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Itinerary help Basque Region France/Spain 9 days

Posted by on

Hello!

Hoping to get some help with a Basque itinerary using only public transport.
I will be coming from Pau, France, on March 28 and meeting up with a friend in Bordeaux on April 7, so about 9 days total, not counting March 28 and April 7, which are travel days.

I would like to visit:
Bayonne
St Jean de Luz
Biarritz

Possibly
St Jean Pied de Port
San Sebastián/walk to Pasaia
Bilbao

I will be solo traveling, don’t do luxury (maybe an affordable spa)
I prefer to not move about every night, staying 2-3 nights in a town.
Also, as this will be over Easter Week - I’d possibly like to see some of the more celebratory festivities (if there are any) but also let me know where i should avoid. (I already checked and there are no accommodations in Balmaseda, so that is off my list)

Previous to the Basque Country I will be in Jurancon/Pau for a week at a sketching workshop; after the Basque trip I will be in the Dordogne and Provence on inn-to-inn walking trips, just for context.

Thanks for any help!
Laura

Posted by
372 posts

What an amazing trip!
My experience is not recent- at least 10 years ago. I also traveled solo on a budget and used only public transportation.
I based in St Jean de Luz ( loved it) and did day trips to Biarritz and Bilbao. I also went to Sare for a hike.
From Bayonne ( the museum was fantastic) I took the train to SJ Pied de Port. I stayed a couple of nights and loved that, too. It might be too far for just a day trip?
I think from there I went to San Sebastian, and also stayed a couple nights. It was expensive, but I used a private guide to drive me along the coast south, with another hike.
I'm pretty fluent in French. The language change, if still the same, was quite abrupt at the border and signs. Most were in Basque first, then Spanish but I don't remember having navigation challenges and it was before Google maps or other navigation apps!
It was one of my favorite trips!

Posted by
13 posts

Thanks Bon Voyage! I may just copy your itinerary. Do you have recommendations for your accommodations? I don’t suppose you still have the info for the private guide?

Posted by
372 posts

I will try to piece it together for you from my old-school photo album and report back- that's how long it's been! I'm glad it was helpful. The guide, I don't remember, sorry.
The RS book didn't rate SJ Pied de Port very highly but I loved being among the pilgrims (especially on the train there and back) and doing about an hour of the Camino, then back...

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