PSKid

Hi,
I am interested in a 2 or 3 bedroom rental in Bilbao or in a (preferably picturesque )village nearby. The house or apartment must have a full kitchen. It would be nice if it were in walking distance of a bakery.

If you have stayed in such a place or can recommend a rental agency, I would appreciate your help.

Maribel

For a villa/rural home in the Bilbao environs, go to the Basque Country's Association of Rural Homes, www.nekatur.net.
Choose Bizkaia as your province, then whole house (or apartment), then the number of persons. You'll find many whole house rentals/apartments in the area, plus there are some B&B type lodgings with from 4-6 rooms that give their guests the use of a full kitchen.

If you find something suitable in the countryside, check back here with its name and the name of the town, and some of us may be familiar with it.

We've stayed in several of the Nekatur properties around Bilbao and will return to one for a week this July. We love the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve and its estuaries-very, very pretty, scenic area for some amazing drives and walks.
On the Nekatur site, if you search by region, choose Coast of Uribe, Urdaibai or Encartaciones, for beautiful scenery.

PSKid

Hi, Maribel,

Thank you for your response. On the Nekatur site we are interested in Apezetxea, in Narbaiza in Llanada Alavesa. If you are familiar with the house and the town, we would appreciate your comments.

Thanks again for your help.

Maribel

Hi PSKid,
I'm familiar with the Llanada Alavesa from traveling through it on route from Pamplona to Vitoria. I haven't spent time in any casas rurales there, but it's one of the things on my "to do" list. So I can't tell you about the house. But the town isn't as close to Bilbao as some of the others, so don't know if you've changed your mind about being in the Bilbao vicinity.

We've stayed in casas rurales just north of Vitoria, around Amurrio (that area we called the Switzerland of the Basque country), so as to take the commuter train into Bilbao.

We've also stayed in the beautiful Urdaibai, just east of Bilbao, because we just love the area, a Biosphere Reserve, the scenic drives, and the proximity of the sea.

So perhaps mikelg or cova (Fodorites from Bilbao) can tell you more about this part of Alava.

mikelg

A bit in the middle of nowhere...but not far from anywhere. Nature and scenery, nice villages, close to Vitoria, not far from Bilbao...

But once again, just if you´re looking for a perfect place to relax

mikelg

Maybe a bit too far from Bilbao...

Maribel

Hi PSKID,
That's what I thought when reading that you had chosen that town-a place to relax in the countryside but a bit further from Bilbao and the coast than what I thought you were seeking.

PSKid

Hi,
Thank you for your help. This is a group venture and some of us are more interested in visiting cities and some of us are more interested in the countryside, so we are trying to accommodate both. We are thinking of flying to Bilbao and staying there a few days before we go to the house in the country.

PSKid

Hi,
I would like to thank everyone who helped with our planning, especially Maribel, whose guides we found very helpful.

We enjoyed our stay in Casa Rural Apezetxea Landetxea,near Vitoria-Gasteiz. We spent our first two nights in Bilbao, then drove to the house. We made day trips to San Sebastian, Vitoria-Gasteiz, the Rioja, and several other places. Then three of us flew to Barcelona for a 4-day stay. Our best restaurant meal was at Gresca in Barcelona.

I'm ready to start planning our next trip!

Maribel

Hi PSKid,
I'm glad that you enjoyed your stay at the Apezetxea Landetxea and that you found the files helpful.

We're staying at a Casa Rural now ourselves (member of Nekatur) in the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, to the east of Bilbao-simply beautiful setting facing the inlet and the sea and a fantastic value.
Today is the Fiesta de la Magdalena in Bermeo, so everyone (dressed immaculately in navy blue) is celebrating and awaiting the ships' arrival into the port after the authorities "retook" the island of Izaro. Quite fun to watch this annual tradition.

Glad you liked Gresca-I think it's one of Barcelona's best "bistronomics".