Travel — Spain— Culture
BASQUE IN THE BEAUTY
When planning travel as queer people, destinations which are rural, off the beaten track, or which haven’t been “peer-reviewed” by queer friends may get overlooked. On a recent trip to the Basque Country, Ríon Duffy Murphy looked beyond this pre-emptive filtering and found an unexpected gem in the process.
The Basque Country was never really on my radar - a mountainous, coastal, autonomous region in the north of Spain, which I had not heard many other queer people mention visiting. However, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to visit and be introduced to the area by Queer Destinations and Euskadi Basque Country.
Last year the region became the first in Europe to achieve Queer Destinations Committed status. Awarded by Queer Destinations and the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association, this recognises a commitment to providing a safe, inclusive experience to LGBTQ+ travellers, with over 50 hospitality businesses training every member of their staff in LGBTQ+ awareness.
While a fraction as big as Madrid or Barcelona, Bilbao, the largest city in the Basque Country, still has a lively LGBTQ+ scene. There are several queer and queer-friendly venues in the city centre, such as Badulake, Pepe por Dos, and El Balcón de Lola, as well as an LGBTQ+ focused hotel, Axel Hotel.
Zinegoak LGBTQ+Film Festival is held in Bilbao and nearby towns every February, and the annual Bilbao Bizkaia Harro pride festival is held in June. Visitors can also take part in monthly LGBTQ+ history tours, run by the pride festival organisers and Bilbao City Council.
Even outside of explicitly queer spaces, I felt welcome. Many of the local Basque LGBTQ+ community representatives I spoke to confirmed that the attitude in the area towards queer people was generally either positive or neutral. They attributed this to a combination of the cultural shift towards progressive ideals following the end of dictatorship in Spain’s history, mixed with an “each to their own” Basque cultural attitude, where prying is frowned upon. I am a visibly queer, white, English-speaking transmasc person, so of course, it is worth noting that this reception may vary based on the body you are travelling in and where in the region you travel to.
While Bilbao is lovely, it is absolutely worth exploring the region beyond the city. The landscapes are among the most beautiful I have ever seen. Due to the mild climate and abundant rainfall, much of the region is impossibly green and lush, with picturesque mountains which feel fantastically dramatic compared to the sleepy, sloping landscape of Ireland. The coastlines are equally striking, varying from islands used as Game of Thrones filming locations, to beaches with vast ridged-stone cliffs, to quaint, cosy bays.
The dreamiest of these is La Concha Bay, a sheltered, seashell-shaped inlet hugged by the town of San Sebastián/Donostia. A summer retreat for the Spanish royal family in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the town is now home to the headquarters of GEHITU, an organisation dedicated to advocating for LGBTQ+ rights in the Basque Country.
In the historical quarter of San Sebastián/Donostia, our Queer Destinations guides pointed out Basque flags hanging from balconies, often alongside Palestinian flags. They gave us an intro to the region’s history, and its autonomous community status. Many of the people in the region consider themselves Basque, rather than Spanish. Walking through misty rain and learning about the legacy of the previously banned linguistically unique Euskara language, their complex history of struggle for self-determination, and the sentiment of solidarity with Palestine, reminded me of home.
One of the most well-known aspects of Basque culture is its food. Pintxos are small dishes, typically served on small pieces of bread, which include ingredients like fresh tuna, cod or prawns, pickled anchovies or spicy peppers, sharp cheeses, cured meats, and olives. The local wine, txakoli, has a unique flavour due to the region’s microclimate. It is traditionally poured from a height, requiring precision and skill. During cider season, cider houses host txotx ceremonies, where the new season’s cider is tasted along with a meal before bottling. The Basque Country is also a fine dining destination, with 22 Michelin-starred restaurants in the region.
Additionally, the region is home to many museums. Cristóbal Balenciaga Museoa, the Balenciaga Museum, is located in Getaria, Cristóbal Balenciaga’s hometown. The Guggenheim Bilbao houses work by world-renowned contemporary artists, and the Oma Forest (or Painted Forest) in Kortezubi provides a unique open-air museum experience.
My trip culminated in the LGBT+ Travel Symposium, which platformed the work being done to make the Basque Country an LGBTQ+ travel destination. Travel agents, writers, queer organisers, and tourism industry professionals shared their experiences and advised on changes needed to allow queer people to travel the world safely and proudly. One sentiment echoed throughout the day was LGBTQ+ travellers’ power to be intentional in who they financially support, by choosing the regions, businesses, and people who support our community. After spending time in the region, and seeing their commitment to offering openness, acceptance and hospitality to queer visitors, the Basque Country definitely belongs in that category.