Moraira Property Sales – Regional Break to the Basque Country

Living in Moraira or another town on the Costa Blanca might make others think that you’ll never need to go elsewhere on holiday again. However, this isn’t the case, we know that we are fortunate to have found the perfect Moraira property sales but, we still occasionally feel the need to explore other places.

Escaping the Heat

One thing that those who buy homes in Moraira do like to do sometimes is escape the intense heat of the summer and head for the mountains and the Basque Country nestled in the Pyrenees mountains is a great destination to make for. This is the perfect contrast to the beautiful Mediterranean coastal resorts with the dramatic landscape and refreshing mountain aire this area of northern Spain and southern France has a unique heritage, proud traditions and distinct cruisine.

Heritage

The Basque country sets itself apart from the rest of Spain and has campaigned for independence, they have their own language Euskera which has its historic roots in pre-Indo-European languages and is spoken by many the population. They are proud of their differences so it will stand you in good stead to learn a couple of phrases like Kaixo = Hello and Eskerrik asko = thank you. The Basque country also has a coastline with charming towns to visit like Hondarribia on the French border or the city of Bilbao where the modern Guggenheim Museum provide a contract to the gothic Santiago Cathedral. Try to watch a game of pelota which is played with a leather ball against a wall, has a fast pace and requires both skill and athleticism. The Gernika Peace museum is a poignant reminder of the bombing the town suffered during the Spanish Civil War and the regions maritime history can be seen in Pasaia where the beautiful harbour has a tradition for shipbuilding.

Landscape

We are lucky in the Costa Blanca to have some beautiful scenery but, the mountains of the Basque country, the green rolling hills and the cliffs overlooking the Bay of Biscay provide a contrast. Walking in the hills can provide a picturesque experience but, for the more adventurous a trip into the Picos de Europa mountains reserve will allow you to witness green valleys, waterfalls and snow-capped peaks. Many enjoy exploring the coastline by bike finding hidden coves and seaside villages en-route. 

Cuisine

A visit to San Sebastian will lead you to a culinary wonderland of local recipes, the city has several Michelin-starred restaurants or reasonably price and cosy pintxos bars. Pintxos are the Basque version of tapas with bite sized morsels served on skewers like Txistorra, a spicy chorizo or Gilda which is a skewer of green olive, anchovy and piquillo pepper. Enjoy your food with a glass of txakoli a slightly sparkling white wine unique to the Basque country, you may want to return to your home in the Costa Blanca with a bottle or two of this to share with friends. In the Basque countryside you will come across traditional farm to table meals “Caserio” which include dishes like marmitako a rich tuna and potato stew or chuleton which is a juicy rib-eye stake seasoned to perfection and cooked over and open fire. Try to witness a txokos which are private social clubs where members gather to cook and socialise creating a joyful, communal atmosphere that is the soul of the Basque culture.

Winter Wonderland

Living in the Costa Blanca you may sometimes crave some winter weather and scenery too and what better place than in the Basque country. Here there is a smaller, less well-known ski resort just a few kilometres from Biarritz called La Rhune. Here you can enjoy snow in the winter months with downhill skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and perhaps indulge in some apres-ski too!!! The highlight is a wooden rack railway built in 1924 which takes you 905 metres up the mountain.

Conclusion

The Costa Blanca is an incredible place which is why so many of us choose to buy a house in Moraira but, Spain is a large and incredibly interesting country with many diverse regions so once you have put down your roots do take holidays that will allow you to get to know the whole peninsula. You will always find something fascinating and be able to sample an abundance of tasty food and delicious wines but, when the holiday is over you can return to your Moraira Villa enjoy living in this Mediterranean wonderland.