Ok, I've done a lot of homework. I've consulted my hard copy guides, online guides, and every darn trip report from 2015 forward on Fodors and others. I truly thought I had nailed the first and last bases that would wipe out 6 days or our 13-14 touring days, but now I'm second-guessing even those. I remain in a state of indecision about where to plant ourselves in Basque Country, and the lack of decision is driving me crazy. I'm wondering if it's an old-age thing--you know, the idea that there will never be a "re-do" at our ages.

I have a great idea of some tours I'd like to take to experience this area. I just am stuck about where to situate to experience those all.

AI has NOT been helpful. Ironically, from AI I'm getting BACK information I inputted (bet that's happening for many on this forum--I bet our forums are the Obi-Wan-Kenobi of AI Information).

It's time to phone a friend. Fodor's peeps, I'm dialing now.

Non-Changeable Plans unless either my husband or I die (greatly possible):

On a Tuesday in June 2026, we fly into Biarritz (BIO) via CDG from the States and then have
12(ish) days touring until on a
Monday in June 2026 we fly out of Bilbao (BIO)

Initial Plans That Are Still Open to Change:

• First Base: 3 Nights or Less Bayonne
  I'm becoming indecisive here. I figured on a "recovery night" plus two touring days, but that might be too much. I'm even re-thinking this as our first base.

• Last Base: 3 Nights or More Bilbao
  This is the most important base of the trip. Bilbao has been on my bucket list ever since the Guggenheim was built. How long we stay there is entirely open. I know it's a great base for both in-city and out-of-city tours (Guernica is a #1 priority). As a result, I'm open to adding at least one more night here.

The above brings me to the crux of the matter: I have at least 8 touring days remaining, where I probably need two or more bases. I can't decide!

Decision Factors:

• We prefer 3- or more-night stays. But I'm open to breaking our rules for two night stays to make the most use of our time (although I won't tell my husband until we leave).
  
• I thought San Sebastian was the obvious included base. Now I'm looking at Hondarribia as a better choice.
  
• I'm considering Saint-Jean-de-Luz for its access to tiny French towns I'd like, plus its better access to Le Train de la Rhune. But is this redundant with Bayonne?
  
• Do I really need to see Pamplona? My husband was there in the 60s with his very likeable idiot companions, who, totally unfit, ran with the bulls. My husband stayed inside the fence. As he said, "I may have been fit, but I've never been stupid." He actually admires the art of bullfighting (he got to see some top toreadors) but is totally over it. I know it's not "me" but perhaps...

Other Considerations:

• Transport: I know someone is going to say, "If you rented a car for a day..." Nope. Not happening. Train, Bus, Tram, Metros be us.
  
• Transport Timing: I'm more than willing to do 2+ hours to get to a base that will wipe out big transfers for a few days. I'm less inclined to do 2 hrs for a mere overnight. Note: I'm willing to pound in 2+ hours transport time TOTAL for an important daytrip especially if it involves...
  
• Tour Transfers: We are big fans of tours that engage us for the day and plop us off to another base. The problem is WHICH BASES PROVIDE THE IDEAL TO/FROM?

Tour Preferences That Could Color All of This?:

• We used to be active hiking and cycling travelers. Now our feet have to do the aerobic substitute. We are pretty darn good on walking tours and museums.
  
• We are still die-hard history, culture and arts fans.
  
• We are NOT into wine, but we do know that Basque country has a cultural, historial and even an architectural connection with wine. We'll suffer one or more wine excursions with architectural, historial, cultural importance.
  
• While food tours have been a part of our touring life for ages, unless they have historical context, we are not interested. We are not "Let's eat and drink ourselves into a coma" persons.
  
• It's a lay-up that we don't speak Basque. Our pitiful Spanish is limited to "Hello", "Goodbye", "Thank you," and "Where is..." I speak a solid utility French--waiters never interrupt me now. My husband is very fluent in the languages of Beer and Currency.

Thank you for any advice, even if I don't take it!

AZ

I must admit that I was not enamored of Hondarribia. I know some other Fodorites enjoyed it immensely; I’m glad I saw it, but found it dull. Maybe I just went at the wrong time? I found San Sebastian / Donostia much more to my liking. I liked Bilbao even better. Maybe you saw the report of my 2015 trip.

While in San Sebastian, I took a pintxos tour and was very glad I did. I know it would be easy to sample pintxos on one’s own, but there are many different types and I wanted to taste a variety from someone with knowledge of them. Too, I was traveling solo, and while I’m happy to dine alone, I don’t like going into bars alone, even when drinking isn’t my goal. One of the things I enjoyed about my experience was that the guide took us to one of San Sebastian / Donostia’s private gastronomic clubs (just to see it) and told us about the area’s club traditions – fascinating! The tour I took, which was with San Sebastian Food, doesn’t seem to exist anymore, but there are others.

Hope that helps! It’s a fascinating area – I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time no matter what you choose.

Hard to know what you are really asking for, too many things to take into account!

Some ideas from a Bilbao local:

- Baiona-Bayonne is a great place as a base to explore the French Basque Country. It´s a bigger city with more things to do and see than St Jean de Luz or Biarritz. And very well linked to anywhere in the area.
- Bilbao also makes a great base for visits to Rioja wine country, for example, and surrounding areas in the city. It also has wonderful architectura and a beautiful old quarter. I would consider a transfer tour to Bilbao from Donostia/San Sebastian or viceversa, that would include Gernika. I do not recommend the visit to the Museum of Peace, but instead, the much more interesting Casa de Juntas, one of the oldest forms of parliamentary democracy in the world and one of the reasons John Adams visited Bilbao, with John Quincy and Richard, his two sons, in 1780.
- Hondarribia makes a great day visit from Baiona-Bayonne or D-SS. Beautiful town.
- A pintxos tour either in Bilbao (less touristy) or D-SS is a great idea, it´s far from "eat and drink until you die", it´s a fantastic way to get acquainted with this very particular Basque thing.
- Iruña-Pamplona is a nice city, you can see it in half a day from D-SS, if it´s part of your interests.

Hope this helps!

Count us among those who enjoyed Hondarribia. Much less touristy than San Sebastián. We were steered there by Nagore at the Lukas Boutique food shop in our hotel. We found her to be a fountain of knowledge about the local food scene. Liked the Pintxo bars in Hondarribia more than in SS and enjoyed an interesting dinner at Gastroteka Danonzat. Not Arzak but quite good.
I think, however for you San Sebastián would be better since food is not a priority for you. We had a car but I think you can find buses to many places from San Sebastián.

Years ago we stayed a few nights in Mundaka, famous among surfers. It's a charming wee village with lots of excellent walks, including some along the beautiful seafront. Good food, but duh, It's the Basque country.

We stayed at the Hotel Atalaya, a gingerbread confection on the main square; apparently Frank Gehry stayed there during parts of the Guggenheim's construction. I believe there's a train station close to the village center. https://www.atalayahotel.es/en/

I agree with mikelg that Bayonne is a good base for French Basque Country. We spent a few days there and were impressed with the public buses available to go to Biarritz and other places. Bayonne is on a major trainline with service to Biarritz, St.-Jean-de-Luz, and connection to Spain.
One thing we particularly enjoyed was the Basque Museum in Bayonne.
https://www.musee-basque.com/

After three nights there we picked up a car and moved to an AirBnB in Espelette where we spent four days exploring the beautiful countryside and towns in the area. Without a car, I'm sure there would be tours from Bayonne to take you to Espelette, Ainhoa, St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port and other sites.

Driving from Espelette to San Sebastian we looked around Hondarribia and decided to have lunch there. I remembered that Stu Dudley recommended the Alameda restaurant, looked up and we were right in front of it. After a hunt for a parking place, we went there and had a wonderful lunch. I would not see Hondarribia as a good base though. Bayonne is much better located.

Thank you for so many replies. I have a special thank you to MaineGG for reassuring me that my Bayonne base was the right call. But I realized I overwhelmed you lovely people with TMI. My apologies! I gotta get straight to the point!!!

Back to the basics:
The situation: We will be traveling east to west, landing in BIQ (Biarritz), where will not be staying and flying out of BIO (Bilbao), where we SHALL stay, around two weeks later.

1) As indicated, I have my first base--Bayonne. I chose it because it offered the easiest "taxi or bus from the airport (BIQ), fall asleep, and wake-up to touring without any other transport" options. As MaineGG implied, the things we wanted to do out the gate-walking tour, a few museums, at least two "foodie" places, and simple, less-than-an-hours day trips (Biarritz,etc) meant I scheduled THREE nights in Bayonne, and I have my hotel in place. The hotel is not a spit from the rail station, but it's decently walkable to it, plus it's on good bus/tram lines.

2) I have my last base--Bilbao, in many way the whole purpose of the trip. We will stay at a minimum THREE nights here, but because we fly to CDG from BIO in the morning, I am considering a FOURTH night. I have NOT reserved my hotel yet.

So what's my problem? I'm having difficulty choosing the other ideal bases for the trip.

The question remains:
If you were in our shoes and did NOT have a car, which two or three cities other than Bayonne and Bilbao should we base ourselves between Bayonne and Bilbao over eight (8) nights?

• If you had to choose TWO others, which ones would they be? (I'm sure San Sebastian is a contender, but what other place would fill in the gap nicely?)
• If you had to choose THREE others, which ones would they be? (Yep, San Sebastian could be a contender, but what other places would fill in the gap nicely?)

Be assured...

• We already understand all the transport systems available in both the French and the Spanish areas. We are pretty darn pleased to have so many options.
• Walking tours, including special museum tours, will be our prime goal in all areas.
• I want to do the cog railway at La Rhune badly. My husband, eh, not so much but...
• We WILL be doing food tours. I gave you the impression we would not be, but that's not true. I am planning at least one pinxtos tour, and I have a list of them in both San Sebastian and in Bilbao. I'm still weighing contenders. I might even schedule a cooking class.
• Similarly, I am strongly included to do a wine country/architectural daytrip tour.
• We certainly will do a tour that allows us to see Zumaia's Flysch formations, plus a tour that would allow us to see Guernica, including the Assembly Hall.

But at this point, I'm only worried about bases so that I can nail down lodging!

Bless you all for helping me plan, even if I made it extra hard for you.
AZ

Why not going south to Rioja Alavesa, the Basque Rioja wine region, stopping in our capital, Vitoria -Gasteiz? Rioja wine region has beautiful medieval towns, like Laguardia (excellent base for the area) Labastida, Elciego...and in La Rioja neighboring region, Sajazarra, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, Cuzcurrita...It's much, much more than wine.

And the unique Salt Valley of Añana, 7,000 years of history in a beautiful setting.

I loved Laguardia! Charming, and as mikelg says, far more than just wine.

Yo AZ - I am with Kja & Mikel about Laguardia.
We once stayed 3 nights at Casa Rural Erlrtxe (beehive). If she is still in business, Maria will do everything she can to enhance your stay. Ask about her favourite dolmens, her side business (honey-duh) and her late husband's marvelous hand-made guestbook, a leather-with-enamel-inlay work of art in itself. Wish that we'd been able to stay longer.

I am done. the rioja

Living in the area, I would think that St Jean de Luz is more convenient if you plan to explore the area.
It is obviously smaller than Bayonne but quite lively (rue Gambetta, Les Halles on market day).
Frequent buses and trains for Bayonne. At last, a direct bus service to Biarritz has been resumed.
Buses between Bayonne and SJDL stop at BIQ.
And SJDL is some quite of bus hub for the small villages like Sare, Aihnoa, Espelette + cog train.
Only St Jean pied de port would be less accessible. The train leaving from Bayonne is highly recommended for the scenery along river Nive

Thank you all again for pitching in! How can I ever thank you enough? As some of you kindly realized, I was in a state of "What in the Heck Did I Get Myself Into?" I had read too much information, read too many reports, and somehow ended up dazed and confused.

My sister and husband dropped by yesterday. I hadn't seen them for a year (we moved away from our shared hometown six states away five years ago and catch-ups are hard), but I remembered that they taken an active vacation with Backroads in the Basque area and asked for advice about how they planned their pre- and post-trip. My sister, who USED to be like me, the ultimate trip planner/decider for all of their extensive travel, has now allowed a friend of theirs to take charge, and she LOVES taking the back seat now. But her advice was, "Why aren't you looking at Backroads itineraries? You sure took enough trips with them. They always have pre-trip and post-trip advice."

OMG--Where was my mind? Here, lately, I had been reading all the Rick Steve's Basque Tour trip reports, even though we've never been inclined to do an RS trip, but I forgot that I used to use various bike-tour itineraries as guideposts when planning our own DIY trips. Even though we "retired" from cycle life after over 20 trips, that doesn't mean we're dead. There's a point of view there that may be more aligned with ours. No matter what, I love tour maps, and now I have at the very least five interesting maps at my disposal to focus my thoughts and reject a lot of things.

The rejection part is truly important. It's sorting personal "wheat" from others' "chaff".

So rouelan, it's quite ironic that you were the last post, and that it was about SJDL. I just told my husband today I am leaning towards it as a base in addition to our first stop in Bayonne, believe it or not. I'm thinking Bayonne will still be our arrival "recovery" area with a solid "touring light" start. After all, we can roll out of bed in Bayonne and get instant culture. The rest of the trip, the harder parts, I'm thinking, could start in earnest in St Jean-de-Luz. I see so many fun variations from there for things I WANT to do, rather than things we SHOULD do.

So where am I mentally right now? Well, I have always signed off when giving planning advice to others with, "Happy Planning." Now I'm getting to the "happy" stage, thank goodness.

With much appreciation for all of you,
AZ

AZ, over on the resurrected Lonely Planet Thorn Tree forum on Reddit, the poster 'landes' (formerly bjd) is a Canuck ex-pat who also lives in that SJDL/Bayonne area.
I'm confident that she'd be willing to answer related questions. The above TT is free to join, if anyone might ever be interested.
I am done. the base

Thanks so much, zebec. I'll head over there this morning for a look-see.

I'm further along since my last reply. Settling myself down with a good old, "OK--what can you do from (base) without transferring and in what timeframe?" spreadsheet using hypothetical bases from East to West is proving to be helpful.

Everyone thinks traveling without a car is impossible, but for this area, on both the French and Spanish sides, there's a largesse of pretty cheap public transport options with another largesse of little things I'd love to experience. The many options all overwhelmed me at first, but after "playing" with 30 or so public transport routes over the past 48 hours, I'm now in a pretty good visualization mode. The goal is to sketch out a rather basic itinerary that doesn't take away daily whimsy. "Breakfast decisions" are such a delight when traveling, aren't they?

For something totally unique, you could consider a stay in Canfranc at the Canfranc Estación hotel, a recently renovated palace hotel in the middle of nowhere.
Canfranc Estación, a Royal Hideaway Hotel ✅ | From 183€ (barcelo.com)

How delightful, Kerouac! Not this trip, I'm afraid. I need bases in the middle of SOMEWHERE, not nowhere. But it was such a fun look-see and I thank you.