Hiking Zarautz: The Hidden Pearl Of Northern Spain

Hiking Zarautz: The Hidden Pearl Of Northern Spain
Jana
Jana 
Published
| 3 min read

Northern Spain is a region of many beauties. There are interesting and well-known cities including the capital of the Basque Country, Bilbao, or the picturesque seaport of San Sebastian (also called Donostia). These fabulous places are surrounded by stunning nature. The views of the wild waves breaking on the sharp cliffs, the green trees, and salty wind are an experience that you really can’t miss. One of the best ways to visit such a wild place is to hike. Luckily, one path of the famous pilgrim’s trail, the Saint James Way (“Camino de Santiago”), passes through the region. This is the best way to explore this beautiful wild nature is to hike this old Christian Way. So, let’s pack shoes and get ready for an extraordinary hike!

The whole Saint James Way is a long journey, but you don’t have to do the whole hike. In the case you can’t choose where to go, try from San Sebastian to Zarautz, a small coastal city that hides one of the best surfing beaches in the region.

Picturesque views and the sun on your back

hiking zarautz: the hidden pearl of northern spain | picturesque views and the sun on your back

Our journey begins at the city of San Sebastian, well known for its culture and a historical city centre. San Sebastian itself is an extremely interesting place, but we’ll concentrate our attention on its beautiful surroundings and lesser known places that you can discover during the hike. The best time to start the hike is the early morning, just like the pilgrims of the Saint James Way. This gives you more time to walk without hurry and you’ll be able to become familiar with fellow hikers. In addition, the path you’ll follow leaves the city quickly and you’ll soon see the sun rise in the forest. Climbing that first hill is a piece of cake. Luckily, much of the rest of the way is rather flat and is along the coastal cliffs. You’ll see the most picturesque views of your life – small green fields with goats and sheep, lonely cottages, wild cliffs, and a blue sea. In addition, the path is bordered with blackberries that will make your hike even more agreeable. Just don’t get too full from eating all of them as there is a nice town awaiting you downhill, so you’ll want to have some time to visit it.

Zarautz - taste the Spanish way of life

hiking zarautz: the hidden pearl of northern spain | zarautz - taste the spanish way of life

After quite a steep descend into a valley and passage through a small Basque village, you’ll quickly reach the final destination – Zarautz. Zarautz is a small but very animated town mainly thanks to its long beach that is ideal for surfing. In fact, many Spanish spend their summer holidays right here. Surely, you’ll be full of motivation to visit such a beautiful coastal city, but first, ask for accommodation in the pilgrim’s lodging house “Albergue público de Zarautz” at C. Zumalakarregi 16 as space is limited. It would be a pity to miss the unique possibility to sleep for almost free – the price for a bed is voluntary but it is polite to leave at least a few Euros for the host association that takes care after your stay. Once you get your place, your visit to the city can start.

Before going to the beach, have a quick look at the historical centre of the town. Tiny stone buildings hide an enormous number of cafés and bars, where the locals are talking with a glass of beer in hand. Their problem-free attitude to life and their happiness are stunning and inspirational. Pick one of these small bars and integrate yourself for a while in this relaxed way of life that for the Spanish is so familiar. Then, continue through the tangled streets to the coast. Stop by a bakery and buy a nice local pastry that is reminiscent of traditional Christmas candies from Eastern Europe – small round biscuits of different shapes and flavours, connected by jam or chocolate and nut spreads. An ideal afternoon snack…

The surfer's beach

hiking zarautz: the hidden pearl of northern spain | the surfer's beach

The beach is just around the corner. It is long and often crowded, full of shops and nice restaurants with a sea view. Stop at one of the restaurants with a terrace and order the local fish speciality called “balacalao con salsa verde” - cod marinated in a green sauce – or try some fresh salad. The salad with tuna fish, egg, and asparagus called “ensalada mixta” is really delicious.

While eating, enjoy watching the surfers riding the wild coastal waves. If you have a bit of courage and you like adventure, you can also visit one of the surfing schools located under the arcades. For example, Pukas Surfing School is very good and extremely large, and they offer a variety of courses ranging from one hour with the instructor to the whole surfing weekend. The price for 2 people for 1 hour costs 42 EUR (46 USD), surf equipment included. But pay attention, even if surfing is really a nice experience to try, don’t overestimate your ability, as a one hour lesson will tire you out for the rest of the day. Luckily, there are deck chairs nearby!

From San Sebastian to Zarautz

San Sebastian is an interesting city to discover, as is Zarautz, which you can reach via the Saint James hiking trail. Zarautz has a nice atmosphere, great surfing beaches, and delicious food.

Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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Hi, my name is Jana and I am a Czech girl currently living in Paris. Student of cinema and dance, I love to meet new people all over the world, to speak with them in different languages and to...Read more

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