Casa Rural Goikola 

I was actually there in Oct 2023 but forgot to write a review. My bad... I had nearly a week to spend somewhere in the NW of Spain before my guided tour of the Basque Country began and Goikola couldn’t have been a better place to help me better understand the beautiful Basque people. The farmhouse was an old foundry (14th C). The front portion of the house is where the family lives, guests stay in the back portion, and can share a kitchen. The backyard has both a covered picnic area and some chairs out in the open. It has a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains above and part of the valley below. One morning, sitting outside looking at the fog lift, about a dozen sheep walked by minding their own business. So peaceful. The place is spotless, the hosts are super accommodating and friendly. They are also very representative of the Basque essence and always willing to chat about whatever subject comes up. Though I can’t understand any of it, I loved listening to the lilt of the Euskara (Basque language) they spoke at times. Thankfully, I am sufficiently fluent in Spanish to understand and be understood. Txema and Karmen do not speak a lot of English nor French. They used to make the famous Idiazabal sheep cheese here but they do not anymore so they turned their old cheese processing area into a couple of suites away from the main house. Txema is a bit shy and Karmen is usually the one who will address you. She is a textile artist and teacher. Spinning, natural color dyeing, carding, weaving wool as well as printing silk – she does fabulous work (you can visit her studio). Should their daughter Garazi be there, she is the dancer of the family. When I wasn’t galivanting along the shores of the Biscay Bay, I shared some meals with this beautiful family – anything from bonito fish with comfrey, potatoes, garlic, chivite wine, flan and coffee, to chicken with potatoes, green beans, limon gelato, coffee, and wine, and finally, mussels with rice, parsley, green peppers, and olives. Most of the vegetables and some fruits come from their own large garden, the wine and bread local. Delicious and healthy. Goikola is located in the heart of the Geopark of the Basque Coast so there is a lot to see (hike) if you are into nature at all. It is definitely rural, which I cherish a lot but I understand it’s not for everyone. Goikola has stolen my heart in many ways. I will always remember my time there very warmly. I can't say enough about it. Hope you get to visit them someday.