Visit to the port town of Bermeo

Bermeo is a small town which will attract your attention for 2 main reasons : its very pretty port which will tell you the history of the Basque whalers, this incredible epic, and its singular rock made famous by the Game of Throne series: San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. It is a dynamic city, of medieval origin with beautiful palaces and a harmonious ensemble to discover.

Photos from the report: Guide to the Basque Country

Bermeo, a small town in Biscay

We are going for a walk at the end of the day in Bermeo. Park in car parks on the outskirts of the city and walk to the port. It is one of the largest fishing ports in Cantabria. Steep, the city is located on Mount Sollube and its escarpment is visible all the way to the sea where rocks like small islands emerge from the waves.

Returning to the port and its surroundings, several heritage elements are remarkable in Bermeo such as the Ercilla Tower, one of the 30 that once surrounded the city (you will notice remains of ramparts here and there). The cloister of the Santa Maria Church, the Santa Eufemia Church. The port is a place full of life where it is pleasant to walk, there is a boat which houses a Whaling Interpretation Center . Bermeo is one of the epicenters of this fishing practice. The Biscay whale, the black right whale, evolved before the ^18th century, in the waters of the Cantabrian Sea. It was a thriving economy for villages like Bermeo because the whale provided blubber to make oil and soap, large bones for construction, and meat to feed the people. It was with drag boats, boats with specific characteristics to pass the swell quickly, that the whalers hunted the cetaceans. The scarcity of whales made fishing obsolete and it was towards sardines and tuna that Basque fishermen then turned.

We enjoyed walking towards the heights of the town to reach a grassy park with a beautiful promontory offering a spectacular view of the waterfront.

The coast of Bermeo and its islands

8km from Bermeo town center, visit San Juan de Gaztelugatxe , one of the most famous places in Biscay. If in high season you will have to be patient and not expect photos with anyone in it, in low season it is a breathtaking place to see. There is a whole string of small islands to discover : Akatz Island, Izaro Island, Cape Matxitxako, surrounded by cliffs and rocks ...

For a leisurely swim in calm water, Aritzatxu Beach, a sort of deliciously blue little cove... If you have time, take a boat trip to admire the coast and approach the islands.

The patronal festivals of Bermeo are those of St. John's Day. In July, Magdalena's Day is also a special celebration. In September, we celebrate Nuestra Señora de Almike .

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