Bilbao Spain

SOPELANA-SOPELA
Its most outstanding feature is its long beach, divided into three sections, one of them set aside for nudists, which is the popular Salvaje beach. These areas are commonly used for surfing and hang gliding. There is also a lovely church. 12C San Pedro's, which was rebuilt in the 18C. In the vicinity, there are very valuable archaeological excavation sites.

PLENCIA-PLENTZIA and GORLIZ/BARRICA
These two villages are connected by their beaches which form a huge, beautiful bend in the shape of a shell. Their peaceful waters are ideal for the practise of wind-surfing.
The Old Part of Plencia with its narrow streets is especially attractive. It preserves its medieval layout and a famous tower called Goinkale. Also noteworthy is the tower-cumfortress of Santa Maria Magdalena, a sober, elegant Gothic church with several bas-reliefs inside.
Butron Castle lies between Sopelana and Munguia. It belongs to the village of Gatica and stands in a bend of the River Butron. It was built around the former House-cum-Tower of the Butron family and dates from the 13C. Later it was turned into a Romantic castle in the style of the Baviera family, thanks to the Marquis of Cubas in the 19C. It is surrounded by a scenery full of Iush vegetation and trees.

MUNGUIA-MUNGIA
This is a pretty village surrounded by mountainous country. It lies in a valley through which the Butron flows. It has a 15C building -Billela Tower- which was rebuilt in 1852 and is used as a lecture room of culture today. A sepulchral tile dating from the year 77 AD was found there with an inscription.
Munguia is in fashion today and attracts young people who spend their time in its numerous pubs and bars. Nearby lies La Bilbaina a private, golf course.

BAQUIO-BAKIO
This summer resort has a beautiful beach where it is possible to practise surfing and other water sports.
On the road towards Bermeo, there is first San Pelayo Hermitage an interesting 12C Romanesque building on the right and the island of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe on the left, where a Romanesque hermitage, after which the island is named, stands on its highest point. This small island is connected with the mainland by means of a bridge and an endless series of stairs and slopes.
If one continues towards Bermeo Cape Machichaco with its typical lighthouse is found on one's left. In addition both the road from Bakio to Bermeo and the one from Bakio to Arminza and Plencia in the opposite direction are full of observation platforms where one can stop and contemplate the Atlantic Ocean known there as the Cantabrian Sea.

BERMEO
This is the most important fishing village along the Cantabrian coast, where exquisite fish and shellfish dishes can be enjoyed. There is a good view of the old fishing harbour from poet Ercilla's medieval tower, which houses the Fishermen's Museum. Santa Eufemia Church, a 13C sight of national importance, lies nearby. On the road from Bermeo to Mundaca, the well-known island of Izaro can be seen on the left.

MUNDACA-MUNDAKA
It lies at the mouth of the Guernica ria and is a very picturesque, peaceful and undisturbed place. It has a church -Santa Maria’s- with a unique tower which stands on the vantage point of the harbour. There are valuable columns attached to its walls and it has very artistic ribs. Also outstanding from the point of view of architecture is the Casino, which has a running observation platform on wrought-iron supports.
In addition, there is one of the best beaches in Europe for surfing. Many international championships and competitions have taken place there. Other water sports can also be practised, among them sailing and wind-surfing.

GUERNICA-GERNIKA
Since the Middle Ages and thanks to its geographical and strategic position as a centre of communications, it was chosen to be the headquarters of the Juntas de los Fueros del Senorio y Sede de Juntas Generales, ie, the seat of the regional authorities and government.
The town has many buildings of great interest to history and art, among them La Casa de Juntas (= Council Hall) with a church known as La Iglesia Juradera de Santa Maria de la Antigua, the Assembly Hall and the Museum. And there is also the Tree.
The tree is the only one surviving from an oak forest and in its shade delegates from all the villages of Vizcaya used to meet in the course of history.
In the area around Guernica a visit should include the Santimamine Caves with multi-coloured Stone Age paintings of great quality from the Magdalenian culture, which means that they are over 13,000 years old.
Following the right-hand bank of the Guernica ria, one reaches Laida beach in the mouth of the ria and Laga on the road front Guernica to Lequeitio.
Arteaga Castle lies on the way to Lequeitio. It is a castle in the Romantic mould, built at the order of Empress Eugenia de Montijo, Lady of Arteaga, in 1857. The tower was built of (grey and red) marble and surrounded by gardens.

EA AND ELANCHOVE-ELANTXOBE
These two small villages have a particular charm. The houses in Elanchove stand on steep slopes and reach down to the harbour in a terraced fashion.

LEQUEITIO-LEKEITIO
This is also a fishing village and at the same time a summer resort with a lovely beach, divided into two sections. The 16C Santa Maria de la Asuncion Church is a sight of interest to history and art of national importance and it is a remarkable example of Vizcava Gothic.
Also worthy of a visit is the old part of Lequeitio where the 19C Abaroa and Uribarren Palaces with their two squares are especially outstanding. All the streets are cobbled and very narrow. It also has two beautiful beaches called Karraspio and Mendeja.

ONDARROA
The same as Lequeitio, it is a small fishing village with streets leading to the harbour. This is where the Old Harbour lies, a harbour that was practically destroyed in 1936 and flooded in 1953.
In the heart of the old part, there is the stately 15C Licona Tower with Santa Maria de Ondarroa Church (1462). At the top there is 12C Nuestra Senora de Ia Antigua Church, which was rebuilt in 1750. From there one can see the whole harbour and the ocean. There are two beaches called Arrigorri and Saturracan, the latter bordering on Guipuzcoa.

DURANGUESADO
The region of El Duranguesado is the land which must be crossed to reach the Upper Deva and Alava. Its main watercourse is the river lbaizabal which flows into the Nervion a little before Bilbao.

DURANGO
It lies on a crossroads and has many buildings of exceptional architectural value. Especially, outstanding is Santa Ana's, a Renaissance and Herrera-style church with a Gothic crossing. It is a sight of national importance. Santa Ana arch still preserves the Baroque reforms made in the 18C. The Kurutziaga Cross is a reminder of the former Gothic entrance, which used to have three sections.
Durango provides many possibilities for excursions to all the valleys and mountains in its surroundings, among them especially Urkiola, an area of fields, forests, beautiful views and architecturally very valuable hamlets. The Hermitage of San Antonio Abad stands on a rise surrounded by oak and beech trees. Anboio is a sierra full of legends, mysteries and witchcraft. Garay lies on the slopes of Mount Oiz, surrounded by forests and fields, while there is a magnificent view from the observation platform called El Balcon de Vizcaya. 

ABADIANO-ABADINO
It lies about 3km from Durango and it is an important place because of its agricultural development. Everywhere in the village the houses-cum-tower can be visited, among them Trana, Jauregui, Uribarren, Larrigain, etc., or the famous Montxaratz Tower, which has a Gothic portal. This tower used to belong to Pedro Ruiz de Montxaratz, who was married to Dona Urraca de Navarra.

MARQUINA-MARKINA
This elegant village has many civil and religious buildings of great interest, among them Ugarte Tower, Mugategui Tower, La Merced Convent, etc.
The whole Old Part is of great architectural value, but especially outstanding is Santa Maria de la Asuncion Church (1510), one of the largest churches in the Basque country. It has an impressive interior, where the columns stand out as does the Plateresque retable by Juan de Ayala, a native of Alava.
San Miguel de Arretxinaga is another must. It consists of three large silica rocks standing in a random group.
5km from Marquina lies Bolivar-Cenarruaza. Towering over the village is Santo Tomas de Bolivar Church, built in the I0C and enlarged in the 16C. It has a magnificent Gothic figure of Christ.
Very near the church -following Beko St- there is the Bolivar House-cum-Museum, built around the ruins of the old site belonging to the Liberator Simon Bolivar.
Cenarruaza. The Collegiate Church and House of the Abbot stand in the middle of exceptional scenery. It is an official sight of national importance and includes Romanesque as well as Gothic elements. Today it is used as a hostelry by nuns.

ELORRIO
Elorrio lived its greatest splendour in the 17C and I8C. From that time date the numerous palaces and houses with their coats of arms found everywhere in the village. There are 22 palaces altogether. The whole village has officially been declared a sight of interest to the history of art and architecture.
Apart from a visit to the village, the Necropolis of Argineta also deserves one's attention. It is a collection of 9C sepulchres and funeral stelae that used to be scattered around the village.

ARRATIA VALLEY
Arratia valley extends through the Province of Vizcaya, where it borders on Alava. It takes its name from the river Arratia which has its source on Mount Gorbea, the highest one in Vizcaya, which towers over a countryside with a special atmosphere, where magic and mystery pervade the forests and rivers surrounded by numerous legends.
In the south-west of Arratia valley lies the town of Orduna. It is surrounded by lands belonging to Alava and in the rocks there lies the source of the river Nervion. It is a place with a medieval structure and military air in the midst of beautiful scenery.
The hamlets, houses-cum-tower, the hermitages, bridges, etc., found everywhere in the valley are examples of the everlasting Basque architecture.

LAS ENCARTACIONES
The region of Las Encartaciones in the north-west of the Province of Vizcaya, where it borders on Cantabria and Burgos, is a mountainous area with many forests of oak, chestnut, holm oak and strawberry trees and abundant fauna: boar. fox, wolf, etc. The most important places are:
Balmaseda, its most important sights being the 15C San Severino Church in the Gothic style, the 13C Town Hall, 15C San Juan's and especially the 13C Puente Viejo (Old Bridge), which has three arches. Between the central arch and one of the lateral ones, there is one of the old city gates with the coats of arms of Spain, Vizcaya and Valmaseda dating from the middle of the 16C.
Guenes has a 12C Santa Maria Church, rebuilt in the 16C and combining Gothic and Renaissance lines. Among the many palatial houses in the area, also outstanding is Los Amezagas House, known as the House of the Witches, because it has always been in a state of ruin since it was never finished. This huge building lies in an area off the beaten track and was built by order of Hurtado de Amezaga to put up Felipe V.
Carranza on the banks of the river of the same name is the capital of a valley dotted with houses-cum-tower, palaces and churches, such as the 13C Parish Church of San Esteban and Santa Maria de Soscano, which are both Gothic. In its surroundings, there are several caves, especially that of Santa Isabel, and the health resort or Balneario de los Padres Palotinos, which is over 130 years old and has thermal waters, famous for their healing effects, It operates a guest-house.

THE LEFT-HAND BANK
On the left-hand bank of the mouth of the Nervion, the following places are especially noteworthy:
Portugalete, a fishing village, is an important industrial and commercial centre today. Especially outstanding in its old part is the layout of its narrow streets, but also the suspension bridge, a metal construction linking both banks of the ria. Santa Maria’s, combing Gothic and Renaissance elements, is a sight of national importance.
Santurtzi, is famous not only because of its traditional old part, but because of its sardines. Therefore, it is a must to visit the fishing harbour in the village.