Bizkaia, Spain

Yesterday we spent the day in Bizkaia, Biscay in English, a region on the Northern coast of Spain, south of the Bay of Biscay. The area is filled with stunning coastlines, colorful ports, popular surf towns and endless green hillsides. Well known cities in the region are Bilbao, the capital city and Guernica, which was bombed by the Germans during the Spanish Civil war and was the subject of Picasso's famous Guernica painting.

Our first stop was Bermeo, a charming fishing village with a bustling cafe-lined port. 

Our next stop was San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, an islet off the town of Bermeo. Normally, you can climb the 237 steps to reach the church at the top, which dates back to the 10th century. The tradition is to ring the bell of the church 3 times and make a wish. Unfortunately, the recent storms caused damage to much of the coastline and access to the stairs was closed. We only saw the sign, handwritten on cardboard, after we had climbed all the way down the hill to the entrance. We were still able to admire the gorgeous views from above.

Mundaka is famous surfing town, internationally known for having the best left wave in Europe. We enjoyed lunch at Asador Portuondo, overlooking the sands of the Mundaka estuary.

Our last stop was Elantxobe. The town was smaller and quieter than the others, but equally picturesque. Locals were sprawled out along the ports' stone walls, enjoying the sun.

We took the scenic route home through the Basque mountains, passing through small villages where it appeared that time had stopped. When we drive through the Basque countryside my favorite thing to do is search for sheep. Since it is almost spring, I was specifically searching for baby sheep. I was so happy to spot this mother with her three babies running and jumping after her.