Visit the five lighthouses of Bizkaia
A sea of lights
WATER
October 2023
There are five lighthouses that shine amidst the waves that break along the coast of Bizkaia at night.
Santa Katalina Lighthouse (Lekeitio)
If we travel down the coast from east to west, the first one that comes to our attention is Santa Catalina, standing proudly on the cliffs of the cape of the same name. It has been gleaming for a century and a half just over one and a half kilometres from Lekeitio. It holds a surprise: as well as being open to the public, it houses an interesting centre for the interpretation of navigation techniques that allows a virtual voyage from Elantxobe to Lekeitio.
Cape Matxitxako lighthouse (Bermeo)
The route from Santa Catalina to Matxitxako is as beautiful as it is tricky.
The asphalt winds around itself right up to Bermeo and on to Bakio. There you will find the turning that leads to the cliff that forms the cape and its two lighthouses.
The old one is contemporary to the Santa Catalina lighthouse; the new one dates from a little over a century ago and is located a hundred metres from the original one. Matxitxako is a place of shipwrecks, naval battles, sightings of cetaceans and the passage of huge flocks of migratory birds. On one side is the port of Bermeo. And on the other, San Juan de Gaztelugatxe.
Gorliz Lighthouse
To the west, in the district of Uribe, the highest and most modern lighthouse in the territory watches over the waves. Vertical, white, built on the remains of an artillery battery, it provides a glimpse of what is happening beyond Cape Villano, suspended on 165-metre-high cliffs. Those who visit it will have to take the path that climbs up from the magnificent Gorliz beach. The views from its base are incomparable.
Arriluze Lighthouse (Getxo)
The lighthouse in Gorliz is a lighthouse with the vocation of a hermit, while the lighthouse on the Arriluze quay has the vocation of a holidaymaker. It stands on the seafront promenade of Getxo, next to the marina. It is occupied by the headquarters of the Red Cross sea rescue and the local rowing club. At its back lies the surprising architectural complex of Punta Begoña, the last chalets of Neguri and the Old Port, full of character.
Punta Galea Lighthouse (Getxo)
The westernmost lantern in Bizkaia is Punta Galea. As in the case of Gorliz, its foundations are in an old military installation. The original lighthouse was inaugurated in 1905, while the current one came into service in 1950. It is located next to one of the most spectacular promenades in Bizkaia and very close to one of the few windmills in the territory.
Visiting all five of them allows you to get to know this land and its sea. Visiting any of them is worthwhile.
INDIAN
Terrace facing the cliffs. Spectacular pintxos bar.
Arriatera beach – Sopelana
ZURETZAT
BAR RESTAURANT
Family restaurant with a bar serving tapas, casseroles and delicious ‘rabas’ (fried squid). Kitchen open from 12 to 20h
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