In the heart of the Basque Country lies the region of the Basque Highlands known as Goierri; nature, gastronomy and a culture passed down through the centuries to delight visitors. Since 2015, the Basque Highlands have been a European Destination of Excellence, an award granted by the European Union to recognise the destination’s commitment to sustainable tourism development.
Gastronomy, nature and culture are the three main attractions of Goierri.
Idiazabal cheese has made the region famous. This product is made in a traditional way, just as it was centuries ago. The Wednesday market in Ordizia, which has been held since 1512, is also a must-see.
The Goierri region lies between the Aizkorri-Aratz and Aralar nature reserves. Both parks have a visitor centre (in Zegama and Ataun respectively), where the various activities that go on within the parks are explained.
Goierri is an area of immense cultural importance within the Basque Country. Both the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage and the royal highway cross its territory, which is brimming with points of interest, including museums dedicated to historical figures, monuments declared Property of Cultural Interest, or the medieval towns of Ordizia and Segura.
| Admission to the Smart Tourism Destinations Programme |
The destination joined the SD Network in June of 2022 and completed the Diagnosis Report and Action Plan for its transformation into a Smart Destination in the spring-summer of 2022. |
| Outstanding initiatives
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GOITUR, Goierri‘s regional tourism development agency, is a public-private agency that focuses on three main pillars:
- Competitiveness and governance of Goierri (supply side): thanks to the partnership with Basquetour, we have begun to take the first steps towards becoming a smart destination, having successfully launched our pilot plan at state level.
- Creation and enhancement of tourism products in Goierri (supply side): to consolidate gastronomy and nature tourism products and services and to enhance the “Territorio Idiazabal” and “Basque Highlands” projects.
- Promotion and marketing of Goierri (demand site): organising press-trips, fam-trips, blog-trips and info-trips, continuing with the on-line promotion-communication strategy, stepping up the promotion of products and undertaking various tourism actions, working together with different entities and beneficiaries and with various European networks relating to the tourism sector.
Since the governance and implementation of the SD pilot plan is a transversal theme permeating everything we do, the following actions will be undertaken over the next two years following an exhaustive regional diagnosis:
- – Implementation of the Strategic Tourism Plan and the Tourism Marketing Plan 2023–2030 for the Goierri region.
- – Calculation of the ROI (return on investment) for the two main sporting events held within the region: Zegama-Aizkorri Marathon and Ehunmilak Ultra-Trail.
- – Collaborative innovation projects on tourism with the HUB of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa.
- – Proper levels of technification and coordination at regional tourist offices.
- – Sound planning and management of tourism sustainability in the Goierri region, in alignment with the SDGs.
- – Assessment of the accessibility of resources, services and tourist activities within the region.
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Technical data
VAT number:
B20694782 Address: Edificio NBF. Arranomendia 5, 2. Planta Postal code: 20240 Telephone: 943 161 823 Region: País Vasco Province:
Gipuzkoa Population:
Ordizia Country:
España Local entity type: Comarca Date of membership:
10/06/2022 Diagnosis: Sí Diagnosis date:
09/02/2022 Destination Type:
Rural de interior Population:
44,334 Area (km²):
271.30 Density (inhab/km²):
163.40
Level in the Network: Nivel 3
