The Northern Way from San Sebastián to Marquina

What makes San Sebastian so special? This refined city focusses on enjoying life to the fullest, with all five senses. Let 'Donostia' entice you with its excellent cuisine, summer beaches, Basque culture and grand film festival. The city’s ‘Old Port’ district is a must-see, along with the requisite paddle in the sea and stroll through the 19th-century shopping district.

Enjoy your first evening of the tour soaking up you first impressions of

Make your way out of the city this morning walking directly from your hotel or opt to skip the urban section and get dropped off at Ermita Guadalupe just above Fuenterrabia (Hondarribia in Basque).

Hiking up toward Jazkibel Peak, the Bay of Biscay spreads out below you as San Sebastian shrinks off into the distance. A military fort dating to the year 1900, one of at least five built here, requires no explanation from its perch on the border with France. Pause at the Jaizkibel cantina – your last chance for coffee or beer - then veer down off the ridge through open meadows and heaths to the fjord-like port of Pasaia. Jump on the ferry and, once across, return to the city by bus or walk another 9km to reach your hotel. The final section on foot explores a surprisingly rugged coastline, ending abruptly above Zurriola Beach and the Urumea Estuary, and ends with a short stretch past the beach and Kursaal modern art centre to the harbour, the city’s oldest sector.

Today you can enjoy the full 16km walk or opt to shorten the distance by taking a bus from the city to Monte Ezquiel (elevation 150m) to pick up the Camino del Norte pilgrimage path.

The route follows surfaced sections and unsurfaced tracks, maintaining height while the coast path surges constantly up and down below you. Both routes come together in the village of Orio. This typical fishing village, situated just where the sea, mountains and mouth of the Oria River meet, has witnessed the passing of pilgrims throughout the centuries. Take time to amble through the old quarter and ‘get lost’ on its narrow, cobbled lanes.

The Camino ‘lies low’ today, following mainly paved roads from village to village passing the port of Guetaria. Stop off in Zarautz, a real city, and stroll along the seafront, pause at a café or select a restaurant such as the one owned by Arguiñano, Spain's most famous television chef.

Your final stop is a town which gained instant stardom following the release of box-office hit 8 Apellidos Vascos and some local spots have suddenly become popular selfie decors. Make sure to snap a few pics at the port of Zumaia and San Telmo chapel, both of which appear in the film. When your stomach starts to rumble, head to the welcoming town centre, a proper Basque port with its own beach, where several top-tier seafood restaurants await!

Take the Camino out of town this morning then hop over to the GR-121 to enjoy the unique and bizarre rock formations along the coastal Flysch Geopark. Here you can inspect intriguing sequences of sedimentary rock layers of marine origin created 60 million years ago--veritable works of art sculpted by Mother Nature.

The Camino del Norte leads the way at both the beginning and end of today’s hike, and the last section stops at the station in Deba, where you can catch a slow train back to Zumaia (hourly departures, travel time 15 minutes). Once there, it’s a 20-minute walk back to your hotel to wrap up today.

Set off today with a morning transfer, then gradually leave the sea behind as you embark on an inland exploration of Basque territory, known for its dense woodlands, rounded hills and sparse population.

Venture along wide forest paths and gravel tracks passing remote farms and, perhaps, the occasional pilgrim. Revel in the tranquillity and soothing sounds of the forest then look around the lively town of Marquina-Jeméin and San Mikel chapel, a strange cult place beneath a huge menhir, packaged up in an 18th-century hexagonal building with a clock tower. Take a break at a 'taberna' in the town centre then take a footpath along the river to Bizkaia’s oldest standing water-powered forge, complete with its water wheel still intact. In the early 90’s the 500-square-metre forge was converted into a pleasant, comfortable hotel with a spacious lounge and open fire, as well as a large terrace for warm evenings.

You may feel reluctant to leave the Camino del Norte, but the lure of a peak just might make up for it! Choose your ascent and hike up to Pico Kalamua or Alto de Urregarai. Both summits are splendid vista points, looking out over high pastures and immense forests across the perfect Basque countryside to the Cantabrian Sea beyond.

A morning transfer takes you to the start of your route in either Barrinaga or Marquina-Jeméin today, and you return to your hotel on foot in the afternoon.

Your walking adventure comes to an end today after breakfast. A one-hour direct bus connects Marquina-Jeméin to Bilbao city centre, where you catch the 30-minute shuttle to the airport.