Irún is full of life due to its location between Txingudi Bay and the mouth of the Bidasoa River. It serves as a passage between Spain and France where thousands of travelers converge by way of car or railroad. When it comes to eating in Irún, seafood is at the center of many of the locale’s traditional recipes, especially hake a la koskera, marmitako, cuttlefish in ink, and codfish in green sauce. Meat and produce are also important products when it comes to eating in Irún and are used in classic dishes of the Basque tradition such as grilled ox chops and vegetable stews.
Irún has several strips of pinchos bars (near the city hall and the Plaza del Ensanche, to name a couple) which comprise a large number of establishments where you can also try traditional Basque beverages like cider and Txakoli de Getaria, which will go perfectly with whatever you end up eating in Irún.
When it comes to pastries, Irún has several specialties including Basque cake (a cream-filled sponge cake) and opillas de San Marcos (sweet cakes decorated with icing, “eggs,” and candies).
If you visit in June, take advantage of the patron saint festival and the Alarde de San Marcial (a military parade), and you can also take a walk in Peñas de Aya Natural Park to enjoy some fresh air in the pure state of nature.