Reader, beware, for something wicked this way comes…
Ok. So maybe not “wicked” as much as it is a modern-day testament to medieval barbarism and austerity, but an intriguing day-trip nonetheless.
Zugarramurdi is a town located in Navarra (not technically Basque Country but close enough to share the language & traditions) and home of the Basque witch trials of the early 1600s. The town is more recently known in pop culture for the gross-out comedy, Brujas de Zugarramurdi.
In the early 1600s, women from the town were persecuted for alleged witchcraft. This “witchcraft” consisted of natural remedies for ailments and lively summer solstice festivities in the cave, which drew the attention of nosy neighbors. Thus started the Basque witch trials, which sadly led to the grisly deaths of dozens of women.
The town is a beautiful enclave in the Pyrenees, a stone’s throw from France. Visitors can visit the now-famous cave of the rituals, learn more at the Witches Museum, or simply stroll through the quiet village and take in lovely pastoral views.
Bilblog 