This post has been updated in 2026 from its original version.
In October 2017, we decided to take our first trip to Basque Country. Many people think first of Spain when hearing the term "Basque" but the Basque people call a geographic area that is located within both Spanish and French borders home. According to Britannica, "The Basque, who speak a language that is among the oldest in Europe, are ethnically distinct from the people who surround them in France and Spain, having preserved their identity among the waves of migrants who have passed through the region since prehistoric times." The region has not only a distinct language and culture, but also a distinct cuisine.
San Sebastián tapas
For this trip we flew into Bilbao, Spain, and out of Madrid, Spain. In San Sebastián, English was not widely spoken but Mauricio was able to communicate easily in Spanish. Most of the traditional fare is fish based so I won't be doing a review of Basque dishes here. Many of the bars have small tapas plates already prepared and when you order a drink you either pick one up, or you tell the bartender which one you want if the tapas are behind glass. Typical tapas include slices of bread with pickled sardines or anchovies, bread with cheese and jamón, croquettes (balls coated in breadcrumbs and stuffed with bechamel sauce or potatoes and ham, chicken or fish), various salads with potatoes and olives, eggs, or seafood. Because we spent only two nights in San Sebastián and it was Mauricio's first time in Spain, he focused on sampling as many non-fish tapas as he could. Those were normally accompanied by beer.
Sidewalk cafe in Biarritz
Although the two cities are only 48.9 KM (approximately 30 miles) apart, traveling without a car was somewhat confusing. In 2017, the only way to cross from Spain into France was by bus — a more direct rail connection now makes the crossing easier, but that wasn't an option for us then. This was something we learned after we had arrived in San Sebastián. The buses ran pretty frequently, so we caught one at the San Sebastián station and stowed our bags underneath. The seats were small with very little legroom, so when we were deposited at the Biarritz bus/train station after the hour-and-twenty-minute trip, we were ready to stretch our legs. We walked for about half an hour and one thing became very obvious: Biarritz is hilly. We decided to stop and rest at a café and of course we had wine because this is France.
Biarritz 2017
Biarritz is a beautiful city on the Bay of Biscay in the southwest of France. Well known for its world class surf, Biarritz is a mixture of a surf town and a resort town for the elite. Rather than sprawling out to the ocean in gentle rolls like San Sebastián, Biarritz perches above it with dramatic drops and cliffs. To see this though, you need to be waterfront or at a higher vantage point because inside the town the buildings tower over you and block the views. Luckily, we traveled on the off season for tourism. We were told during high season it is impossible to navigate the narrow winding roads due to traffic. Surf town is more our speed and we found cafés and watering holes where the surfers gathered in the evenings. English is widely spoken here and we were able to communicate with staff and fellow patrons almost everywhere. When absolutely required, Mauricio could "scratch out" (as he says) enough French to convey what we were trying to say.
Radisson Blu rooftop views
We booked two nights at Radisson Blu Hotel. We were given a corner room with a spectacular ocean view. The hotel has a rooftop area with panoramic views that were breathtaking. After checking in, we got our first look at the town and the ocean. The second night we were blessed with dry weather so we took advantage and enjoyed a glass of wine while watching the sun set over the Atlantic before heading to dinner.
We normally try the restaurant when we stay with Radisson but on this trip we wanted to explore the city and dine like a local. We were there two nights and ate at two very different types of restaurants, with two very different results.
Night One
Le Café du Commerce · Biarritz, France
Night Two
California Kitchen Biarritz · the T-Bone that saved the trip
After five days in Basque Country, we moved on to the Spanish capital of Madrid. There, on our second trip to Spain in 2019, we found a restaurant that serves a steak we've returned for again and again.
Explore more of our European steak journey — or follow the full trip on ReviewTrip