Basque Cider House Guides — Season, Ritual and Menu
Planning guides for a sagardotegi visit: when txotx season actually runs, what a Basque cider house is, the fixed menu explained, how to catch the pour, and where the cider houses are.
How to Catch the Pour
Hold the glass low, tilt it, catch the stream on the side, take two mouthfuls, step away. The whole ritual in the order it happens.
Read guide →Guided Visit or Book It Yourself?
Booking a cider house directly is cheaper for the meal. The guided visit buys transport, language and not nominating a driver — which is the real question.
Read guide →The Sagardotegi Menu
Cod omelette, grilled txuleta, cheese with quince and walnuts. Why it is fixed, why it works with the cider, and what to do about dietary needs.
Read guide →When Is Txotx Season?
Late January to early May, opening 9 January in 2026. What changes outside the season, and why tours still run in September.
Read guide →What Is a Sagardotegi?
A working cider house, not a bar. Long tables, a fixed menu, barrels you walk to, and a drink that is dry, still and nothing like commercial cider.
Read guide →Where the Cider Houses Actually Are
Not in San Sebastián. The densest concentration in the Basque Country sits a short drive inland — and cider is served all evening, which decides how you get there.
Read guide →Want the visit sorted first? See the cider house tour with lunch →