Bilbao - Inland Travel Guides | Bilbao | Sub Regions | Bilbao - Inland

“Too green to be Spain, and too rugged to be France”, is how author Mark Kurlansky sees the Basque lands. The interior is just that. While picturesque Oñati and Elorrio meander along on past glories, Gernika, the symbol of Basque Nationalism, has moved on to be a thriving country town again. These towns and villages are a good place to experience Basque culture; the baserri, the sturdy stone farmhouse, is still the basic unit of rural life, and the centre of weekend social life is still the frontón, where pelota matches are fought out. Stumble across a fiesta, and you'll be astounded by the old-style contests: stone-lifting, woodchopping and sheep-wrestling. The interior is home to the ancient Basque religion; where pre- Christian deities inhabited the peaks, caves, and woods, outdoor sports are now a more common way of interacting with nature .

Guipúzcoa is crisscrossed by valleys which are lush from rainfall and dotted with small towns, some agricultural centres for the surrounding farmland, some seats of heavier Basque industry such as cement or paper manufacture. Tolosa and Bergara are typical of these, and have a proud history behind them. The valleys also conceal beautiful churches (as well as the massive Loiola basilica), and plenty of walks and picnic spots.

Hourly trains from Bilbao’s Atxuri station; buses half-hourly from CHurtado de Amezaga in Bilbao, next to Abando station.

“. the concentrated attack on Guernica was the greatest success”, from a secret memo to Hitler written by Wolfgang von Richthofen, commander of the Condor Legion and cousin of the “Red Baron”, First World War One flying ace.

A name that weighs heavy on the tongue, heavy with blood and atrocity, is Gernika. During the Spanish Civil War, in one of the most despicable planned acts of modern warfare, 59 German and Italian planes destroyed the town in a bombardment that lasted three gruelling hours. It was 26 April 1937, and market day in Gernika, which meant that thousands of villagers from the surrounding area were in the town, which had no air defences to call on. Three days earlier a similar bombardment had killed over 250 in the town of Durango, but the toll here was worse. Splinter and incendiary bombs were used for maximum impact, and fighters strafed fleeing people with machine guns. About 1650 people were killed.

Franco, the head of the Nationalist forces, simply denied that the event had occurred; he claimed that any damage done had been caused by Basque propagandists. Apologists for the man have since claimed that the German Condor Legion planned the attack without his knowledge. While there is no doubt that Hitler’s forces were keen to experiment with this type of warfare, it is ridiculous to claim that Franco was not involved in the planning of an attack of this scale. In 1999 Germany formally apologized for the event; the Spanish remained conspicuous by their silence.

Although it was claimed by some that Gernika was a legitimate military target, this was not the case; in any event, no targets of military value were hit. Apart from a general wish to terrorize and subdue the Basque population, who were resisting the Nationalist advance on Bilbao, Gernika’s symbolic value was important. For many centuries Basque assemblies had met here under an oak tree, attended by the monarch or a representative, who would solemnly swear to respect Basque rights and laws – the fueros. The town became a powerful symbol of Basque liberty and nationhood. The first modern Basque government, a product of the Civil War, was sworn in under the oak only six months before the bombing.

One of the most famous results of the bombing was Picasso’s painting named after the town. “ By means of it, I express my abhorrence of the race that sunk Spain in an ocean of pain and death”. Picasso had been commissioned by the Republican government to paint a mural for the World Fair, and this was the result. It currently sits in the Reina Sofia Gallery in Madrid, but Basque lobbying may bring it to Bilbao. A ceramic copy adorns a wall on Calle Allende Salazar.

Today, Gernika is anything but a sombre memorial. While it understandably lacks much of its original architecture, it’s a happy and friendly place which merits a visit. Its Monday-morning market is still very much in business and entertaining to check out.

C Allende Salazar s/n. 1000-1400, 1600-1800 (winter), 1000-1400, 1600-1900 (summer). Free.

Symbolically sited next to the famous oak tree, this building, since Basque semi-autonomy, is once again the seat of the Vizcayan parliament. The building’s highlight is the massive stained-glass roof depicting the oak tree, which is outside by the porch. Part of an older trunk is enshrined in a silly little pavilion. Behind the Casa de Juntas is the Parque de los Pueblos de Europa, which contains a sculpture by Henry Moore and one by Eduardo Chillida. Dedicated to peace, they recall the town’s devastation.

Plaza Foru 1, T 94-6270213, F 94-6257542. Mon-Sat 1000-1400, 1600-1900; Sun 1000-1400. No lunchtime closing in summer. Free.

A comprehensive collection of documents about the Civil War and Gernika’s role in it. There are many valuable descriptions from eyewitnesses, as well as recreations of the bombing. To place Gernika in context, there’s a section on other cities destroyed by bombardment; the aerial assault here served as a template for similar raids in the Second World War and since. Chillida’s sculpture in the Parque de los Pueblos de Europa, see above, is the subject of a multimedia display.

Gernika sits at the head of the estuary of the Oka river, a varied area of tidal sandflats and riverbank ecology that is home to a huge amount of wildlife. UNESCO declared it a Biosphere Reserve in 1984. It’s a great spot for birdwatching, and mammals such as the badger, marten and wild boar are also present. The park headquarters (T 94-6257125) are just outside the town centre of Gernika in the Palacio de Udetxea on the road to Lumo. Vistas of the estuary can be had from either side, on the roads to Mundaka or Laida, but to really appreciate the area, you might be better off taking a tour .

Bus from Gernika to Lekeitio (every two hours approx) can drop you at the turn-off just before the town of Kortezubi, a half-hour walk away. Hitching is easy. Tours are free but limited to 15 people on a first-come first-served basis. They run Mon-Fri at 1000, 1115, 1230, 1630 and 1715.

Near Gernika, and well worth a visit, is the cave of Santamamiñe. It was an elegant and spacious home for thousands of generations of prehistoric folk, who decorated it with an important series of paintings depicting bison, among other animals. The chamber with the paintings is now closed to protect the 12, 000-year-old art from further deterioration. The cave itself is fascinating nonetheless, winding deep into the hillside and full of eerily beautiful rock formations. The cave is a short climb from the car park. The bar/restaurant at the bottom, Lezika, is a popular place for al fresco cerveza.

Access daily. Free.

Near the caves is an unusual artwork: the Bosque Pintado de Oma. In a peaceful pine forest on a ridge, Agustín Ibarrola has painted eyes, people and geometric figures on the tree trunks in bright, bold colours. Some of the trees combine to form larger pictures – these can be difficult to make out, and it doesn’t help that most of the display panels have been erased. Overall, it’s a tranquil place with the wind whispering through the pines, and there’s a strangely primal quality about the work.

A dirt road climbs three kilometres to the wood from opposite the Lezika restaurant. It’s accessible by car, but it’s a nice walk. If you are on foot, it’s worth returning another way. Take the path down the hill at the other end of the Bosque from the entrance. After crossing a couple of fields, you’ll find yourself in the tiny hamlet of Oma, with attractive Basque farmhouses. Turning left along the road will lead you back to the cave.

Bus from Bilbao bus station with Pesa 5 times a day.

The most Basque of places, this inland Vizcayan community is highly recommended for a peaceful overnight stay. Overlooked by rugged peaks. There’s a spirited Basque feeling about the place with plenty of posters, flags and bars making the local position on independence very clear.

The small and appealing old town is centred around the church, its beautiful bell tower looks a treat floodlit at night. The church is set on a shady plaza, also home to the Ayuntamiento (town hall), which sports an old sundial and a couple of finger-wagging quotes from the Bible. In the streets around the plaza are many well-preserved buildings. The attractive vine-swathed Palacio de Zearsolo, dates from the 17th century. Families of Elorrio must have been keen on a bit of one-upmanship – dozens of ornate coats-of-arms can be seen engraved on façades around the town.

Near the town, the Capella de San Adrián de Argiñeta, is surrounded by a set of tombstones that have baffled archaeologists. Carved from stone, they feature a series of apparently pagan inscriptions and designs. A more energetic walk is to climb the mountain of Udalaitz/Udalatx (1117m), the most distinctive of the peaks visible from the town. It’s accessible off the BI632 about 7 kilometres from town, on the way to Mondragón, or, more easily, off the GI3551 outside of that town. The climb isn’t as steep as it looks, but it’s still a good workout.

Serviced by Pesa four times daily from Bilbao bus station (bus continues to Ondarroa), also by Bizkaibus every half-hour (slightly slower).

This sunny village in the Vizcayan hills is set around a long leafy plaza. Not a great deal goes on here but what does is motivated by one thing and one thing only: pelota. Many hijos de Markina have achieved star status in the sport, and the frontón is proudly dubbed the ‘university of pelota’. As well as the more common pelota a mano, there are regular games of cesta punta, in which a long wicker scoop is worn like a glove, adding some serious velocity to the ball play. Games are usually on a Sunday evening, but it’s worth ringing the tourist office for details, or checking the website

The sandstone Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen is worth popping into for its typically ornate Baroque retablos (altarpieces). The hexagonal chapel of San Miguel de Arretxmago is a ten-minute stroll from the plaza on the other side of the river. Inside are three enormous rocks, naturally balanced, with an altar to the saint underneath. According to local tradition, St Michael buried the devil here; a lingering odour of brimstone tends to confirm this. At midnight on September 29, the village gathers to perform two traditional dances, the aurresku, and the mahai gaineko.

C Beko 4, Bolibar, T 94-6164114, Tue-Fri 1000-1300, Sat/Sun 1200-1400. Open 1700-1900 in Jul and Aug. Free.

A half-hour walk from Markina, the hamlet of Bolibar features a museum dedicated to a man who never set foot here. Simón Bolivar, El Libertador (the Liberator) to half of South America, was born in Caracas to a family who originally came from here. The museum documents the family’s history as well as the life and career of the man himself.

Bus from Bilbao’s bus station with Pesa once daily Mon-Fri, otherwise connect with local bus from Bergara.

Oñati is one of the most attractive towns in the region with a proud history as a university town and, until the mid 19th century, as a semi-independent fief of the local lord. The Universidad de Sancti Spiritus, established in 1540, is a fine example of cultured Renaissance architecture. The stately Casa Consistorial overlooks the main square where the two principal pedestrian streets, Calles Zaharra and Barria, meet to provide the focal point forthe weekend nightlife.

No public transport from Oñati. Taxi costs about €10 each way. Walking from Oñati takes about 2 hours, but the return trip downhill is significantly less. There’s plenty of traffic and it’s easy to hitch a ride.

Nine kilometres south of Oñati is the Franciscan sanctuary of Arantzazu, perching on a rock in a valley of great natural beauty. The basilica, built in the 1950s, is one of the most remarkable buildings in Euskadi. Incredibly avant-garde for its time, the spiky stone exterior is a reference to the hawthorn bush; according to tradition, a statue of Mary was found by a shepherd, led a tinkling cowbell, in 1468 on the spines of a hawthorn. The discovery ended years of war and famine in the area. The statue now sits above the altar, surrounded by the visionary abstract altarpiece of Luzio Muñoz. Although it appears to be made of stone, it’s actually treated wood, and 600-metres square of it at that. The soft blue stained-glass windows add to the effect. Above the iron doors, sculpted by Eduardo Chillida, are Jorge Oteiza’s fluid apostles and Pietá. He created great controversy by sculpting 14 apostles; for years they lay idle near the basilica as the Vatican wouldn’t permit them to be erected. In the crypt, the impressive paintings of Néstor Basterretxea also caused problems with the church. He originally painted the crucifixion backwards; when this was censured, he repainted it, but with an angry Jesus. He succeeded – his powerful red Christ is now an imposing figure.

There are a couple of hotels and bars in Arantzazu but, happily, nothing else. There’s some excellent walking to be done in the area, which is one of the most beautiful parts of Euskadi.

Sanctuario de Loiola/Loyola Bus: Pesa from Bilbao’s bus station (3 a day), and La Guipúzcoana from San Sebastián’s (destination for both is Azpeitia). Mon-Sun 1000-1300, 1500-1900.

Now here’s a strange one. A massive basilica, not quite St Peter’s or St Paul’s but not very far off, standing in the middle of Guipúzcoan pasture land. All is explained by the fact that St Ignatius, founder of the Jesuits, was born here. The house, where he first saw daylight, has bizarrely had the basilica complex built around it; it’s now a museum. The most arresting feature of the basilica from a distance is the massive dome, which stands 65-metres high. Designed by Carlo Fontana, an Italian architect from Bernini’s school, it’s topped by an ornate cupola. Lavish is the word to describe the intricate decoration, best viewed from a distance, as the visitor approaches; Baroque haters and minimalist gurus will drop dead on the spot. Inside, the Baroque style verges on the pompous, with a silver-plated statue of Iñigo gazing serenely at elaborate stonework and marble. The best time to visit is during the week, as hordes of elderly pilgrims descend to pay their respects to the saint or the grandiosity of thebuilding. Those with a keen interest in the saint should head to the nearby Iglesia de San Sebastián in Azpeitia to see the font where he was baptized.

Ormaiztegi, T 943-889900. Mon-Fri 1000-1300, 1500-1900; Sat/Sun 1100-1400, 1600-1900. Trains every half hour from San Sebastián (55 mins), buses from Bilbao to Tolosa stop here.

In the small town of Ormaiztegi is the childhood home of Tomás Zumalacárregui, now a museum about him and the times he lived in. Fighting on the side of the pretender Don Carlos in the first Carlist war, he gained an international reputation for his brilliant military victories and loyal guerilla army. He looked every bit the dashing romantic figure with a swashbuckling moustache and beret. Respected by the enemy, he won many battles in the early 1830s before being ordered to besiege Bilbao. The city held out, and Zumalacárregui was fatally wounded during the battle, dying aged 47. The museum includes documentation about both Carlist wars and 19th-century politics.

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