Basque Coast

The Basque Coast (Costa Vasca or Côte basque) designates the stretch of coastline of the Cantabrian Sea between the cities of Bilbao (Spain) and Biarritz (France).

It is located at the eastern end of the northern coast of Spain and at the southwestern end of the western coast of France, in Biscay and Guipúzcoa (autonomous community of the Basque Country) and Labourd (department of the Pyrenees-Atlantiques in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region).

Borders with Costa Cantabria in the south and Côte d’Argent in the north.

It comprises the easternmost part of the Bay of Biscay.

The Cantabrian Sea and the Pyrenees form the backdrop to a landscape with all shades of green, steep coasts of short estuaries and mountains of beech and oak forests.

The Basque coast is made up of more than 250 kilometers of beaches, sandbanks, islands, estuaries, marshes, cliffs, fishing villages and unique rock formations in the world.

Way of St. James

The Camino de Santiago (214.2 km) runs along the entire Basque coast and is one of the first pilgrimage routes. The tour begins in the port of Fuenterrabía (Guipúzcoa), retracing the steps of the first pilgrims who arrived by sea.

Best resorts (Spain)

Best resorts (France)

Transport

By air

There are four cities with international airports:

Bilbao Airport (BIO) International
Vitoria Airport (VIT)
San Sebastián Airport (EAS)
Biarritz Pays Basque Airport (BIQ)

By trains

Eusko Trenbide Sarea (Basque Railway Network) is the Basque Government-owned company that maintains and creates the railway infrastructure in the autonomous region. Euskotren is the Basque Government-owned narrow gauge rail company that operates commuter services in Bilbao and San Sebastián, intercity Bilbao-San Sebastián service, and Euskotren Tranbia tram services in Bilbao and Vitoria-Gasteiz.

The Spanish government owns two main RENFE broad gauge lines that link Vitoria-Gasteiz with San Sebastián and Bilbao with central Spain. It also operates Cercanías commuter lines in both Bilbao and San Sebastián.

The FEVE narrow gauge rail company operates a commuter line between Bilbao and Balmaseda and links Bilbao with the rest of northern Spain.

French cities are accessible by train on the TER Nouvelle-Aquitaine network. The line (Bordeaux—Irun) runs along the coast and has several trains per day.

Bus

Since July 4, 2022, Txik Txak has been the name of the urban and interurban public transport network in the Basque Country metropolitan area under the administration of the Basque Country – Adour Mobility Union.