Paragliding
If after climbing to the top of Larun you feel that you’d like to go higher still then we can organise paragliding days with one of the many local schools. Apparently it is a fantastic experience to climb high into the clear air and see the mountainous Basque country laid out before you. I say apparently because, like B.A., “I don’t go in no planes”. We are more than happy to organise a day or evening paragliding for anyone with a less healthily developed sense of fear though.

Horse Riding
There are herds of wild horses roaming the hills here, however I doubt that they would take kindly to a rider. We can organise horse riding on tamer steeds though and let you see the spectacular hills without the need to pedal.

Quad Riding
Another option for those who want to see more of the hills and get a bit more adrenaline but have had enough biking.

Paintball
There are a couple of paintball sites around here so if you fancy donning your camoflage gear and taking your aggression out on something other than the trail we’ll be happy to oranise this for you.

Wine Tours
Now we’re talking! The rioja region is about an hour and a half away and the wine is fantastic. A day out wine tasting is a great way to see some different scenery and taste some fantastic wines as well. I should point out that you don’t have to spit it back out either! The next day we can ride away your hangover with some of our refreshing coastal singletrack!

Climbing has a long tradition in the Basque Country and the area has produced some of the best climbers in the world. The sea cliffs, Pyrenees and Basque mountains offer many places to climb, catering for a wide range of abilities.

In Biscay, there is the Baltzola cave for the more adventurous sports climber. With grades starting around 6b+ and bouldering from 7C+ to 8b (eek) it’s not for the faint hearted. Luckily for those of us who are mere mortals there are a lot more crags around the area which are less extreme. Almost all the crags are bolted limestone but there is also some fantastic bouldering available.

Doug is a keen climber and would be more than happy to point you in the right direction or set you up with a local climbing school.

The Basque coast is one of the best places in the world for surfing. Mundaka, with its hollow left break, is just along the coast and is widely regarded as one of the top ten surfing spots in the world.

There are also more sheltered beaches for learning on or if you just fancy catching a few relaxing waves. Hendaye has a good break for learners or longboarders and we often finish our days riding by popping down to the beach for a quick surf. We can organise board hire and lessons for anyone who is keen to give it a try in the evenings or on a day away from the bike.

All over Spain local areas have regular festivals and the Basque country is no different. San Sebastian has Europe’s longest continually running Jazz festival and Pamplona hosts the world famous running of the bulls at their San Fermin festival.

San Fermin – Pamplona – 2nd week of July

The biggest celebration of a local saint in Spain San Fermin is famous for the running of the bulls but it’s easy enough to go without seeing a single bull as they do the run early in the morning. Hundreds of thousands of people descend on Pamplona for a full on but good natured party. Apparently it’s possible to find a party any time of the day or night all week.

Jazzaldia festival - San Sebastian – 4th week of July

Europe’s longest continuously running Jazz festival, nice!

Hondarribia blues festival 17th – 20th of July.

Semana Grande - San Sebastian – Mid-August
For its “Big Week”, San Sebastian literally erupts, with an amazing nightly firework display lighting up the bay.

Clásica San Sebastián Start of August

San Sebastian’s big cycling race which is normally well attended by the Tour de France riders.

Jaizkibel Hill Climb Tune to be Determined

A car race up and over Jaizkibel. There is normally a great turn out of WRC cars, highly tuned Japonese cars and various other exotica. They race up the switchbacked road to the highest point. We will try to take this in as part of our normal Jaizkibel bike ride for those that are interested.

Fiesta of Hondarribia Start of September
Fiesta of Irun Middle of June
Fiesta of Pasajaes Start of August

If you haven´t seen these small towns fiestas you cannot believe the intensity or the energy of these parties. For up to a week the streets are packed with people eating, drinking, dancing and generally being merry. There are parades, boat races, competitions and most importantly eating through the day and the pubs are open most of the night and the fireworks and singing carry through the warm summer air!

San Sebastian

Only twenty minutes into Spain from our base, San Sebastian is well worth a visit. A beautiful city reminiscent of Paris in miniature with wide tree lined boulevards and tight latin quarter. Like Paris gastronomy in San Sebastian is taken seriously with the highest ratio of Michelin stars to population in the world, according to some it is the best place to eat in Spain. Unlike Paris, San Sebastian benefits from three excellent beaches, lined with cliffs on either side and the Santa Clara island that acts as a fourth beach for those willing to take a short ferry. Ideal Spain’s Guide to San Sebastian

Bilbao

Only an hour and ten minute’s drive, further along the Spanish coast, from our base Bilbao is one of our transfer cities but Bilbao has much more to offer than just an Airport. The capital of the Basque country, Bilbao is larger and more industrial than San Sebastian, a Glasgow to San Sebastian’s Edinburgh. Bilbao is a wealthy town with excellent shopping and nightlife and the beach a metro ride away. By far the most famous attraction in Bilbao is the Guggenheim museum.

Biarritz

At around half an hour along the coast into France is Biarritz, our preferred transfer airport. The short trip over to France is well worth it during the week too. Biarritz is still a favourite destination of Europe elite, which is reflected in the shopping and exclusive hotels and spas. This creates an intriguing mix of surf bums and celebs.

Pamplona

Dating back to Roman times Pamplona is the capital of the Navarra province situated just under an hour from our base. One of Europe’s greenest cities, with 100 million square metres of green, it is packed full of parks, Roman remains and interesting architecture. Pamplona is especially worth visiting at the beginning of July when the city hosts hunderds of thousands of revellers for the San Fermin festival with the running of the bulls, this surely has to be one of the busiest and craziest fiestas in Spain!

Whether you’ve been out on the trails all day and now every muscle and joint aches, or you just fancy pampering yourself the Basque country has lots of options for rejuvenating your mind, your body and your soul! Here are a couple of our favourites but there are plenty of other options if you would like something specific.

Thalassotherapy
From the Greek word for sea this treatment involves mud baths, seaweed wraps, algae wraps and massages with warm sea water. It’s all designed to boost your circulation, cleanse your skin and tone your muscles and the locals swear by it. Being right on the Atlantic coast both San Sebastian and Biarritz offer fantastic options for those of you who fancy trying this out for yourselves and Amaia can give you all the advice you need. Prices are around €20 for a couple of hours.

La Perla Spa

This world famous spa sits right on the beach at San Sebastian and offers a bewildering array of treatments from aromatherapy to something called a Zen bath. You can get it all and Amaia can organise and book it for you.

We will be delighted to organise a day trip to a spa or even just a visit in the evening to get you ready for another day of hard fun in the mountains or on the beach.

At BasqueMTB we are in an uniquely good location to offer great holidays for those who, for some strange reason, don’t want to throw themselves down a mountain all day! While your loved ones risk life and limb whilst biking you can choose lots of alternative holiday activities from relaxing on the beach, shopping and being pampered with spa treatments to alternative thrills like surfing, paragliding or rock climbing. You can surf in Spain in the morning, have a guided tour of a local vineyard in the afternoon, and then dine in France in the evening if you want to.

If you have the energy we would also be delighted to organise activities for the early evening after a day on your mountain bike. Surfing is a great way to finish a hard days mountain biking.