Basque Country Travel: Hondarribia
A Picturesque Town to Visit on the Coast of Northern Spain
© Rod Quin
Hondarribia offers historic buildings, beautiful scenery, beachside activities, a relaxed lifestyle and the opportunity to sample Basque cuisine, and it's easy to get to.
Located on the north coast of Spain close to the French border, Hondarribia is a scenic, historic town suitable for day trips or excursions from San Sebastian or the south of France. It also rewards longer stays and makes an excellent base for exploring Pays Vasco, the Basque country.
Called Fuenterrabia in Castilian, Hondarribia, with a population of 16,000, is one of the few towns in Pays Vasco where Basque is still the dominant language.
There are two parts to Hondarribia. On a hill overlooking the harbour is the historic old town with its fortifications, medieval buildings with wrought iron balconies, cobblestone streets, narrow alleyways and imposing squares. Below the old town is La Marina, originally the fishermen’s quarter, dominated by picturesque three storey wooden houses painted in bright colours with balconies and window boxes overflowing with flowers.
Things to do in Hondarribia
- Wander through Hondarribia’s old town, visiting the restored sixteenth century gothic church of Santa María de la Asunción and the 10th century castle, now a parador.
- Relax in the calm waters of Hondarribia’s generously sized, well-protected, white sand beach.
- Take a five minute ferry ride across the bay to the French town of Hendaya, which has an attractive marina and many seafood restaurants; ferries run every 30 minutes, departing from Hondarribia’s new pier near the beach.
- Stroll along Paseo Butron, Hondarribia’s harbourside promenade.
- Hike to the summit of Mount Jaizkibel and take in the panoramic view over the town.
- Join the locals in their evening paseo along the pedestrian thoroughfares of Calle Santiago and Calle San Pedro in the La Marina district.
- Eat at one of the many bright al fresco restaurants in Calle San Pedro.
Eating in Hondarribia
A visit to Hondaribbia provides the opportunity to sample Basque cooking, especially its seafood. Particular favourites include:
- jibiones en su tinta, squid in its own ink
- kokotxas, flesh of hake from the throat in green sauce
- marmitako, stew with tuna and potatoes
- txangurro, stuffed crab bake.
Getting to Hondarribia
- Hondarribia is 18 km (11 m) from San Sebastian. Buses leave San Sebastian from Plaza Gipuzkoa approximately every hour from 7. 45 am to 8.20 pm
- The San Sebastian Hondarribia airport is located just outside Hondarribia. There are daily flights from Madrid and Barcelona.
- Trains from Paris, Madrid and Lisbon stop at Irun railway station 3 km (2 m) from Hondarribia. Taxis can be taken from Irun to Hondarribia.
- Hondrribia is less than an hour by car from Biarritz.
Accommodation in Hondarribia
Hondaribbia offers a range of accommodation to suit most budgets, including a beautiful parador overlooking the town in what was once a 10th century fortress.
