Since the weather forecast for the weekend had been alternating between rain and sunshine over the past few days, I decided fairly last minute to take a day trip to the coast of the Spanish province of Gipuzkoa this Friday. I had actually wanted to go to France, but when making plans on Thursday night, it turned out that a trip across the border requires a little more time, both for the journey and for the planning.
The first stop in the morning was San Sebastián, the capital of Gipuzkoa, where I had the famous cheesecake from “La Viña” for breakfast.
The town of Hondarribia, my intended destination, was easy to reach by bus from San Sebastián. By midday, I was already walking past the old fortress walls through the well-guarded town gate.
The old town of Hondarribia captivated me with its colorful and extremely photogenic medieval architecture. The many tourists, who, like me, pulled out their cell phones or cameras every few meters, were a testament to that.
I also particularly liked the Bahía de Txingudi Bay with a view of the French town of Hendaye. Today, however, there was no time to cross the border by ferry.
Instead, I enjoyed a delicious lunch in the harbor and then took a walk along the sandy beach.
The remainder of my time in Hondarribia was spent walking a (very small) section of the GR121 long-distance hiking trail. Through short stretches of forest, I first hiked to the lighthouse at Cabo Higuer.
Following the Atlantic coastline, I enjoyed incredibly beautiful views of the wild sea and crystal-clear water.
After this short hike, I headed back to Pamplona via San Sebastián, once again leaving with plenty of fond memories.
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