Legends from our ancestors
Basque mythology is the collection of myths and legends told in Euskal Herria, and Bizkaia has many places where Basque mythological creatures live
Bizkaia is a region where customs and traditions are intertwined with myth and magic. In the dawn of time, the land was inhabited by the Jentil, lamias, sorgiñas and other characters.
If today we know most of the Basque legends and creatures, it is thanks to the work done by the anthropologist Joxe Migel Barandiaran, who collected and published these stories. In so doing, he has helped the Basque people understand where they come from and contributed to keeping their traditions alive.
In Mungia you can visit Olentzero’s house. Olentzero is the character associated with Basque Christmas tradition.
In Santimamiñe you can feel the presence of the Jentil. The caves of Baltzola, in Urkiola, sheltered the lamias and the Jentil, while the caves in Mount Anboto were home to the mother goddess Mari, whose strong role reflects the nature of the Basque society.

All things Basque
Basque people are unique: They speak a language of their own and stick to deeply-rooted traditions
On a country walk, you will see that many doors bear an eguzkilore (carline thistle) to ward off evil. Legend has it that, when Amalur (Mother Earth) created the moon to protect man from evil spirits, she saw that it was not enough, so she added this flower for additional protection.
Of all the mountains in Euskadi, the mother goddess Mari chose Mount Anboto for her main dwelling. The summit, 1331m above sea level, offers breathtaking panoramic views of Bizkaia. Her rocky abode can only be reached by experienced climbers. On sunny days, they say, you can see her combing her long hair with her golden comb, while the clouds are said to be the smoke of her cooking.
Just like goddess Mari, it is time to make yourself into a ball of fire and roll from Urkiola to Gorbeia, where she has another residence: the cave of Supelegor in the Itxina massif. She lives there with other creatures, mainly sorgiñas (witches) and lamias (half women and half animals). On stormy nights, nobody dared come close to the cave, as the witches gathered around a bonfire at the entrance.
Take a look at the ruins of Castro de Arrola or Marueleza in Nabarniz, on the site of an ancient fortress. According to legend, on St John’s Eve, as the sun goes down, a mysterious cauldron shows up, buried next to a treasure. In Baltzola, you will find the bridge built by the Jentil for protection against the Christian newcomers: Jentilzubi. In the cave of Santimamiñe, along with the rock paintings and other traces of prehistoric men, you will feel the presence of Jentil too.
Routes
In the magnificent Itxina massif, in Gorbeialde, there is a cave, Supelegor, where the goddess Mari is believed to spend time, along with the lamias and the sorgiñas. The witches gather here around a bonfire to hold witches’ Sabbaths or akelarres. The fastest way to reach the cave is through the Pagomakurre recreational area.
This tour leads to the cave of Supelegor, home to the goddess Mari, the lamias and the sorgiñas
Cut through the forests to the meadows surrounding Itxina. A winding trail leads to Ojo de Atxular, which marks the entrance to the massif. The area used to be populated with shepherds and coalmen.
Skirt the sinkhole on the right and climb down to the crossroads. The path on the left leads downhill past Lexardi to Supelegor. Keep an eye on the sinkholes, huts and other signs on the way.
How to get there
-
The whole of Bizkaia is peppered with mythological references, although the highest concentration of them is to be found in the nature parks. At the visitor centres (parketxes) you will find all the necessary information about routes and trails, so that you do not miss a thing.
Gorbeia Visitor Centre
Gudarien Plaza, 1. Areatza, Bizkaia
Phone number: +34 946 739 279
Email addressUrkiola Visitor Centre (Toki Alai)
Barrio Urkiola, 8. 48211 Abadiño, Bizkaia
Phone number: +34 946 814 155
Email addressArmañón Nature Park and Ordunte Mountains Visitor Centre
Barrio de Ranero (across Pozalagua Cave). Karrantza, Bizkaia
Phone number: +34 946 560 079
Email address-
Timetable
Gorbeia Visitor Centre
10:00am to 2:00pm and 4:00 to 6:00pmUrkiola Visitor Centre (Toki Alai)
November-March, 10:30am to 2:30pm and 3:30-5:30pm
April-October, 10:00am to 2:00pm and 4:00 to 6:00pmArmañón Nature Park and Ordunte Mountains Visitor Centre
Tuesday-Sunday and holidays, 10:00am to 2:00pm and 4:00 to 6:00pm -
Location
Anboto
Olentzeroren etxea
Baltzola
Supelegor
-
-
We recommend wearing mountaineering boots and carrying a bottle of water and a sandwich on your mythological tour. If you are planning to enter the cave, bring a flashlight for greater appreciation of detail. And, of course, do not forget your camera. You will want to capture so many of these places filled with magic!
-
BIME Bizkaia International Music Experience
- 25 october · 28 october
- Barakaldo / Bilbao
-
The Tour de France arrives in Bilbao Bizkaia
- 7 august
- Bizkaia
-
Bilbao Night Marathon 2023
- 21 october · 21 october
- Bizkaia
-
Autumn plans
- 23 september · 21 december
- Bizkaia
Cookies policy
We use proprietary and third-party cookies for analytical and customisation purposes, such as choosing the language in which to display the website. For more information, please consult our COOKIES POLICY. You can accept all cookies by clicking “Accept” or configure/reject the use of cookies CONFIGURE.
Cookies policy
What is a cookie?
A cookie is a file that is downloaded to your device when accessing certain websites. Among other features, cookies allow a website to store and recover information about the browser habits of a user or of its equipment and, depending on the information contained and the way in which you use your equipment, they can be used to recognise the user.
When browsing visitbiscay.eus, you will be consenting to the use of the cookies as per the terms contained herein.
Types of cookies
- Technical cookies: These cookies allow the user to browse a website, platform or application and use the different web options and services, such as controlling traffic and data communication, identifying the sessions, accessing parts with restricted access, recalling aspects of an order, performing the process to purchase an order, processing the application to register or take part in an event, using security features while browsing, storing content for the purpose of broadcasting videos or sound, or sharing content via social networks.
- Analysis cookies: these cookies allow the number of users to be quantified and are used to measure and analyse the browsing in order to improve the services made available. They can be own or third-party cookies.
- Customisation cookies: these cookies allow the user to access the service with some general predefined characteristics according to a series of criteria in the device of the user, such as the language, type of browser used to access the service, the regional configuration from where the service is accessed, etc.
- Advertising and marketing cookies: store information on user conduct obtained through continuous observation of their browser habits, which allows Facebook/Twitter (or wherever we us this) to create a specific profile when making adverts according to said profile.
Duration of the cookies
Session cookies: They collect and store data while the user accesses a website. They are usually used to store information that only needs to be kept to provide the service requested on a single occasion (for example: list of products in a shopping trolley).
Persistent cookies: The data continues to be stored in the device and can be accessed and processed during a period defined by the cookie manager. That period can range from a few minutes to several years.
Types of cookies according to the manager
Depending on who manages the equipment or domain from where the cookies are sent and who processes the data obtained, cookies can be divided into:
- Own cookies: they are managed by the Provincial Council of Biscay
- Third-party cookies: these are managed by another entity, which processes the data obtained through cookies. Google Analytics cookies are used on this web page – a web analytics service developed by Google, which allows web page browsing to be measured and analysed and Facebook cookies to store information to measure and optimise advertising campaigns. You will be able to see cookies from both services on your web browser.
How can I disable or delete the cookies?
You can allow, block or delete the cookies installed on your equipment by configuring the browser options installed on your device. You should check the configuration options of your web browser for further information.
- Deactivate Cookies in Chrome
- Deactivate Cookies in Explorer
- Deactivate Cookies in Firefox
- Deactivate Cookies in Safari
- Deactivate Cookies in Edge
If you disable or delete the cookies, some features of visitbiscay.eus may not operate correctly.
Cookies on visitbiscay.eus
The type of cookies used on visitbiscay.eus is set out below, according to their purpose:
Name | Type | Purpose | Length | Manager |
---|---|---|---|---|
JSESSIONID | Technical | Session identifier | Session | Provincial Council of Biscay |
LFR_SESSION_STATE | Technical | Session identifier | Session | Provincial Council of Biscay |
COOKIE_SUPPORT | Technical | Indicate whether the user has the cookie support activated | 1 year | Provincial Council of Biscay |
pc_tecnicas_visitbiscay | Technical | Choose your preferences for acceptance of the block of technical cookies | 1 year | Provincial Council of Biscay |
pc_analitica_visitbiscay | Technical | Choose your preferences for acceptance/rejection of the block of analytical cookies | 1 year | Provincial Council of Biscay |
pc_preferencias_visitbiscay | Technical | Choose your preferences for acceptance/rejection of the block of preferential cookies | 1 year | Provincial Council of Biscay |
pc_publicidad_visitbiscay | Technical | Choose your preferences for acceptance/rejection of the block of advertising and marketing cookies | 1 year | Provincial Council of Biscay |
Idioma | Customisation | Select the language preferred by the user | 1 year | Provincial Council of Biscay |
_fbp | Advertising and marketing | Store and track visits to web sites | 1 year | |
personalization_id | Advertising and marketing | Personalise your Twitter experience | 1 year |
- Type
- Technical
- Purpose
- Session identifier
- Length
- Session
- Manager
- Provincial Council of Biscay
- Type
- Technical
- Purpose
- Session identifier
- Length
- Session
- Manager
- Provincial Council of Biscay
- Type
- Technical
- Purpose
- Indicate whether the user has the cookie support activated
- Length
- 1 year
- Manager
- Provincial Council of Biscay
- Type
- Technical
- Purpose
- Choose your preferences for acceptance of the block of technical cookies
- Length
- 1 year
- Manager
- Provincial Council of Biscay
- Type
- Technical
- Purpose
- Choose your preferences for acceptance/rejection of the block of analytical cookies
- Length
- 1 year
- Manager
- Provincial Council of Biscay
- Type
- Technical
- Purpose
- Choose your preferences for acceptance/rejection of the block of preferential cookies
- Length
- 1 year
- Manager
- Provincial Council of Biscay
- Type
- Technical
- Purpose
- Choose your preferences for acceptance/rejection of the block of advertising and marketing cookies
- Length
- 1 year
- Manager
- Provincial Council of Biscay
- Type
- Analysis
- Purpose
- To distinguish users
- Length
- 2 years
- Manager
- Google Analytics
- Type
- Analysis
- Purpose
- To limit the percentage of requests
- Length
- 1 minute
- Manager
- Google Analytics
- Type
- Analysis
- Purpose
- To distinguish users
- Length
- 1 day
- Manager
- Google Analytics
- Type
- Customisation
- Purpose
- Select the language preferred by the user
- Length
- 1 year
- Manager
- Provincial Council of Biscay
- Type
- Advertising and marketing
- Purpose
- Store and track visits to web sites
- Length
- 1 year
- Manager
- Type
- Advertising and marketing
- Purpose
- Personalise your Twitter experience
- Length
- 1 year
- Manager
Configure cookies
We show you hereinbelow the different categories of cookies that our web page uses. You can personalise your choice by accepting or rejecting these categories through the buttons enabled to that end. For more information, consult our COOKIES POLICY.
-
These are needed to allow browsing on our website and for basic tasks related to correct website operation.