ALTO DE AZURKI/ COLLADO MADARIAGA (por Elgoibar)

The climb to the Madariaga and Azurki cols runs through one of the most genuine landscapes of the Gipuzkoan interior, an area dominated by damp forests, scattered farmhouses and green slopes that climb toward the inland ranges. The road, narrow and winding, rises steadily through an increasingly enclosed valley, offering a typically Basque experience: a sustained gradient, dense vegetation and a mountain atmosphere that intensifies as you gain elevation.