Discover the Paseo de las Grandes Villas in Getxo

The Paseo de las Grandes Villas in Getxo: the splendour of bourgeois architecture

Living history, bourgeois splendour: the Paseo de las Grandes Villas in Getxo, a Cultural Interest Asset since 2021, is a journey back in time not to be missed.

The golden age of Getxo and the Basque industrial bourgeoisie comes to life before your eyes on a walk where you can admire many examples of palatial architecture in eclectic, neo-Basque, English and other styles.

A simple route of just over 2 kilometres, suitable for everyone, where you can enjoy the sea breeze while admiring the enduring stone structures that stand as a testament to an entire era. You might even find yourself dreaming, imagining what life was like within these majestic constructions.

Getxo's Paseo de las Grandes Villas: a chance to step back in time

The Paseo de las Grandes Villas, declared a Cultural Interest Asset in 2021 in the category of Monumental Sites, is a route that invites visitors to travel back in time and immerse themselves in the years of the bourgeois splendour of Las Arenas and Neguri.

Historically, Getxo was a town known for its industrial bourgeoisie, great fortunes, and the elites of the region. For many years, this Biscayan town was home for these social groups, which has shaped both the character of the place and, more visibly, its architecture.

The Promenade des Grands Villas thus stands as both witness and testimony to an entire era. As a reflection, through palatial architecture, of the industrial prosperity of Bilbao Bizkaia during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It is an opportunity to take a closer look at the lives and backgrounds of individuals and families who possessed not only huge fortunes, but also enormous political and business influence.

Along this route, which follows the coastline for just over two kilometres, we find a great variety of architectural styles of the mansions and houses that were designed by the most renowned architects of the time, such as Severino Achúcarro, Rafael de Garamendi, Ricardo Bastida and Manuel María Smith. All this in a truly privileged area, along a pleasant promenade located just a few steps from the sea.

What is the route along the Paseo de las Grandes Villas like?

The Paseo de las Grandes Villas de Getxo stretches for 2.3 kilometres. It runs along the quays Muelle de Las Arenas and Muelle de Arriluze, from the Evaristo Churruca monument to Ereaga beach and Punta Begoña. It is a completely flat, simple and pleasant walk, suitable for the whole family and even for small children.

Along the route, there are 29 information panels in Basque, Spanish and English that tell about the palaces, villas and houses: names, architect in charge of each work, predominant architectural styles in the different periods, historical and social context and other details.

Impressive belvederes, columns, porticoes, gables... an array of architectural and decorative elements can be seen on the walk, in a beautiful combination of styles ranging from Basque regionalism to eclecticism, as well as architecture in the English tradition.

Among the many palaces in the area are such gems as, for example:

• Arriluce Palace: an impressive example of neo-Gothic - medieval architecture, the work of the architect José Luis Oriol Urigüen.
• Cisco Houses: three adjoining mansions in Nordic style. Casa Cisco I is the work of Manuel María Smith. Its real name is Casa de Luis Arana, but it was given the nickname Cisco, which the other two mansions also adopted, after the eldest son (Francisco Javier Arana Ybarra) of the owner. The Cisco II and III Houses, on the other hand, are the work of Eugenio de Aguinaga.
• Villa Ariatza: also designed by Manuel Maria Smith, is a beautiful example of neo-Basque style.
• Lezama-Leguizamón Palace: the largest and most striking of Getxo's mansions, located on the Arriluze promontory. It was designed by José María Basterra and later remodelled by Manuel Maria Smith.

These palaces, as well as many of the others that can be seen along the route, have undergone logical modifications and alterations over the years, but their façades and exterior structures are basically intact.

The walk runs to the old Shipwreck Rescue Station, today a Red Cross maritime rescue base, another beautiful example of Neo-Basque style architecture, and ends at the Arriluze Lighthouse, in Punta Begoña.

Once you have finished the route, we recommend that you take a rest in the Old Port of Algorta - a former fishing port that has been converted into a leisure area - or somewhere around the Bizkaia Bridge, depending on which way you are going. A txakolí wine and some calamares will bring you back to the present after this outing to the golden years of Bilbao Bizkaia.

How to get to the Paseo de las Grandes Villas in Getxo

The fastest and most direct way to get to Paseo de las Grandes Villas is by the Bilbao metro. Depending on the direction you take, there are two possible stops:

• Areeta (Zone 2): from the Evaristo Churruca Monument.
• Neguri (Zone 2): from Punta Begoña.