San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, Mundaka and Gernika Tour Bilbao

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, the hermitage on the rock

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is a small stone hermitage on a rocky islet, joined to the Biscay coast by a bridge and a zigzag stairway of more than 200 steps. A chapel has stood here since the Middle Ages, and tradition says you ring the bell at the top three times and make a wish. This is the sight most people have in mind when they look for a Gaztelugatxe tour from Bilbao.

Visits are limited and need a ticket, so our tour includes your entry and handles the timing. Allow about two hours including the climb, the views and the descent. The steps are uneven, so wear shoes with grip. Wondering how to get to Gaztelugatxe without a car? Public transport is limited, which makes a guided day trip the simplest way. The best time to visit is a clear morning.

Mundaka, the fishing harbour and its famous wave

Mundaka sits at the mouth of the Urdaibai estuary, a protected biosphere reserve, and its harbour of colourful houses still feels like a working fishing village. The river-mouth left-hand wave beside the town is known to surfers across the world, and the little hermitage of Santa Catalina on the headland gives a wide view of the sandbank and the estuary.

On this Mundaka tour from Bilbao you spend around an hour and a half here with your guide, who explains the seafaring tradition and the lanes behind the port. If you are asking whether Mundaka is worth visiting, the answer is yes for its setting alone. Autumn and winter swells bring the surfers, while spring and summer are best for relaxed strolling.

Gernika, the town of the Tree and the Assembly House

Gernika holds a special place in Basque history. Beneath the oak known as the Tree of Gernika, the lords of Biscay once swore to respect local laws, and the neighbouring Assembly House, with its stained-glass ceiling, still stands for Basque self-government. Your guide also tells the story of the bombing of 26 April 1937, which destroyed much of the town and inspired Picasso's famous painting.

A Gernika guided tour is a quiet, thoughtful contrast to the coast. You spend about an hour and a half here, long enough for the Tree, the Assembly House gardens, the town's peace memorials and a short free moment. The town lies roughly 30 kilometres from Bilbao, so visiting on a day trip from Bilbao is far easier than arranging buses between stops.

Choosing your group and starting from Bilbao

The tour lasts around six hours and starts at 09:00. Depending on the option you choose, you travel in a small group of up to 8 in English, with hotel or apartment pick-up and drop-off in Bilbao, or in a larger bilingual group in Spanish and English that meets at a set point in the city. Both options include the Gaztelugatxe entry ticket and guided visits to all three places.

Lunch is not included, so plan a meal in Mundaka or Gernika or bring a snack. A minimum number of travellers is needed for the departure to run, and we will contact you in advance if there is a change. Check the booking panel to compare the options and see current prices for adults and children.