Hondarribia, what to see and what to do.

Hondarribia, what to see and do in one of the most beautiful towns in Euskadi.

Hondarribia, once also known as Fuenterrabia, is one of the most visited towns in Euskadi. An epic, movie-like space. A tourist destination, of which we have received countless questions over the years. It is for this reason that we have decided to publish this article on what to see and do in Hondarribia. A text, in which we try to detail all the necessary aspects to enjoy this incredible town of Gipuzkoa. We hope that the different sections of this report will answer all your questions. Otherwise, we encourage you to send us your doubts and suggestions through the comments system that you will find at the end of this article. We will try to answer as soon as possible. Hondarribia is one of those towns that leaves no one indifferent. A town located on the Basque coast, which surprises the traveler in all its facets. A small and picturesque urban nucleus, that we recommend you to visit with eyes closed. Located in the north of our territory, bathed by the always impressive Bay of Txingudi, Hondarribia attracts travelers from all over the world. Its unmistakable walled old town, its old fishermen’s quarter, its impressive gastronomy and its refreshing beach, are currently some of the most important tourist attractions of Hondarribia. But they are not the only ones. In this sense, we wanted to group each and every one of the places of interest in Hondarribia in a single article. A nice range of possibilities, from which we recommend that you select the spaces and experiences that best suit your tastes and needs. In the past, this municipality was the target of multiple attacks due to its border location, destroying houses, vineyards and many other goods. With the sole purpose of defending the municipality and its inhabitants, a great wall was built around the municipality. Today, this enormous mass of stone remains intact in some points of its perimeter. A space full of history, which we recommend you to visit on foot. This wall is not the only historical element that is preserved from that time, moats and other elements still persist the passage of time. Do you dare to know the history of Hondarribia with us?

The different elements that surround this beautiful town make it an unusual and special setting. Bordered by the Cantabrian Sea (north), Irun (south), Lezo and Pasaia (west) and Hendaye (east), strategically located opposite the neighboring town of Hendaye, under the protection of Mount Jaizkibel (545 m), Hondarribia is presented to us as an ideal place to establish the base of our vacation. The great variety of hotel and gastronomic establishments that we find in Hondarribia make this town satisfy people of different tourist profiles. As you can see a very complete tourist destination. Do you want to know what to see in Hondarribia? Do you want to discover the treasures hidden behind the wall? We recommend you not to miss the rest of the article, it is very worthwhile.

Our proposal to know Hondarribia is simple and complete. We start in the upper area, in the old town, within the walls. Here is where we find such striking spaces as the wall, the Castle of Charles V or the door of Santa Maria. Remember, that to get from the lower part of the town to this point, there is an elevator located at sea level that takes us directly to the back of the Castle of Charles V. Comfortable, practical and free. Once at the top, we recommend getting lost in the charming streets and squares of the old town, a real wonder. As we have already indicated, a section of the wall, the best preserved part, is passable, so we recommend that you do not miss the chance to walk through this historic enclave of the municipality. Once you have seen this area, we recommend that you walk down to the old fishermen’s quarter, the Marina quarter, also known as Portu Auzoa. It is time to enjoy the now famous fishermen’s houses, full of colors and vitality. Today, most of them have one or more bars on the first floor. We recommend you to take advantage of this point to make a technical stop. It’s time to get your strength back with the fantastic pintxos that you will find in these bars. After refueling, it’s time to walk again, the Butrón promenade, a space that runs along much of one of the banks of the Bay of Txingudi, allows us to contemplate the beauty of this Basque enclave on foot. If we make this route towards the sea, we will find the beach and the marina of Hondarribia, a place where we find restaurants, bars and the different maritime services of the town. If we make this same route in the opposite direction, we would arrive to observe the airport of Donostia San Sebastian, a small and coquettish air space that has become famous for its proximity to the sea. Finally, we recommend you several spaces outside the city center. Examples are the Higuer lighthouse, the Fort of Guadalupe, the sanctuary of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the Jaizkibel mountain or the Hiruzta txakoli winery. As you can see, a very complete planning that helps us to know in detail all the corners of this magnificent Basque town.

As we have already indicated, some of you may know Hondarribia as Fuenterrabía, its name until the 80s. In this sense, the official name is Hondarribia, a term that has been found written in different historical documents with other variants such as “Ondarribia” and “Hundarribia”. This name can be broken down into 2 words: “Hondar” and “ibi”, sand and ford in Basque. Thus, we can deduce that the meaning of Hondarribia is “ford of sand”. What do you think? This municipality holds the title of city, a title that was granted in the seventeenth century as a gift for being victorious in the battles to contain the French troops. Therefore, we can say that we are in front of the city of the ford of sand. Interesting, isn’t it?

The Bay of Txingudi, formed by the towns of Hondarribia, Irun and Hendaye, offers a beautiful environment in which to carry out activities both on land and water activities. The mouth of the river Bidasoa, invites us to walk while we contemplate the sea. A space of great scenic value, which dazzles all the people who visit it. The strategic location of Hondarribia is one of the great advantages offered by this tourist destination. And it is that, many people, knowing the location of Hondarribia, makes of this town its base camp to be able to know great part of our territory. Iparralde (also called French Basque Country), the Navarrese Pyrenees or the always imposing Donostia San Sebastian, are just some of the many spaces that gives us the environment of this charming town. Undoubtedly, a strategic enclave for a vacation in Gipuzkoa. In this sense, being able to visit places like Pasaia or Hendaye without wasting a lot of time in displacements is an advantage. However, if you are interested in visiting some of the tourist sites of Bizkaia or Araba you will have to travel for more than 1 hour to reach your destination.

The border location of Hondarribia has marked its character and personality for centuries. Located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in a strategic point of our geography, there were many who wanted to take over this Basque town. During these armed conflicts, a large part of the agricultural exploitation of Hondarribia was displaced to nearby towns. Agriculture had to be protected from the destruction and looting resulting from these attacks, so most of the farms in Hondarribia practically disappeared. Thus, the autochthonous vine variety Hondarrabi Zuri disappeared from its place of origin. This grape, so characteristic of the Basque Country, is fundamental in the elaboration of our beloved txakoli. In fact, all the Txakoli denominations of origin include in their regulations that Hondarrabi Zuri is the base of all their wines. Little by little, with the help of local producers, one of the most important and famous grapes of Euskadi is returning to its origins, to Hondarribia. We loved this little historical curiosity, what about you? You can learn more about txakoli and this historical fact at the Hiruzta txakoli winery. Recommended visit.

Hondarribia is an ideal destination for all seasons. However, as in the rest of tourist destinations, in high season, in summer, in the months of July and August, Hondarribia lives a frenetic activity due to the large number of travelers that welcomes. Many are attracted by the heat and the beach, others by the beauty of the place. In any case, all of them converge in the emblematic neighborhood of the Marina attracted by the Basque gastronomy and the famous pintxos of Euskadi. An authentic delicacy. Our advice is to try to avoid these agglomerations, the town of Hondarribia, quiet during the rest of the year, becomes one of the most demanded areas of Euskadi. In summer the town changes completely. Personally, we like much more the Hondarribia of winter or spring, where the people of the town occupy the streets and squares creating a nice native atmosphere. If you decide to visit Hondarribia in early September, you may coincide with its famous Alarde, one of the most deeply rooted and important traditions of the town. On September 8, during the feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the Alarde fills Hondarribia with joy. This parade, has different companies that represent the old neighborhoods and guilds of the town. People, who fulfill the promise that their ancestors made to the Virgin of Guadalupe. And it is that, during one of the many attacks that Hondarribia suffered, the people prayed to the virgin indicating that if they were victorious of that armed conflict, they would make a pilgrimage to her every year.

To enjoy Hondarribia is to enjoy its medieval architecture, its traditions, its gastronomy and its people. To do this, we recommend getting lost in the streets of the old town, taste a good grilled fish, walk the wall, eat some pintxos in the Marina neighborhood, take a swim in the beach or climb up to the hermitage of Guadalupe among many other things. Want to know what else you should see and enjoy in Hondarribia? Here is a list of some of the most emblematic spaces. Let’s start.

• Viewpoint of the Jaizkibel mountain and the hermitage of Guadalupe: The Jaizkibel mountain and the hermitage of Guadalupe make up one of the most special corners of this area of Gipuzkoa. From the top of this mountain we get a beautiful view of Hondarribia and the surrounding towns.

• Higuer Lighthouse: In front of the island of Amuitz, warning of the danger caused by the rocks of the cape of the same name, is the Higuer lighthouse. This lighthouse built in 1878, replaces the lighthouse that in 1874 was destroyed by the Carlist troops. Its location gives us impressive views of the sea and the Basque coast.

• Azoka of Hondarribia: The azoka (fair in Basque) of Hondarribia, is formed by local producers who attract us with products harvested on the slopes of Mount Jaizkibel. High quality products that serve the restaurants of Hondarribia to treat their customers with the best dishes of the region.

• Bay of Txingudi: The bay of Txingudi offers us an idyllic space, like a movie. An enclave where practicing active tourism is very easy and fun. We encourage you to choose an experience to do in this environment, we are sure you will have a great time.

• Villages of French Basque Country, IparraldeSome of the most picturesque and beautiful villages of the French Basque Country are only a few minutes away from Hondarribia. This is the case of Hendaye, Ziburu or Saint Jean de Luz. A highly recommended visit. Undoubtedly, enclaves worthy of knowing and enjoying.

• Charming villages of GipuzkoaThe villages that we find both inland and on the coast of Gipuzkoa are well worth a visit. Urban centers such as Pasaia, Zumaia, Zerain or Zerain are always well appreciated by visitors. Tolosa are always highly valued by the people who visit us. Would you like to visit them?

• Iñaki Perurena MuseumIñaki Perurena, one of the best known sportsmen in the Basque Country, has an impressive museum in his hometown, Leitza, that honors stone. After a lifetime of lifting stones of different weights and shapes, this famous Basque artist wanted to highlight everything that surrounds this way of life.

• Garden of the Señorío de BertizThis charming corner located in the north of Navarra offers us a beautiful and varied collection of plants and trees brought from different parts of the world. Next to them, we find historical buildings that give the place a unique charm, different. A highly recommended place to enjoy nature.
• Villages of the Navarrese PyreneesThe Navarrese Pyrenees hides among its mountains and forests villages full of charm. Small urban centers that, thanks to their stone houses, their narrow streets and the incredible environment that surrounds them, become magical spaces. Worthy of a visit.
• Most beautiful villages in EuskadiAlthough in this article we talk about Hondarribia, the rest of the villages of our land are also worth a visit. Places like Laguardia, Lekeitio, Gorliz or Getxo, are always among the most beautiful villages of Euskadi. Tourist enclaves that can be perfect to get a complete idea of the coast and interior of Euskadi.
• OIASSO Roman Museum: This museum located in Irun, keeps within its walls the remains of one of the most important Roman sites in the Basque Country. A treasure of our history.
• Boat trips in Donostia San SebastianThe Bay of La Concha is the perfect place to get to know the capital of Gipuzkoa from a different perspective. A film space that we recommend you to know aboard the Motoras de la Isla, the family business that has been transporting the people of San Sebastian to Santa Clara Island since 1942. We recommend you to book your place online here. A fast and safe way to book your boat trip online.

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Hondarribia has a wide range of activities and experiences to enjoy. The coast and the mountains of Hondarribia offer the visitor idyllic spaces where to practice active tourism. Activities for all audiences, which try to find the perfect formula for the enjoyment and entertainment of all who visit us. In this sense, water experiences, sea routes and adventure sports are especially important in this Basque area. Hiking is another of the star activities, but in any case, it is best that you select the experiences that best suit your tastes and needs. Our recommendation is simple: combine an active tourism experience with a gastronomic experience.

Among the many tips for visiting Hondarribia, we must make special emphasis on where to park. And you should know that, in the old town of Hondarribia, in the urban core that we find within the walls, in the center, parking is not allowed. But do not worry, Hondarribia has large parking areas. The most advisable is to leave the car near one of the main gates or next to the elevator that connects the lower area with the historic center, near the Marina neighborhood. Both options are as practical as they are valid. You must keep in mind that in Hondarribia there are areas marked with OTA (traffic and parking ordinance), so we recommend that you make sure you do not park in the blue zone. And if you do, keep in mind that it is a paid parking area.

The offer of hotels, hostels and other establishments to sleep in Hondarribia is very wide. Variety and quality. However, in our humble opinion, hotels like the Parador de turismo or the Hotel Jaizkibel, are perfect to enjoy Hondarribia in total comfort. We have had the pleasure of being able to rest in both and we highly recommend them. Quality, personalized attention and absolute tranquility.

Hondarribia provides us with Basque gastronomy of a very high level, an example of this is the good work of its inhabitants when it comes to preparing grilled fish or the famous Basque pintxos. In any case, the quality of the raw materials and the technique of the great cooks, make the gastronomic creations proposed by the different bars and restaurants of Hondarribia have a championship level. Hats off.

These 4 options are just a small representation of the great variety and quality of the gastronomic offer that we can find in Hondarribia. In case you are looking for a specific establishment, you can ask us through the comment system of this article.

Once again, following our custom, we wanted to accompany the words and images that make up this article with a short video. We hope you like it. In any case, we recommend you to subscribe to our YouTube channel, we are sure that more than one video will catch your attention. It may even show you your next destination, you never know.

As you have been able to contemplate, Hondarribia is one of those towns of obliged visit in the Basque Country. An enclave that enchants locals and strangers alike. Hopefully this article on what to see and what to do in Hondarribia has served you as a tourist guide to the town. Otherwise, if you miss any section or topic in particular, we recommend that you use the comment system that you will find below these lines to send us your questions and suggestions.