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The Basque Country & La Rioja: Route Guide
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Pintxos counters, a titanium museum, green surf coast and the wine cathedrals of Rioja: Spain's best eating packed into one small loop.
The Basque Country & La Rioja is a 284 km loop (self-drive). It works best as 5–6 days; the plan below is the 6-day version for September, built from 178 verified places, with real road-routed transit times, opening hours and daylight checked.
5–6
days
284km
distance
4
Stops
178
curated stops
Plan your own version → 5-day plan · 6-day plan · best time to go
The route
Bilbao→ 100 kmSan Sebastián→ 25 kmGetaria→ 95 kmVitoria-Gasteiz
What you'll see
Guggenheim Museum
Admire the twisting titanium curves and modern art inside.
Bilbao
Artzain Onaren Katedrala
You will see grand Neogothic architecture and stained glass windows glowing in the soft light.
San Sebastián
Catedral de María Inmaculada de Vitoria
Towering spires and elaborate stone carvings frame serene, towering spaces bathed in natural light.
Vitoria-Gasteiz
Vizcaya Bridge
Look across the river from a UNESCO-listed industrial bridge.
Bilbao
San Telmo Museum
Explore Basque art in a mix of old and new spaces.
San Sebastián
Artium Museum
Discover Basque art in a city-center museum.
Vitoria-Gasteiz
Cathedral of St. James (Santiago)
Gaze upon Gothic arches and a neo-Gothic tower facade.
Bilbao
Santa María del Coro
The ornate baroque facade and intricate interior details draw the eye upward in quiet reverence.
San Sebastián
Choose your length
5-day plan6.8 stops/day · 1.7 h transit/daySee the full plan →6-day plan6.8 stops/day · 1.9 h transit/daySee the full plan →
When to go
Best months: May, June, July, August, September, October
Rioja harvest and San Sebastián film-festival buzz; the sea still warm enough to surf.
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