Overview
The Basque coast is green, wild and steep, with old forests, stunning cliffs, beautiful beaches and estuaries. This jagged landscape has shaped the character of the Basque sailors and fishermen who have lived there for centuries. The coastal towns are quiet and charming. Enjoy this walking holiday along the coast, from the rural tranquillity of the fishermen villages to the lively city of Bilbao. Take in the nature, culture and gastronomy of the Basque Country.
- Lekeitio
- Ea
- Mundaka
- Bermeo
- Gaztelugatxe
- Bakio
- Plentzia
- Bilbao
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Lekeitio
Lekeitio is one of the most beautiful towns in the Basque Country. Visit its harbour, church, mansions and enjoy its bars by the sea.
- Overnight at Hotel Palacio Uribarren or similar in Lekeitio
Day 2: Lekeitio Walks | 14km
Today you can choose between two routes: Walk along the River Lea to Aulestia (15km), or take a short bus ride to climb Illuntzar peak (726m uphill and 14km) with stunning 360º views. Return to Lekeitio using the excellent local bus service.
- Walking for the day: 14km ↑↓700m or 15km ↑↓100m
- Overnight at Hotel Silken Palacio Uribarri or similar in Lekeitio
Day 3: Lekeitio to Ea | 13km
Start with the ascent of Otoio, rewarded by views of cliffs and remote beaches. Descend to Ogella beach before continuing with the climb to Ispaster. Take the local bus to Bedarona (payable locally) and walk the last 4km to Ea. If tired or wet weather, you can just continue with the bus to Ea.
Alternatively, you can shorten the walk by travelling on local transport (payable locally) to Ispaster and skipping the Otoio climb. Where can you do 7km circular route around Ispaster, before taking the bus to Bedarona and walk the last 4km to Ea.
- Walking for the day: 13km ↑↓520m or 12km ↑↓320m if you start in Ispaster (optional bus transfer)
- Overnight at Pension Bekale or similar in Ea
Day 4: Ea to Mundaka | 18km
Start this stage along a nice coastal path and climb up to pretty Natxitua, the perfect place to take a short rest before walking into the unique town of Elantxobe, an authentic little fishing harbour. You can also take a short walk to Ogoño cliff offering impressive views. The first 8km can be skipped by taking a bus or a taxi (paid locally). Head to Laga beach and from there climb up to pretty Akorda and to San Pedro de Atxarre hermitage, a magic place with probably the best views in the Basque Country. Descend to Laida beach, take off your shoes and enjoy a walk on the sand. Have a coffee (or a beer and tapas) at Atxerre bar, definitely a moment you will remember.
A taxi will pick you up at the beach to take you to Mundaka (or drop you in Gernika to explore this interesting town, later head to Mundaka by train). Still, if you prefer a boat ride, you can take the small ferry to cross to the other side of the estuary during June and September.
- Walking for the day: 17.5km ↑↓630m or 13km ↑↓600m or 10km ↑↓600m
- Overnight at Hotel Branka or similar in Mundaka
- Optional hotel upgrade: Atalaya Hotel or similar in Mundaka
Day 5: Mundaka – Bermeo – San Juan – Bakio | 14 – 18km
Take the train or walk to Bermeo, a lively and interesting fishing town, from where you hike to the San Juan de Gaztelugatxe hermitage, one of the most famous and iconic places in the Basque Country. After that, head to Bakio along a quiet lane with great views and enjoy the beach and the surf of this coastal town.
- Walking for the day: 13.5km ↑↓630m or 17.5km ↑↓800m (shorter option with bus transfer)
- Overnight at Hotel Arimune or similar in Bakio
Day 6: Bakio to Plentzia | 23km
Hardcore walkers can take the challenge of the full stage, and even climb up to Jata, a hill with amazing views. Most mortals will travel with luggage to the small harbour of Armintza and walk the beautiful cliffs for the last 12km to Plentzia, a lovely town with a great beach, an estuary and an interesting Gothic town centre.
- Walking for the day: 23km ↑↓980m or 12km ↑↓ 500m) (shorter option with transfer)
- Overnight at Bahia Plentzia or similar in Plentzia
Day 7: Plentzia to Bilbao | 11 – 22km
Walk the cliffs from beach to beach, with views of the whole coast and even of faraway Cantabria, and then, all of a sudden, after the Punta Galea cape – the Bay of Bilbao! Enjoy this last part with magnificent views and head to the pretty old fishing harbour of Algorta. You can keep walking along the promenade for one more hour to the end of the Bay and admire the fantastic hanging bridge, built in 1890, or you can take the metro in Algorta and stop to visit the bridge and later head to Bilbao’s town centre, where you will stay. The length of this stage is variable: you can walk the full length or take a bus at the start and stop at different places of interest.
- Walking for the day: Choice of 22, 18, 15 or 11km ↑↓450m
- Overnight at Pensión Ama or similar in Bilbao
Day 8: Departure
Departure, or stay for a few more days in Bilbao.
What to expect
Accommodation
On this walking holiday, you will be staying in nice 3-star hotels and pensions. We have carefully hand-picked all places and regularly monitor their quality. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel Palacio Uribarren (Lekeitio)
- Palacio Oxangoiti (Lekeitio)
- Hotel Zubieta (Lekeitio)
- Pension Bekale (Ea)
- Hotel Branka (Mundaka)
- Hotel Arimune (Bakio)
- Villa Isabela (Bakio)
- Bahia de Plentzia (Plentzia)
- Casa de Marinos (Plentzia)
- Pensión Ama (Bilbao)
- Caravan Cinema (Bilbao)
- Basque Boutique Hotel (Bilbao)
Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Click to view upgraded hotel
- Atalaya Hotel (Mundaka)
Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
6 breakfasts (no breakfast in Bilbao) included. When no restaurant location is available on route lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops, or packed lunch can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before.
Difficulty and terrain
This holiday is appropriate for experienced walkers (no high mountain experience required) and requires a good level of fitness (read more about difficulty grades). On many days there is a choice of easier or more demanding walks. We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available in April, May, June; September to early November. The flexibility of self guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates and you can start your trip on any date in the season.
The best months to come are May and October.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Bilbao Airport (BIO).
By train or bus
- If you are able to travel to Spain without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail, with a train station in Gernika. For more details, see the national rail operator Renfe, or use the Omio planner above.
- From Bilbao Airport take the bus to Lekeitio (1hr 15mins). For more details, see the national bus operator ALSA, or use the Omio planner above.
Inclusions
Included
- 7 nights in small hotels or guesthouses
- 6 breakfasts (no breakfast in Bilbao)
- Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel on all walking days
- Taxi lift at the end of Day 4 (in the case you prefer it to the optional boat transfer)
- Taxi lift at the start of Day 6
- Digital and printed tour materials including GPS tracks, route notes, maps and important telephone numbers
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Flights and airport transfers
- Bus ticket from Bilbao to Lekeitio (around 4€)
- Bus tickets from Lekeitio or back for optional shorter walks (around 1.5€) on Day 2
- Bus tickets on day 3 from Ispaster to Bedarona
- Boat tickets (around 3€) for the optional boat trip on Day 4 available in June and September
- Train tickets from Gernika to Mundaka or Bermeo (around 1.5€)
- Metro or bus tickets at the start or end of Day 7
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Lunches, dinners (dinner in Ea is included), breakfast in Bilbao on Day 1 and 2
- Personal expenses such as snacks, drinks, phone calls, extra transfers, tips, etc.
- Any items not specifically mentioned as ‘included’ in the programme
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- A supplement applies to members of a group who require a single room
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers
- Extra night in Bilbao before or after the holiday available upon request only
Spain’s legal requirement for personal information
Please note: in December 2024, the Spanish government introduced a new law making it a legal obligation for all visitors to Spain to share personal details with their accommodations and car rental companies. Consequently, as we book your accommodation for you, we are obliged to pass these on to our local partners on the ground. After booking your holiday, we will send you a form to complete requesting all the legally-required information, including: name, nationality, gender, passport number, DOB, address, phone numbers and email address. This applies to all travellers aged 14 and over. If you are travelling with people under 14 years old, you need to declare your relationship to them. We apologise for any inconvenience. For more information, see here.
