Spain basque inn to inn camino del norte zumaia cliffs trail
Platinum Trusted Service Award 2023 Whiteout Landscape

March to June

Spain basque rioja walker mountains background
Walking in Basque Rioja, more on which below...

Cider season

Late January to early May

The first seasonal highlight of the Basque calendar is the txotx. It’s actually easier to pronounce than it looks - a simple ‘choch’ will suffice - but let’s call it what it really is: cider season.

The word translates directly as the stopper which holds the cider in its barrel and its this stopper which is first removed towards the start of the year for the first taste of the new batch. People gather in cider barns across the region, but especially in the villages near San Sebastian, to fill their jars with the cider and their plates with delicious seasonal food - cod, steak and all.

If you’re thinking about an early spring break, you might not need a lot of convincing to coincide it with the opening of the barrels. Let us know if we can get you out there and into one of our favourite cider barns.

Trip idea: Basque Cultures & Cuisines: A Private Guided Journey

Spain basque country apples for cider
Apples ready to be pressed into action
Spain basque country cider from the barrel action cropped
Enjoying cider straight from the barrels


Perfect walking weather

Late March through June

Boots on. Walking poles dusted off. Open trails ahead.

Like the rest of Spain, springtime is a truly wonderful time to go walking in the Basque Country. Pastures are rich and green, meadows are carpeted with wildflowers, vineyards are gaining colour and the weather is usually on its best behaviour, with temperatures on the up and rainfall dipping.

Go for a walk through Basque Rioja, or tie together three ancient Caminos, starting on the green hills of the Basque Country

Trip idea: Basque Rioja Inn to Inn Walking Holiday
Trip idea: Three Caminos Inn to Inn Walking Holiday

Spain basque inn to inn camino del norte zumaia cliffs hiker
The green coastal pastures of the Camino del Norte
Spain rioja alta c dmartin
Somewhere down there could be you, in your boots


Birdwatching bonanza

April through May

If you’re a keen birdwatcher, or want another way to connect with the nature which surrounds you, consider the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve a compulsory stopping point as you weave your merry way through the Basque Country. This beautiful coastal wetland estuary bursts into avian life each spring, making these months the best times to visit. Storks, spoonbills and bittens have strongholds here, as do raptors like black kites, osprey and marsh harriers.

Heading out in your boots, with binoculars in hand, is the simplest way to explore, but do consider a guided or self-guided kayak trip for a very different perspective. Your Holiday Guide will tell all.

Share your travel plans with us

Travel with Pura Aventura

Exceptional Holidays

Best in class holidays, service, characterful hotels, lovely locals, food and beautiful walks - that's what our clients tell us they love about our holidays, as noted in the highest possible 5* Feefo Platinum Award.

ATOL and ABTOT protected.

Certified B Corp

We are one of the first UK travel companies to be certified B Corp – regarded by The Independent as the premier sustainability certification, and described by Which? as "meeting the highest standards of social and environmental performance".

Meeting a shepherd, Picos de Europa

Award-winning Travel Positive

We are proud to have been recipients of awards from both Wanderlust and LUXLife for our sustainable Travel Positive initiative, that includes balancing carbon by 160%, and providing 1% of our revenue to the planet.