Lekeitio
Worth a detour, and the nicest place to spend a night on this stretch of coast if you want somewhere small.
A harbour town with a ship's-hull roof in its church, and one of the few Bizkaian coastal towns still keeping its own rhythm.
At a Glance
- — You are uneasy with hunting traditions — the September fiestas include one
Lekeitio has the best-looking harbour on the Bizkaian coast: a wide, protected basin with the old town behind it, a beach either side of the headland, and a basilica, Santa María, whose wooden roof is built like the hull of a boat turned upside down. This was one of the ports that made the coast rich on whaling and cod, and the houses along the waterfront still show it. The town is small and slow, with a market on Fridays and fiestas in early September that include a goose day outsiders find difficult and the town keeps anyway. Thirty minutes from Gernika.
How it got here
Whaling defined the economy of these ports from the Middle Ages through the early modern period. Merchant families amassed capital by supplying oil and salted fish to European markets, visible in the stone coats of arms carved into the facades of waterfront townhouses. The construction of the Basilica of Santa María in the fifteenth century coincided with this period of maritime prosperity. Its vaulting mimics the timber frames of vessels launched from the local shipyards. When the whaling stocks collapsed in the Bay of Biscay, the port adapted to cod fishing and ship construction, maintaining its independence from the industrial expansion that transformed larger Basque harbors during the nineteenth century.
Where it sits
The town occupies a protected basin on the Bizkaian coast, flanked by the Lea river estuary and high cliffs. Inland, the terrain rises into the green, rain-fed ridges typical of the Cantabrian range. Access requires navigating narrow, winding roads through mountain passes. Summer brings families to the beaches at Karraspio and Isuntza, but the town settles into silence once the autumn rains begin. During the first week of September, the harbor crowds for the Antzar Eguna, a traditional competition involving the local rowing boats. Outside these days, the pace matches the slow movement of the tides against the quay walls.
What to eat and drink
The cuisine centers on the catch from the Cantabrian Sea. Marmitako, a stew of bonito, potatoes, onions, and green peppers, draws directly from the culinary traditions of local fishing crews. Grilled besugo, red seabream cooked over open coals, provides the standard main course. For dessert, intxaursalsa, a thick cream made from ground walnuts and milk, appears on tables during colder months. Txakoli, a dry, slightly effervescent white wine produced in vineyards across the province, serves as the standard accompaniment. Meals finish with glasses of patxaran, a liqueur made by steeping sloe berries in anise-flavored spirits, reflecting the forest produce of the neighboring Basque hills.
Basque Country: the whole region
The Basque Country is the most expensive and the most rewarding corner of northern Spain: three small provinces, each with its own character, all within an hour of each other. It suits travellers who want to eat well and move slowly far…
Minimum 4 days · better 7 days · deep 2 weeks
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In Basque Country
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