The Basque CountryA Unique Way Of Being
The three provinces of Alava, Guipuzcoa and Vizcaya form the Autonomous Community, which is the rump of the old Basque territories along with Navarra and the Basque regions of France, and it is here that the sentiment of the Basque nation is at its strongest. The capital - Vitoria-Gasteiz - is a lovely historical city with plenty of fine religious and government buildings, but the region's biggest and most well-know city is Bilbao. Bilbao has undergone an amazing transformation in recent years. The port has been moved down the bay away from the Nervión estuary and with the building of Frank Gehry's flamboyant Guggenheim Museum, the once grey industrial city has not only become brighter and greener but also a world cultural centre. San Sebastián - Donostia in Basque - with its city beach and rambling old quarter remains as lovely as ever, and an evening of beer and pintxos - Basque bar snacks is difficult to improve on. In fact, one of the delights of any time in the Basque Country is its food - its farmers produce excellent meat, its fishermen haul in first-rate fish and its bodegas produce some excellent wines. In fact, the southern vineyards of the Rioja Alavesa are a perfect destination for rural tourism. However, the real draw of the region is its wonderful coastline where sea and mountain give on to long reddish beaches. I particularly like Bay of Txingundi close to the French border and its sedate resorts of Irún and Hondarribia.
If you're making your way across Northern Spain
DK Eyewitness Guide to Northern Spain Football In EuskadiThe region's main club is, without doubt, Bilbao's Athletic Club - one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Spain. Athletic Club were Copa del Rey finalist in 2009, a worthy achievement given their policy of only signing Basque players.The other big club are Real Sociedad - another 'historico' of Spanish football, but currently competing in Segunda. The historical rivalries and resentments between the two clubs is particularly well-covered by Phil Ball in Morbo: The Story of Spanish Football 
Both SD Eibar and Deportivo Alavés were relegated from Segunda to Segunda B at the end of the 2008-09 and will join Bilbao Athletic, Real Unión,
Barakaldo, SD Lemona, Sestao River and Real Sociedad B in the third tier of Spanish football.
Where To Stay In The Basque CountryIf you're looking for somewhere to stay in the Basque Country, please use Spain Accomodation Search to find hotels in the Bilbao, Vitoria and San Sebastián areas.The engine searches the databases of the companies listed below and returns with a list of hotels at all prices and star ratings. Once you click through, you can make the booking directly with the company and also browse for last minute deals.
If you're looking for something a little cheaper or even further off the beaten track, Click Here For The Best Prices And Widest Choice of Hostels in the Basque Country One of the best ways of getting about the region is by car, so Click Here for the Basque Country Car Hire Search of the airports and major towns in the Basque Country. Alava Province | Guipuzcoa Province | Vizcaya Province Airports: Bilbao Airport | Vitoria Airport Football Clubs: Athletic Bilbao | Real Sociedad | Deportivo Alavés | SD Eibar Books and Guides to Aragon: On Amazon.co.uk  | On Amazon.Com
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includes an extensive section on the Basque Country and also covers Galicia, Asturias,
Cantabria and Aragón and, for a more detailed overview, the
is also very good.
