renaissanceconstruction throughout the Basque Country,

    T

    THE BASQUE COUNTRY AND ITS MONUMENTS

    12

    The strong VaronaTower, which started tobe built in the 14thcentury in Villanae(Alava), is nowadaysone of the best-preservedfortified sites in theBasque Country.

    12

  • 13

    THE ROMANS OFIRUA. Right next toVitoria-Gasteiz, inTrespuentes, we can visitthe site of what musthave been a city inRoman imperial times.The Oppidum de Irua isa Roman settlementsurrounded by a thickwall corresponding to theancientVeleia. Wecan still seethe remainsof a forum,the layout ofthe urbanstructureand twobridgesspanning theriverZadorra.

    ROMANESQUE BRIDGEIN BALMASEDA. ThePuente Viejo, or de laMuza, is one of the most

    symbolic elements to befound in Balmaseda.Built in the 13th centuryover the ruins of aprevious construction,this Romanesque bridge,now a nationalmonument, was anobligatory place ofpassage on the ancientroad to Castile.

    FLEMISH ALTARPIECEIN LEKEITIO. The Gothicperiod left one of its gemsin Lekeitios church of

    Santa Mara de laAsuncin (Bizkaia). Inaddition to admiring thebuildings typically Gothicbuttresses and flyingbuttresses, we mustntmiss the centralaltarpiece depicting thelife of Mary and thePassion of Christ. Thisbuilding is attributed to aFlemish master highlyskilled in expressivenessand detail.

    RENAISSANCEUNIVERSITY. In theBasque Country referringto Renaissance meansreferring to OatiUniversity (Gipuzkoa), aparadigm of the said stylethanks to both itsarchitectural form andopen spirit. TheUniversidad del SanctiSpiritus is a beautifulbuilding set around aserene patio. APlateresque facade with

    allegoric figuresand two higherbodies on eitherextreme conferdistinction uponthis delightfullyharmoniousconstruction.

    MODERNISTBILBAO.Modernistaesthetics, withsculptural facades and artnouveau decoration, wasfashionable in Bilbao andcan still be seen inbuildings such as theCasa Montero (on theAlameda de Recalde) orthe Teatro CamposElseos, both decoratedby the Frenchman,

    Darroguy. Donostia-SanSebastins Calle Primalso has a number ofbuildings bearing aprofusion of Modernistdecoration.

    13

    2000 YEARSBRICK BY

    BRICK

    Although the work of contemporaryarchitects and sculptors is to be foundthroughout the Basque Country, the Santuario deArantzazu is perhaps the best example of avant-garde art.

    Several creators came together in the 50s tobuild this new basilica in a privileged setting; awork that completely broke away from previousarchitectural aesthetics. The architectural projectwas drawn up by Sinz de Oiza and Luis Laorga.The sculptures on the facade (with thirteenapostles instead of twelve) are by Jorge Oteiza.The doors, by a young Eduardo Chillida. Thesplendid altarpiece, by Lucio Muoz. And thepaintings in the crypt by Nestor Basterretxea.

    Simply unique.

    A REVOLUTIONARY collaboration

    THE BASQUE COUNTRY AND ITS MONUMENTS

  • 1414

    THE BASQUE COUNTRY AND ITS MONUMENTS

    although this often meant the mutilation of medievaltower-houses in order to add galleries, or thecompletion of churches started in earlier centuries.This period saw the breakthrough of a new kind oftemple, the salon church, with three vaultednaves of the same height intended to create onesingle space. Gipuzkoa houses the most splendidexamples of Renaissance architecture with OatiUniversity and the Real Seminario de Bergara. Thesculptural work on these buildings varies betweencompletely over-the-top Plateresque decoration, acertain expressive Mannerism introduced by foreignartists, and the serenity of the altarpieces carved byJuan de Antxieta, from Azpeitia.

    The Baroque movement was responsible for animpressive construction, the Sanctuario de Loiolain Azpeitia (Gipuzkoa). This church is principallysurrounded by buildings used as convents, usuallywith a cruciform ground plan and the typicallyornamental simplicity employed after the Councilof Trent. A similar schema repeats itself in thenumerous town halls erected during this period(Labastida, Elorrio, Durango, with Roccocopaintings, Oati, Arrasate-Mondragn, etc.), all ofwhich have porticoed arches and facades bearingthe local coats-of-arms.

    After centuries marked by a predominance ofreligious architecture, Neo-classicism led to civilarchitecture and to the development of urbanism.The Casa de Juntas de Gernika dates from thisperiod, as do the suburbs of the different capitals,Bilbaos graceful Plaza Nueva and the square ofthe same name in Vitoria-Gasteiz, a cityoutstanding for its Los Arquillos ensemble, animaginative architectural solution to the heightdifference between two areas.

    The triumph of eclecticism

    Eclecticism was to triumph in the BasqueCountry in the 19th century, when it adaptedelements from different styles and used them tocreate buildings with their own particularpersonality, such as the Ayuntamiento,the Palacio de la Diputacin (Regional CountyBuilding) and the Teatro Arriaga in Bilbao,or the Hotel Mara Cristina, the Teatro VictoriaEugenia and the Gran Casino (presently theTown Hall) in the capital of Gipuzkoa.Both capitals, Bilbao and Donostia-SanSebastin, were the scene of modernistarchitectural construction during the early20th century.

    The best example of contemporary aestheticsis the Arantzazu Sanctuary, collective workamongst whose creators already figured JorgeOteiza and Eduardo Chillida, two recently deceased geniuses whose debates and proposalsgreatly influenced the twentieth century. Samplesof Chillidas work, such as the Peine de los Vientos(The Windcomb) are to be found beside the seain San Sebastin, in the Plaza de los Fueros inVitoria-Gasteiz and in the Parque de los Pueblosde Europa in Gernika-Lumo.

    Together with the activity of numerous highlyinteresting Basque creators of all kinds of art,recent years have seen the carrying out ofimportant projects, sometimes entrusted toprestigious foreign architects, as is the caseof the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao (Frank Gehry),and the Bilbao underground (Norman Foster),or the Kursaal Centre by Rafael Moneo fromNavarre.

    The perfect example ofBaroque grandiosity inthe Basque Country isthe Santuario de Loiolain Azpeitia (Gipuzkoa).Designed by one ofBerninis disciples, CarlosFontana, and with adecisive Churrigueresqueinfluence, the mostoutstanding part of theensemble is its centralbasilica. The spectaculardome, 65 metres high,has been subject to allsorts of complicatedrepair work in theattempt to stop it fromcracking.

  • THE BASQUE COUNTRY AND ITS MONUMENTS

    CHURCH OF OURLADY OF EL JUNCAL.This emblematic buildingof Irun, in Basque gothicstyle, started to be builtin 1508. Its insidepreserves exceptionalworks: the image of OurLady of El Juncal, theoldest in Gipuzkoa, and a17th century highaltarpiece, a work by Juande Bascardo and Domingode Zatarain.

    SANTIAGOMENDIHERMITAGE.

    A simple, symbolicconstruction inAstigarraga. Thealabastersculpture of theapostle is nowhoused atDonostia-SanSebastinsMuseoDiocesano.

    CHURCH OF LAASUNCIN. This magnificent exampleof the 16th century gothicstyle, with a notablechurrigueresquealtarpiece, is one of themany appeals in Segurasmedieval quarter. Thischurch does not lack achapel devoted toSantiago.

    HERMITAGE OFSANCTI - SPIRITUS.Located in the vicinity ofthe San Adrian Tunnel,this hermitage, thatformerly was a templarhospital, is the naturalfrontier between Gipuzkoaand lava. At its foot, wecan see the big house ofthe mikeletes (GipuzkoasProvincial Police), nowused as a mountain hut.

    Hermitage of SANJULIAN and SANTABASILISA. Havingsuccessfully made their waythrough the emblematicSan Andran tunnelseparating Gipuzkoa fromlava-Araba, pilgrims wouldstop for a rest at this pre-Romanesque hermitage inZalduondo.

    Church of SAN MARTINDE GACEO.The entire apse andpresbytery arespectacularly covered inGothic paintings depictingreligious scenes.

    ESTIBALITZ Santuary.Offers one of the bestexamples of medievalarchitecture in theBasque Country andhouses a 12th centurystatue of this patron saintof lava-Araba.

    BASILICA OF SANPRUDENCIO.In Armentia (Vitoria-Gasteiz), still maintainsits beauty despite themany alterations to whichit has been subjectedsince its constructiontowards the end of the12th century. Inside theportico we can still seeparts of the ancientRomanesque doorway.Dont miss thetympanums of the Lamband the Saviour.

    THE COASTAL ROAD

    the inland road

    Pilgrims heading for Santiago made theirway through the Basque Country via one oftwo itineraries, by the Coastal Road, along therugged coast of Gipuzkoa and on into thegreen valleys of Bizkaia, or by the Inland Road,across the Alavese plain via San Adrin tunnel.Two routes which now permit travellers todiscover the diversity of the Basque Countryand to appreciate the art preserved forcenturies in beautiful hermitages, churchesand basilicas.

    Two routes and one destination

    San Martn de Gaceo

    San Prudencio

    1

    2

    3

    4 7

    8

    5

    6

    EN ROUTE FOR SANTIAGO

    DE COMPOSTELA

    Markina-Xemein

    Ziortza-Cenarruza

    ZamudioPortugalete

    Zalduondo

    Salvatierra

    GaceoEstibaliz

    Tnel deSan Adrin

    ElburgoAriez

    Lapuebla de Arganzn

    ArminRibabellosa

    Zambrana

    Gernika-Lumo

    Morga

    Larrabetzu

    Gees

    Zalla

    Balmaseda

    Sestao

    Zierbena

    Muskiz

    Bilbao

    Vitoria-GasteizArmentia

    Salinillas de Buradn

    Irun

    HondarribiaDonostia-

    San Sebastin

    Andoain

    Tolosa

    Zarautz

    ZumaiaOiartzun

    AstigarragaHernani

    Villabona

    Alegia

    OrdiziaBeasain

    SeguraZegama

    Pasaia

    Getaria

    1

    2Orio

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    5

    6

    7

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

    678

    GUADALUPESANCTUARY. This sobertemple, home of the highlyvenerated 15th centuryVirgen de Guadalupe, standson Mount Jaizkibel, besidethe scenic road leading upfrom Hondarribia.

    HERMITAGE OF SANMARTIN DE TOURS. InOrio, accommodates abeautiful Plateresque imageof the pilgrims patron saint.

    ITZIAR SANCTUARY. Anobligatory stop for pilgrimsat the top of the hillbetween Zumaia and Deba,this sanctuary houses adelightful 13th centurystatue of the Virgen and aPlateresque altarpiece.

    HERMITAGE OF SANMIGUEL DE ARRETXINAGA.A natural triple megalithforms the spectacular altar ofthis highly unusual hexagonalhermitage located in Markina-Xemein.

    CENARRUZACOLLEGIATE CHURCH. Atrack leads to Ziortza(Cenarruza in Spanish) andto the only collegiate church

    in Bizkaia.Its altarpiecesand chapels present a widerange of artistic styles.

    BASILICA OF THEVIRGEN DE BEGOA. Thistemple venerating thepatron saint of Bizkaiatowers over Bilbao from anearby hill. Although thebasilica dates from the late-Gothic period, the beautifulimage of the Virgen isactually Romanesque.

    The Gothic church of SANSEVERINO in Balmasedawas erected in the 14th and15th centuries. A number ofsubsequent Baroqueadditions are responsible forits remarkable morphology.

    San Severino

    Cenarruza Collegiate Church

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    3

    4

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    7

    15

  • ertsolaris (poets who improvise verse in theBasque language), dantzaris (performers offolkloric dances), txalapartaris

    (percussionists as per ancient tradition),harrijasotzailes (stone-lifters) or segalaris (grass-cutters). These are not strange beings, but modernBasques dedicated to preventing thedisappearance of age-old traditions. Thecombination of common folkloric elements withthe peculiarities of the different Basquepopulations gives rise to an endless selection offestive expressions the whole year round, not tomention a number of important internationalfestivals.

    The rural world, with the farmhouse or baserria atthe centre of the family, agriculture andstockbreeding, has lost a good deal of its formerimportance in Basque life. This said, thefarmhouse culture is yet to be found behind most

    of the typical sports, fiestas and traditionsthat have adapted to moderntimes without losing any of theiroriginal spirit.

    The Basques have converted farmchores into competitive sports and a way of havingfun. Challenges and a proverbial love of betting havemade a job as hard as log-cutting into a popularsport where two woodcutters, or aizkolaris, stand ontrunks of wood similar in thickness and compete tosee who is the best with the axe.

    Grass-cutting, stone-lifting, and even thesheepdog trials where farmers and their quick-witted dogs lead sheep round a circuit, are nowinstitutionalised rural sports or herri kirolak, as are

    others such as the soka-tira, where two teamsmeasure their strength in a tug-of-war, skittlesand, of course, Basque pelota in its differentmodalities, be it hand, bat or cesta-punta (seepicture).

    Herri kirolak, which survive not only as folkloricrepresentations for the tourists, but as lively eventsattracting hordes of local enthusiasts, are presentat all agricultural fairs, religious processions orrural fiestas worth their salt, as are other examplesof Basque idiosyncrasy. First in this respect istraditional music and dance, proof of a wealthyfolkloric heritage. Next are the bertsolaris, thosehighly admired performers of improvised oralliterature who have had such an influence on thetransmission of Euskera, the millenary language ofthe Basques.

    Last but not least, are the traditional crafts.Wooden objects, ranging from yokes for tying oxentogether, kutxas (carved trunks) or makilas(walking sticks) are still made by a small group ofwood craftsmen. But we mustnt forget theargizaiola, a decoratively carved piece of woodaround which a long wax candle is wound andwhich was lit in times gone by to provide thedeceased with light in the world of darkness. Thistraditional object actually dates from pre-Christianity, the expressions of which were largelyassimilated by the Catholic religion.

    Springtime: masks and dances

    One of the aspects on the Basque festive andcultural calendar to be found the whole year roundis folklore. Although most of events of this kind

    b

    FIESTAS AND TRADITIONS

    16

    The Basques work hardat keeping their ancienttraditions alive.

  • TWO PIECES OFWOOD. Youll bepleasantly surprised atany fiesta to discover thelocally exclusive musicalinstruments. Thetxalaparta is an ancientform of percussion: twoplanks of wood, twopeople and two sticks yetagain of wood produce anever-ending variety ofrhythms and sounds. Thetrikitixa or diatonicaccordion, accompaniedby a tambourine player,produces a sound ofcontagious gaiety. Thealboka is an ancient windinstrument. Morecommon is howeverthe high-pitchedtxistu whistle, whichis played with threefingers of the lefthand,leavingthe righthand freeto playthe drum.

    LEGS UP!Basque folkloreinvolves all sortsof populardances. Thedantzarisperform ineither all-malegroups(sometimesincluding thespectacular

    ezpata-danza or sword dance) orin groups of men andwomen. One of the mostspectacular solitarydances is the aurresku,where the dancersolemnly kicks a leg upto head height. Thisdance is performed as amark of respect or by wayof a welcome at differentevents.

    IMPROVISED VERSE.Ever since ancient times,bertsolaris have beenpractising an extremelystrange kind of oral

    literature in the Basquelanguage. Respondingto a subject given to

    them at the momentof standing up to

    sing, ordialecticallyconfronted with

    anotherimproviser,

    thesebertsolarishave toinvent

    verses beforethe audience in

    keeping with strict rulesof rhythm and metrics.Imagination, depth, socialcriticism and the odd bitof mischief are

    concealed in thewords of these

    sharp-witted poets.

    SPORTS FOR THESTRONGEST. One of thesports only carried out bythe harrijasotzailes orstone-lifters is that oflifting a stone weighing

    over 300 kilos up toshoulder height. Thelifting of cylindrical,rectangular, cubic andround stones is one ofthe most impressive ruralsports. Other modalitieswith a strong traditionalflavour are the cutting oftrunks with an axe byaizkolaris, the cutting ofgrass with a scythe bysegolaris, or the pulling

    of stones by oxen, knownas idi probak.

    BY HAND. Basque pelotais by far the most popularlocal sport. It is played ina large part of thepeninsula and in theSouth of France, as wellas having been takenacross theocean toAmerica.Pelotacourts, to befound in eventhe smallestBasque hamlet,watch over theplayers of thedifferent modalities asthey evolve from playingwith the hand to the

    spectacular cesta-punta,via the version where theball is hit with a woodenbat. The coming and goingof bets between spectatorsis an essential part of theproceedings.

    FIESTAS AND TRADITIONS

    17

    A COUNTRY WITH ITS OWNPERSONALITY

    Thirteen oarsmen and a captain form the crew of thefixed-thwart rowing boats that participate in the competitionswhich each summer awaken fiery passion in the supporters ofthe different colours. This competition originated in thestruggle the coastal fishermen used to make in the attempt toreach harbour first and sell their wares before the others.

    The fixed-thwart rowing competitions now require a greatdeal of physical training and end in a spectacular final battlefor the Bandera de la Concha flag. People flock to the bay ofthe same name, where they follow each stroke of the oar withan eagle eye.

    THE BEATING OF OARS

  • FIESTAS AND TRADITIONS

    The aizkolaris,or competitors whochop wood eitherhorizontally or vertically,have made farmworkinto a sport out.

    take place in summer, the Basque AutonomousCommunity offers interesting rendezvous in each ofthe four seasons.

    In spring we can have a ball at the Carnival orInauteriak. This happy-go-lucky festivity has bestpreserved its atmosphere in the smaller villages,and particularly in Tolosa (Gipuzkoa), than it hasdone in the capitals. The relative carnivallicentiousness gives way to the solemnity of Easter,with the popular representations of the Passionand Death of Christ in Balmaseda, Durango andGaldakao (Bizkaia), not to mention those ofAzkoitia, Segura and Hondarribia in Gipuzkoa.

    In addition to the tattoo and drum parade of SanPrudencio in Vitoria-Gasteiz, two unusual andrather touching festivities bring the spring cycle toa close: that of La Santa Cruz, in Legazpi(Gipuzkoa), when the Mirandaola forge is set inmotion, and that of the Corpus Christi processionin Oati (Gipuzkoa), the masks and dances ofwhich date back at least to 1478.

    Summer: fireworks and jazz

    Its no exaggeration to say that the BasqueCountry becomes one big fiesta in summertime.Festive rendezvous come one after the otheraround a number of specific dates. In June, SanJuan (be careful not to miss the festivities incelebration of the patron saints day in Tolosa whenthe Bordon-dantza is performed, or the religiousprocession to the Hermitage of San Juan deGaztelugatxe), San Pedro (when the Kaxarranka isdanced in Lekeitio), and San Marcial, theculminating moment of which is the noisy militaryparade (Alarde) in Irun. Both the latter and

    Hondarribia celebrate their patron saints day inthe same way, by donning red berets and sporting agun over their shoulders in memory of pastvictories over the French army. The San MarcialAlarde celebrated in both Irun (30th June) andHondarribia (8th September) is massively attendedby men and women from the towns along the riverBidasoa.

    July and the day of the Virgen del Carmen (thepatron saint of fishermen) bring celebration toseafaring villages such as Plentzia and Santurtzi.In Antzuola (Gipuzkoa), the Alarde del Morocommemorates a historical episode. The Fiestas dela Magdalena bring Errenteria (Gipuzkoa) andBermeo (Bizkaia) to life, while the latter has acurious tradition of celebrating having obtained theownership of Izaro Island. But theres more tocome. The Da del Blusa (when groups ofyoungsters dress in different coloured tunics) inVitoria-Gasteiz, or the fiesta in celebration of SaintIgnatius, patron saint of Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa,particularly popular in Azpeitia and Getxo.

    In August, the festive temperature rises slightly (ifpossible) with the avalanche of events organised inVitoria-Gasteiz in celebration of La Virgen Blancaand in Donostia-San Sebastin and Bilbao duringtheir respective Semanas Grandes or Big Weeks.

    Although Getaria celebrates its patron saints dayeach year, it is only on every fourth year that wecan see the performance representing Elkanosdisembarkation from his voyage round the world.

    Summer in the Basque Country is festival time.For example, the Jazz Festival. Lovers of this genre

    18

  • FIESTAS AND TRADITIONS

    DRUMS BY THETHOUSAND. The SanSebastian Daycelebrations in the city of

    the same name last for24 hours, from midnighton the 19th January untilmidnight on the 20th,

    when thecity flag ishoisted andloweredrespectively.During thistime, tens ofdrum andbarrel

    beating companiesdressed in elegantuniforms dating fromNapoleonic times ordressed as chefs, marchthrough even the smalleststreets of San Sebastinplaying a number ofmelodies speciallycomposed for theoccasion by RaimundoSarriegui. At 12 oclockon the 20th the kids taketo the streets. Over5,000 youngstersparticipate withdelightfully serious facesin the childrens drumparade.

    IN FULL FANCY DRESS.Although the Carnival,previously announced bythe Caldereros procession(in memory of Hungariangypsies) in Donostia-SanSebastin, is celebratedin all three capitals, thereal fun is to be had inother places, like Tolosa,with its well-deservedreputation for high jinxand revelry. Of longparodic tradition, thisevent succeeded insurviving the prohibitiondeclared by Francothanks to being renamedFiestas de Primavera(Spring Fiestas).

    Zalduondo, Salcedo,Campezo / Kanpezuand Salvatierra /Agurain in lava-Araba,or Mundaka and Markina-Xemein, in Bizkaia, alllive their fiesta de lasmscaras with similarintensity. The star ofthe Markina Carnival is abear.

    DANCING ON ACHEST. Eightsailors carry awooden chest orkutxa on theirshoulderswhile adantzaribedeckedwith top hatdances uponit. This peculiar event,known as the kaxarranka,and started by thefishermens guild, takesplace in Lekeitio every29th June, on SaintPeters Day. This event isenthusiasticallycelebrated in the BasqueCountry, as is SaintJohns Day (24th June)when the night becomesalight with the flames ofthe purifying bonfires.

    A 500-YEAR OLDTRADITION. The CorpusChristi fiesta in June iscelebrated by means of asplendid procession inOati (Gipuzkoa), duringwhich the ancient KorpusDantzak dances areperformed. The membersof the Brotherhood of theApostolado who participatein the procession wearspectacular masksrepresenting Christ,

    San Miguel andthe apostles.

    Despite the fact that there is no proven relationshipbetween these two relatively recent characters, Marijaia andCeledn nevertheless share a popularity which has made theminto the symbols of the respective patron saints festivities inBilbao and Vitoria-Gasteiz.

    Celedn, wearing a tunic and holding an umbrella abovehis head, descends each 4th August into the Plaza de la VirgenBlanca to open the fiestas held in his honour in Vitoria-Gasteiz. The enormous Marijaia, with her arms held up high,presides over the Aste Nagusia or Big Week celebrations inBilbao, which bring the capital to life during the seven daysfollowing the 15th August.

    Taking place somewhere between the other two,Donostia-San Sebastin rounds off a fiesta-packed month ofAugust in the three Basque capitals with its Semana grande.The fiestas of Vitoria-Gasteiz and Bilbao are far livelier thanthat of San Sebastin, thus making the latter ideal for themore relaxed. All three have a firework competition, open-airfestivities and a number of bull-fighting events, although theseare more popular in Bilbao.

    MARIJAIA AND CELEDN

    19

    FROM FIESTATO FIESTA ALL

    YEAR ROUND

  • can choose from a selection of three events takingplace in July. The first, in Getxo, is the mostEuropean of the three; the second, in Vitoria-Gasteiz, is the most complete and offers more starappearances than the others; the third option,Donostia-San Sebastins Jazzaldia, has a touch ofseniority and the added attraction of the fact thatmost of the concerts take place in the open air.But there are also options for other musical tastes,such as the International Folklore Festival inPortugalete, or the important classical musicfestival, the Quincena Musical, held each year inSan Sebastin.

    Autumn: military parades and cinema

    September brings the San Antoln fiestas toLekeitio and those of the Virgen de Guadalupe andhence the military parade, or Alarde, toHondarribia. Another parade, held later in October,and that known as Errebombillos, takes place inElorrio.

    Although Donostia-San Sebastin isntHollywood, it does become a miniature versioneach September. The Film Festival, the onlyinternational competitive event of its kind inSpain, attracts countless film buffs in search ofoeuvres by new directors and of the famous faceswho parade their glamour through the streets ofthe city.

    Autumn also offers a number of cultural events:Bilbao sees the start of the ABAO opera season

    and the International Documentary and Short FilmFestival; Vitoria-Gasteiz is the venue of theInternational Theatre Festival; Tolosa organises theChoral Competition; and Donostia-San Sebastin asecond cinematographic contest, the increasinglypopular Fantasy and Horror Film Festival.

    Winter: drums and books

    Winter is introduced by Santo Toms fair, whenagricultural products and a flavour of thecountryside are brought right into the centre of twocapital cities: Donostia-San Sebastin and Bilbao.Christmas Eve sees the arrival of the Olentzero, apot-bellied charcoal burner with pre-Christian rootswho has become a sort of local Santa Claus.Christmas is celebrated differently in Labastida(lava-Araba), where 17th century dances areperformed, and in Lazkao (Gipuzkoa) where Maryand Josephs flight to Egypt is re-enacted at thefiesta known as Astotxo (Little Donkey).

    The 20th January marks the day on which the rollof drums is to be heard throughout Donostia-SanSebastin. The celebrations in honour of the cityspatron saint and the melodies of RaimundoSarriegui continue all day long. Two days later,Oyn-Oion (lava-Araba) is the setting for apeculiar procession known as Katxi.

    There are fewer cultural rendezvous in winter,although we mustnt forget the Basque Book andRecord Fair in Durango, showcase of the yearsproduction in the Basque language.

    20

    FIESTAS AND TRADITIONS

    The Fiesta de la Blancatakes place during thefirst week in August inhonour of the Virgen delas Nieves. The festivitiesbegin with the Descentof Celedn, the characterin local dress who, usingan umbrella as aparachute, descends fromthe bell tower of SanMiguel into the Plaza dela Virgen Blanca.

  • FILM CAPITAL. Each September, theZinemaldia makesDonostia-San Sebastininto a film city where thebrilliance of the stars whowalk its carpet combineswith the queues ofcinema buffs waiting tobook tickets, and theofficial competition forthe Golden Shell with theinteresting retrospectivesand surprise films.

    QUINCENA MUSICAL.Each summer, the capitalof Gipuzkoa experiencesthe excitement ofclassical music.Symphony, chamber,organ, contemporarymusic, childrensconcerts and operas offermusic-lovers a thrillingfestival which now lastsfor almost a monthinstead of the initialfortnight.

    JAZZALDIA. The longest running jazzfestival in the BasqueCountry takes place atthe end of July, whenwarm melodies can beenjoyed in the open air ateither the Plaza de laTrinidad or beside theKursaal Centre.

    OPERA CAPITAL. Bilbao, with its longlyrical tradition, can beconsidered as the BasqueCountrys opera capital.The ABAO (AsociacinBilbana de Amigos de laOpera) has been stagingopera seasons neverlacking in big names ornew values beencontinuously staging forthe last approximatelyfifty years. Verdi is thecomposer whos workappears most often onthe programme.

    ZINEBI: InternationalFestival of Documentaryand Short Film.The most recent andyoungest audiovisualproducts are screened inNovember at BilbaosInternationalDocumentary and ShortFilm Festival.

    THE JAZZ CAPITAL.While not forgettingDonostia-San Sebastinand Getxo, each JulyVitoria-Gasteiz becomesthe centre of attention forlovers of this kind ofmusic. Since 1977,important soloists andbands have been faithfulto this Jazz Festival, oneof the most prestigious inits genre.

    THEATRE FESTIVAL. In autumn, tens ofcompanies burst onto thestages of Vitoria-Gasteizwith their latest works toparticipate in theInternational TheatreFestival.

    NEFF: New EuropeanFilm Festival of Vitoria-Gasteiz. The MontehermosoCultural Centre, thePrincipal Theatre, andcinemas screens in thecity are the stage ofNEFF. This festival,emerged from the fusionof the AudiovisualFestival and VitoriasInternational FilmFestival, immerses thecity in a great atmosphereof international cinema.

    AND ALSO

    An enormous mixture of music, cinema, dance, theatre. TheBasque Country simply oozes with culture thanks to a number

    of high-ranking festivals. If international stars and newdirectors come together at the San-Sebastin International

    Film Festival, Bilbao is the meeting place for bel cantovoices during its opera season and Vitoria-Gasteiz for thebest jazz musicians, who also visit Getxo and Donostia-

    San Sebastin. Its time to go off and have fun.

    A COUNTRY OF CULTURE

    Vitoria - Gasteiz

    Donostia - SAN SEBASTIN

    Other Basque towns and villages offer culturalexpressions worthy of mention, including:

    - ARAIA. FestivalInternacional de Teatro deHumor (InternationalComedy Theatre Festival -August).

    - DURANGO. BasqueBook and Record Fair atwhich most of the years

    Basque languageproduction is presented.(December).

    - ERRENTERIA.Musikaste, classicalmusic week (May).

    - GETXO. InternationalJazz Festival. This event

    differs from other Basquefestivals due to itsEuropean adjective(June).

    - PORTUGALETE.International FolkloreFestival (July).

    - TOLOSA.The InternationalChoral Competitionwith top level participants(October).Festival Internacionalde Marionetas(InternationalPuppet Festival -November).

    Bilbao

  • 222222

    ere, eating means much more than simplycovering a basic need. Gastronomy forms animportant part of the everyday life of the

    Basques, who discuss, negotiate and get to knoweach other better over a meal. Excellent traditionalcookery, based on only the best of ingredients, andthe innovating author cuisine now well knownbeyond our borders, mean that the visitor can andmust choose from a variety as wide as it isdelicious.

    Donostia-San Sebastin has the highest numberof Michelin stars per square metre in the planet,although the entire Basque Country offers anyamount of opportunities to delight the palate,whether in the big restaurants or in the moremodest establishments.

    The Basque Country was already internationallyfamous for its delicious traditional cuisine when agroup of new chefs decided to take a number ofthese dishes and renew them on the basis of theirimagination. This movement, which was soon tobecome known as Basque nouvelle cuisine, wasmoulded in the mid-70s by a series of young chefswhose point of reference was the French cookery ofthe same name.

    Participants in this said culinary revolution werelocal restaurateurs including Subijana, Irizar,Fonbellida, Castillo, Argiano or Juan Mari Arzak,undisputed number one of a style that has caused

    an upheaval in Basque restaurants, andparticularly in Gipuzkoa, with new aromas,textures, combinations and methods ofpreparation.This said, modern restaurateurs continueto base their dishes on the two secrets oftraditional Basque cuisine: high quality ingredientsand seasonal products.

    Today, those young chefs are maestros ofrenowned prestige, whose creativity falls under thetitle of so-called author cuisine.Despite their high social standing, the toprestaurateurs still lead a surprisingly practical life.Its not unusual to see any of these figures ofworld-wide renown in the gastronomic field doingtheir own shopping at the market, passing on someof their recipes in the media or rubbing elbows atthe cookery schools with the new generations ofrestaurateurs, with an end to ensuring thecontinuity of this delicious new gastronomy.

    A country of fish lovers

    In addition to this said phenomenon of authorcuisine which visitors will have to taste forthemselves, always of course keeping in mind thatquality has its price is the ever-popular Basquetraditional cuisine, which continues to employ theingredients responsible for its fame, high qualityproducts from the surrounding areas and simplebut delicious meals.

    THE LOVE OF GOOD FOOD

    HExtremely high-qualityproducts and the lovewith which they areprepared are the basesof delicious Basquecuisine, whethertraditional or nouvelle.

  • 23

    MINIATURE PLEASURES.You dont have to sit at atable to eat well in theBasque Country. Theritual known as txikiteo,i.e. going from bar to barin groups and drinkingtxikitos (small glasses ofwine) or zuritos (the sameof beer) is nowaccompanied by thepartaking of temptinghors doeuvres, known aspintxos. Although some ofthese delicacies aresimple, other much moresophisticated versionshave earned the nameof miniature cuisine.Many bars proudlyexhibit their owncreations andspecialities.Youll not be able toresist the temptation.

    STRANGE-LOOKINGDISHES.There are at least twolocal dishes that neverfail to catch the eye ofthe outsider. One of theseis squid cooked in its ink,hence the not very typicalblack sauce. But dont beput off, youll love it. The

    other one iselvers, babyeels thatlook a bit

    like worms.Fried with a hot

    pepper in anenamelled claydish, they areabsolutely

    delicious. Itstraditional to eat them onthe evening before SanSebastian Day, but theirscarcity and astronomicalprice is obligingestablishments to usesurimi substitutes.

    VERY SWEET.Although the cakes andpastries produced inVitoria-Gasteiz are ofjustifiable fame, almostevery town and village in

    the Basque Country hasits own typicalsweetmeat. The goxuas,vasquitos and neskitas ofVitoria-Gasteiz, thecustard-filled hojaldres ofLaguardia, the pastelesde arroz and custard-filled canutillos of Bilbao,the baracaldesitas ofBarakaldo, the kokotxasof Markina, thepantxineta of Donostia-San Sebastin, theopillas given bygodmothers from Irunand Hondarribia, thetejas and xaxus of Tolosaand the rellenos ofBergara are all well worththe taste.

    THE CIDER RITUAL.The habit of going tocider houses or hangarswhere cider is made has

    now become anunusualgastronomicalternative.

    During

    the season, from Januaryto May, these ciderhouses areenthusiastically attendedby lively crowds whocome to drink the ciderflowing from a tap in thebarrels or kupelas while

    eating codomelette,T-bonesteak,walnuts,quincejelly andcheese.Itsnormalin thetraditional

    cider housesto dine standing up,thus making it easier towander to and from thekupelas forreplenishment.

    2323

    Taking a stroll through the Basque harbours at meal times means finding oneselfenveloped in the warm smell of grilled sardines or txitxarro (mackerel). This blue fish,brought in by the coastal fishermen, is barbecued outdoors, and served fresh andflavoursome, with only a touch of hot oil, vinegar, garlic and hot pepper.

    You mustnt miss the sardines which, though typical of Santurtzi, are to be foundall along the coast, or the anchovies and bigger fish such as the aforementionedmackerel or ventresca (underside) of bonito.

    THE FLAVOUR OF THE HARBOURS

    ENJOY YOURMEAL, SIR.

    THE LOVE OF GOOD FOOD

  • 24

    The star of local cuisine is fish from either theBasque coast or from the far-off fishing-groundswhich the local arrantzales or Basque fishermenhave been working for centuries.Hake, bream, bonito and cod, all prepared indifferent ways, are the main fish used in localrecipes, which nevertheless also contemplate themore humble species, such as sardines oranchovies, or others like turbot, monkfish or sea-bass.

    A number of basic, light sauces, such as thedelicate green or pil-pil sauces, extract theessence of the fish without altering either itstexture or its flavour. The Basques have alwaysknown how to make the most of the productsoffered by the earth and the sea, hence theincorporation to their cuisine of kokotxas - thesmall, gelatinous, smooth flavoured barbel of hake,the cogote, or top half of the fish, also of hake, orthe ventresca or underside of bonito.

    Squid, cooked in its traditional and highlyoriginal black ink or sauted with onion andpeppers a lo Pelayo are classic dishes in Basquerestaurants, as is the greatly appreciated spidercrab.

    Meat is to be found most often in the recipes oflava-Araba, the best known province for itsdelicious lamb dishes. In Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia,most people prefer the T-bone steak, and evenmore so if it happens to be ox. Barbecued, with a

    crisp coating on either side and red and juicy onthe inside, this is the star of rural cuisine.

    Vegetables are particularly delicious in lava-Araba, where juicy stews are made with a wholerange of greens. Other dishes of this kind arevainas (green beans) or porrusalda (leek and potatosoup) and pisto (fried vegetable hash).

    Perhaps the most typical product of Basquemarket gardens are kidney beans, particularly fromGernika-Lumo and Tolosa. Mushrooms, highlyappreciated in the Basque Country, are likewisefound in a number of delicious dishes.

    Delicious wines

    These succulent dishes have the perfectcomplement in equally delicious wines. Despite itsrelatively small size, the produce of the Rioja alavesais perfectly capable of competing with the best winesin the world. Reds from this area are denominatedcrianza, reserva or gran reserva depending on theamount of time they spend in oak barrels.

    Another local beverage is txakoli, a young, freshand fruity white wine which has recently startedmaking a name for itself outside of the BasqueCountry. But we mustnt forget the cider which wecan taste at the cider houses themselves.Astigarraga, Hernani and Usurbil, in Gipuzkoa, arethe villages with the highest number of theseraucous establishments.

    THE LOVE OF GOOD FOOD

    The signature cuisinehas brought creativityand art to dishpreparation and thereare outstandingrepresentatives of it inthe Basque Country.

  • THE LOVE OF GOOD FOOD

    25

    RIOJA ALAVESA WINE. Asub-zone within theprestigious Riojadenominacin de origenqualification, the winesproduced in the Riojaalavesa region areappreciated all over theworld. Red wines fromthis area are neverdisappointing, even whentalking in terms of fruityyoung wines, and attainhigh standards of qualitywith time, whether ascrianza, reserva or granreserva wines. Dont leavewithout trying them. Butalthough the highestquantity and quality is tobe found among the reds,made with a highpercentage of tempranillograpes, the area alsoproduces highly palatablered and ros wines.

    Association of Rioja AlavesaWine Cellars- ABRAC/ Berberana, 501300 Laguardia (lava)Tel. 945 60 02 78 Fax. 945 62 10 [email protected]

    TXAKOLI. Of medievalorigin, txakoli is a fresh,slightly sparkling whitewine with a hint of acidity.Its personality comes fromthe two local strains ofgrape, Hondarribi zuri andHondarribi beltza.There are three differentdenominaciones de origenin the Basque Country,Txakoli de Getaria, Txakolide Bizkaia and Txakoli delava.

    LAVAControl Board of theDesignation of Origin Txakolide lavaC/ Dionisio Aldama 7, 1DApdo. 36. 01470 AmurrioTel: 656 78 93 72 Fax: 945 39 37 [email protected]

    BIZKAIAControl Board of theDesignation of OriginBizkaiako Txakolina

    B Garaiolza, 23. 48196 LezamaTel: 94 455 50 [email protected]

    GIPUZKOAControl Board of theDesignation of OriginGetariako TxakolinaParque Aldamar, 4. 20808 Getaria.Tel/Fax: 943 14 03 [email protected]

    IDIAZABAL CHEESE.Strong with high acidity,Idiazabal cheese is madeaccording to thecenturies-old recipe ofBasque shepherds.This cured cheese,matured for a minimum oftwo months, is madeexclusively with pure latxasheeps milk and animalrennet. There are bothsmoked and unsmokedvarieties.

    CRDOP Idiazabal cheeseGranja modelo de Arkaute, s/n01192 Arkaute (lava)Tel. 945 28 99 71Fax. 945 12 13 [email protected]

    Outstanding among theexcellent food to be foundon Basque markets are aselection of meats andvegetables bearing theKalitatea label ofquality.

    For example, thePIMIENTOS DEGERNIKA, as flavoursomeas they are refined. Thesepeppers are long, thin andgreen in colour. Hotter,but not excessively so, arethe GUINDILLAS DEIBARRA. Green-yellow incolour, these hot pepperscome in a mild vinegarand salt mixture.

    Dried vegetable loverscant leave without tryinga plate of traditionalBasque ALUBIAS (red

    kidney beans).Grown in smallmarket gardens,the best varietiesarefrom Tolosa,Gernika-Lumo,and the pintaalavesa strain.

    Other everydayingredients

    include localproducts ofguaranteed quality,

    such as the traditionalPATATA DE ALAVA(potatoes from lava-Araba), or the TOMATEDE CALIDAD DEL PAISVASCO (Basquetomatoes).

    The star of the butcherscounter is the CORDEROLECHAL DEL PAIS VASCO(suckling lamb). Highlyappreciated, this meatcomes from the local latxaand carranza breeds.Likewise covered by thislabel are the CARNE DEVACUNO DE CALIDAD(beef) and the POLLO DECASERIO (farmhousechicken) raised on corn inthe traditional style.

    BONITO DEL NORTE(white tuna) is likewisefished and canned bytraditional methods, as isCIMARRON (pink tuna).

    LECHE PASTERIZADA DECALIDAD (pasteurisedmilk) can be sweetenedwith another excellentproduct, MIEL DEL PAISVASCO. Untreated andwith a high pollen purity,this honey maintains all ofits properties.

    Alubias from Tolosa, local suckling lamb with peppers from Gernikaand Idiazabal cheese. All washed down, of course, with a good Riojaalavesa wine. This menu includes only some of the excellent localproduce of a land that so lovingly pampers the ingredients of itsdelicious gastronomy. Lets take a look at the 100% local producebacked by the authorities responsible for granting the denominacinde origen qualification or by the Basque label of quality, Kalitatea.

    LABEL OF QUALITYDesignation of Origin

    TOP-CLASS FOOD AND DRINK

    Idiazabalcheese

    Txakoli Rioja alavesawine

    DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN

  • NATURE

    ambling plains, mountain ranges, greenforests, rich marshes and relaxing beaches.Nature lovers have plenty to discover in the

    Basque Country.Although the wide range of beautiful and ruggedlandscape is easily found in the nature reserves, itis also a feature of many other parts of theprovince. Deep countryside is only minutes fromthe towns and cities. Both active tourismenthusiasts and those only coming along for theviews will be in their element.

    But its not all green. The Basque Country offersany amounts of different landscapes sure todelight lovers of the open countryside: steep cliffsand gentle beaches in the coastal cities; green

    valleys set around little rivers; mountainousranges offering all sorts of pleasant walks;

    sweeping plains with a differentcolour and climate.

    Despite its high populationdensity, almost 290inhabitants per squarekilometre, and the heavy

    industrialisation of certain areas,with their subsequent environmental problems,the Basque Country has nevertheless managed topreserve its natural resources. Proof of this are theseveral nature reserves making it possible to enjoyflora and fauna in their virtually pure state.

    Humid and dry

    The little over 7,200 km2 covered by the BasqueAutonomous Community offers two main kinds oflandscape. On the one hand is the wide, green,humid and mountainous coastal belt of Bizkaiaand Gipuzkoa, and the mountains of lava-Araba.On the other, the extensive, dry meridional plainsof southern lava-Araba as they head towards thelandscape and climate of the succeeding Castilianmeseta. The Alavese plain serves as an area oftransition between the two extremes.

    This difference is clearly reflected in the localhydrographic attributes. The rivers flowing into theBay of Biscay (Mayor, Ibaizabal-Nervin, Butrn,Oka, Lea, Artibai, Deba, Urola, Oria, Urumea andBidasoa) are fairly short, steep and run along thebottom of little valleys. On the other side of themountains, however, the rivers of lava-Arababecome wider and meander a while before theirwaters flow into the river Ebro in the Rioja alavesaregion.

    These two hydrographic areas are likewiseresponsible for different climates. In the north,the weather is oceanic, with mild temperatures inboth winter and summer and a fair amount ofrain. In the south, however, the climate iscatalogued as being of the continental kind, thatis, dryer but with more extreme temperatures.

    RThe river Leizarn andits banks, in Gipuzkoa,has been granted thequalification of protectedbiotope. This is one ofthe many areas offered bythe Basque Country tonature lovers.

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  • AN INLAND SEA.Although its no surpriseto discover that the entirerange of water sports canbe practised in a countrysuch as this, looking as itdoes out over the Bay ofBiscay, it is a bit moreremarkable to discoverthat you can goswimming, sailing, windsurfing and canoeingmiles from the coast. Thenorth of lava-Araba ishome of the reservoirs onthe river Zadorra, realinland seas on whichwater-sport enthusiastscan enjoy themselves tothe full. Urrunagaartificial lake even hasan international regattacourse.

    SINK THAT BALL.Txema Olazabalshomeland offers golfers a

    number of places inwhich to hit a ball roundthe course. The clubs:Donostia-San Sebastin,Basozabal and Zarautz inGipuzkoa; Neguri andLaukariz in Bizkaia; andZuia Larrabea and Izki inlava-Araba, all offervisitors the chance of around.

    OFF AT A TROT.Over thirtyriding

    clubs and schools inviteyou to set out on a shorthorseback outing in mostparts of the BasqueCountry, although thepeaceful regions of lasEncartaciones in Bizkaiaand the western valleys oflava-Araba areparticularly suitable forexcursions of this kind.The smallest members ofthe family can have aride on a pottoka, thegentle local breed ofhorse.

    HIT THE SKIES. TheBasque winds are perfectfor those with a love offlying, and in fact anumber of delta planeand paragliding clubsand associations often

    bring colour to thelocal skies.According tothe adepts, the

    best places forthese activities are

    Sopelana, on the coast,where you land on thebeach, and the hillsidesof Talaimendi (Zarautz)and Ulia (Donostia-SanSebastin). Inland wemustnt forget Ordua,the rocky walls of whichsaw the first delta plane

    flights in the country,and the foothillsof mount Ernio in

    Gipuzkoa.

    UP TO THE VERY TOP.The Basque Country is aplace of mountains andexcursions, whether onfoot or atop a mountainbike, one of the greatlocal pleasures. Followthe coloured indicationsand set off for a shorthike along the nearbymountain trails. For thosepreferring the heights,the highest summit in theBasque Country isAitxuri, on the Aizkorrimassif. To reach its

    1,551 metres above sealevel, standing astride theprovinces of Gipuzkoaand lava-Araba, youllhave to cross thebeautiful open fields ofUrbia. Other summits formountaineers are theGorbea massif (1,481m), Aratz (1,441 m),Pea del Castillo (1,432m), Txindoki (1,346 m)and Anboto (1,331 m).From the highest peakyou can plunge down intothe depths thanks to thepotholing permitted in anumber of caves andchasms.

    27

    NATURE

    FOR THEEXTREMELYACTIVE

    The untamed Bay of Biscay, with its particularlyhuge waves towards late summer and throughoutautumn, makes the Basque Country ideal for surfers. Itsa common sight to see groups of youngsters dotted allover the local coastline waiting for the chance to get awave.

    But its the beaches of Mundaka (Bizkaia) andZarautz (Gipu