The most beautiful towns in the Basque Country: a list of dreamlike sceneries

Getaria

Getaria, in the province of Gipuzkoa, is one of those towns that lie in between a windy road and sharp cliffs, welcoming its visitors through its charming cobbled streets. It is precisely here where the very famous sailor and explorer Juan Sebastián Elcano was born.

Nowadays, Getaria welcomes thousands of visits every year. It hosts such emblematic buildings as the museum of Cristóbal Balenciaga, as well as dreamlike beaches and a wide variety of delicious pintxos. It is one of the most beautiful towns in the Basque Country, perfect for visiting and enjoying its rich gastronomy.

Mundaka

Only a few kilometres away from Bilbao, right in front of the sea, Mundaka presents as one of the most beautiful towns in the area. There we can enjoy the magnificent architecture and natural landscapes that best define Euskadi. As a matter of fact, one of its main attractions is the church of Santa Catalina, of Romanesque architectural style, which stands on top of a cliff.

This picturesque fishing town as many other interesting spots, like the lookout of Portuondo, where one can enjoy the most impressive views of the bay. It is also the perfect place for those who love water sports, since it has the best waves in the area.

Lekeitio

The mining tradition of the Basque Country intersects with the sea in the town of Lekeitio, on the shores of the Cantabrian Sea. It belongs to the province of Bizkaia and it is an interesting destination in terms of both history and nature. One of the most emblematic spots there is the shipyard of Mendieta, on the banks of the Lea. This building, which is more than 100 years old, was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest. It is also worth mentioning the Gothic basilica of La Asunción, whose pillar has become one of the greatest landmarks of Lekeitio.

Ondarroa

Resting on the mouth of the river Artibai, Ondarroa is one of the most visited towns on the coast of Bizkaia. It makes perfect sense, considering Ondarroa has one of the most interesting old towns in this territory. It hosts interesting structures like the bridge of Itsasaurre, designed by renowned architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava. The atmosphere of this place shifts between a modern ambience and a setting of medieval seafaring that will always bewitch its visitors. Moreover, it has interesting corners like the building of Likona, from the 15^th century, which is one of the oldest buildings on the Basque border; or the church of Andra Mari, of Gothic architectural style.

Alonsotegi

If we compare it to the longevity of other towns, this one is relatively modern. However, it is a great option if you happen to be near Bilbao, since it was born after its division with Barakaldo in the late 20^th century.

The church of Alonsotegi acts as its main axis, and the rest of the town spreads around it. It is one of the smallest and most picturesque towns in the area. Other interesting places to visit here are the shrine of San Antolín de Irauregui, the neo-Gothic church of San Bartolomé and a series of archaeological remains they have found in the area.

Elantxobe

This time 50 kilometres away from Bilbao and with only 400 inhabitants, Elantxobe follows the pattern of traditional Basque towns. Its fishing tradition can be seen everywhere, in every street and building in Elantxobe. Its typical Basque houses cluster on the hill of the cape of Otoño, forming a unique, attractive landscape. The church of San Nicolás de Bari stands out among its most interesting spots, as well as the peculiar square called Giratoria. When it comes to its natural surroundings, we should mention the formidable lookout of the cape of Otoño and the natural pools, which are very popular in summer.

Laguardia

This medieval town is a popular tourist destination in the comarca of Rioja Alavesa. Its history goes back to the 10^th century, when it belonged to the Kingdom of Navarre. The fortified churches of San Juan Bautista and Santa María de los Reyes are two spots the traveller just cannot miss, as well as Casa de la Primicia, which is considered the oldest civil building in Laguardia. Walking through its streets will take us on a journey to the past, where we will be able to experience the town’s medieval legacy.

Labastida

The Basque Country is home to beautiful fishing and coastal towns, but those who love inland tourism will also fall in love with places such as Rioja Alavesa. There one can find true jewels like Labastida, a town resting between the mountain range of Toloño and the Ebro, and built around a castle from the 11^th century.

Its most interesting aspects, both historically and concerning tourism, are the shrine of Santo Cristo, the parish church of La Asunción, and Casa-Palacio de los Salazar. It is also delightful to walk through its streets and the upper neighbourhood of Labastida, better known as La Mota.

Pasajes San Juan

Most people agree that one of the most beautiful towns in the Basque Country is the one called Pasai Donibane in Basque, or Pasajes San Juan in Spanish. It is a small town on the banks of the river of Oiartzun, and it has become a popular picture with its little fishing houses painted with bright colours.

Apart from its traditional harbour and lovely houses, there are other interesting spots in this town, like the parish church of San Juan Bautista, the Renaissance-style building of the Miranda family and the palace of Villaviciosa, as well as the square of Santiago. One cannot leave Pasajes San Juan without enjoying a drink in the terraces that face the river.

Lezo

The province of Gipuzkoa also hosts Lezo, a calm town next to the river that lies only a few kilometres away from Donostia-San Sebastián. Its charm attracts more and more tourists every year. We can see a clear Renaissance architectural style in Lezo’s streets, which will guide us through one of the most precious old towns in the area, with beautiful buildings like the Gothic basilica of Santo Cristo or the town hall square. It displays a stunning natural landscape too, right on the skirts of the natural park of Aiako Harria and the mountain Jaizkibel.

Oiartzun

This town is precious both in terms of nature and architecture, and also when it comes to unparalleled landscapes near the coastline. Still in Gipuzkoa, Oiartzun partly belongs to the natural park of Aiako Harria, exhibiting its stunning mountain setting and only a few kilometres away from the Cantabrian Sea.

Besides, it hosts some interesting buildings when it comes to historical and cultural value, for instance the parish church of San Esteban de Lartaun, with an altarpiece from the 17^th century, or the basilica of San Juan Bautista, dating back to the 16^th century; both have been declared Assets of Cultural Interest.

You can also read this article in Spanish and French.

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Cueves (Asturias)

In order to access Cueves, a village in Ribadesella, one must cross an actual cave. This fact alone is quite peculiar, but there is more: the cave is paved, and yet it has not lost its natural elements at all. In fact, there is still algae, moss and fern growing there, as well as the typical calcareous formations one can find in these natural settings. They simply built a road inside the cave, which was possible thanks to its large size, so that Cueves became easier to access.

The beauty awaiting us on the other side of La Cuevona, the gate leading to Cueves, is not easy to imagine. Resting in the mountains of Asturias, near the famous river called Sella, Cueves displays its traditional architecture, spectacular hiking routes and the feeling of coming from another dimension.

Trasmoz (Zaragoza)

Trasmoz is considered one of the most peculiar villages in Spain because it has a unique feature: it is the only village in Spain that has been excommunicated. Indeed, it was officially declared cursed by the Christian Church.

It seems like the dispute between this village in Zaragoza and the church ignited in 1255, and it was precisely that: a dispute between the abbot of the monastery of Veruela and the inhabitants of Trasmoz. The argument had to do with tax payment, and it ended up with Trasmoz being excommunicated. You can learn here the history of Trasmoz, Spain’s only excommunicated village.

Llívia (Girona)

In order to reach Llívia, we will have to follow another peculiar path—just like it happens with Cueves. However, this time we will not have to cross a cave, but a border. In 1659, France and Spain reached an agreement to end the Thirty Years' War: this way, Spain would hand over 33 villages of the east of Cerdeña to re-establish peace. Nonetheless, Llívia was left out of said exchange because Holy Roman Emperor Charles V of Spain had declared it a Villa more than a century before. Hence, it became a Spanish island surrounded by French territory.

Mogarraz (Salamanca)

In the beautiful mountains of France, in the province of Salamanca, we will find a village called Mogarraz. It could belong to any list of beautiful villages, for its green surroundings and the lovely architecture garnishing its cobbled streets will certainly charm anyone who visits it.

Besides, this village has a tradition of honouring its past through art pieces. Its buildings display faces of people who inhabited Mogarraz in the 20^th century, part of an artistic exhibition called Retrata2/388, which was intended to be temporary but ended up becoming permanent. It is one of the most peculiar villages in Spain because it makes one feel like being watched by dozens of eyes, and it is also a wonderful place to visit.

Romangordo (Cáceres)

Romangordo has only 300 inhabitants, but watching its streets might make you think otherwise. This is the most eye-catching aspect of this village in Cáceres: its trompe-l'œil murals. Walking through the streets of Romangordo creates an interesting sense of confusion, the kind of bewilderment one feels at solving a riddle. And it is the most beautiful riddle, since the mural paintings covering the streets of the village are both colourful and striking. The first one was created in September 2015.

On another note, everyone in Romangordo is deeply aware of how people lived in the past in the village and its surroundings. What is more: the traditions, customs, and the history of Romangordo are now more visible than ever.

Júzcar (Málaga)

In 2011, Sony Pictures shot The Smurfs 3D in the small village of Júzcar, and its inhabitants could not have imagined what was about to happen. In order to stage the fictional world of the smurfs, every house and a good number of streets were dyed blue. The world-renowned animated characters left the village, but Júzcar stayed smurf blue. It could not be called the Smurf Village due to copyright restrictions, but “blue village” was obviously not as appealing. In any case, regardless of its name, Júzcar is one of the most peculiar villages in Spain because, well… it is literally blue.

Porís de Candelaria (La Palma)

The Canary Islands provide countless astonishing landscapes, like the one Porís de Candelaria belongs to, right next to the ocean. We have started this list with a cave, so it just seems fair to finish it the same way. This village in La Palma was built under a cave that is more than 50 metres high, providing a spectacular view. Its houses face the Atlantic Ocean, sheltered by majestic cliffs. Porís de la Frontera seems like a dream, but one can very much visit it.

These lines make up a statement in favour of the little things, of the invisible ones, of those places that exist peacefully breathing far from the hustle and bustle of big cities. Villages and small towns tend to be forgotten at many levels, both by the government and by the public eye. Consequently, we have traced a map whose main characters do not necessarily get all the attention they deserve: the most beautiful villages in Spain.

Exploring Spain through its most beautiful villages

Allariz

Our very own compass rose takes us to the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula; more specifically, to the charming village of Allariz. This municipality in the province of Ourense, in Galicia, was declared a Historic-Artistic Grouping in 1971.

The signature Galician shades of green sprout up from the medieval foundations of Allariz, taking over the cobbled streets and the old stone buildings. A good way of getting to know this village is by walking through the path that goes along the Arnoia river, a winding mirror which reflects trees, fairy-tale houses and Roman bridges such as Ponte de Vilanova.

The walls and fortress of Allariz date back to the 11^th century, and they were built under the reign of king Alfonso VI. It’s always a good idea to wander among the ruins of the old castle, breathing in the scents from times past and reminiscing the lights and shadows that have been cast over the ancient rocks throughout the centuries. Not in vain did Sancho IV name this place Key of the Kingdom of Galicia.

Briñas

We will travel from the north-west of Spain to the north-west of La Rioja. The red-tiled houses of this village stand on the banks of the Ebro river, surrounded by beautiful vineyards and crop fields. The calm flow of the river once again offers a picturesque view. What is more, less than two kilometres away from Briñas we find the natural channel of Conchas de Haro, an impressive rock formation at the exact point where the Ebro cuts through the mountain range of Toloño.

Back to Briñas, we should definitely pay a visit to the church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, whose bell tower rises over the tiles and the tree-tops. This historical monument was built between the 16^th and 17^th centuries, and it has a nave with chapels between the buttresses, as well as a classicist retable.

Moreover, we have the bridge of Briñas, with its enchanting silhouette leaning on the river. Experts believe that this Gothic bridge was built in the 11^th century and restored hereinafter, in the 13^th and 15^th centuries.

Pasajes San Juan

This time we will point our compass to the north-east—more specifically, to the Basque coast. Pasajes San Juan, or Pasai Donibane in Basque, is one of the four villages that make up the municipality of Pasajes. The main reason behind this peculiar division is the fact that the ocean comes into the land forming an estuary splitting the villages of Pasajes. This way, Pasajes San Juan remains isolated from its sisters by a blue stripe which one must cross by boat to get to the village.

This charming spot in Donostia-San Sebastián stands out for its colourful little houses, gathered on a green slope over the sea, a picture that shines with the unique light of Basque fishing towns. In fact, everyday life in Pasajes San Juan is closely related to navigation and fishing, which we can observe by looking at the fishing nets, shipyards and boats that decorate the village.

When we visit Pasajes San Juan, we cannot miss the basilica of Cristo de Bonanza or the churches of San Juan Bautista and San Pedro. The historic house museum of Víctor Hugo, where the renowned French author lived for a while in the 19^th century, also offers quite an interesting visit.

Before we leave, we should take a peek at the wild beauty of the Basque coast, where the fierce sea collides against the steep hills and cliffs. There are some routes departing from Pasajes San Juan which unveil this incredible landscape, passing by a watchtower, a beautiful beach and a magnificent lookout point.

Torla-Ordesa

Going along the French-Spanish border we will find this village in the province of Huesca. Its stone houses and towers rise in the middle of the most picturesque scenery, turning this Aragonese village into a fairy-tale dream. In fact, Torla is the gate to the Ordesa Valley, a paradise full of mountains, cliffs, forests and waterfalls in the Pyrenees. It’s no surprise that this landscape was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO.

Torla-Ordesa rests on the bank of the Ara river, near the mountain pass of Bujaruelo. Its location near the border explains why the history of this village is crossed by several battles. For instance, we know it was besieged by the Gauls in 1319. As a consequence, they reinforced the defence measures, predominantly in the 16^th century. However, that did not prevent the village from suffering deep wounds in the future. Indeed, Torla-Ordesa fell under the attacks of the French during the Peninsular War and it burnt down a few times in the Spanish Civil War.

It's hard to believe that, despite everything, there are still remains of the old Aragonese village. For example, we can still visit the ruins of the castle of Torla, mostly preserved inside the Romanesque church of San Salvador. Nowadays, the castle works as an abbey and an ethnological museum. These monuments have survived a thousand battles, and they stand out like fragments of lost stories in this bewitching Pyrenean landscape.

Pals

Piercing the neck of the peninsula—in a so non-bloody way—we will arrive at the province of Girona, in Catalunya. If we look around us, we will find a maze of narrow cobbled streets, crossed by archways and cloths of green and purple ivy.

Pals rests on a gentle cliff called Mont Aspre, surrounded by rice fields that stretch to infinity. Its walls keep four 4^th-century towers, and in the golden stone castle stands out a Romanesque monument called Torre de las Horas (“Tower of the Hours”). This circular tower, an old watchdog protecting the village since the 12^th century, has become a signature element of Pals.

Miravet

Coming down southwards through the warm Catalan coast, back to the banks of the Ebro river, more specifically in Tarragona, we will find wonderful Miravet. The landscape here curves forming a meander where the village has found a nice place to rest. The old, colourful houses gather on a slope over the river, and the castle rises majestically at the top.

Just like it happened in Torla-Ordesa, Miravet has gone through many a conquest. We know the Moorish conquered it in 715, and the Knights Templar settled there in 1153. The Order of Solomon's Temple was eventually expelled from the castle in 1307, after suffering a long, bloody siege.

Likewise, the castle of Miravet, built during the reign of Al-Andalus, was later transformed by the Templars. This way, the original fortress got dressed in Romanesque style. The castle was also bombed in 1938, during the Battle of the Ebro. Luckily enough, none of these attacks destroyed it, and we can enjoy a delightful visit to the top of the hill, flying both through history and through the spectacular views we get from the highest point of Miravet.

Montefrío

The next dot on our map lies in a warm landscape in Granada. Montefrío is a jewel hidden between olive groves at the heart of Andalusia, whose precious heritage goes back to prehistoric times. In fact, they have found several archaeological remains and megaliths from the Neolithic period in the surroundings of the village.

The element that stands out the most at first sight is the majestic castle of Montefrío, an old stone creature sitting on a rocky hill that rises over the white little houses. This castle was built over a Moorish construction; hence, it displays an interesting architectural mixture.

In 2015, the National Geographic chose Montefrío as one of the villages with the best views in the whole world. The lookout point of the National Geographic to the southwest of Montefrío has framed one of the most beautiful villages in Spain since.

Alcántara

Our last jump on the map takes us to the province of Cáceres. Alcántara is, in many senses, an ode to the past. It’s a dreamy scenery of sleepy ruins peacefully resting under the sun. More specifically, it rests on the banks of the Tajo river, near the border with Portugal.

Both Alcántara and its surroundings make up a historical treasure. In fact, they have found several dolmens near the village, as well as the Tabula Alcantarensis, a bronze plaque which provides evidence of the surrender of the natives to the Roman Empire. We can also get a taste of the medieval past of Alcántara by admiring its castle and fortified complex.

Furthermore, the current name of the village comes from the Arab word “Al Qantarat”, alluding to the Roman bridge of Alcántara. Experts believe that its construction began in 75AD, and it consists of three parts: the bridge, a triumphal arch, and a Roman temple. The beautiful silhouette of the bridge can be admired in all its glory from the lookout point called El Balcón del Mundo (“The Balcony of the World”).

The lines on our map have begun to blur. It’s time to fold it—to take the compass down. This map is only a digression from the complex geographical representations we usually see, a peaceful stroll through some of the most beautiful villages in Spain. A simple, slow picture of the world, painted with the aim of exploring, at least to some extent, the hidden spots that await us on the sidelines of the unknown.