Hondarribia

Hondarribia (Spanish: Fuenterrabía) is a fishing town in the province of Guipuzcoa , Basque Country of Spain on the Bay of Txingudi, by the border with France . It is the last remaining walled town in Guipuzcoa.

Understand

Hondarribia has been settled since the time of the Romans, and became a full-fledged village in the 13th century. As a town historically on the border, whether between Navarre and Castille, or between Spain and France, Hondarribia has enjoyed a tumultuous past. After citizens sought protection under the Castilian crown in 1203, Hondarribia became a point of conflict between Castille and the kingdom of Navarre, supported by France. The town was repeatedly besieged by French and Navarran forces throughout the 1300s up until the Thirty Years' War in the mid 1600s, when Spain and France reconciled their borders under the Treaty of the Pyrenees. After the signing of this treaty (which fixed the French border to its current state), Hondarribia remained a border town, across the Bay from France.

See

There are two sections of town that are of special interest to the traveller:

• The old city — With its medieval walls still intact, the historic part of town is home to the castle of Charles V, Zuloaga Palace, Casadevante Palace, the Gothic church of Nuestra Señora del Manzano, and Calle Pampinot, among other sights.
• ⊙La Marina — full of multicoloured houses and their resident fishermen, along San Pedro and Santiago Streets.

Hondarribia's beach, ports, lighthouse, the beach of Ondarraitz (on the other side of the bay), and the neighbouring hillsides are just as attractive, and make it clear why Hondarribia has enjoyed its position as a vacation destination for more than 100 years.

Religious architecture

• ⊙Parish Church of Santa María de la Asunción and Manzano : located in the heart of the historic center. It is a Gothic-style church with Renaissance additions and an amazing Baroque tower. Its construction began in 1474 and the church was consecrated in 1549. The church tower overlooking the landscape of Fuenterrabía was built in the early  18th century by Francisco de Ibero. In its interior decoration stands out a mural, Subida de Cristo al Calvario, painted by the local artist José Echena around 1882. Inside the church there is also a small museum.

Civil architecture

Within the historic center, several buildings of interest have been preserved:

• ⊙Zuloaga Palace: is an urban palace located in the historic center. Most of the palace is from the  18th century. It houses the municipal library and the historical archive. It is declared as a historical monument.
• ⊙Eguiluz Palace, also known as Casa de Juana la Loca. It probably dates from the 17th century, although there is a legend that endows it with greater antiquity and claims that Joan of the Mad and Philip the Beautiful stayed in this palace during their trip from Flanders to Castile.
• ⊙Town hall, Baroque style, built between 1731 and 1740.
• ⊙Ramery Palace, on Pampinot Street, current headquarters of the Arma Plaza Foundation and other cultural institutions.

Military architecture

• ⊙Castle of Charles V . It is one of the most significant buildings in the city. It is a rectangular fortress built in the Middle Ages in the highest part of the promontory where Fuenterrabía was located. The name it bears is due to the fact that it was enlarged during the reign of Emperor Charles V, which is said to have been hosted in this castle-palace. In 1968 it was rehabilitated and transformed into a national Parador, a function that it continues to fulfill today.
• ⊙Puerta de Santa María, main of the walled enclosure until in the 17th century the Revellín de San Felipe was built, leaving in the background. It holds a shield of the villa carved in sandstone moved from a convent.
• ⊙Puerta de San Nicolás, opened in the walls that joins the strongholds of La Reina and San Nicolás, near the latter. Closed for several centuries, it was opened again at the end of the  20th century, making it operational by building a pedestrian walkway that connects it with the structures that still survive from the St. Nicholas Bastion. At the beginning of the  21st century it was restored, recovering some of the lost volume.

Eat

Pintxos

Hondarribia is on par with San Sebastian and Bilbao as a gourmet destination of the Basque country.

• ⊙Yola Berri, Calle Zuloaga / San Pedro Kalea 22 (across the street from Jáuregui Hotel), ☎ +34 943 642780, +34 943 645611. Open and offering pintxos from 11:00. One of the most cited places for pintxos in the town. 
• ⊙Gran Sol, Calle San Pedro, 65, ☎ +34 943 642701. Kitchen closes before 23:00. Second most cited places for pintxos. Won many gastronomic awards for creativity in pintxos. Has both a bar full of tapas and a more formal restaurant for having a dinner. Pintxos €1.40-2.40, main courses €5.10-10.35. 
• ⊙Enbata, Zuloaga Kalea, 5, (at the Jáuregui Hotel). Kitchen closed after 23:30.  
• ⊙Txantxangorri. San Pedro Kalea, 27. ☎ +34 943 642102.
• ⊙Itxaspe. San Pedro Kalea, 40. ☎ +34 943 646566.

Sleep

Inside the range of 4 km:

• ⊙   Hotel Jauregui, Zuloaga, 5, Hondarribia, PC V - XI

  "... We have a secure, locked place to leave bicycles."

• ⊙   Hotel Jaizkibel, Baserritar Etorbidea, 1, Hondarribia, PC VII - XI

  "... We are pleased to inform you that we do offer a secure storage area for bicycles. It is located within our underground parking and can be locked, ensuring a safe space for your bikes."

• ⊙   Chambres dʹhôtes Iratzaldea, 18 rue du Trinquet, Béhobie, PC V

  "... and also a lockable room to store the bikes because I regularly receive people who have very valuable bikes."

Useful

Inside the range of 4 km:

• ⊙   Office de Tourisme Hendaye, 67 bis Boulevard de la Mer, Hendaye