In this, the most complete guidebook to the Spanish and French Basque Country and Navarre, Murray Stewart covers the principal cities - rejuvenated Bilbao, beautiful San Sebastian, verdant Vitoria-Gasteiz, atmospheric Bayonne and lively Pamplona - and also delves deeper into the region's interior, capturing the quirkiness that makes it so special. With 35 maps, 16 walks and advice on where to cycle, horse-ride and surf, he guides travellers through an area whose profile is firmly on the up. Find the best pintxos (Basque tapas), the finest chuleton (beef chop) and the freshest fish. From elegant Biarritz via the French Basque Pyrenees and all the way to the Navarran 'badlands' of the Bardenas Reales, we take you to fascinating, less-visited places. Here are the best festivals, including Pamplona's famous bull-running San Fermin. Learn how the handing-over of three cows has kept the peace for centuries, or where you can see the annual 'Benediction of the Red Pepper'. Join the walkers on the caminos de Santiago, the pilgrim routes that still sustain the local economy 1,000 years after they began. Find information on unique Basque and Navarran wines, top birdwatching sites, history, music, sports and culture, and when makes the best time to visit. Winner of the 'Best Travel Guidebook' award at the 2016 British Guild of Travel Writers' Awards.

Author Biography

An excellent French and Spanish-speaker, travel writer Murray Stewart has worked in Northern Spain as a business consultant and taught English in Chile and Mexico. For part of the year, he lives in southern France. A diehard pilgrim, he has twice trekked over 1200 kilometres to Santiago de Compostela, passing slowly through both the French and Spanish Basque regions, as well as Navarre, on his way. He has also extensively toured the western Pyrenees and Navarre by bicycle. Recently pursuing a more sedate passion for classic cars, in 2014 he bought a 1970s Seat 600 in San Sebastian and drove it half way across France.