What to do in Biarritz, France ? Must-sees

We loved our weekend in Biarritz, and we’re sure you will too! Trust us, you’ll soon discover that Biarritz has a lot to offer. If you like to stroll, swim, enjoy the scenery or simply eat well, you should easily find what you’re looking for in Biarritz! We hope our article will give you an idea of what to do in Biarritz for your next holiday in France. Let’s hit the road!

Visiting Biarritz, where to sleep?

Nemea Appart’hôtel Les Hauts de Milady

During our stay in Biarritz, we had the opportunity to stay in a Nemea apartment. The hotel is conveniently located, just a 10-minute walk from the beach on the Basque coast. Here you’ll find comfortable apartments with fully-equipped kitchens, an outdoor swimming pool and a spa area featuring whirlpools, a hammam and a sauna. For our part, we tested the apartment with a huge terrace on the top floor, finding it very comfortable and the view well worth the detour. An address we’d recommend if you’re looking for a well-located spa hotel in Biarritz!

What to do in Biarritz? Our must-see list

1. Les Halles de Biarritz

We suggest you visit Biarritz starting with the town’s Halles. This will allow you to get straight into the mood. As you stroll through the various stalls of the Halles, you’ll have the opportunity to savor a multitude of Basque flavors. The halles are open every day from 7.30 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. If you’d like to have a coffee before you start exploring the town, we recommend a stop at the coffee stand Lobita.

2. Place Bellevue

You can continue your visit via Place Bellevue. It’s from here that you’ll catch a glimpse of Biarritz’s famous long beach. The square offers a beautiful view (as its name suggests!) of the beach and its lighthouse. At its center is a geometric structure created by a Spanish Basque artist by the name of Jorge Oteiza. We recommend that you take the footbridge to the Grande plage de Biarritz.

3. Biarritz’s Grande Plage

If you’re wondering what to do in Biarritz, you can’t miss the Grande Plage. The latter is really beautiful and it was a joy for us to swim there! The beach was supervised when we visited in September, which is a real plus. The walk to the lighthouse is very pleasant and offers a breathtaking view of the Atlantic Ocean. You can also admire the impressive façade of the Hôtel du Palais in Biarritz.

4. Biarritz lighthouse

Wondering what to do in Biarritz? How about getting some height by climbing the 248 steps of the Biarritz lighthouse? Situated 73 meters above sea level, the lighthouse offers a breathtaking view of the city. A unique way to visit Biarritz! It costs 5€ per person and takes a good 5-10 minutes to climb.

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5. Le rocher du Basta

Close to Biarritz’s Grande plage, you’ll find the Basta rock. The rock is really very beautiful and we strongly advise you to pass by it if you’re looking for what to do in Biarritz. A small bridge takes you directly to the Basta rock, so don’t hesitate to use it. You can also take a look at the neo-Gothic Sainte-Eugene church before continuing your stroll.

6. The fishermen’s port

If you’re looking for ideas of must-see spots when you visit Biarritz, we recommend a visit to the fishermen’s port. The port is small but very charming, and it’s quite amazing to find a small fishing village so close to the city center. It’s on the road to the Rocher de la Vierge, so we recommend that you get off there on your discovery tour. 

7. The virgin rock

Another must-see rock if you’re planning to visit Biarritz. To reach the rock you’ll have the opportunity to cross a beautiful metal footbridge attributed to Gustave Eiffel. The rock takes its name from the statue of the Virgin Mary at its summit. The rock offers a breathtaking view of the ocean and the Villa Belza!

8. Villa Belza and the old port beach

We’ve arrived at our favorite part of our visit to the town. The old port beach is a really nice place to take a dip. It’s almost like being in a little cove in Italy! The atmosphere is really cosy and the view of Villa Belza and the beach is really beautiful. Villa Belza is an iconic villa on the Basque coast, so don’t miss it when you visit. As you can see, if you’re looking for something to do in Biarritz, put this spot on your list!

9. The Côte des Basques beach

Continuing your stroll past Villa Belza, you’ll find another must-see beach in Biarritz, the côte des Basques beach. This is where you can admire the surfers in all their glory! It’s a really nice walk, especially at sunset. If you’d like to rent a surfboard or paddle, you’ll find plenty of stands along the way. On average, you’ll pay €10 for a surfboard and €25 for a paddle. If you have the time when you’re in Biarritz, we recommend you take a stroll down to Marbella beach.

What to do in Biarritz? Our good restaurant addresses

• Le Surfing: a very nice brasserie with a beautiful view of the beach on the Basque coast. We tried it out and found the menu very appealing and affordable. We’d recommend it to you at sunset time!

• Chez Carlos: right next to Surfing, we recommend this address for breakfast facing the beach!
• Etxola Bibi: the ideal address for a drink and sunset on the Basque Coast beach. The address is located high above the beach, offering a beautiful panorama.
• La Tantina de Burgos: this is the address for you if you want to eat house specialties. The food is homemade and the team is attentive. Don’t hesitate to book a little in advance if the address appeals to you. 
• Eden rock café: a great place to eat or have a drink overlooking the beach at Port Vieux. We loved the setting and the tapas are excellent. The team is also very nice, so we recommend the address with our eyes closed!

• Epoq: many of you have recommended this address to us, but we haven’t had the chance to try it out. Apparently it’s a very good restaurant on Biarritz. 
• Ekia: an excellent brunch in Biarritz. If you’re looking for brunch during your stay in Biarritz, this is the address for you.
• Deus Machina: an excellent Coffeeshop where you can sit back and work in a cosy setting. If you’re a digital nomad or have 1,000 photos to sort through, this is the address for you! 

Visiting Biarritz, how to organize your trip well?

How to get to Biarritz?

To find the best mode of transport to visit Biarritz, we advise you to always look on the OMIO comparator. This will give you an overview of all available modes of transport. You’ll be able to compare prices very easily. We travelled to Biarritz from Paris by train. The journey takes just over 4 hours.

How to rent a car at the best price in Biarritz

If you’d like to rent a car during your trip to discover the area around Biarritz, we recommend you take a look at the RentalCars website. This will enable you to find the best prices and conditions for your rental.

How to find the best hotels to visit Biarritz

In order to find the best hotels and benefit from the best conditions (security, cancellation…) we go almost exclusively through Booking.com for our trips. We recommend that you take a look at the available hotels before you leave. You can filter them according to their ratings. There are plenty of recent customer reviews, so there are no unpleasant surprises when you’re traveling!

Visiting Biarritz, our opinion 

As you’d expect, we thoroughly enjoyed our weekend in Biarritz. We think there’s a great atmosphere in the town and there’s really quite a lot of things and nice addresses to discover! Another thing we really appreciated was how easy it was to get around on foot all weekend. We left Paris thinking that we’ll be back in Biarritz soon, but for longer this time! All that’s left for us to do is wish you a pleasant trip to Biarritz.