BasqueMagazine Special: International Tourist Guide Day
Oksana Alentyeva, Russia
Native of St. Petersburg, Oksana is an incoming guide, specialised in accompanying tourists from Russia visiting our area.
What is your job based on with tourists from Russia?
I take care of everything during their stay. Excursions, I book the restaurants, transport, visits to wineries, cheese factories, gastronomic masterclasses...
What do you like most about being a guide?
The excitement. Seeing people discover Pamplona Cathedral for the first time, or the Guggenheim Museum, or trying an incredible pintxo in a bar in Donosti. It makes me relive my own experience.
> The full interview with Oksana here.
Steven Ekholm, Sweden
Steven Ekholm is a Swede in love with Euskadi, author of the Mitt Baskien guide and a renowned gastronome.
What is it about Euskadi that sets it apart from other places?
For example, something unique, impressive and with a great atmosphere is a Basque pelota match in a pelota court.
The 4 essential things that a visitor should not miss.
- Gastronomy in all its versions.
- The Sanfermines, the mother of all parties!
- The Basque coast by car (making stops).
- Hiking in the Irati forest in Navarre.
> The full interview with Steven here.
Huang Yi, China
Huang Yi is a Chinese writer who works for different tourist guides.
What is it about Euskadi that sets it apart from other places?
The gastronomy and the local culture that shows the identity of the Basques and their love for their land.
Your favourite place off the beaten tourist track.
The Abastos market in Vitoria-Gasteiz, among others.
> The full interview with Huang Yi here.
Emmi Declerck, Netherlands
A native of Flanders, she is a writer and tourist guide. She have published the first travel guide in Dutch on the Basque Country, La Rioja and Navarre and another in the most famous travel guide series in Holland and Belgium.
At what point did you decide to write these guides?
I have lived in San Sebastian since 2007 and have always wanted to write a travel guide about these territories. I had experience in writing about Spain when publishers contacted me to propose this work.
What do the Basque Country, La Rioja and Navarre have in common?
They are connected by culture, gastronomy, history and the Camino de Santiago. All three are triumphant in terms of food and wine and stand out for their landscape. They are also territories that are close to each other and can be visited in a short time.
> The full interview with Emmi here.
You can't lose:
Sukarrieta, in the heart of Urdaibai, celebrates St Andrew’s Day
Located on the right bank of the Mundaka estuary, Sukarrieta is one of the oldest enclaves in the historical territory of Bizkaia and belongs to the region of Busturialdea. A must-see this autumn.
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Te van a encantar
Navarra, winner of the Iron Chef de Miniature pintxo competition
“Descalabrau” is the winning pintxo created by the Navarra team in the Miniature Iron Chef team pintxo competition, which was held at the Vitoria-Gasteiz pintxo congress at the Palacio Europa in the capital of Alava.
Getxo, the taste of good life
Located on the Basque Coast of Bizkaia, its attractive beachfront location makes it ideal for family and friendly getaways. The steep streets of the Old Port with its narrow houses, the Bizkaia Bridge, a multitude of activities…
Bilbao, European city highlighted by the Financial Times
In this new edition of the fDi Intelligence ranking, “European Cities and Regions of the Future 2022-2023”, Bilbao has been valued among 370 cities in Europe for its economic strengths, business fabric and financial capacity and is now considered a large city.
Ardoaraba, we uncorked again!
After two years without being held due to the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, Ardoaraba will be held until the 8th of December (until the 11th in the hotel and catering trade) for its fifteenth edition, the longest of those organised to date.