Page 134 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Northern Spain

132  NOR THERN SP AIN REGION B Y REGION

The jagged rocks of the inaccessible Matxitxako headland west of Bermeo
4 Bermeo 5 Lekeitio 6 Ondarroa
Vizcaya. Road Map A4, G1. * 17,000. Vizcaya. Road Map A4. * 7,500. Vizcaya. Road Map B4. * 9,000.
n Parque Lamera s/n; 946 17 91 54. @ n Indepen dentzia Enparantza; @ n Erribera 9; 946 83 19 51.
_ Andra Mari Jaiak (7–16 Sep). 946 84 40 17. _ San Pedro (29 Jun), 8 organized by the tourist office;
∑ bermeo.eus San Antolín (1–8 Sep). book in advance. _ Andra Mari Jaiak
∑ lekeitio.org (14–17 Aug). ∑ ondarroa.eu
Bermeo is an important port on
the Basque coast, with a busy Lekeitio is one of many fishing The road between Lekeitio
fishing harbour and excellent villages on the Basque coast and and Ondarroa is planted with
seafood restaurants. The town’s its architecture is maritime in pines. Ondarroa is a small but
oldest church is Santa Eufemia style. It also has several historic charming old port on the
(13th–15th century), an aisleless buildings, including the Gothic border with Guipúzcoa
Gothic structure that incorporates Basilica de la Asunción de province, with an animated
Byzantine elements. The Gothic Santa María. Inside is a harbour and a colour ful fishing
Torre Ercilla accommodates the 16th-century altar. Visible from fleet. It has preserved its
Museo del Pescador, which has the town’s beautiful beach medieval town plan, with the
an exhibition on the Basques’ is the island of San Nicolás, names of the streets referring
long heritage of fishing and which can be reached on to geographical locations or
whaling across the Atlantic. foot during low tide. to traditional Basque sports.
Several hermitages are located For years, Lekeitio rivalled Spanning the Artibai river
in Bermeo and the surround ing San Sebastián as the Basque is the Puente Viejo, a Roman
area. The most famous of these Country’s summer capital, bridge that was reconstructed
is the Ermita San Juan de with elegant 19th-century villas in the 20th century.
Gaztelugatxe, situated on a lining its pretty seafront. The Other buildings typical of the
rocky island a few kilometres surrounding area is good area include the 15th-century
from the town and reached by for walking. Gothic Iglesia de Santa María,
climbing a flight of 231 steps. The town is famous for one built on a clifftop, and the Torre
of the most raucous of Basque de Likona, a border watchtower
E Museo del Pescador fiestas – the “goose games” from the same period. It was
Torre Ercilla. Tel 946 88 11 71. of San Antolín (see p36). here that the mother of St
Open 10am–2pm & 4–7pm Tue–Sat, Ignatius Loyola,
10am–2pm Sun. & 7 founder of the Jesuit
order, was born.
Environs The old town hall
Cabo Matxitxako is a remote has a façade with
headland with two light houses. Tuscan columns.
The best beaches are to be On a nearby hilltop
found in Ibarrangelu, which also rises the Iglesia de
has the best surfing in northern Nuestra Señora de la
Spain. Elantxobe, in turn, is a Antigua, dating from
picturesque fishing village that the 12th century but
spreads up the precipitous rebuilt in the 17th
slopes of the highest cliff on the century. It affords
Basque coastline – Monte Ogoño breath taking views of
(280 m/918 ft above sea level). Boats in the port of Ondarroa the surrounding area.
For hotels and restaurants see pp205–6 and pp219–21

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