Feb. 7th (Fri)
Today, I will visit Zumaia and Getaria en route from Bilbao to San Sebastian. Although it is possible to travel directly to San Sebastian by bus, I have opted for a private driver provided by Discovery Basque through the travel agency Veltra.

As the restaurant in Getaria opens at 13:00, I had time to leave the hotel at 11:15. I took a walk along the river near the hotel. As I approached the Zubisuri, I encountered four female statues. They appear to represent the manner in which women historically pulled boats along this river with ropes.

Zubizuri Bridge, meaning “white bridge” in Basque, is exclusively for pedestrians. Its design is particularly intriguing.

My driver, John, arrived to collect us at 11:15, we departed Zumaia. journey took approximately 40 minutes, and the was parked near San Telmo Church.

It appears that one can reach the tip of the cape the San Telmo Church; however, the strong wind was formidable enough to deter me from attempting the walk. I observed two young individuals making the journey, but they eventually turned back after a short while.

Zumaia features a distinctive topography showcasing a series of strata from the Cretaceous period of dinosaur era to the Paleogene period of the mammal era. Although it was high tide and I could not observe the strata near the beach, the view was nonetheless magnificent.

I reached the neighboring port town of Getaria approximately 15 minutes after leaving Zumaia. Upon exiting the car, I noticed an observation deck on the right and decided to ascend it.

I could observe the harbor the fishing vessels were anchored.

It’s like the main street of the town.

There was a tombstone bearing the names of 35 individuals including Juan Sebastian Elkano Elkano was a Basque sailor and explorer from Getaria who served the King of Spain. assumed command of Magellan’s circumnavigation of the world (1519 to 1522) after Magellan was killed in battle in the Philippines in 1521. With only 18 survivors in total, the tombstone likely includes the names of other involved.

As I was walking around, it was almost 13:00, so I headed to Elkano, where I had made a lunch. Elkano is a renowned restaurant in Getaria and has maintained a Michelin star for an extended period. Since I had traveled all the way to the Basque Country, I wanted to dine at least once at a Michelin-starred restaurant, so I chose this one. By the way, what you can the left is a grill for grilling fish over charcoal.

On the table, there was a fork and knife rest adorned with the name Elkano, placed on top of a napkin.

Having only reserved a table, I opted for an a la carte menu. For first, I ordered a half-size serving of their renowned fish soup. It appears that they have maintained the same flavor since the restaurant’s inception, as it boasted a rich taste. The and flavor were reminiscent of the sauce I experienced with bouabaisse in Marseille.

The next item served was the shop’s complimentary dish: a crab meat and miso-based sauce in the foreground. When dipped into the fish fillet in the background, it was exceptionally delicious, reminiscent of eating sashimi with liver soy sauce.

The second dish I ordered was marinated lobster, which exceptional in both taste and texture.

The third dish, “KOKOTXAS,” was prepared from the jaw meat of the hake, a Basque specialty. It was cooked in three different ways: grilled, buttery, and with a green sauce, each of which was delightful.

The fourth dish was Turbot, which I was to try upon arriving here. Turbot is a fish caught in the Mediterranean and North Atlantic Oceans and is not commonly found Japan. However, it is a delicious fish with a delicate flavor.

The floor staff will cut the meat into pieces and serve it to each person. Each piece has a slightly different taste, but it is amazing how it can taste so good just by grilling it over charcoal and topping it with olive oil and butter sauce. There must be some other secret.

The wine I selected was Trascuevas 2022 Artuke, a wine from the nearby Rioja region. It was a well-balanced wine with a refreshing taste and was delightful.

When I exited and observed the stove outside, a cheerful elderly man was grilling an assortment of fish.

I concluded my meal at 14:45, precisely matching our scheduled departure time. As anticipated from a Michelin-starred, relished a leisurely and delectable meal, resulting in a highly satisfying lunch. The restaurant’s atmosphere was casual, and the cost was significantly than that of other Michelin-starred establishments.

Approximately 30 minutes after departing from Getaria, I arrived at Hotel Zen Convento San Martin, where I will be staying in San Sebastian. I will provide details about San Sebastian in a subsequent post.