Biarritz became an internationally renowned seaside resort in 1854, when the Emperor Napoleon III and his wife Eugenie built their summer palace, now the grand Hotel du Palais along the oceanfront in Biarritz. Overnight Biarritz became a playground for Europe’s rich and famous and referred to as “the queen of beaches and the beach of kings”.

Bayonne is the regional capital and port town. It is steeped in history and has a number of good museums.

St Jean de Luz is a cosy seaside port with pedestrian streets filled with great art galleries, boutiques and good restaurants.

San Sebastian, just 40 minutes to the south over the Spanish border is a bustling international resort in it’s own right. It also happens to be the Mecca of tapas bars! And of course there is Bilbao with the Guggenheim museum as well.
And if action is more your style, look no further. Not only is there the ocean but also emerald green valleys and the Pyrenees mountains in the background. Come and surf, swim and sail in the Atlantic. Hike, bike and 4WD in the Pyrenees mountains, raft in the rivers, there is no end to what can be proposed to keep you moving! And at the end of the day, sit back and enjoy the fabulous Basque cuisine.