Culture and way of life

The Basque Country has two official languages: Basque and Spanish. Both can be used in your dealings with the administration and are also used in education and the media.

Basque is one of the oldest languages in Europe. It is a pre-Indo-European language whose origin is still unknown. Most people in the Basque Country speak Spanish and, according to the latest data, of the three million or so people who live in Euskal Herria (the broader Basque region), 900,000 speak Basque.

Find out more about the opportunities available to you for learning Basque in your city and for learning Basque and Spanish at the EHU.

According to its Constitution, Spain is a secular state, and in the Basque Country, freedom of worship is constitutionally guaranteed and regulated by law in order to promote peaceful coexistence and respect for religious diversity. The religious landscape of the Basque Country is diverse, with many different religions being practised openly and a significant percentage of the population identifying with secularism.

Basque cuisine is one of the most highly prized in Europe. It is particularly well-known for its pintxos (bar snacks), seafood, fresh vegetables and traditional dishes.

Traditional recipes coexist alongside innovative haute cuisine and the region has numerous internationally renowned restaurants. Food also has a strong social value: getting together for meals, particularly in one of the region’s many gastronomic societies, is a key part of Basque culture.

There are many interesting places to visit in the Basque Country, including Nature Reserves and Biotopes, UNESCO World Heritage sites and towns and villages of special historic interest. The region’s rich ethnographic, artistic and cultural heritage is displayed in its many museums and the three provincial capitals, Bilbao, Vitoria-Gasteiz and Donostia/San Sebastián are vibrant and attractive places to explore.

If you want to discover everything that the Basque Country has to offer, visit the Basque Government, Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa tourism websites.

In the Basque Country, shops are usually open from Monday to Saturday. Typical opening hours are (approximately) 9:30/10:00 to 13:30 in the morning and 16:30/17:00 to 20:00 in the afternoon, although in inner city areas and large shopping centres establishments may stay open over lunch.

With the exception of tourist establishments and one-off occasions, most shops close on Sundays and public holidays.  Supermarkets and shopping centres have longer and more flexible opening hours.

Since 2002, the official currency of Spain has been the euro (€), a currency shared with the rest of the countries in the Eurozone.

The cost of living in the Basque Country is among the highest in Spain. Housing is typically the largest single expenditure for households, especially in the three provincial capitals, although food prices have also risen sharply over recent years. In contrast, public transport is partially subsidised for residents.

The Basque Country has a predominantly oceanic climate, with mild temperatures, abundant rainfall and little temperature variation.  Summers are not usually too hot and winters are mild, with extreme temperatures being rare. Further inland and in southern Araba the climate is more continental, with colder winters, hotter summers and less rainfall than on the coast.

In all Basque municipalities, the public authorities provide citizens with selective waste collection systems that facilitate the recycling of glass, paper, plastics and organic waste.

Find out more about the recycling systems in place in Bilbao, Donostia/San Sebastián and Vitoria-Gasteiz.

You may also be interested to learn more about IHOBE, the Basque Government’s Public Environmental Management Company, which works to ensure environmental protection and improvement and address the challenges of the ecological and climate transition in the Basque Country. We also recommend you learn about some initiatives that are currently underway in the Basque Country for promoting sustainable values:

• Ekoetxea – Basque network of environmental centres
• Asteklima – Basque Country Climate and Energy Week
• Let's Clean Up Euskadi!