Driving into town, a statue of Juan Sebastian Elkano stands in the center of the plaza and a restaurant named for him across the street.  The fresh fish grills while our mouths water, and the locals still find time to chat despite running around serving the hungry summer tourists.  Elkano is just one of the many delicious restaurants Getaria offers to the culinary-appreciative visitor, with a menu including a delicious txuleta, fresh lobster, and of course Txakoli from the vineyards up the road.

Walking down Kale Nagusia Main Street and under the church building, the view expands past more excellent restaurants to the port, swimming beach and the coast from Zarautz to Biarritz in France.  Strolling along the wharf, the fishing boats conjure up scenes from “8 Apellidos Vascos”, and the walk up the mouse-shaped San Anton peak is delightful.

Getaria’s port fetches anchovies, sardines, tuna and squid in season, and though the high-quality product is shipped out, you can also catch them on plates at the variety of local restaurants.  A friend took me out in a txalupa boat to learn how to squid fish Getaria style.  The lures are hand made, and the more experienced can multitask monitoring a few lines, dangling over the side in the bobbing waves.  The thrill of catching a fresh squid nearly matches the delight of frying it up and eating it.

This is Getaria–a delicious place to visit.

Getaria is only 25km from San Sebastián-Donostia, and many of San Sebastián Food’s products come from the hills around this age-old fishing village.  Tours leave regularly from SSF to visit the charming Getaria, see its port activity and taste its culinary delights.

Words & Photos by Jonathan McCallum