The Basque Country at its best
A sandy beach 80 meters wide and 2.5 km long surrounded by numerous hills just outside Zarautz - a small Basque town, only 20 km from San Sebastian, with flair and charm. #vanlifetour22 - travel day 10-13 / 56
After two relaxing nights on the west coast of France, we continued towards Spain, the country where we were to spend most of our VanlifeTour. Our first port of call was the popular town of Donostia San Sebastian. I fell in love with the picturesque setting on the Buch de la Concha a few years ago and it has lost absolutely nothing of its fascination.
We parked the van on a hill near the municipal sports center Pio Baroja and walked downhill about 20 minutes into town. It was a Saturday and the people in San Sebastian were a colorful mix of tourists and locals. Like in a picture book, there was typical Spanish music on the promenade, crowded alleys with tapas bars and wine stores one after the other, hidden ice cream parlors, exciting stores and a bustling but beautiful city beach, where many families with children bustled conspicuously. After a short jump into the cool water, we visited the aquarium of San Sebastian, which is known beyond the city limits. A great experience for young and old alike with lots of information about the ocean and shipping and a glass tunnel as a highlight of the exhibition. Our Lütte still remembers it fondly today.
„Mom, this is where I want to go again someday.”
For San Sebastian, you should definitely plan more than one day. Unfortunately, we did not manage that, because the only RV park "Autocaravanas San Sebastian" directly in the city, where we originally wanted to spend the night, was completely occupied up to the last place. In the first moment bad luck, but at second glance our luck. Because otherwise we would never have made the detour to Zarautz. With the help of the app Park4night we found a campsite on the hilltop of Talaimendi, just 20 kilometers from San Sebastian - with an unbeatable view down to the Hondartza Zarautz - a 2.5 km long and in some places up to 80 meters wide sandy beach. It is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in northern Spain and we can only confirm that. Especially the sunset from up here is an absolute feast for the eyes.
The way down to the beach
From the camping site to the beach you get over a slightly steep staircase with a good 440 steps. Since you overcome almost 120 meters of altitude on this path, you should be reasonably good on foot and also not forget anything by mistake at the top.
We spent two full days here and were almost only on the beach. The swell was partly quite strong and the current in some places not quite without. We got ourselves a bodyboard and let off steam in the waves.
Der Stadtstrand in Zarautz als Flaniermeile der Locals
The locals are also out and about here in large numbers on the weekend. However, hardly any of them sit on a towel with a book in their hand, as we typically know it from Germany. No! The Spaniards stroll along the beach all the time. Untrue, up and down, always at least in pairs, deeply immersed in conversation, always with no small bag on the body or a water bottle in hand. I only really understood why at the end. At 28 degrees it is firstly much too hot, secondly they stay so really fit (there were a lot of sporty people on the road, because Zarautz is also considered one of the best surfing hotspots in Europe) and thirdly you get so well and uniformly tanned from all sides. Clever!
What else Zarautz has to offer
Here are a few more tips we collected about Zarautz that make it worth spending a few more days in this beautiful place:
Surfing: Zarautz is a popular destination for surfers. You can almost always count on the waves, and there are a number of surf schools and rental stores on the beach where you can rent a board and a wetsuit.
Hiking: The surrounding hills of Zarautz offer many beautiful hiking opportunities. One popular route is the Camino de Santiago (Spanish: Way of St. James), which passes directly through Zarautz. From the center of Zarautz it takes about 40 minutes to get up to the Talaimendi hill, where the Grand Camping Zarautz is located. The view from up here is really spectacular and on clear days you can even see as far as San Sebastian and France.
The old town: The old town of Zarautz is full of historic buildings and narrow streets. It's a great place to stroll through the streets and immerse yourself in the unique architecture and charm of the town.
Be sure to try the local cuisine: After all, the Basque Country is known for its incredible cuisine, and Zarautz is no exception. There are many restaurants and bars serving local dishes such as pintxos (small snacks), seafood and steaks. Northern Spain is always worth a trip in terms of cuisine anyway.
An insider tip: The charming fishing village of Getaria is just a few kilometers from Zarautz. It houses the Balenciaga Museum, dedicated to the famous fashion designer Cristóbal Balenciaga.
Transportation: Zarautz is easily accessible by car, bus and train. There is also parking in the city for small to medium sized RVs.
„Zarautz is worth a trip all around”
Short description of the spot
Name: Grand Camping Zarautz
Adresse: Monte Talai-Mendi, s/n Zarautz,
Guipúzcoa, 20800 Spain
Cost: 20 euro / night (low season, May)
Our recommendation: 4/5 stars
--------------------------------------------------
The campsite Grand Camping Zarautz is located at about 1,200 m above sea level and can be reached by a well-maintained, but partly somewhat narrow road. It has more than 450 pitches, making it the largest campsite in the region. The staff is extremely nice, speaks very good English and is always happy to help with any needs.
At the reception there is a small store where you can buy the most necessary things. But you should arrive with a full fridge. The restaurant on the site offers alternatively a very good Spanish cuisine.
The terrain is partly a bit sloping, so be sure to have wedges with you. The places with sea view are of course limited and almost always occupied. Who wants to stand here, should reserve in advance (Womos up to max. 6.4 length). Basically, the site could certainly have been laid out a bit nicer and some plots are in our opinion a bit narrow, but the view and nature compensate for it.
Otherwise, you have everything you need here. Well-developed and clean washrooms and toilets, a small playground, bread service, a super restaurant with typical Spanish flair and overall a clean place. There are even still so-called glamping accommodations on the site - these are partly equipped with kitchen and beds safari tents with small terrace. Looks nice.
On the weekends there is a lot going on at the site, even in the off-season, because the Spanish also love camping. Most of them come on Friday evenings and go home on Sunday afternoons. So if you are looking for absolute peace and seclusion, you should rather visit Grand Camping Zarautz in the low season and during the week.
We can definitely recommend the place just because of the magnificent view and beach access.
Comentarios