Basque Country: Southern France & Northern Spain

I spent three nights in Bayonne, France, as part of my 8-days Rick Steves “Basque Country” tour. So what is the Basque Country, you ask.

The Basque Country is an autonomous community that includes southern France and northern Spain, near the Pyrenees mountains. The Basques have a unique culture, language and traditions that differ from their Spanish and French neighbours.

I arrived in Bayonne on Thursday from Bordeaux, after visiting Paris, Rouen and Orleans and I enjoyed the peacefulness of this an absolutely lovely little French city that feels like a large town with a stress less ease about it.

Here’s to Bayonne and the start of my Rick Steves “Basque Country” group tour.

Bayonne

The Rick Steves map of the “Basque Country” 8-days tour.

The Pont Marengo bridge across the Nive River in Bayonne, France. (May 21, 2022)

Views of Bayonne along the Nive River, a French river that flows through the French Basque Country. (May 21, 2022)

Views of Bayonne along the Nive River. (May 21, 2022)

On the Pont Marengo bridge across the Nive River in Bayonne, France. (May 21, 2022)

Boat rowing on the Nive River in Bayonne, France. (May 21, 2022)

Views of Bayonne along the Nive River, a French river that flows through the French Basque Country. (May 20, 2022)

Me and my Rick Steves “Basque Country” tour group on our walking tour of Bayonne starting at the Ramparts of Bayonne. (May 21, 2022)

The 17th century defensive barrier, the Ramparts of Bayonne, that once kept the city safe from attack, are now covered in grass and enveloped in pretty parks. It was Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, commonly referred to as Vauban and considered the greatest engineer of his time, who designed the fortifications and whose works were followed as models of defense for 100 years. (May 21, 2022)

The Citadelle of the Ramparts of Bayonne. (May 21, 2022)

Entrance to the Citadelle of the Ramparts of Bayonne. (May 21, 2022)

Through the Citadelle tunnel of the Ramparts of Bayonne. (May 21, 2022)

Exiting the Citadel of the Ramparts of Bayonne connected to the Château-Vieux, also known as the Old Castle of Bayonne. The medieval fortress castle has been rebuilt many times over the centuries. (May 21, 2022

The Château-Vieux, also known as the Old Castle of Bayonne, is a medieval fortress castle rebuilt many times over the centuries. (May 21, 2022)

The Cathédrale Sainte-Marie or Cathedral of Our Lady of Bayonne more commonly known as the Bayonne Cathedral. The imposing, elegant Gothic Catholic cathedral rises amidst the colorful houses of Bayonne’s old town center and along its narrow streets. (May 21, 2022)

The Cathédrale Sainte-Marie or Cathedral of Our Lady of Bayonne more commonly known as the Bayonne Cathedral. (May 21, 2022)

Inside the Cathedral of Our Lady of Bayonne, commonly known as Bayonne Cathedral, which was constructed in the 12th and 13th centuries. (May 20, 2022)

The altar inside the Bayonne Cathedral. (May 20, 2022)

A close-up view of the altar inside the Bayonne Cathedral. (May 20, 2022)

A side view of the altar inside the Bayonne Cathedral. (May 20, 2022)

The colorful chapels of the ambulatory with the magnificent stained-glass windows behind the high altar of the Bayonne Cathedral. The paintings and stained glass windows were brought back to life after a good cleaning. (May 20, 2022)

The colorful chapels of the ambulatory with the magnificent stained-glass windows behind the high altar of the Bayonne Cathedral. (May 20, 2022)

The stained glass above the altar inside the Bayonne Cathedral. (May 20, 2022)

The medieval look and feel of old town center of Bayonne, France. (May 20, 2022)

Views of colorful houses in the old town center of Bayonne, France. (May 21, 2022)

Market day in Bayonne, France. (May 21, 2022)

Views of colorful houses in the old town center of Bayonne, France. (May 20, 2022)

A close-up of the medieval-looking stone building houses along the cobblestone streets of Bayonne’s old town. (May 19, 2022)

I ended up eating dinner on my own during my first night in Bayonne at Le Chistera restaurant and again, unknowingly, the next night with my Rick Steves “Basque Country” tour group. The building, which includes this restaurant, dates back to the 1690s. (May 19, 2022)

My first night’s dinner of Chicken Basquaise, a classic French Basque dish at Le Chistera restaurant in Bayonne. The pepper sauce, or piperrada, is made with onions, peppers, and tomatoes although like most traditional dishes ingredients and proportions can vary. (May 19, 2022)

Bayonne’s chocolate reputation began in the 17th century, when Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition came to Bayonne from other parts of Spain and Portugal. (May 20, 2022)

The chocolate treats at L’Atelier du Chocolat in Bayonne. (May 20, 2022)

Back at the at Le Chistera restaurant in Bayonne again but this time with my Rick Steves “Basque County” tour group for dinner. (May 20, 2022)

The entrée, in this case a large salad, served as our first Rick Steves dinner at Le Chistera restaurant in Bayonne. (May 21. 2022)

The main course of fish, potatoes and caramelized onions served as our first Rick Steves dinner at Le Chistera restaurant in Bayonne. (May 20, 2022)

The Musée Basque is the finest ethnographic museum of the entire Basque Country. It opened in 1922 but has been closed for a decade recently for refurbishment. It now has special exhibitions on Basque agriculture, seafaring and pelota, handicrafts and Basque history and way of life. (May 21, 2022)

Examples of funeral stele inside the Musée Basque de Bayonne or Bayonne Museum. (May 21, 2022)

An example of a house at the Musée Basque de Bayonne or Bayonne Museum where multiple generations of families can live. But it’s either the first born female or male who takes over the family. (May 21, 2022)

A painting of country life at the Musée Basque de Bayonne or Bayonne Museum. (May 21, 2022)

The traditional national sport of pelota is featured at the Musée Basque de Bayonne or Bayonne Museum. (May 21, 2022)

A showcase of rackets at the Musée Basque de Bayonne or Bayonne Museum used to play Basque pelota. The sport can be played with a ball and using one’s hand, a racket, a wooden bat or a basket. It can be against a wall or with two teams face to face but separated by a line on the ground. (May 21, 2022)

Our tour group stayed at the Mercure Bayonne Centre Le Grand Hotel. (May 19, 2022)

And thankfully there was this old timey cage-like elevator that took me to my 4th floor room at the Mercure Bayonne Centre Le Grand Hotel in Bayonne, France.(May 19, 2022)

My nice comfortable room at the Mercure Bayonne Centre Le Grand Hotel in Bayonne, France. (May 19, 2022)

My rather large bathroom at the Mercure Bayonne Centre Le Grand Hotel in Bayonne, France. (May 19, 2022)

Although there was construction on the thru street in front of the hotel, you can still see what a nice area it is. (May 19, 2022)

What I did not expect was a balcony from my room at the Mercure Bayonne Centre Le Grand Hotel in Bayonne, France. (May 19, 2022)

Before I could join my Rick Steves “Basque Country” tour group, I had to take an at home rapid Covid-19 test and produce the results. I brought two tests from home and received two more from Alice and John before they returned home. The test was, thankfully, negative. (May 20, 2022)

St. Jean Pied de Port on the way to Pamplona

We said good-bye to Bayonne and to France as we made our way to our last stop in the French portion of the Basque Country, the walled French town of Saint Jean Pied de Port. It is the traditional starting point for hiking the 500-mile Camino Francés pilgrimage trail to Santiago de Compostela. The Camino Francés is considered the most popular route followed by the one I did in April, the Camino Portuguese.

Although our final destination for the day was Pamplona (yes, the running of the bulls fame), we also made stops at the Roncevaux Pass; Roncesvalles/Orreaga, Spain; a delicious lunch at the Loizu Hotel & Restaurant in Auritz/Burguete, Spain, and an introductory walk at our home base of Pamplona, Spain.

Me walking on the walls of the French town of Saint Jean Pied de Port, a traditional starting point for hiking the 500-mile Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail or the Camino Francés. The town is located at the base of the Pyrenees and hence the name “at the foot of the pass.” May 22, 2021)

With backpacks and suitcases in hand, we (Rick Steves “Basque Country tour group) made our way from Bayonne, on our big lime green bus, to Pamplona for two nights. (May 22, 2022)

Arriving in Saint Jean Pied de Port, the fortified French medieval village at the gates of the Pyrenees mountains and a traditional starting point for hiking the 500-mile Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail or the Camino Francés. And, it is just five miles from the Spanish border, on our way to Pamplona, Spain. (May 22, 2022)

The Roman bridge called the Pont d’Eyheraberry over the Nive River in Saint Jean Pied de Port is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The bridge leads to the gate into the walled city by way of the main drag, Rue de la Citadelle. (May 22, 2022)

The Pont d’Eyheraberry, Roman bridge, over the Nive River in Saint Jean Pied de Port. (May 22, 2022)

Views from the Pont d’Eyheraberry, Roman bridge, over the Nive River in Saint Jean Pied de Port. (May 22, 2022)

Along the cobblestoned main street of the Rue de la Citadelle after coming thru the gate of the Pont d’Eyheraberry, Roman bridge, in Saint Jean Pied de Port. (May 22, 2022)

The 13th century pink sandstone walls of the Norte Dame du Bout du Pont church, to the left after entering thru the gate of the Pont d’Eyheraberry, Roman bridge, in Saint Jean Pied de Port. (May 22, 2022)

Mass was taking place inside the Notre-Dame du Bout du Pont Church along Rue de la Citadelle in Saint Jean Pied de Port. (May 22, 2022)

Along the long cobbled street of Rue de la Citadelle in the old town of St Jean Pied de Port. The town is located at the base of the Pyrenees and hence the name “at the foot of the pass.” (May 22, 2022)

Uphill along the long cobbled street of Rue de la Citadelle in the old town of St Jean Pied de Port. The town is located at the base of the Pyrenees and hence the name “at the foot of the pass.” (May 22, 2022)

This sports and walking goods store along the Rue de la Citadelle in the old town of St Jean Pied de Port is actually housed in a building dating from 1510. (May 22, 2022)

The Gate of Saint Jacques one of several gates into the beautiful medieval fortified town of Saint Jean Pied de Port, France, and is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (May 22, 2022)

Views from the Gate of Saint Jacques in Saint Jean Pied de Port. (May 22, 2022)

A marker on the ground in Saint Jean Pied de Port providing directions along the Camino Francés to Santiago de Compostela. (May 22, 2022)

One of several gates of the walled town of Saint Jean Pied de Port. (May 22, 2022)

Me at one of the gates along the walled town of Saint Jean Pied de Port in France. (May 22, 2022)

Looking down into the old town of Saint Jean Pied de Port, France, from a top of its wall. May 20, 2022)

After leaving Saint Jean Pied de Port, we stopped here at Roncevaux Pass in the Pyrenees near the border between France and Spain, but the pass is entirely in Spain. The pass is located between the towns of Roncesvalles and Luzaide/Valcarlos in Navarra, northern Spain. It has customarily been an important point on the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route. (May 22, 2022)

The chapel at Roncevaux Pass in the Pyrenees near the border between France and Spain, but the pass is entirely in Spain. (May 22, 2022)

Part of the Roncesvalles’ Monastery Complex that contains a number of different buildings including the 13th-century Royal Collegiate Church of Santa María de Roncesvalles and a cloister containing the Chapel of San Agustín with the tomb of King Sancho VII (El Fuerte) of Navarra. (May 22, 2022)

The Royal Collegiate Church of Santa María de Roncesvalles. (May 22, 2022)

Entering the Royal Collegiate Church of Santa María de Roncesvalles. (May 22, 2022)

Inside the Collegiate Church Royal Collegiate Church of Santa María de Roncesvalles. (May 22, 2022)

The cloister of the Roncesvalles’ Monastery Complex. (May 22, 2022)

The beautiful patterned cobblestone walkway of the cloister at the Roncesvalles’ Monastery Complex. (May 22, 2022)

The Mausoleum of Sancho VII “El Fuerte” of Navarra in the Chapel of San Agustín of the Collegiate Church of Roncesvalles. Sancho VII of Navarre, known as “the Strong,” was king of Navarre between 1194 and 1234. (May 22, 2022)

A close-up of Sancho VII of Navarre, known as “the Strong,” king of Navarre between 1194 and 1234. (May 22, 2022)

A close-up of the stained glass inside the mausoleum of Sancho VII “El Fuerte” of Navarra in the Chapel of San Agustín of the Collegiate Church of Roncesvalles. Sancho VII of Navarre, known as “the Strong,” was king of Navarre between 1194 and 1234. The stained glass window features “El Fuentes” at the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa. (May 22, 2022)

After our stop at Roncesvalles, it was time for lunch at the Loizu Hotel & Restaurant in Auritz/Burguete in Spain. (May 22, 2022)

Good food and lots of wine during our lunch at the Loizu Hotel & Restaurant in Auritz/Burguete in Spain. (May 22, 2022)

White asparagus with olive oil and mayonnaise for our lunch at the Loizu Hotel & Restaurant in Auritz/Burguete in Spain. (May 22, 2022)

And, then came the salad with tuna and a plate of rather delicious chorizo sausages for our group to share. And, did I mention there was wine for lunch at the Loizu Hotel & Restaurant in Auritz/Burguete in Spain. (May 22, 2022)

Beef stew was my choice as my main meal for lunch at the Loizu Hotel & Restaurant in Auritz/Burguete in Spain. (May 22, 2022)

Desert was this pastry with carmelized sugar and ice cream for our lunch at the Loizu Hotel & Restaurant in Auritz/Burguete in Spain. (May 22, 2022)

Pamplona

Pamplona, where the running of the bulls is actually part of a weeklong festival of San Fermín, has a rugged, lived-in feel to it. And, I arrived too early in the year to run with the bulls…oh, dang…a historically rooted celebration held annually in July.

With locals, Camino de Compostela pelegrinos (pilgrims, walking to Santiago de Compostela) and tourists, it still feels very much a place of home and work with history mixed in present-day liveliness and yet with the calm of sitting in a plaza or square and taking in the surrounding life.

Let’s not run with the bulls but still checkout Pamplona.

Me with the the life-size statue of American author Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) in a room devoted to him, “Hemingway’s Corner,” inside the Café Iruña in Pamplona. Novelist, short-story writer, journalist and Nobel Prize winner, Hemingway’s debut novel “The Sun Also Rises” was published in 1926. It portrays American and British expatriates who travel from Paris to the Festival of San Fermín in Pamplona to watch the running of the bulls and the bullfights. He came to the San Fermín festivities so many times and stayed at the Hotel La Perla, also located in the Plaza del Castillo and spent many hours at the Café Iruña. (May 23, 2022)

The entrance to Café Iruña under the arcade of the Plaza del Castillo in Pamplona. (May 23, 2022)

Inside the Café Iruña, a cafe, bar and restaurant in the Plaza del Castillo is considered the oldest in Pamplona. Inaugurated in 1888, Café Iruña has preserved its elaborate original decoration. It was the first establishment lit by electric light in Pamplona. Ernest Hemingway, the writer and Nobel Prize winner, came to the San Fermín festivities so many times and spent so many hours at the Café Iruña that in his memory there is an elegant room, “Hemingway’s Corner” with the life-size statue of the writer. (May 23, 2022)

The Plaza del Castillo and Café Iruña in Pamplona. (May 23, 2022)

The Plaza del Castillo in Pamplona. (May 23, 2022)

The Plaza del Castillo in Pamplona. (May 22, 2022)

The Gran Hotel La Perla in the Plaza del Castillo in Pamplona has a suite, Room 201, dedicated to American author Ernest Hemingway who frequently stayed at the hotel while often coming to the annual San Fermín festivities and hanging out at the Café Iruña just a few feet away. The 5-Star hotel has been in business since 1881. (May 23, 2022)

Walking along the streets of old town Pamplona. (May 23, 2022)

The City Hall, in the heart of the Old Quarter, in the Plaza Consistorial or City Hall Square in Pamplona is where the running of the bulls takes place and the path through to the Way of Saint James. (May 23, 2022)

The City Hall, in the heart of the Old Quarter, in the Plaza Consistorial or City Hall Square in Pamplona. Its site is not a coincidence. In 1423 King Carlos III of Navarre enacted a law called “El Privilegio de la Unión” (Privilege of the Union) to put an end to centuries of bickering and confrontations between the three boroughs and located the building on the spot where the three boroughs, that existed at the time, (Navarrería, San Saturnino and San Nicolás) came together. (May 23, 2022)

A close-up of the City Hall, in the heart of the Old Quarter, in the Plaza Consistorial or City Hall Square in Pamplona. At the top of the building are two figures of Hercules, symbolising civic virtues, and right at the top is the allegory of Fame, which announces the start of the city’s festivities. The current façade combines late Baroque and Neoclassical styles (18th century), although the rest of the building was rebuilt in the 20th century. (May 23, 2022)

Views from opposite of the City Hall, in the heart of the Old Quarter, in the Plaza Consistorial or City Hall Square in Pamplona.(May 23, 2022)

The Encierro Monument designed by Bilbao sculptor Rafael Huerta as a dedication to the traditional and famous bull-running, the Encierro, that takes place in Pamplona during the festivities of San Fermín. The work freezes an instant of the race when the young men are being pursued by the bulls. The bull-running event has its origins in the old practice of transporting bulls from the fields outside the city, where they were bred, to the bullring, where the six bulls that run would also be in the afternoon’s bullfight. (May 23, 2022)

A small portion of the walls of Pamplona. (May 23, 2022)

The Cathedral of Santa María la Real or more commonly known as the Pamplona Cathedral with its Gothic style and neo-classical façade in the city’s old quarter. The neoclassical façade from 1799 is by Ventura Rodríguez and the interior is French Gothic. (May 23, 2022)

Inside the Pamplona Cathedral built during the 14th and 15th centuries over the remains of a Romanesque church. (May 23, 2022)

Inside the gated choir is the silver-plated Virgin and Child along with wood carved choir of the Pamplona Cathedral. The Virgin and Child sculpture was carved in wood and then gilded with silver in the 12th century and the Renaissance choir benches were made between 1531 and 1541 by the best regional sculptors. (May 23, 2022)

The Royal Mausoleum at the central nave inside the Pamplona Cathedral is the site of Charles III the Noble and his wife Doña Leonor de Trastamara, Monarchs of Navarre’s mausoleum. The sculptures are made from alabaster between 1413 and 1419. (May 23, 2022)

The altarpiece of San Fermin from around 1713 inside the Pamplona Cathedral. (May 23, 2022)

The altarpiece of the Passion of Christ from 1507 inside the Pamplona Cathedral. (May 23, 2022)

Another altarpiece inside the Pamplona Cathedral. (May 23, 2022)

Our Rick Steves “Basque Country” tour group entering the building to see a private collection of bullfighting memorabilia. (May 23, 2022)

Carmen, whose late husband Marcelino was quite the collector of bullfighting memorabilia, welcoming our group with drinks and appetizers at her home in the old town area of Pamplona. (May 23, 2022)

Although her late husband Marcelino was the bullfighting memorabilia collector, Carmen shared the collection and hosted our tour group in her home for an afternoon of appetizers and drinks in the old town area of Pamplona. (May 23, 2022)

The private bullfighting collection of Carmen’s late husband Marcelino that she shared with our tour group and and hosted us in her home for an afternoon of appetizers and drinks in the old town area of Pamplona. (May 23, 2022)

A bullfighting arena model made by and part of the private bullfighting collection Carmen’s late husband Marcelino. She hosted our tour group in her home for an afternoon of appetizers and drinks in the old town area of Pamplona. (May 23, 2022)

Our Rick Steves “Basque Country” tour group entering the Sociedad Gastronomica, a traditional private dining club, in Pamplona for dinner. The Sociedad Gastronomica dates back to when the economy was based on farming and fishing and the men were often away from home for six months at a time. In their absence, the women took over and created a strong matriarchal society. And when the men came back, they needed to create their own space, a place where they could gather to cook, drink and socialize. (May 23, 2022)

Inside the Sociedad Gastronomica in Pamplona where we had our tour group dinner. (May 23, 2022)

James, our wonderful Rick Steves “Basque Country” tour guide pouring cider in the traditional way in norther Spain during our dinner at the Sociedad Gastronomica in Pamplona. The trick is to hold the bottle high above your head and the glass below to pour the drink and create a foamy layer as well as to release the aromas in the cider. (May 23, 2022)

Although women are now accepted into the Sociedad Gastronomica, it was traditionally a men’s only club. And, it was actually the men in our group who helped the two male chefs in the kitchen. That’s Steve, Paul and Marvin from our Rick Steves “Basque Country” tour helping out in the kitchen. (May 23, 2022)

Dinner at the Sociedad Gastronomica in Pamplona began with this delicious fresh salad. The food on this tour has truly been fabulous. (May 23, 2022)

Our Rick Steves “Basque Country” tour group enjoying the salad portion of our dinner at the Sociedad Gastronomica, a traditional private dining club, in Pamplona for dinner. (May 23, 2022)

It’s the first Sangria I’ve had during this whole trip and this Sangria at the Sociedad Gastronomica in Pamplona was absolutely delicious. (May 23, 2022)

I thought this was the main dish, but I was wrong. I love Paella, a seafood, meat, chicken and rice dish, and this was similar except it was actually thin noodles with scallops, squid and mussels. I’m not a fan of any of these particular shellfish, but I still ate this delicious meal. (May 23, 2022)

Pork cheek and a thick tasting mash potatoes was actually the main meal at the Sociedad Gastronomica in Pamplona. (May 23, 2022)

Me with a smile on my face from the delicious Sangria and even though I’m full, I’m still going to chow down on the pork cheek and thick tasting mash potatoes. What a great night! (May 23, 2022)

The Camino de Santiago on the way to Donostia-San Sebastián

Our Rick Steves “Basque Country” group boarded our big, luxury lime-green bus to drive deeper into El País Vasco — the Spanish Basque Country. But before coming to our final destination of Donostia-San Sebastián, for the next two nights, we walked a small stretch of the famous Camino Francés or Camino de Santiago.

Being on the Camino, even for a very short distance walk, felt surprisingly good. I felt energized and grateful to have the experience again, even for a brief few miles. Although rain was predicted for the walk, and I had big red (the large poncho from my Camino Portuguese walk in April), it turned out to be a beautiful day for a walk in the countryside, this time along the Camino Francés.

Me on the hilltop of the Monument to the Pilgrim or Alto del Perdón in the Navarro province of Spain and along the Camino Francés is dedicated to the Camino de Santiago. A beautiful inscription describes the place: “Where the wind path meets the path of the stars.” It is also located next to the Sierra del Perdón wind farm, the oldest in Navarra. (May 24, 2022)

The Monument of the Pilgrim and the Sierra del Perdón wind farm along the Camino Francés. The sheet metal sculpture by Vicente Galbete represents a procession of pilgrims from different eras that cross the line of windmills. (May 24, 2022)

The Monument to the Pilgrim or Alto del Perdón in the Navarro province of Spain and along the Camino Francés is dedicated to the Camino de Santiago. (May 24, 2022)

The Sierra del Perdón wind farm along the Camino Francés. (May 24, 2022)

Also on the hillside of the Sierra del Perdón, along the Camino Francés, is the “Memorial Graves of the Sierra del Perdón.” Formed by a set of 20 monoliths, the monument is a recognition and reparation for the 92 people who were assassinated in 1936 and 1937 by the Francoist repressive regime. (May 24, 2022)

The views from the Sierra del Perdón along the Camino Francés. (May 24, 2022)

Our lime-green luxury bus parked for now in Uterga in the province of , Navarra as the walk continues on along the Camino Francés. (May 24, 2022)

Being back in the beauty of the countryside of Spain just feels tremendously good as this time I am doing a short walk from Uterga, along the Camino Francés. (May 24, 2022)

The familiar yellow arrow as I walk along a short portion of the Camino Francés from Uterga to Eunate in the province of Navarra, Spain. The Camino Francés, like the Camino Portuguese leads to Santiago de Compostela. (May 24, 2022)

The beautiful Spanish countryside of the Camino Francés. (May 24, 2022)

The yellow arrow along the Camino Francés to Santiago de Compostela. I’m just walking a small portion of the Camino from Uterga to Muruzábal and then onto Eunate in Navarra, a province of Spain. (May 24, 2022)

Me loving being back, even for just a few miles, on the Camino, but this time, I’m on the Camino Francés walking a small portion from Uterga to Eunate in Navarra, a province of Spain. (May 24, 2022)

I met Jean Claude, along the Camino Francés, and asked to take his photo because I appreciated his unique way of transporting his possessions on his walk. Buen Camino Jean Claude! (May 24, 2022)

The wheat and barley growing in the countryside on my Camino Francés walk from Uterga to Muruzábal to Eunate in Navarra, a province of Spain. (May 24, 2022)

Arrived in Muruzábal in Navarra, a province of Spain, on my Camino Francés walk with another mile to go to reach the Church of Saint Mary of Eunate a detour off the Camino Frances. (May 24, 2022)

The marker leading us, just slightly off the Camino Francés, to reach the Church of Saint Mary of Eunate. (May 24, 2022)

On the road to the Church of Saint Mary of Eunate just slightly off the Camino Francés. (May 24, 2022)

Arriving at the entry roadway/walkway to the Church of Saint Mary of Eunate standing in the middle of the beautiful fields with our lime green luxury bus parked in the distance. (May 24, 2022)

The Church of Saint Mary of Eunate stands isolated in the Navarra province fields close to the Camino Francés. Its origins are disputed due to lack of documentation but it is said to have been built during the second half of the 12th century. Its construction coincides with a boom in the Camino de Santiago. Most of the hypotheses about the origin of the church are based on the idea of its function as a cemetery at the service of pilgrims who died on the Camino. (May 24, 2022)

One of the two access doors into the Church of Saint Mary of Eunate. (May 24, 2022)

James, our Rick Steves “Basque Country” tour guide, provided us with insights about the possible origins of the Church of Saint Mary of Eunate including that some historians believe the church may be the work of the Knights Templar. (May 24, 2022)

The columns on the exterior of the Church of Saint Mary of Eunate along one section of the cloister’s arches with its carved animal faces. (May 24, 2022)

The cloister of arches and stone ground of the Church of Saint Mary of Eunate. (May 24, 2022)

Inside the semicircular Church of Saint Mary of Eunate. (May 24, 2022)

Inside the stone slab roof of the Church of Saint Mary of Eunate. (May 24, 2022)

After seeing the Church of Saint Mary of Eunate, we hopped on our lime-green luxury bus for just a short distance to visit the town of Puenta la Reina and it’s namesake bridge, the Puenta la Reina in the Navarra province of Spain. (May 24, 2022)

The entrance to the Puente la Reina bridge in the town named after it, Puente la Reina, meaning “Bridge of the Queen” and commissioned by the medieval queen of King Sancho the Great so pilgrims could cross the Arga river. (May 24, 2022)

The Puente la Reina or “Bridge of the Queen” is the stunning Romanesque bridge, originally constructed in the 11th century, and which guides the pilgrims along the Camino Francés out of the town named after it. (May 24, 2022)

After our morning walk along the Camino Frances, it was now time to chow down for lunch at the Bodegas Lezaun winery in Lakar and the province of Navarra. (May 24, 2022)

This was an unusual pea and asparagus soup with a lightly cooked egg for lunch at the Bodegas Lezaun winery in Lakar and the province of Navarra. (May 24, 2022)

The second dish was a dill white asparagus, marinated mackerel and caper sauce at the Bodegas Lezaun winery in Lakar and the province of Navarra. (May 24, 2022)

And our final lunch course before desert at the Bodegas Lezaun winery in Lakar and the province of Navarra was cows tail with a rice stuffed red pepper and leeks. (May 24, 2022)

Desert was a frozen lemonade/limoncello drink with a cream filled pastry drizzled with caramel at the Bodegas Lezaun winery in Lakar and the province of Navarra. (May 24, 2022)

The wine cellar of the Bodegas Lezaun winery in Lakar and the province of Navarra. (May 24, 2022)

The wine cellar of the Bodegas Lezaun winery in Lakar and the province of Navarra where the barrels are filled with wine that we poured into pitchers. (May 24, 2022)

We made it to Donostia-San Sebastián, our destination for two nights, with descent weather and time to see the “Comb of the Wind” sculptures at the end of Ondarreta beach and western end of La Concha Bay. (May 24, 2022)

The circular steel prong sculptures embedded in the rocks, “Comb of the Wind” by native son Eduardo Chillida (1924-2002) at the end of Ondarreta beach and western end of La Concha Bay in Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 24, 2022)

The unusual rock formations by the “Comb of the Wind” steel sculptures in Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 24, 2022)

The “Comb of the Wind” steel sculptures in Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 24, 2022)

From the Ondarreta beach and the “Comb of the Wind” sculptures and through a tennis court complex, we came to the Plaza del Funicular lower station to take the funicular up to Mount Igueldo to see some incredible views of Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 24, 2022)

Our funicular ride up to Monte Igueldo for views overlooking Donostia-San Sebastián. The funicular has been in operation since 1912. (May 24, 2022)

Me at the top of Monte Igueldo with the stunning Donostia-San Sebastián and La Concha Bay views over my shoulder. (May 24, 2022)

Views of Donostia-San Sebastián, the La Concha Bay and the mountains from a top Monte Igueldo. (May 24, 2022)

Donostia-San Sebastián

Rain was pretty much been predicted for several days during our “Basque Country” tour but the weather, like the food, was wonderful. Rain did make an appearance during out morning walking tour around Donostia-San Sebastián, but it did not last long.

Let me explain the two names: “Donostia” is the Basque name and “San Sebastián” is the Spanish name but they both mean the same thing, Saint Sebastián.

Our hotel, the Parma, was located within steps away the white and green lamp posts of the Zurriola Bridge; and ideally on the edge of San Sebastián’s old town. And, this gorgeous white century-old railing, along the two-mile long La Concha Promenade, is a classic beauty. (May 25, 2022)

The Art Deco style lamp posts along the Zurriola Bridge (even referred to as the Kursaal bridge because of the cube-like Kursaal Congress Center and Auditorium complex to the left) in Donostia-San Sebastián. The bridge, built in 1915, connects the city with the Kursaal convention center, designed by Rafael Moneo and opened in 1999. (May 25, 2022)

The Art Deco Zurriola Bridge looking towards the Maria Cristina Hotel, the Monument to Spanish admiral Antonio de Oquendo and the Victoria Eugenia Theatre of Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 25, 2022)

The portion of the La Concha Promenade and Urumea river in Donostia-San Sebastián by the Parma Hotel where our tour group stayed. (May 25, 2022)

The plateresque styled Victoria Eugenia Theater, inaugurated in 1912 is considered one of the most glamorous buildings in Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 25, 2022)

The Maria Cristina Hotel by the Monument to Spanish admiral Antonio de Oquendo in Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 25, 2022)

The Monument to Spanish admiral Antonio de Oquendo in Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 25, 2022)

The Cathedral of Buen Pastor (Good Shepherd) designed by Donostia-San Sebastián architect Manuel Echave, was consecrated in 1897. The work on the cathedral lasted nine years, during two of which it was suspended pending receipt of further funding. Local stonemason Julio Gargallo sculpted the stone for the capitals and decorative features, while the windows (plain and stained glass) are the work of Juan Bautista Lázaro, restorer of the Leon Cathedral’s famous stained glass windows. (May 25, 2022)

The Cathedral of Buen Pastor (Good Shepherd) in Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 25, 2022)

Inside the Cathedral of Buen Pastor (Good Shepherd) in Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 25, 2022)

The main altar inside the Cathedral of Buen Pastor (Good Shepherd) in Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 25, 2022)

The stained glass windows at the head of the main altar inside the Cathedral of Buen Pastor (Good Shepherd) in Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 25, 2022)

The altarpiece of the Sacred Heart of Jesus inside the Cathedral of Buen Pastor (Good Shepherd) in Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 25, 2022)

A close-up of the Sacred Heart of Jesus side altar inside the Cathedral of Buen Pastor (Good Shepherd) in Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 25, 2022)

An altarpiece inside the Cathedral of Buen Pastor (Good Shepherd) in Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 25, 2022)

A side altar inside the Cathedral of Buen Pastor (Good Shepherd) in Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 25, 2022)

A close-up of the altar inside the Cathedral of Buen Pastor (Good Shepherd) in Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 25, 2022)

This bronze statue of Don Quixote riding a horse by his faithful companion Sancho Panza on his donkey is part of a water sculpture in the Plaza Cervantes alongside the La Concha Promenade by the Concha Beach in Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 25, 2022)

A close0up of the bronze statue of Don Quixote riding a horse by his faithful companion Sancho Panza on his donkey is part of a water sculpture in the Plaza Cervantes alongside the La Concha Promenade by the Concha Beach in Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 25, 2022)

The sandy Concha Beach and the classy La Concha Promenade in Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 25, 2022)

The sandy Concha Beach in Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 25, 2022)

The sandy Concha Beach and the classy La Concha Promenade in Donostia-San Sebastián with the City Hall, a former casino built in 1887, in the distance. (May 25, 2022)

The sandy Concha Beach with the City Hall, a former casino built in 1887, in the distance along with the Sagrado Corazón Statue, statue of Jesus Christ, on top of the Urgull mountain in Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 25, 2022)

The Concha Promenade and each with the City Hall and statue of Jesus Christ on top of the Urgull mountain in Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 25, 2022)

The Sagrado Corazón, statue of Jesus Christ, on top of the Urgull mountain in Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 25, 2022)

The small triangular marina of Donostia-San Sebastián is located at the eastern side of La Concha Bay, below the Sagrado Corazón Statue or Jesus Christ Statue at the side of the mountain Urgull, close to Donostia-San Sebastián’s old town. (May 25, 2022)

Coming up this street in Donostia-San Sebastián to the beautiful views of the Basilica of Santa Maria del Coro. (May 25, 2022)

The exterior of the Basilica of Santa Maria del Coro in Donostia-San Sebastián. (May 25, 2022)

Constitución Square in Donostia-San Sebastián was once used as a bullring during bullfighting festivals which is why each of the balconies are numbered. The unmistakable clock building, set on the sandstone and limestone façade, was actually the City Hall building until 1947, now located along Concha Beach in the former casino building. The building was planned in 1819 by Silvestre Pérez, architect to Napoleon
Bonaparte’s brother José in Madrid, and built after several modifications, under the supervision of architect Pedro Manuel de Ugartemendia, between 1828 and 1832. (May 25, 2022)

The Constitución Square in Donostia-San Sebastián was once used as a bullring during bullfighting festivals. (May 25, 2022)

Walking through the old town of Donostia-San Sebastián which is renowned for its Basque cuisine. San Sebastián is home to a number of of Michelin star restaurants. The city is also known for pintxos (small-plate dishes similar to tapas) found in the numerous bars of the old town. (May 25, 2022)

Walking through old tow Donostia-San Sebastián. is renowned for its Basque cuisine. (May 24, 2022)

The Church of San Vicente, located in the heart of Donastia-San Sebastián’s Ol Town, is considered the oldest building in the city. Built in the 15th and 16th centuries in the Basque Gothic style, but its origins date to the 12th century. (May 25, 2022)

The Pieta sculpture on the exterior of the Church of San Vicente, located in the heart of Donastia-San Sebastián’s Old Town. (May 25, 2022)

The vaulted interior of the oldest building in Donastia-San Sebastián, the Church of San Vicente featuring an elaborate gold altarpiece. (May 25, 2022)

The elaborate gold altarpiece inside the Church of San Vicente considered the oldest building in Donastia-San Sebastián. (May 25, 2022)

The beautiful stained glass inside the Church of San Vicente, located in the heart of Donastia-San Sebastián’s Old Town. (May 25, 2022)

The balcony and organi inside the Church of San Vicente, located in the heart of Donastia-San Sebastián’s Old Town. (May 25, 2022)

Getaria, Guernica & Bilbao

Wrapping up my “Basque Country” Rick Steves tour after leaving Donostia-San Sebastian and before making our way to our final stop and final tour stop of Bilbao, we made a quick walk-thru visit to the fishing village of Getaria; a sheep farm to make yogurt; a visit to Guernica, the town made infamous by the 1937 air raid that inspired Picasso’s anti-war masterpiece and finishing with a grand timein Bilbao.

Saying good-bye to the Basque Country, but not to Spain and to traveling solo for some rest and relaxation while still checking out a few places in Spain. For now, let’s hit the remaining highlights of my Rick Steves “Basque Country” tour.