Lekeitio - A charming seaport in the Spanish Basque Country

THE FERRY JOURNEY

Easter half term is here and hubby, daughter and I decided to spend a week in Spain in a non-exclusive place and then a week in south of France. But our journey started in Plymouth where we took the ferry (or a mini cruise if you prefer) from Plymouth to Santander. It's a 20-hour trip but don't worry, we had our own cabin on the boat with our own en-suite. The ferry offers all that you need from restaurants, cafés, bars, lots of areas to sit, but also a spa, a cinema, a swimming pool, quiz night, entertainers for kids and adults, and all sorts of activities like free Spanish lessons or watching the wildlife in company of a crew member specialist on the subject.

We didn't get bored, and being cut off from WiFi (although there's a possibility to connect at an expensive fee) was refreshing to be literally on the Atlantic Sea surrounded by a beautiful calm sea and lovely weather with no TV, WiFi and news which, trust me, was needed especially at the moment. We were blessed, I guess.

Our favorite activities were to actually walk all around the outdoor part of the boat, which are everywhere on all decks, and trying to spot wildlife. And guess what? We did spot some wildlife numerous times, especially dolphins. It was magical to see them numerous times. My advice to you is: be patient and observe, and you'll be granted.

The food on board our ferry was nice. We actually ended up eating at the same self-catered restaurant, like a canteen where you get a platter and choose what you want to eat, then you pay for whatever you picked. Selections are rather big and to all tastes, from vegetarian options to comfort food, to a colorful and very attractive salad bar. The staff are lovely and very welcoming. None of them felt stressed.

The boat was busy but not at all at full capacity, most likely busier during summer time. I found all the travelers respectful, not noisy. We were a good bunch of people and kids along with a lot of cute dogs. The boat has its own doggy area with doggy walk area etc., and very clean too.

Honestly, if you want to enjoy a mini cruise, check out ferries leaving Plymouth or other well-known port locations. We enjoyed our little one night cruise, and so did my daughter who absolutely adored looking for dolphins. Nothing pleased me more than to see our child being so excited.

LEKEITIO 

20 hours later we arrived at Santander. We were welcomed by the sun, palm trees, and a very smooth ride off the ferry to continue the rest of our journey. It took us about 2 hours 30 minutes to drive from Santander to our rental in Lekeitio. The drive was beautiful with lots of scenery as you would expect as we were driving along the coast eastward (not south). After 30 minutes or so driving through meandering hills, we finally arrived at Lekeitio, a beautiful little port town offering everything you need: a sandy beach, the cutest fishing port, cafes, independent boutiques, fish market and all the amenities you need.

Our little rental was great, very clean and super cozy with everything you need to start off your holiday (all amenities such as WiFi, dishwasher, washing machine etc.) and our host Zuri was the friendliest and made us feel very welcome. Also, let's not forget to mention that this apartment was literally a few steps away from the port and a 5-minute walk to the beach. Everything is at walking distance, even your local grocery shops that were very affordable and literally 5 minutes walk from the rental location, open from 8am to 9pm. A special mention also to all the locals, whom I found very friendly to us. Honestly, I highly recommend this little seaside port for a quiet, beautiful and friendliest town.

 

What we recommend to see at Lekeitio: Wait for the tide to go out and walk along the path to the island located by the port. This San Nikolas island used to be where a plague outbreak occurred; people who were infected were isolated on the island to prevent the disease from spreading. Also, legend says it was once inhabited by hermits or monks during the Middle Ages. It is said they used the island as a place of retreat and meditation. 

But today it's a beautiful place to visit for the exceptional view of the Atlantic sea and beyond, and of course to see Lekeitio in all its beauty. I highly recommend visiting San Nikolas island on a sunny day. Another lovely aspect of Lekeitio is to get lost within its windy narrow streets, especially late in the evening when the Spanish Lekeitio people gather and meet for some tapas and local beer and wine. If you have a sweet tooth, try a hot chocolate. They are not like what we know; they are very thick and creamy. It's delicious.

Stay tuned for part II of my Spanish Baske adventure.