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Autonomous community of Spain
Photo: Jörg Braukmann, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Basque Country (Basque: Euskadi, Spanish: País Vasco) is a region in Northern Spain. The name can also refer to all the land of the Basques (Basque: Euskal Herria) from a historical, cultural, linguistic and identity standpoint.
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By train
There are a handful of daily frequencies from Madrid and Barcelona to all three cities, with Vitoria getting more places since they are along a mainline.
By bus
Daily connections with Madrid and Barcelona from Bilbo/Bilbao, Donostia/San Sebastian, Gasteiz/Vitoria and Iruña/Pamplona.
By car
The motorway between Paris and Madrid goes through Baiona/Bayonne, Donostia/San Sebastian and Vitoria/Gasteiz. The tolls between Baiona and Donostia are pretty expensive.
By thumb
Sooner or later people usually stop. It's better to hitchhike at the exits of the towns where the traffic is calmer than on the motorways.
By bus
There are frequent and cheap buses to move between the three capitals. Inside each territory, the situation varies, but they are overall good.
By car
The roads are well signposted, but watch out for occasional monolingual signs in Basque.
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Alava · Regional · VIT
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the capital of the autonomous community
largest city of the region, with all the amenities and experiences of a big city
small town nestled in the mountains, an excellent base for exploring the wilderness
top-notch fresh seafood at this fishing harbour
a thriving commercial town with great historical and cultural significance for the Basque people. In 1937 it was devastated by the German air force under the command of the fascists. Bombing was an experiment for WWII.
a provincial capital curved around a dramatic moon-shaped beach hedged in by cliffs
a fishing town with a walled old town
a world-renowned surf spot
Articles and travel topics about Basque Country and Spain.
ItinerariesHow to book Renfe AVE, Iryo and Ouigo high-speed trains across Spain, avoid luggage traps and plan seamless multi-city rail itineraries.
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Culture & historyHow to secure elusive Alhambra tickets, explore Córdoba's Mezquita and experience Seville's Real Alcázar without crowds or booking errors.
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Food & drinkHow to master the tapeo bar crawl in Spain, decode free tapas in Granada, order Basque pintxos and eat like a local from Madrid to Seville.
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InspirationTen places with real character and room to breathe, from Ohrid's lakeside churches to Argentina's high-altitude vineyards.
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