Starting point The Sanctuary of Urkiola

Today we spend the day in Durangaldea, the epicentre of Basque mythology. The region has been home to many special beings, and in fact all the characters of Basque mythology have lived in the Urkiola Natural Park. That’s why we advise you to start in the park itself. To be precise, at the Sanctuary of Urkiola. Before Christianity our ancestors also considered this place sacred, and although the date the Sanctuary was built isn’t known, it’s said to date from the 8th-11th centuries.

The stone in front of the sanctuary is striking. Locals say it’s a meteorite, but it’s actually iron ore. Legend has it that if single men and women walk around the stone they will find a wife or husband. Very close to the Sanctuary, on a signposted path, is the Three Crosses viewpoint, a true paradise overlooking the Atxarte gorge.

The park has the Toki-Alai Interpretation Centre, with a permanent exhibition of the park and information on routes, points of interest and tourist information. It must be said that among the mountains and peaks in the Urkiola Natural Park, Anboto (1,331 m) stands out, the tallest and most significant mountain in Durangaldea. Many legends are told about this mountain. There you’ll find the cave of Mari, considered the home of the Basque goddess.

This tour through the Durangaldea region then takes you to the town of Durango, a town steeped in history and culture where you can enjoy the local cuisine. Durango is a town of medieval origin, with a historic quarter declared a Monumental Complex in 1997. Among other buildings and palaces, the Basilica of Santa María de Uribarri, the church, the Santa Ana Arch and the Kurutziaga Cross stand out.

In the afternoon, head to the Gerediaga Assembly House. The hermitages of San Salvador and San Clemente, the Campos Forales, oak trees and Renaissance stone crosses make up the sworn assembly site of Gerediaga. Political decisions relating to the 12 parishes that made up Durangaldea were taken at the Provincial Assembly of Gerediaga, and today it forms the oldest European parliament. A short distance from there is the charming and peaceful village of Garai, on the slopes of Mount Oiz, as well as the Momoitio hermitage and the necropolis dating from the 9th century.

The last stop is Elorrio, with an extraordinary monumental heritage. Elorrio has a historic and artistic complex of great value, with palaces, coats of arms, fountains and crosses adorning every quarter of the town. It’s the municipality with the most coats of arms in Bizkaia with 69. In Elorrio you’ll find the Argiñeta Necropolis which, both for the number and the chronology of the sarcophagi built from the 7th-9th centuries to the Middle Ages, is one of the most important funerary monuments in the Basque Country. The sarcophagi were built to be used in the necropolises of the various surrounding neighbourhoods, but they were regrouped in their current location in the 19th century. In the municipality you can also visit Solatsu Telleria-Baserria, with its interpretation centre about tile making.

Starting point Santa Katalina Lighthouse

Today we’ll spend the day travelling through the Lea Artibai region.

Our starting point is the Santa Katalina Lighthouse in Lekeitio. The Santa Katalina Lighthouse is the only visitable lighthouse in the whole of the Basque Country. It also has an information centre where visitors can learn the techniques and basic principles of navigation. It is located next to the watchtower in a natural setting, and offers visitors the opportunity to take a virtual trip from Lekeitio to neighbouring Elantxobe.

Before continuing, don’t miss Lekeitio, where its narrow cobbled streets lead down to a port where you can still see boats unloading fresh fish or the net-menders sewing. The old town preserves a wealth of artistic heritage. The Basilica of the Assumption of Santa María and its splendid Gothic altarpiece stand out, which is one of Bizkaia’s religious jewels.

Following the coast, we’ll reach Ondarroa, where in the old part we find the Old Bridge and the Old Guild, two of the most charming places. Ondarroa can be the stop to taste local cuisine and its exquisite fish, as its port is one of the busiest in Bizkaia. Don’t miss the Kamiñazpi district, with murals paying homage to the working people of the sea, which are impossible to ignore, nor the medieval Old Quarter, with narrow streets, huddled and stepped houses and a rich historical heritage.

In the afternoon, and heading inland, we’ll visit the municipality of Markina-Xemein, the gateway to the Way of Saint James. It is home to the unique hermitage of San Miguel de Arretxinaga, with its surprising hexagonal layout and megalithic altar, and the municipal fronton (pelota court) known as “La universidad de la pelota”, the sport’s legendary “university”.

Very close by is the Zenarruza Collegiate Church (Ziortza), declared a National Monument of the Basque Country. This religious complex includes the church, cloister, guesthouse, the new abbot’s house, tenant farmers’ houses, the two entrance gates, and the buildings housing the Cistercian community, as well as the former canons’ houses, the courtyard, and the cobbled path built in medieval times. In fact, it is currently the only stretch of cobbled path on the Way of Saint James in Bizkaia.