3 - 4 days in Gernika Urdaibai
Table of contents
If you want to spend a few days in direct contact with nature in the area around the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, we have a few ideas for you:
This proposal will allow you to be in direct contact with nature in the area around the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, enjoying the varied cultural offer, but also to enjoy some of the entertaining outdoor activities the region has to offer: canoeing down the estuary, paddle surfing, hiking trails, boat trips, bird watching, whale watching, electric bicycle rental and much more...
Day one: GERNIKA
Your best bet is to start off in Gernika. Due to its location in the heart of the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, it is really the most logical starting point.
Morning
Call in at the Tourist Office where they’ll be happy to let you have a map of the town, a copy of their gastronomy guide and any other information you may need.
Gernika’s museums: Gernika is home to two museums with themes that are very different yet very interesting at the same time:
- The Gernika Peace Museum is the best place to learn all about what happened here on the 26th of April 1937.
- The Euskal Herria Museum is an ethnographic museum that will give us a good grounding in how the Basque Country was formed and in its traditions, folklore, gastronomy, etc.
After visiting the Peace Museum, you can follow the Air Raid Shelter Route. Two of the shelters can only be seen from the outside (the Astra shelter and the Talleres de Gernika shelter) but the Pasealeku shelter is open to the public and you can experience what the bombing must have felt like just by pressing a button inside the shelter.
Afternoon
If you’re in Gernika then there are two things you just have to do: number one, you have to enjoy a good lunch in one of the town’s restaurants and, number two, you really ought to visit one of the Basque Country's most iconic and unmissable landmarks, the Casa de Juntas (Assembly House) and the Tree of Gernika. Don’t forget to book in advance to make sure you can get into the building, which is one of the most ancient houses of parliament in Europe.
A hop, skip and a jump away from the Assembly House is the Park of the Peoples of Europe, a peaceful and beautiful place where you can stroll around and admire several sculptures, including one by Henry Moore and another by Eduardo Chillida.
The reproduction of Picasso’s “Guernica” is a great place for a selfie and then, to end the day on a high note, why not savour a pintxo in one of the town’s friendly hostelries.
Another good idea for the afternoon would be a visit to the Jai Alai fronton to discover one of the Basque Country’s most exciting sports: cesta punta. Come to the fronton and watch the training sessions that take place from 4:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday.
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What to see in Gernika in a day
Ther are lots of ways to enjoy Gernika, but here are a couple of suggestions
Day two: THE TASTE OF THE SEA AND SAN JUAN DE GAZTELUGATXE
Morning
Start the day in one of the most spectacular places anywhere on the Basque coast: San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. Please note that you can’t just turn up here: If you want to walk to the top of the rock on which the hermitage of San Juan is located, you have to book in advance. But if you don’t feel like walking, you can always contemplate the beautiful land- and seascape from the Eneperi restaurant’s viewpoint.
After this visit, what could be better than a trip to the quintessential seaside town of Bermeo. It’s hard to beat a stroll around the port and the old quarter, and the climb up to the old Atalaya (watchtower) and a visit to the cloister and the church of San Francisco are well worthwhile. With all that sea air you’re sure to have worked up an appetite, so why not enjoy lunch here?
Afternoon
Onwards and upwards to Mundaka, a surf town famous the world over for its left wave and only 3 km from Bermeo. Enjoy the wonderful views from the hermitage of Santa Catalina and stroll through the town’s charming streets to the harbour and the church of Santa María.
To bring the day to a close, why not enjoy a drink while you take in the views of the marshes from Ekoetxea, the Basque Biodiversity Centre. If you have kids in tow, this Centre is a great place to relax with the family and to enjoy all the activities on offer at the museum. Admission is free.
A great alternative you may care to consider is a boat trip from Bermeo or Mundaka to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, Elantxobe or even to see the whales and dolphins.
For the more active among us...
What about a surfing lesson in Mundaka?
Or diving amongst sharks in Bermeo?
Or a trip in a sailboat from Bermeo?
Day three: A ROUTE THROUGH MARSHLAND AND CHARMING VILLAGES
Morning
A good way to start our day is to go birdwatching among the marshes. Why not park at the Urdaibai Bird Centre and stroll along the path that connects the two observatories? Then stop by the centre itself to immerse yourself in the world of birds and their migrations.
When you leave the centre, head towards the beaches at Laida and Laga, enjoying impressive panoramic views of the marshes from the road itself. Your first stop is Laida beach, where there’s a great viewpoint - the perfect location for some sensational photos - and several beachside bars and restaurants in which to enjoy a few equally sensational pintxos.
Suitably sated, it’s time to drive on to Laga beach and from there to the picturesque village of Elantxobe, known for its narrow streets, its port and its bus turntable - which is not only absolutely necessary because of the lack of space, but also an interesting attraction for visitors.
Afternoon
If we’ve worked up an appetite, we can have lunch in one of Elantxobe’s three restaurants before we visit another charming little town which just happens to have the shortest name in Spain: Ea. A stroll through its streets will lead us to the beach and we would also recommend a walk up to the Talako Ama hermitage: your just reward for making the effort (it’s a 10 to 15 minute climb) is the spectacular views to be had here.
For a perfect day
Why not take a canoe or a paddleboard down the Gernika estuary? The trip takes about 2 to 3 hours, and it’s pretty easy going. You do have to book in advance, though. Opening hours depend on the tides.
Day four: HIKING AND GASTRONOMY
Choose one of these two routes depending on whether you prefer to be by the coast or inland.
The coastal route is 15 km long (that’s one way - you can return by train) 3 1/2 hours and 145 m gradient.
GR 123. A walk along the estuary through the marshes to Mundaka. This extraordinarily beautiful route starts at the Rentería bridge in Gernika and follows the estuary all the way to Murueta. From there, after crossing the tracks just beyond the chimney of the old weaving mill, we continue on to Busturia. The path leads us to Ekoetxea, a good spot to take a break for a drink and to enjoy the views. Girding up our loins, we head on towards Sukarrieta. If it’s a nice day, we can have a swim at the beach of San Antonio before continuing along the route to our final destination of Mundaka, although, if you’re up for it and have time to spare, the GR 123 continues all the way to Bermeo - off you go! If you don’t have time to do the whole route, you can catch a train at one of the stops in Busturia or Sukarrieta and be back in Gernika in good time for lunch.
If you walk all the way to Mundaka, you can have lunch in one of its restaurants. And if you do end up in Bermeo, you’ll find there are plenty of places in which to treat yourself to a well-deserved repast after your long walk.
The train ride back to Gernika offers views of the marshlands that you’ll not get from anywhere else. The journey takes only 20 minutes from Bermeo and 15 from Mundaka, minutes that fly by as we gaze out of the window at the passing scenery.
The inland route is 10.5 km long (it's a circular route). 3 1/2 hours and 420 m gradient.
PR-BI 174. Mount Illuntzar rises like an atalaya or watchtower keeping guard over the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve. Its mountain pastures provide views of its contrasting landscape, from the marshes at the bottom to the high valleys between Ereño and Nabarniz and the mountains that line our river basin. Mountainous in nature, this trail starts off in the Elexalde neighbourhood in Nabarniz. It climbs along a forest track to the summit of mount Illuntzar, where strong winds blow and livestock graze quite oblivious to our presence. The path begins its descent through pastures to the north face, where we pass through the beautiful Airo beech forest and the ruins of an old farmhouse. The track widens as we come to the Kurtziagana crossroads, from whence we head down the old road to Ikazurieta.
Take time to enjoy the beautiful small rural villages of Ikazurieta, Uribarri and Elexalde, where life revolves around the farmhouse.
If you’re keen to try one of the most deeply rooted and traditional Basque dishes, why not order a splendid dish of pinto beans from Gernika in one of the three restaurants you’ll find in the village of Nabarniz. Each and every one of them is an expert in the preparation of this succulent and energising stew.
Afternoon
The mountainous slopes that line the coast of the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve provide ideal conditions for the noble art of growing vines and making txakoli. If you’d like to find out more about this typically Basque wine and have the chance to pair it with exquisite local seasonal products, why not pay a visit to one of the region’s wineries? Here are a few for you to choose from:
The Itsasmendi Winery
Located in Gernika
The Berroja Winery
Located in Muxika
The Amunategi Winery
Its origins go all the way back to the Amunategi family farmhouse in Busturia (Bizkaia).
Now, after such a full day, what could be better than sitting back and relaxing as you watch an incredible sunset from San Pedro de Lumo in Gernika or from any of these other places:
Plans in Urdaibai
An extraordinarily beautiful space where people live in harmony with nature, their villages, and their heritage and culture.
