Food destinations within easy reach of Bilbao. worth the train, the rental car or the early start.

Worth the trip

Axpe (Asador Etxebarri) ★ 4.9

50 min by carCar (no public transport direct). A-8 motorway then BI-632.

Famous forAsador Etxebarri's wood-fire tasting menu

Axpe in the Atxondo valley 50 minutes from Bilbao is home to Asador Etxebarri, the one-Michelin-star wood-fire grill run by Bittor Arginzoniz since 1990.

Directions

Larrabetzu (Azurmendi and Eneko) ★ 4.9

20 min by carCar (BI-737); BizkaiBus from Bilbao for slower public-transport access.

Famous forAzurmendi 3-star tasting menu and Eneko bistro

Larrabetzu in the Txorierri valley 20 minutes from Bilbao is home to Eneko Atxa's three-star Azurmendi and one-star Eneko, plus txakoli vineyards.

Directions

San Sebastian ★ 4.8

1 hour 15 min by ALSA busALSA bus from Termibus, hourly. Train from Abando is slower.

Famous forParte Vieja pintxos, Akelarre, Arzak day-trip

San Sebastian, 100 km east of Bilbao on the bay, is the Basque country's other food capital with the Parte Vieja pintxo crawl and three Michelin stars.

Directions

Getaria (txakoli and turbot) ★ 4.7

1 hour by carCar (A-8 then GI-638) or BizkaiBus + EuskoTren.

Famous forAsador Elkano whole-grilled turbot, txakoli wineries

Getaria, a Gipuzkoa fishing village 1 hour east of Bilbao, is home to the whole-grilled turbot tradition at Asador Elkano and the txakoli wine zone.

Directions

Rioja Alavesa (Laguardia) ★ 4.7

1 hour 30 min by carCar (A-1 motorway to Laguardia).

Famous forRioja Alavesa wine cellars and asadores

Rioja Alavesa, 1.5 hours south of Bilbao on the Ebro, holds the Basque-administered Rioja DO, with Bodegas Ysios and Marques de Riscal as anchors.

Directions

Bermeo (anchoa, bonito) ★ 4.4

40 min by carCar (BI-631) or EuskoTren from Bilbao.

Famous forAnchoa de Bermeo, bonito fishing port, seaside grills

Bermeo, the Bizkaia fishing port 40 minutes north of Bilbao, lands the canonical anchoa de Bermeo and bonito and grills them at port-side asadores.

Directions

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