Basque Country Highlights

 It's the history of the Earth, written in stone over 60 million years. Zumaia, Deba, Mutriku: three towns on the Gipuzkoa coast that share one of the world's most important geological treasures, recognized as a UNESCO Global Geopark. Sunset over the Itzurun cliffs in Zumaia. (Photo: Jon Larrañaga) What flysch is, and why it's so special Flysch are rock formations created at the same time as mountains, stacked in alternating layers like a giant stone mille-feuille. In the cliffs along this coastline, those layers record 60 million years of geological history — including major events like the mass extinction of the dinosaurs, literally written into the rock. The area is a Protected Biotope and part of Geoparkea, the Basque Coast Geopark, recognized by UNESCO for its geological significance on an international scale. The visible stretch runs about 8 kilometers along the coast, though the formation continues several kilometers further out to sea. The flysch cliffs of Zumaia, G...

A packed square. Thousands of cigars about to be lit, and just as many bottles of cava ready to pop. And, lowered on a rope from the bell tower of the Church of San Miguel, a countryman with an open umbrella slowly descending over Plaza de la Virgen Blanca. Celedón flies over Plaza de la Virgen Blanca in Vitoria-Gasteiz, descending from the San Miguel bell tower It's August 4th in Vitoria-Gasteiz, capital of the province of Álava, in the Basque Country. And that figure floating over the square is Celedón — a character who represents the entire city, dressed in a beret and checked shirt, played since 1957 by a real person suspended on a cable. When he reaches the balcony facing the bell tower, Celedón greets the crowd — locals and visitors alike — with the cry that officially opens the festival: Gora Gasteiz! Gora Celedón! ("Long live Vitoria! Long live Celedón!"). Cigars are lit, cava flows, and La Blanca begins — what many locals affectionately, and without a hint of mo...

Forget the pintxos tours and the influencer lists. What locals actually order in Bilbao hasn't changed much in decades — even as a new Japanese restaurant opens every month, aperol spritz comes in a hundred variations, and Georgian food is suddenly the trendy thing to try. This is a tour of five spots that are part of Bilbao's culinary memory. They're not the most photogenic, and you won't find them topping "best pintxos" listicles, but they're what a Bilbao local actually recommends to a friend visiting town. 1. The felipada at Bar Alameda 2. The Triángulo at Bar EME 3. The pincho moruno at Melilla y Fez 4. The champis at Motrikes 5. The croquetas at Txiriboga The felipada at Bar Alameda Photo: Bar Alameda / Facebook Alameda de Urquijo, 40 — next to the Alhóndiga In 1955, a regular customer named Felipe asked if he could make sandwiches for his group of friends behind the bar: white sandwich bread, anchovy, lettuce, mayonnaise, and a touch of chili. T...