Matxitxako lighthouse.

Matxitxako lighthouse, one of the most important lighthouses in Urdaibai and Bizkaia.

The Matxitxako Lighthouse is one of the most striking structures of Urdaibai and Bizkaia. A functional building, strategically located in the Biosphere Reserve of Urdaibai, in one of the most salient points of the Cantabrian coast, it offers beautiful views of the Basque coast. Although allusion is always made to the Matxitxako lighthouse, we should point out that there are actually 2 lighthouses, the new and the old one. The new lighthouse is located inland, while the old one is literally on the cliffs. An architectural ensemble, which fused with breathtaking views and the breaking of the waves, offer us an idyllic, magical space. The Cape of Matxitxako is totally exposed to the winds and the sea, elements that have completely shaped this place. Do you dare to visit the Matxitxako lighthouse with us?

As we have already indicated, Matxitxako has 2 lighthouses, the old and the new. The old lighthouse was built in 1852 and was refurbished in 2014 to house the observatory of birds and cetaceans of Matxitxako cape. The new lighthouse was built in 1909 and is still glowing in the dark.

Old lighthouse of Matxitxako.

Since its inauguration in 1852, the old lighthouse of Matxitxako has been one of the main protagonists of this cape. This structure was built with stone from the quarries of Durango and surroundings and was in operation until 1909. At that time, the lighthouse was tended by 3 different lighthouse keepers. Its lantern had a range of 23 miles, enough to give us an idea of its importance in the past. Located at the most salient point of the coast, the lighthouse was 12 meters high and 79 meters above sea level. Although nowadays we can only contemplate the tower, it is still used as a foghorn.

New Matxitxako lighthouse.

Located inland, about 100 meters from the old lighthouse, we find the new lighthouse. An architectural complex designed by Rafael de La Cerda, consisting of the lighthouse keepers’ house, the warehouses and the depot, was inaugurated in 1909. In this case, the lantern is located 20 meters above the ground and 120 meters above sea level. A location, which allows to illuminate the stretch of coast that separates Castro Urdiales and Deba. As a curiosity we must indicate that it served as a lighthouse school in its beginnings.

Video of the Matxitxako lighthouse.

As usual in all our publications, we have created a short video about the Matxitxako lighthouse. An audiovisual, with which we intend to show you in a more real way what awaits you in your next destination. If you like this kind of videos, we encourage you to subscribe to our YouTube channel to know all the places and experiences that we recommend in Euskal Herria, we are waiting for you!

Boat route next to Matxitxako.

The boat that makes the trip between the port of Bermeo and San Juan de Gaztelugatxe allows us to contemplate the Matxitxako lighthouse from the sea. A different perspective, which shows us the cliffs that surround this incredible cape of the Basque coast. If you want more information about this maritime route, we encourage you to read our article boat routes to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. Remember that you can book your tickets online, quickly, easily and securely from here.

Experiences in Urdaibai and Euskadi.

If you want to enjoy the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve and Euskadi doing different activities, we encourage you to take a look at our reservation center. There you will find experiences for all tastes and budgets. We leave you a small list with some of the most demanded activities in Euskadi, we are waiting for you!

What to see near Matxitxako.

If you are planning to visit the Matxitxako cape and its lighthouses, we recommend that you consider the possibility of visiting some of the nearby towns. We have prepared a short list with some of the towns that we like the most. We hope it will be of help to you.

Guided tours of the Matxitxako lighthouse.

At present, the new lighthouse is totally closed to visitors, while the old lighthouse is open for bird and whale watching. However, the sightings can only be booked for groups. If you are planning to visit Urdaibai and want to enjoy this experience, we encourage you to contact us. We will try to help you as much as possible.

San Juan de Gatzelugatxe.

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is one of the most visited areas of the Basque coast. In fact, the Provincial Council of Bizkaia was forced to establish a capacity limit in order to protect this small natural paradise of Bizkaia. In this case, the Matxitxako cape, the most protruding cape of all Euskadi, offers us a beautiful panoramic view of Gaztelugatxe. If you want to know in detail this enclave, we recommend the reading of our article on San Juan de Gaztelugatxe.

How to get to Matxitxako.

If you want to visit the Matxitxako lighthouse, you should know that the best way to reach this enclave is by private vehicle. We recommend you to use the road between Bakio and Bermeo (BI3101) and use the Eskoleta detour (Barrio Arene) to get directly to the lighthouse. In any case, if you put in Google Maps “Antiguo Faro del Cabo Matxitxako”, it will take you directly to the parking lot. There is also the possibility of walking from San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, Bakio or Bermeo.

Where to park.

At the end of the road, next to the old Matxitxako lighthouse, there is a small parking lot with capacity for a dozen vehicles. Unfortunately, in high season, this parking lot fills up very easily. We recommend you to get up early in the morning to go there first thing in the morning. We should point out that the Matxitxako parking lot is completely free of charge.

Battle of Matxitxako.

During the Civil War, an unprecedented battle took place in the waters of the Bay of Biscay. A military event that went down in history as the Battle of Matxitxako. In it, several ships of the Auxiliary Navy of Euzkadi and a ship of the Nationalist Francoist side faced each other. To put you in context, we must indicate that at that time, the Auxiliary Navy of Euzkadi had no military vessels, so it was decided to convert the cod fishing boats that were in the Basque ports. Fishing boats, which would later be known as the “Bou”. The most important were the Bous Bizkaia, Gipuzkoa, Donostia and Nabarra. We must also make special emphasis on the fact that the brave men who sailed on them. They were volunteers, not military. On March 4, 1937, the ship Galdames left Bayonne for Bizkaia carrying 173 civilians and coins for the Basque Government. Protecting this ship were the Bous Donostia, Bizkaia, Gipuzkoa and Nabarra. They were afraid of being discovered by the national side, so they made the trip at night and with the radios and lights off. Unfortunately, a big storm caused the ships to separate, losing contact with the Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia bous. What at that time was the flagship of the national side, the Canarias, met up with them. The rest is history. The national side won convincingly. We leave you a short video of Oihane Pardo Perez in which he summarizes in a practical and interesting way everything that happened in this battle. This video is based on the studies of her father (Juan Pardo San Gil).

Bird and cetacean watching.

Nowadays, the Matxitxako cape represents one of the best places where you can contemplate the passage of birds and cetaceans from land. Although the best way to see cetaceans and sea birds are the boat routes to see cetaceans, Matxitxako is a great alternative. According to experts, since the whale watching activity was launched from Cape Matxitxako, more than 45 different species have been observed (peregrine falcon, gannet, minke whale, fin whale, common dolphin, Risso’s dolphin, Risso’s dolphin, killer whales…). If you are traveling in a group and want to enjoy this activity we encourage you to contact us.

Flysch of Matxitxako.

The flysch of Matxitxako is not part of the flysch of Bizkaia, but it is still one of the great geological jewels of the Basque coast. And it is here, in these cliffs, where we return to contemplate one of the most representative natural phenomena of our coast. Remember, trying to walk along the cliffs is very dangerous, especially in rain, wind or fog. We do not recommend it.

Matxitxako song.

There are different poems and songs that pay a well-deserved tribute to the Matxitxako lighthouse. All of them talk about how important this maritime light was in the hard winter nights. An element that guided our sailors back home on many occasions. We leave you an example of this through the lyrics of Julio Fernández Varo: Machichaco, regal lighthouse, miraculous meteor, beautiful and expensive, solitary in a golden ring, splendid light, harmony of the lights of dawn, Machichaco, sentinel of the Biscayan coast, clear wake that illuminates the seas, lightning without thunder, beautiful and rare reverberation of full light, Hail, lighthouse!

Lighthouses of Bermeo.

Throughout history Bermeo has had several lighthouses. It is not surprising. Even less so if we take into account all the weather catastrophes that have taken place on this stretch of the Basque coast (the hurricane of 1878 and the galerna of 1912). Today, the aforementioned Matxitxako lighthouses are joined by other lighthouses such as Errosape or the one on the main dock of the port.

Frequently asked questions about Matxitxako.

After mentioning each and every one of the aspects related to Matxitxako, we wanted to include the most frequently asked questions about the Matxitxako Lighthouse in a single section. We hope they will be of help to you when planning your visit to this magical place on the coast of Biscay.