Hondarribia/Fuenterrabia travel guide

This old fishing port sits at the mouth of the Río Bidasoa looking directly across at France, a good deal more amicably now than for much of its history. The well-preserved 15th- century walls weren’t erected just for decoration, and the city has been besieged more times than it cares to remember.

Although there’s a fishing port, very busy marina, and a decent beach, the most charming area of Hondarribia is the walled part, a hilly grid of cobbled streets entered through arched gates. The stone used for many of the venerable old buildings seems to be almost luminous in the evening sun. The hill is topped by a plaza and a 16th-century palace of Carlos V, now a parador; its imposing bulk is offset by a very pretty courtyard. Nearby, the Iglesia de Santa María de Manzano is topped by a belltower and an impressive coat-of-arms. It was here in 1660 that María Teresa, daughter of Felipe IV, married Louis XIV of France, the Sun King. Plaza Guipúzcoa is even nicer than the main square, with cobbles and small but ornate buildings overhanging a wooden colonnade.

Outside the walls, the marina is busy with yachts and sits at the river mouth, just behind the beach. It’s worth exploring the headland beyond here. Passing the fishing harbour, you reach a lighthouse with spectacular views. Below here, the Asturiaga bay has some remains from its days as a Roman anchorage. Above it is a small fort, the Castillo de San Telmo, not open to the public.