Balmaseda, what to see and do.

Balmaseda, what to see and do in the oldest town in Bizkaia.

Balmaseda, the oldest town in Bizkaia and link with Castilla y León, is one of the most charming towns in the Basque Country. Located about 30 minutes from the center of Bilbao, bordering the Mena Valley, Zalla, Sopuerta and Artzentales, Balmaseda is a perfect place for all those who want to know the region of Enkarterri.Due to its strategic location between Castile and the Cantabrian ports, Balmaseda was once one of the most important commercial centers of our territory. Named town in 1199, Balmaseda has a great cultural, historical and natural heritage that we will show you throughout this article on what to see and do in Balmaseda. This town preserves intact much of the medieval structure that it once had, a fact that makes this urban center has a very unique charm.

The charm of Balmaseda lies in the fusion of its historic center, the Kadagua River and Mount Kolitza, spaces that have contributed their bit to make this Basque village has established itself as one of the most visited places in Bizkaia. But these are not the only attractions of Balmaseda, we recommend that you pay attention to each and every one of the spaces that we mentioned, we are sure that you will love them. In case you have any doubt we recommend you to leave us a comment in this article. We will try to respond as soon as possible.

What to see in Balmaseda.

The town center has most of the places we recommend you to visit in Balmaseda, but on the outskirts there are also places of great interest such as the Museum of Boinas La Encartada or the San Roque Hermitage. We encourage you to enjoy all of them. We hope you like them.

Balmaseda Old Town: The pedestrian streets of the historic center of Balmaseda invite you to stroll while enjoying special places such as the San Severino square, the banks of the river Kadagua or the Old Bridge. We recommend you to take advantage of this walk through the center of Balmaseda to enjoy the gastronomy, history and culture of the town. A perfect moment to mingle with the local people and enjoy their most typical traditions.

Museum of berets La Encartada: The old factory of berets and blankets La Encartada has been converted into a museum. A space that makes us travel to the time of the Industrial Revolution through the original machinery that we have the opportunity to contemplate. We must point out that nowadays it is very difficult to find a factory that keeps intact all the machinery of its production chain, even in the cradle of industrialization, in England. This makes it one of the most important museums in the region and in the Basque Country. If you want more information about this museum you can read our article about the museum of berets la encartada.

Museum of History Villa de Balmaseda: The museum of history will help us to know better the town, its past and its customs with a great variety of objects, photos and sculptures. One of the most visited museums in the region along with the Museum of Berets La Encartada. This museum is located inside the church of San Juan del Moral, in the center of the village.

Passion Interpretation Center: The church of the convent of Santa Clara houses this center that shows us how special the Living Passion is for all the inhabitants of Balmaseda. A space in which they show us the costumes, the steps and the objects that are used during this event through images, videos and sounds.

Horkasitas Palace: This palace located in the center of the historic center of Balmaseda, surprises us with its incredible ornate facade, the coats of arms of the Horcasitas family and its gardens. Although in the past the Horcasitas Palace was privately owned, today it is part of the municipal heritage of Balmaseda.

San Severino Church: This church located in the square of the same name, was built in the fifteenth century on the old wall. The temple has been repeatedly renovated throughout history, so we find elements of different eras both inside and outside. The organ that we find in the church of San Severino, an organ of the Cavaille – Coll brand of the 19th century, was donated by Martín Mendia y Conde. Undoubtedly one of the most striking elements along with the stained glass windows.

Balmaseda Town Hall: The Balmaseda Town Hall was built in 1743 by the architect Marcos de Vierna y Pellón. Unfortunately, the building that we find today has important reforms made during the years 1851, 1883 and 1919. We must emphasize the porticoed floor through which the town hall is accessed, a truly spectacular space.

Old Bridge: This is one of the oldest buildings in Balmaseda. A medieval bridge of 3 arches, that in the past was an obligatory passage of all the merchandise that traveled between Castile and the Basque coast. This bridge is not the only one that joins the two banks of the river Kadagua as it passes through Balmaseda, but it is the most important. A bridge that stands out and gives more strength if possible to the historic center of this town.

San Juan Bautista Church: On the left bank of the Kadagua River, on Martin Mendia Street, we find the San Juan Bautista Church. A temple built in the 15th century that today houses the Balmaseda History Museum.

San Roque Hermitage: The hermitage of San Roque is located at 874 meters above sea level, at the top of Mount Kolitza. A religious temple from the middle of the 13th century to which the image of San Roque was added in 1585.

Monastery of Santa Clara: This former convent and its church have been restored to house a hotel and the Balmaseda Living Passion Interpretation Center. This architectural complex was built thanks to the contribution of the indiano Juan de la Piedra Verástegui, who made it possible for the first tenants to arrive in 1666 to this emblematic Basque building.

Urrutia Palace: The Urrutia Palace is located in the heart of Balmaseda, in its historic center, in Correría Street. A classicist building built by the architect Martín Ibañez de Zalbidea that belonged to Admiral Diego de Urrutia y de los Llanos. Hence its name. At the present time this palace counts in its interior with different private houses located at 3 heights. We must emphasize the 2 coats of arms, which, located in both corners of the building, represent the arms of the Urrutia family.

Klaret Antzokia: The old church of the Sacred Heart of Mary of Balmaseda has been converted into one of the most important cultural centers of Balmaseda and Enkarterri. A theater, which has a long list of events throughout the year. The rehabilitation of this church took several years. A long architectural process, which made the church of the Sacred Heart is now known as Klaret Antzokia, in honor of the Klaretian fathers who lived in the old seminary. A small wink to this order that for so long was in Balmaseda. Thus, this theater inaugurated in 2005 in the Plaza de San Juan has become one of the most important spaces of the town.

Sundial: The sundial of Balmaseda, a piece of more than 70 tons and 6 meters high, does not offer since 2008 the months, hours and minutes with the only help of the sun. Built by Manuel Gomez Arenaza, this instrument in addition to offering us the indicated information, also has inscriptions that indicate the names of the region and the 5 mountains of Bizkaia. A unique piece that we encourage you to contemplate carefully.

Kolitza: The most famous mountain of Balmaseda represents one of the 5 mountains of Bizkaia. With its more than 800 meters high, this Basque mountain offers an incredible panoramic view of Balmaseda. From the top of this mountain, the General Meetings were called with the simple sound of the horns and the flames of the bonfires. The most traditional route to climb Kolitza starts from the back of the town hall, passing through the neighborhood of Pandozales until reaching the hillside. This route is indicated by black and white panels and markings. There is no way to get lost.

Camino de Santiago: The Camino de Santiago runs through the Basque Country, filling our land with life as pilgrims pass through. But what many people do not know is that in addition to the already famous Northern Route there is also the mountain route, a forgotten path that crosses Bilbao, Alonsotegi, Güeñes and Zalla before reaching Balmaseda. A route that for years was used by traders transporting goods between Bilbao and Castile.

Kadagua River: The course of the Kadagua River runs through the region of Enkarterri showing us some of its most secret corners. A sheet of water, which already in the 19th century was essential to move the machinery of the factory La Encartada. As you can see, the river Kadagua is a key piece to understand the past, present and future of the region in which the town of Balmaseda is located.

Ancient wall: Balmaseda was surrounded by a huge wall that, starting from the castle, reached the banks of the river Kadagua. This wall had 2 clear purposes, the first and most important was to protect its inhabitants from the enemies of the time, the second, to prevent flooding by the rising of the river. Unfortunately, the wall that surrounded the town of Balmaseda was destroyed in the middle of the 19th century so that the town could expand. It should be noted that this wall had 5 gates that allowed the entry of outsiders:

Houses of indianos: The houses of indianos of Balmaseda are one of the great attractions of this town of Bizkaia. Among all these buildings we must emphasize the Martin Mendia House and Villa Lola. These 2 structures correspond to families who, after emigrating and making their fortune in America, returned to their land. These impressive villas represent today the success of these Basques who were forced to leave their land.

Where to sleep in Balmaseda.

If you are looking for where to sleep in Balmaseda we recommend you to consider the possibility of staying in the wooden houses of Satiaberri. One of the lodgings with the best value for money in Bizkaia. We recommend you to book as soon as possible because the demand usually exceeds the supply of this accommodation. We recommend you to book safely, quickly and at the best price from our reservation center, from here.

Events.

The Putxeras contest, the Living Passion or the Medieval Market are some of the most important cultural events in Balmaseda. Events, which are held annually and have great repercussion in Euskadi. Here is a small summary of the dates and characteristics of these events in Balmaseda.

Guided tours in Balmaseda.

Guided tours in Balmaseda are only available for groups of more than 8 people. In case you are interested, we recommend you to contact us through our contact form, we will try to respond as soon as possible. Remember that in order to enjoy these guided tours it is essential to book in advance.

Location.

Balmaseda is located at the end of a long valley, next to the bed of the Kadagua River, about 30 kilometers from Bilbao. A strategic location, which allows the visitor to get to know this impressive area located in the southwest of Bizkaia. A great opportunity to get to know forgotten areas such as Sopuerta, Zalla or Artzentales.

Gastronomy.

The town of Balmaseda has a privileged gastronomic culture and tradition. The famous putxera of Balmaseda, a dish based on beans, bacon, sausage and blood sausage, is undoubtedly the star dish of this Biscayan town.

History of Balmaseda.

As we have already indicated, Balmaseda is the oldest town in Bizkaia, the capital of the region of Las Encartaciones and the gateway to Euskadi with Castile and Leon. There are archaeological remains that indicate that Balmaseda has had human presence since prehistoric times, but undoubtedly the most important moment of this town took place in 1199, when it obtained the title of town. This title was a direct consequence of its strategic location. A perfect location to locate a fortified town for trade relations between Bizkaia and Castile. During the 18th century, along with the creation of a new trade route with Castile from Orduña, Balmaseda’s trade was seriously damaged. The wars that hit the town (the Convention War, the War of Independence and the Carlist Wars) increased the serious crisis that plagued Balmaseda. A crisis that, with the arrival of industrialization and the railroad in the 20th century, began to weaken. An example of this industrialization is the beret factory La Encartada, a space that today has been converted into a museum and we can visit it to learn about the history of this Basque town.

What to see near Balmaseda.

The urban centers that we find in the vicinity of Balmaseda are another of the great incentives when it comes to know this urban center. We recommend that you plan a route to enjoy the places and experiences that we present in this section.

Video of Balmaseda.

As usual, we wanted to complete the words and photographs in this article with a short video. An audiovisual with which we intend to show you in a more real way everything you can see and enjoy in Balmaseda. In case you like this kind of videos we encourage you to subscribe to our YouTube channel, we are sure you will find experiences and destinations that will call your attention.

As you have been able to verify, Balmaseda is one of those destinations that seduce all those people who decide to visit it. An idyllic enclave, of film. A village that we are sure you will love. If you have any questions about what to see in Balmaseda, we recommend you to use the comment system that you will find below these lines to let us know. We will try to respond as soon as possible. Ondo pasa!