Village in green valley, Western Pyrenees, France

Basque in the sun

Bridging two cultures while remaining steadfastly unique, the Basque Country sits on the border between France and Spain, largely nestled in the western Pyrenees. Set your translator app to French or Spanish here and you'll get along just fine, but if you really want to endear yourself to locals, learn a little Basque vocab. Unrelated to the Romance languages of the nations that govern this region, Basque is Europe's only true language isolate, with no known cousins in the linguistic world. Will your pintxos with a side of piperade washed down with txakoli taste even better if you order in Basque? Can't hurt to try.

The villages pictured here display a distinctive style. Traditional Basque farmhouses, known as baserri, feature prominent red-tiled roofs and white facades. These sturdy stone and timber structures have historically been the center of rural life. They were designed to house both families and livestock under one roof. This deep connection to the land defines the region's enduring cultural identity.