Blog
12/09/2025
At Nekatur, the only association of farm stays, rural houses and rural tourist apartments in the Basque Country, we have been working since 1991 to preserve the natural environment, cultural heritage, and an authentic and sustainable rural lifestyle.
Across our 221 associated accommodations (here are the 42 in Álava, the 53 in Biscay, and the 126 in Gipuzkoa) we do not just offer a place to rest, but we want visitors to live and feel our land as we do in Euskadi.
Do you want to know why we are a fundamental pillar for the cultural and economic preservation of the rural world?
At Nekatur we promote tourism that respects the environment and the local community. We encourage good sustainable practices among our members, practices that are reflected in the efficient use of resources, proper waste management, and respect and care for the surroundings, among others.
We work to preserve our identity and a lifestyle that we want to share with those who visit us. That is why we prioritise food from our own production or from local farmers, consume and promote artisanal products, foster respect for biodiversity, and share with our guests our traditions and the culture of our land.
Many of our accommodations are farm stays, which combine agricultural and livestock activities with the touristic use of their different spaces.
There, guests can take part in typical farming and/or livestock activities, learning first-hand about the process of making local products such as honey, jam, bread, wine, etc., harvesting from our vegetable gardens, or milking and producing different dairy products such as cheese or curd.
Image: Nekatur’s own source
In this way, knowledge of the rural environment is encouraged, traditional agricultural activity is kept alive, and local products are valued — products that can often be purchased in the very same accommodations or at weekly markets in the rural area.
The rural environment protects and safeguards our culture and traditions. Rural accommodations themselves preserve traditional rural architecture, combining traditional elements and materials (stone and wood) with more modern ones.
Our hosts give a warm welcome to anyone staying at their home, with closeness and both personal and professional attention being two of their main qualities. This is true Basque hospitality in its purest form. They are also the best source of information on what to do, what to see, and what traditions to discover.
Image: Nekatur’s own source
Basque rural sport, herri kirola, was born out of the traditional work of farmhouses, such as lifting or dragging stones and bales of straw, or moving mill wheels. In the many festivities in our towns — because we do love to celebrate — you will be able to watch demonstrations of some of them; ask your hosts, they will surely know where you can go.
Let them speak to you in Basque, our language, one of the main elements of our culture and identity. Go back home saying “kaixo” (hello), “egun on” (good morning), and “eskerrik asko” (thank you very much).
All our rural accommodations offer, within just a few kilometres, the chance to enjoy both our coast and the Cantabrian Sea, as well as our valleys and inland mountains. A landscape diversity that reflects the most authentic and rural Basque Country.
Come and discover our fishing villages, our beaches, and dive into the gastronomy of our coast, where the respect for fresh seafood is a hallmark. Breathe green in our valleys and mountains, walk along their trails, and be amazed by our landscapes.
Image: Nekatur’s own source
Get informed with Nekatur before coming, or ask your hosts to know which villages to visit, where to eat, or which hiking route to take with your family or group of friends. Learn what you can and cannot do in our natural environment, if there are restrictions on visiting any specific places, and enjoy Euskadi leaving a “good footprint”.
And all this while strictly complying with current regulations, which guarantees safety and peace of mind to those who visit us. Because, beyond meeting regulations, at Nekatur we are committed to the continuous improvement of our accommodations.
We raise awareness and train our members to provide services that integrate sustainability and inclusion into the daily life of Basque rural tourism. Because when you choose a farm stay, a rural house, or a rural tourist apartment associated with Nekatur, you are choosing to be part of a model of tourism that cares for, respects, and revitalises our rural environment.
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