Basque Country is an autonomous community of North of Spain, called Euskadi. (in Basque: Euskadi , Spanish : Basque Country ) is a region of Spain. The name can also refer to the entire land of the Basques (Basque: Euskal Herria ) from a historical, cultural, linguistic and identity point of view.
The Basques are the group of people who have inhabited this land for several thousand years.
The Basque Country is one of the main culinary destinations in the world, with key gourmet centers in San Sebastián, Hondarribia and Bilbao. It is also popular for its beaches and green landscape.
Regions
- Alava, whose capital is Vitoria-Gasteiz
- Guipúzcoa, whose capital is Saint Sebastian
- Biscay, whose capital is Bilbao
San Sebastián Donostia: Capital of the province of Guipúzcoa, it has about 175,000 inhabitants. Places of interest: Kursaal, La Concha beach, old part ...
Vitoria Gasteiz: Capital of the province of Alava and in turn of the Basque Country, it has about 200,000 inhabitants. You can visit the old part, plaza de los fueros, ajuria enea palace, ...
Bilbao: Capital of the province of Vizcaya and the largest city in the Basque Country, it has about 350,000 inhabitants, you can visit the famous Guggenheim.
Cities
- 1 Vitoria-Gasteiz - the capital of the autonomous community
- 2 Bilbao (Basque:Bilbo) - largest city in the region
- 3 Balmaseda - Small town nestled in the mountains, an excellent base for exploring nature
- 4 Getaria : first-class fresh seafood in this fishing port
- 5 Guernica (Gernika) - a thriving commercial city with great historical and cultural significance for the Basques. In 1937 it was devastated by the German air force under the command of the fascists. The bombing was an experiment for World War II.
- 6 Saint Sebastian (Donostia): a provincial capital that curves around a spectacular moon-shaped beach surrounded by cliffs.
- 7 Fuenterrabía (Hondarribia) - fishing village with walled old town
Other destinations
- 1 Bermeo - the most important fishing port in the Basque Country
- 2 Portugalete - Bilbao suburb with a beautiful old town and port
- 3 Treviño Enclave - abundance of prehistoric remains
- 4 Zumaya (Zumaia) and Zarauz (Zarautz) - wonderful sandy beaches, not far from San Sebastián
Understand
History
The oldest remains discovered in the Basque Country are made of stone, dating from the Paleotlitic (150,000 BC). The Neolithic period (4,500 to 2,500 BC) brought about a major change in the lifestyle of the people: the inhabitants built settlements and began to cultivate the land and raise livestock. In ancient times, the current Euskal Herria and the adjacent areas were inhabited by ancestors of Basques that the Greek historian Strabon considered savages and warriors.
The land of the Basques became a kingdom in the 9th century when the nobles elected Iñigo (824-852) of the Aritza dynasty as king. The kingdom underwent many changes during the following centuries under the command of the Castilian King Ferdinand the Catholic who invaded and subjugated by arms the peninsular kingdom of Navarra in 1512.
From the twelfth to the fifteenth centuries, villas (towns) and cities arose, also with their own local charters or charters and rights granted by kings. It was during this period that the so-called "foral territories" were created and agreements were reached with the king, by which he would have authority over the land in exchange for respecting territorial self-governments or fueros and rights.
The 19th century is characterized by a gradual loss of rights for the Basque people. The Kingdom of Navarre was incorporated as one more province of Spain and the other three southern provinces refused to become a single province, thus retaining the provisional status.
At the end of the 19th century, new ideologies and political movements emerged, such as socialism, but especially Basque nationalism for the restoration of the rights and privileges of the Basque people, as well as the unions.
The first three decades of the 20th century occurred with a frenzy of political activity, followed by the military uprising led by Franco and a long civil war (1936-1939). In 1936 the Congress of Spain (Spanish Cortes) approved the Basque Statute of Autonomy and Euskadi reestablished the self-government that it had been demanding since the abolition of rights and privileges. The entire Basque Country fell to Franco's troops in July 1937.
The Franco dictatorship (1939-1975) was a dark chapter. As the Basque Country had been among the centers of anti-Franco activity and Basque was considered a threat to Franco's vision of Spain, Basque cultural expressions, including the language, were banned. Partly in reaction to that, ETA (Euskadi ta Askatasuna; "Basque Country and Freedom") was formed to violently oppose first the Franco regime and then its democratic successors and fight for an independent Basque Country. ETA declared a ceasefire in 2010, and declared its dissolution in 2018, but there are still open wounds, especially since even the democratic governments of the 1980s used some extra-legal measures in the fight against ETA.
Geography
The Basque area (in Basque: Euskal Herria ) is divided into three different legal and political entities, of which the first is what this article is about:
- Euskadi , the Autonomous Community of Euskadi comprises the territories or provinces of Álava, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa. The capitals are Vitoria-Gasteiz, Bilbao and Donostia-San Sebastián in the same order.
- Nafarroa , Foral Community of Navarra. The capital is Pamplona-Iruña.
- Iparralde ("the northern part") or continental Euskal Herria, the French Basque Country in the Atlantic Pyrenees, includes the territories of Lapurdi (French: Labourd ), Zuberoa (French: Soule ) and Behenafarroa (Lower Navarra; French: Lower Navarra ). The capitals are Baiona, Maule and Donibane Garazi (in French: Bayonne , Maule Y Saint Jean Pied de Port , respectively).
Two of these administrative regions (AC of Euskadi and AC of Navarra) are located in Hegoalde (literally, the southern part in Basque) or Euskal Herria peninsular. The south and north of the Basque Country are divided into two states: Spain and France.
Euskal Herria is, therefore, the combination of seven historical territories divided into these three administrative regions.
Although today the term Euskal Herria defines a historical and cultural entity rather than a unified political or administrative region, it does share a significant amount of common heritage, culture, language, history and identity.
Often times, the term Basque Country is used to refer only to the autonomous area ( Euskadi ), but above all it refers to the entire Basque region ( Euskal Herria ), including Navarre and the Basque territories in France
To get
Boat
The Southamptom Ferry arrives at the town of Santurce, in Bizkaia. From there there is a Renfe suburban train line that brings us closer to Bilbao. A metro line to Santurce will be inaugurated shortly.
By plane
There are two main airports: Loiu in Bizkaia and Foronda in Álava, and a third in Guipuzcoa: Fuenterrabía airport. In both there is a bus service to the nearest capital.
By car
From the central / southern part of Spain the best way is to get to Madrid and, from there, use the A1 to access Vitoria-Gasteiz. From Vitoria, the A68 will take us to Bilbao and the A1 to San Sebastián. From the West-South through the 620 to Burgos and from there the A1 to Vitoria. From the West-North through the 120 to Burgos, or through the 634- A8 (along the coast) to Bilbao. From the East, the A68 from Zaragoza takes us to Vitoria.
By train
In Bilbao There are two main stations, located one next to the other, in the center (Plaza circular). In them we can take the subway or one of the numerous urban bus lines that connect with almost all of Bizkaia.The Abando station (RENFE) receives trains from almost the entire peninsula.The Concordia station (FEVE) receives trains from the line Bilbao-La Robla.
By bus
In Bilbao, the central bus station (Termibus), located next to the San Mamés stadium, has a metro stop and a suburban train stop, as well as numerous urban buses.
Travel
By train
There is an extensive network of buses and trains.
By bus
By car
The roads are well signposted, but watch out for the occasional monolingual signs in Basque.
Talk
- In this autonomous community, Spanish and Basque are spoken.
To buy
To eat
Drink and go out
- Txakoli : white wine from the regions of Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa, now also made in a part of Araba / Alava.
- Rioja wines : made in La Rioja, southern Araba / Alava and southwest Nafarroa / Navarra.
- Cider (Sagardoa in Basque): it is not like British or Nordic cider, it does not have gas and it is more like wine. It is produced mainly in Gipuzkoa around Donostia / San Sebastián but also in some parts of Nafarroa / Navarra and Bizkaia. In winter between January and March the cider houses are open as restaurants where you can dine and drink all the cider you want.
- Kalimotxo : low quality wine with coke. Typical drink for teenagers and for parties.
- Patxaran : liquor sloes . Typical after dinner. It tastes a little like "Night Nurse" cough medicine.
- Beer : if you want a draft beer (usually cheaper) you can order cane or half round called zurito . Usually the glass is not filled to the top and depending on the place, the bartender or your face can be a large or small measure.
Sleep
- The Hotel Loiu It is at Lastetxe kalea, 24 Loiu, 48180 BIZKAIA.
Learn
Respect
The Basques are divided between those who want total independence from Spain, those who ask for more autonomy and those who think that the current union with Spain is fine. Add to this the usual dimension of right and left, and you will find that Basque politics is complex, very complex. As a visitor, you are advised to avoid discussing politics with the locals to avoid the possibility of offense.
This diversity of views can be observed, that with a population of only 2 million people, there are now 7 different political parties in the Basque Parliament.
Health
Keep in touch
The emergency number is as in all Europe the 112.
Surroundings
The charms of south-western France, in particular the spas and the city of Biarritz, are just a step away from the border. Or travel east to explore the rugged Pyrenees. To the west, Spain offers the mountains and the coastline of Asturias and Galicia, the terminus of the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela. Head south to Burgos and central Spain.
Other cities in the French Basque Country are Bayonne ( Baiona ), Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port ( Donibane Garazi ) and Mauléon-Licharre ( Maule ), today bucolic places that combine the purest Basque tradition with French delicacy. For centuries they were theaters of battles.
Pamplona ( Iruna ) is the old capital of the Kingdom of Navarre, where all the Basque kings reigned. Today famous for the fiestas and the San Fermin festival that Ernest Miller Hemingway helped spread around the world.
external links
Wikipedia has an article on Basque Country.w: Basque Country
Wikimedia Commons houses multimedia content about Basque Country. Commons
