Guided Visit and Tasting at the Idiazabal Cheese Interpretation Centre

The Idiazabal Cheese Interpretation Centre, located in the municipality of Idiazabal (Gipuzkoa), offers a guided visit through the origins and production process of one of the Basque Country's most recognised cheeses. The experience begins with an audiovisual presentation featuring the character Izal the mouse, which introduces the history of the cheese and its Designation of Origin, established in 1987 to protect both the shepherd and the consumer. The centre includes a reproduction of a traditional shepherd's hut (txabola) with its original tools, a section dedicated to the latxa and carranzana sheep — the native breeds whose raw milk forms the basis of the cheese — and a space contextualising the pastoral activity in the Aralar and Aizkorri-Aratz Natural Parks, where around 65 shepherd families today maintain a traditional grazing system. A section on the Basque Cheese Fair, held in Idiazabal on the first weekend of May, is also included. The visit ends with a structured tasting session that teaches visitors how to appreciate the distinctive characteristics of Idiazabal PDO cheese. Advance booking is required.