Beaches near Bilbao, recommendations and advice.

Grouped under the name “beaches near Bilbao”, we show you all those beaches that are located in the vicinity of the capital of Bizkaia, on the west coast of the Basque Country.

DoesBilbao have a beach? Which beaches in Bilbao do you recommend? Which beaches near Bilbao are the best for families? After receiving questions like these in recent days, we have decided to write this article dedicated exclusively to the sandy beaches surrounding the capital of Bizkaia. And the first thing you should know is that Bilbao does not have a beach, it is the regions surrounding the capital of Bizkaia that offer us the sandy beaches that we find near Bilbao. Today, beach lovers are in luck, and is that, as we did in our article on the beaches of Donostia San Sebastian, we will try to unravel in detail the secrets that hide the beaches of the coast of Bizkaia, the beaches near Bilbao.

The Basque beaches, wild and paradisiacal, are one of the many attractions that we have in Euskal Herria, spaces of great beauty, where the bravura of the Cantabrian Sea and the majesty of the cliffs that surround them, fall in love every day to thousands of people who visit us. The beaches that surround Bilbao, can be catalogued by the region in which they are located, thus, starting in the westernmost coast, in Muskiz, and ending in the easternmost, in Ondarru, we find the coastal regions of Enkarterri, Gran Bilbao, Uribe, Busturialdea and Lea-Artibai, spaces that, dotted by the sea, offer us such amazing beaches as La Salvaje, Muriola, Gorliz, Bakio, Aritzatxu, Laida or Laga. A small representation, which shows us the great potential of the beaches that we find near Bilbao.

In Bilbao and in the towns surrounding the city, the beaches are places of disconnection and leisure throughout the year, not only in summer. Although in summer they are the most refreshing and ideal places in our territory, the rest of the year they are perfect places from where to contemplate the sea, walk, run, relax, surf… or just sit and listen to the waves breaking. Very popular places that we recommend you to visit following this “mini guide of the beaches near Bilbao” that we have created for all of you.

Bilbao has no beach, but within a radius of less than 1 hour we find more than 20 beaches, a pretty significant number, isn’t it? Although we have extended the radius to 1 hour, we must indicate that except for the beaches of the Urdaibai area, the rest are less than 30 minutes away. A real pleasure. All the beaches that we recommend in this article have (during the bathing season) lifeguard services. In addition, some of them also offer everything necessary for assisted bathing, services that we see as essential in any self-respecting beach. Here is the official list of beaches with lifeguard service of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia:

23 beaches for a single city, Bilbao, a proportion that many people will find more than enough. Well, in summer, on weekends, in many of these beaches, it is practically impossible to find a parking space. And that, in many of them, parking is regulated by the city council and it is necessary to pay a fee for parking our vehicle.

Are you looking for a beach near Bilbao, a surfing beach, a family beach? Whatever type of beach you are looking for, there is sure to be one in the surroundings of Bilbao that perfectly suits your tastes and needs. And the fact is that the towns that surround Bilbao offer beaches of all kinds to the capital of Biscay. Here is a small summary of the type of beaches that we have around Bilbao.

Family beaches near Bilbao: In this group we find the quietest beaches, large sandy areas with little waves, which delight the youngest members of the family. When talking about family beaches in Bizkaia it is essential to mention the beaches of Plentzia and Gorliz, two beaches that, together, form one of the largest and most protected beaches of the coast of Bizkaia. Although they are not the only ones, Las Arenas and Ereaga, flanked by the cliffs that border the Bay of Abra and the breakwaters that protect the Port of Bilbao, also represent another good option for family plans. All of them are perfect for playing, strolling or swimming in total tranquility.

Surfing beaches near Bilbao: There are many beaches on the coast of Bizkaia that offer us to surf their waves, but not all of them fit the levels and tastes of all surfers who visit us. That is why, after consulting the experts, we have decided to make a small summary of what the beaches near Bilbao have to offer for surf lovers:

Wild beaches near Bilbao: If we must mention a single beach near Bilbao that meets the characteristics to mention it as a “wild beach”, that is the beach of Laga, in Urdaibai, one of the most amazing natural areas of all Bizkaia. But it is not the only one. Among the beaches that respect nature the most, among the sandy areas where humans have had less impact, we also find beaches like La Salvaje or Gorliz. The latter, has been returned to its natural state by means of a colossal work, which, demolishing practically all the buildings that were at the foot of the beach, has returned the dunes to the coast of this locality.

You can also enjoy Bilbao, the estuary and the beaches through the different boat routes offered by the Bilbao estuary and the Biscay coast. A totally different perspective that we recommend you to enjoy with your eyes closed. If this type of experience calls to you, we recommend you to book in advance because the boats have limited capacity and in high season it is common to run out of tickets. You can book directly through our website.

Reserve

Beaches to practice activities near Bilbao: Towns such as Getxo, Sopela, Plentzia or Gorliz are strongly committed to offer active tourism experiences to their visitors. In this section, it is essential to mention Troka Abentura, an active tourism company located in Gorliz that has revolutionized all Bizkaia with its activities. A great work, which, from here we applaud at the same time that we recommend. You can read our article about active tourism in the region of Uribe if you need more information about this kind of activities.

Nudist beaches near Bilbao: There are many nudist beaches scattered along our coasts. In Bizkaia, the most popular beaches for naturalists are Azkorri (Gorrondatxe), La Salvaje (Barinatxe), Meñakoz, Ogeia or Muriola. In some of them nudism is practiced in practically the whole of the sandy area, but on the other hand, in others like La Salvaje it is practiced more in the extremes, on the sides.

Beaches near Bilbao Metro: Line 1 of the Bilbao Metro crosses part of the coast of Bizkaia as it passes through the regions of Gran Bilbao and Uribe, undoubtedly the best beaches for those who want to go to the beach by metro. Below, we leave you a small summary of the metro stops that connect Bilbao with the beaches that we find in its vicinity, we hope you find it helpful.

Plentzia: We start at the farthest station from the center of Bilbao, the last station of line 1, Plentzia. If we take the Abando station as the center of Bilbao, the journey time is 42 minutes, to this, we must add the 15 minutes of the walk, pleasant and very nice, linking the station to the beach. This station is the closest to reach the sandy beaches of Plentzia and Gorliz. Two quiet beaches of great beauty (as well as the villages that host them) of which we have already spoken previously. To get to these beaches the route to follow is very simple, pass the pedestrian bridge that we find in front of the subway and follow the promenade of the estuary, on the left hand side, you can’t get lost. If you want to know more about this area, we recommend reading our article Gorliz, what to see and what to do.

Larrabasterra: This stop is located in Sopela, a town that surprises us with the quantity and quality of its beaches. Although Sopela also has a metro stop in its urban center, it is further away from the coast, from the beaches, so the best option is to get off at Larrabasterra station (better known as “Larrabas”) and once on the coast, choose the beach we like the most. If we take Abando station as a reference, the “Larrabas” station is 33 minutes away from the center of Bilbao. On this occasion, the walk is longer, about 20 minutes, but luckily, there is a bus (Sopelbus), which, departing from the bus stop that we find next to this metro stop, brings us to the beaches during the summer. By the way, once the bus leaves us next to the beaches, we have the option to choose between two of them: the one on the left, La Salvaje (Barinatxe), a rural, unaligned, more natural beach, and on the right the Arrietara-Atxabiribil beach.

Bidezabal: Arrigunaga beach, just a few minutes from the Bidezabal stop, offers a sandy and stony beach located at the mouth of the Bilbao estuary, in the Abra bay. In summer, the campsites that are in this area, surrounding the beach, are usually occupied by hundreds of people to sunbathe, while the skatepark popularly known as “La Kantera” is full of skate addicts. A quiet area close to the Molino de Aixerrota which is 27 minutes by subway from the center of Bilbao (Abando station reference).

Neguri: This stop is the most recommended to get to Ereaga beach, but it is not the only one. Many people choose to get off in Algorta, cross the whole town and go down the Old Port, a much longer way but that gives us another view. Abando and Neguri are separated by 23 minutes by subway, to which we must add the nice walk of about 15 minutes by Arriluce to reach the beach of Ereaga. This great beach that connects the marina of Getxo with the Old Port of Algorta, is one of the closest beaches to Bilbao.

In addition to the subway, there are also other public transports such as the bus, but the truth is that the subway is one of the most demanded and comfortable transports to reach the beaches near Bilbao.

Route through the beaches near Bilbao: There is a route that, starting at the Bizkaia Bridge or Suspension Bridge and ending in Armintza, goes through more than 10 beaches and coves of the Bizkaia coast, a route that starts about 30 minutes from the center of Bilbao and that offers us a movie plan. The beaches that we travel are those of Las Arenas, Ereaga, Arrigunaga, Gorrondatxe, Barinatxe, Arriatera – Atxabiribil, Muriola, Plentzia, Gorliz and Armintza. To return we must take the bus in Armintza to Gorliz and then take the metro (Plentzia station) to our point of origin. A very nice route, that without a doubt we recommend you. More information in our article on the Getxo – Armintza route.

Beaches near Bilbao with ample parking: La Arena, Azkorri, La Salvaje, Gorliz…all of them have ample parking in their vicinity, but even so, in summer, especially during the weekends, they are usually insufficient for all the people who want to enjoy our coastline. So, although many people hate it, the recommendation is clear, if you do not want to go crazy looking for a place to leave your car, or you use public transport or you have to get up early. Beaches like Laida, Laga, Las Arenas, Arrigunaga or Plentzia, do not have large parking spaces, but if you go early in the morning, you can park easily.

Beaches with underwater wineries: It seems a bilbainada, but it is not, in Plentzia, in the bay of the same name, there is an underwater winery in which incredible and exclusive wines are raised, the Crusoe Treasure winery. A unique experience, in which we enjoyed like children. More information in our Crusoe Treasure article.

Our favorite beaches near Bilbao: The beaches listed below are, in our humble opinion, the best beaches near Bilbao. But it is just that, an opinion.

The best beach bars near Bilbao: Maloka in La Arena, El txirin in Azkorri, El Peñon in Sopela or the tasca that we find in Bermeo are some of the perfect places to enjoy the long and beautiful summer evenings. Some of them cannot be considered beach bars, but they have practically the same use, places to have a snack and a drink after a nice day at the beach.

Beaches near Bilbao with assisted bathing: Bathing is a right to which everyone should have access. That is why there are more and more beaches that offer the possibility of bathing to those who cannot do it by themselves. An example of this are the beaches in this list.

Tips to enjoy bathing on the beaches near Bilbao: As in all beaches, in Bizkaia there are also some codes of conduct that help us to enjoy the beaches around us with respect. Although we are sure that most of them do not even need to be mentioned, we leave you a small list:

Fauna and flora of the beaches near Bilbao: The fauna and flora existing on the beaches surrounding Bilbao is increasingly richer, or at least, so attest the different studies carried out. In addition to enjoying the weather and the beaches near Bilbao, it is a pleasure to see the flora, fauna and geology found in these Basque areas. If you want to appreciate these aspects of our coast, we recommend you to enjoy the traces of time that can be seen in the layers of history that are exposed in the cliffs surrounding the beaches of Azkorri and La Salvaje. On the other hand, if you are looking for coastal ecosystems, the protected biotope of Gaztelugatxe, the dunes of Astondo (Gorliz) or the marshes of Urdaibai, are the ideal places to enjoy them.

The beaches near Bilbao offer us all kinds of spectacles: movie sunsets, perfect sunrises, wild beaches, paradisiacal landscapes… choose yours and enjoy it!