What is there to do in Ainhoa?
What to do and see in and around Ainhoa.
Hiking and mountain biking
The house is directly on a hiking path, you can start your hike straight from the front door.
Visit
The witches caves in Zugarramurdi, the town of San Sebastian in Spain, the pretty village of Saint Jean de Luz et Saint Jean Pied de Port : start of the camino of Saint Jacques de Compostelle are all close by.
Adventure
Hang glide, climb or mountain bike at Baigura : https://www.baigura.com/ 50 minutes from the house, or rent a kayak 15 minutes away.
Bars & restaurants
Enjoy a coffee or a drink 15 minutes walk from the house at the Ezkurra café or the Oppoca Restaurant.
The Michelin-starred restaurant Ithurria, in the centre of Ainhoa, is open from April to October. A reservation is required.
You can also visit the supermarkets and restaurants in Dancharia, just over the border.
Beaches
The beaches in Saint Jean de Luz, Bidart and Biarritz are between half an hour and 40 minutes away by car. There are also 3 busses a day to Saint Jean de Luz.
Saint Pée lake and leisure centre
15 minutes away by car, the Saint Pee lake has a lot of activities to offer: supervised swimming, pedal boats, toboggan, canoe, standup paddle, tennis, fishing, picnic area, children’s games.
Pilgrimage to Santiago
The Baztan route is one of the Pilgrimages to Santiago. This way starts in Bayonne and joins the French route to Pampelone via Aïnhoa.
Our Lady of the Hawthorn
Take the short (1 hour) walk up to the oratory above Aïnhoa for a magnificent view as far as the Atlantic coast and the hills of the Basque Country.
20 Signed Walks
There are 20, very well sign-posted hikes of between 2 and 15 hours right from the door.
GR 10
Take the GR10 from the beaches of Hendaye to Saint Jean Pied de Port in 7 stages over 7 days, with one night in Ainhoa.
Maps and Picnics
We have hiking maps and suggestions for short and long walks.
La Rhune
La Rhune mountain at 905 metres high is a very popular walk taking between 3 hrs 30 min and 4 hrs 50 min. The view from the top is extraordinary.
Sokoa Beach
The beach at Sokoa, just the other side of St Jean de Luz, is also a protected bay. A gently sloping bathing area is safe for children. You can also rent wind-surfers and catamarans.
Saint Jean de Luz – Grande Plage
The Grande Plage in Saint Jean de Luz is half an hour’s drive from Ainhoa. This bay is accessible from the centre of the town and is protected and easy for all levels of swimmers.
Bidart – Ilbarritz Beach
The beach of Ilbarritz is north of Bidart, below the castle of Ilbarritz.
With 300m of sand, this beach is supervised during the summer season, from mid-June to the end of October.
Bidart – Uhabia
Also half an hour from Ainhoa is Bidart and Uhabia beach. It is a wide, sandy beach behind typical basque houses, with 2 free car parks
Biarritz – Côte des Basques
This is the beach where surfing was born in France. It is in an exceptional setting framed by cliffs, with views of the Spanish coast and the mountains. Swimming is only possible at low tide.
Biarritz – Grande Plage
The Grande Plage in Biarritz is the main beach, between the Hôtel du Palais and the Rocher du Basta. There is a casino, café and walkway, but it’s very busy in summer.
Birds to see in Ainhoa
Hiking Around Ainhoa
Beaches close to Ainhoa
Treatments and Private Spa
Drop Us a Line
leshautsdainhoa@gmail.com