Plentzia, what to see and do.

Plentzia, what to see and do in the historic village of Placencia de Butron.

Plentzia is a small coastal town strategically located by the sea. A town, located about 25 km from Bilbao, opens its doors to show us its charming old town, its always striking popular architecture and its magnificent beach. Attractions that have captivated thousands of people from all over the world. In fact, Plentzia is one of the most demanded localities by the Basques themselves to enjoy the summer season. So much so that its inhabitants tend to multiply by 4 during the summer months. Curious, isn’t it? This coastal town offers a wide range of spaces and experiences to enjoy. A list of possibilities that we will break down in the different sections that we will present in this article. Attention! Remember that you can use the comments system that you will find at the end of these lines to send us your questions and suggestions. We will try to respond as soon as possible.

Along the last stretch of the estuary, before it flows into the Bay of Plentzia, lies the most important urban center of this town. A space that, together with other neighborhoods such as Saratxaga, Txipios or Isuskiza, form the attractive Biscayan town that we present to you today. The inhabitants of all these neighborhoods converge in the Ensanche, an area of recent urban development that has become a benchmark of the town. Ready to discover what to see in Plentzia?

What to see in Plentzia.

If you want to know what to see in this old fishing village, we encourage you to read with full determination each of the sections that we present. Together we will discover one of the most idyllic spaces of the Biscayan coast. A small corner, that we are sure that you will end up falling in love. We must indicate that although all these spaces can be visited in a few hours, complemented by some of the activities that we propose can make you enjoy Plentzia for several days.

• Gazteluondo Mill: The water mill that we currently find in Plentzia is not the original one, but the grinding wheels that we find in its immediate vicinity. This pre-industrial mill used the tides to move its stones and thus grind the corn grains that were cultivated in the hamlets of the town. According to the experts, this mill dates back to the 16th century, a period in which the Basque Country lived from the countryside and whale fishing. The latter, a well-known activity in the town of Plentzia.

 

• Pedestrian footbridge: The pedestrian footbridge linking the Plentzia metro station and its urban core, was built to replace an old metal structure in poor condition that was in this same location. This footbridge designed by Javier Manterola has a length of 117 meters that allows us to cross the Plentzia estuary with total ease. Its two large white arches attract the attention of all those who visit Plentzia for the first time. Undoubtedly one of the first elements that the visitor finds when arriving at the locality.

 

• Plentzia Beach: Plentzia Beach is one of the most peaceful and familiar beaches of the Biscayan coast. Its large expanse of sand, its proximity to the town center and the beauty of the bay, make both people who want to enjoy the beach and all those who want to practice water sports find in the beach of Plentzia a beach of reference.

 

• Plentzia Bay: The beach of Plentzia forms together with the beach of Gorliz and the cliffs of Plentzia, Barrika and Gorliz, the so-called Bay of Plentzia. One of the most beautiful natural areas of the region of Uribe. A space that can be contemplated to perfection from the route to the lighthouse of Gorliz or from the cliffs of Barrika.

 

• Plentzia estuary: The Plentzia estuary and its boats create an idyllic setting. A place of great beauty that we encourage you to contemplate while enjoying a nice walk along one of its banks. A pleasant and familiar route that, if we do it on the right bank, downstream, takes us to the beach of the town, one of the biggest attractions of Plentzia. This bank is occupied by beautiful buildings, which, together with the port and the mouth of the estuary lead us to contemplate the Bay of Plentzia. We must point out that before becoming an estuary, we find the course of the Butron river, a river of great flow that bathes the lands of the region of Uribe.

 

• Santa María Magdalena Church: The church of Plentzia is located in the historic center of the town. A strategic space, from where it is possible to control the mouth of the estuary. And this was one of the purposes of the impressive tower that crowns the church of Santa María Magdalena. A church that acted as a religious temple and defensive structure at the same time. According to experts this Gothic style church was built in the early sixteenth century.

 

• Plentzia Town Hall: The town hall of Plentzia is located in the center of the town, in the wide Plaza del Astillero. A meeting place, in which the town hall serves as a backdrop to the many events that take place here. Undoubtedly one of the busiest areas of the town.

 

• Arch of Santiago: The arch of Santiago is the only element that exists today of the original wall that protected the town. Or at least, the only one that is visible in public space. And the fact is that, inside some of the houses of the historic center, you can still see traces of that medieval wall. This structure is located within the historical architectural ensemble of the old town of Plentzia, next to the church of Santa María Magdalena. Although at first glance it may not look like much, it is a great treasure of our history.

 

• Port of Plentzia: The small and charming port of Plentzia, also known as La Gallarda, was originally a commercial port where little by little the fishing sector was introduced. Today the trade of this port is null, but we still find 3 or 4 fishing boats that resist that one of the most traditional trades of Euskadi abandons this space. Nowadays, 99% of the boats that can be seen in this port are recreational. Although the port of Plentzia has 149 moorings, they are not enough to accommodate all the boats of this town, so the estuary has become an alternative port where boats are anchored to shelter from storms.

 

• Plasentia de Butrón Museum: The current Plasentia de Butrón Museum is located in the old town hall of Plentzia. A small museum space, which houses a collection of objectives linked to the history of the town. In January 1999, the Plasentia de Butrón Foundation inaugurated this museum with a single objective: to recover and enhance elements of Plentzia’s history. An objective, which has succeeded in filling the 2 floors of the museum with model ships, photographs, navigational instruments, charts and many other objects.

 

• Torre Barri: This tower house is one of the most relevant buildings in the historic center of Plentzia. And this is not the original structure. On the facade of this building we find what is undoubtedly the most important element, the noble stone coat of arms of the Mujica Butron family. If we stop to study this coat of arms we will see that it has a date (1603) and a text in Basque, which says: “Muxica areriocaz agica Butroe celangoa da Oroc daquie garaia nago eria gordeazo”. Translated, we could say the following: “Mujica to teeth with the enemies. Butrón as he is, everyone knows it, I am (or I am) Pueblo be on guard”. We must emphasize that this text is possibly the oldest epigraphic text preserved in Basque.

 

• Ermita Humilladero del Santo Cristo: The hermitage of Santo Cristo, Kristoko Baseliza in Basque, was restored in 1906 by José Bilbao Lopategui and Martin González de Durana. This hermitage was created from an old humilladero that, located outside the walls, indicated to the travelers the way to follow to be able to make their prayers.

 

• Old town: The narrow and steep streets of the old town of Plentzia are a must on any trip to this coastal town. And is that the old town of Plentzia, old fortified town center, hides houses of sailors, historic farmhouses, museums, religious buildings or the old consistory of the town among others. In any case, it is an obligatory visit to know the history of Plentzia.

 

• Txipio Marshes: The Txipio Marshes are located in the territorial limits of the municipalities of Plentzia and Barrika. A natural environment of great importance, which, although it was formerly linked to the Plentzia estuary, today it is separated by the road that connects the Greater Bilbao with the town. This space offers us a beautiful range of migratory birds to see and enjoy. In fact, next to the road, as we descend from Barrika towards Plentzia, on the right hand side, we find a small viewpoint with information panels that help us to contemplate these magnificent birds.

 

• Goñi Portal Farmhouse: This farmhouse is located next to the church of Santa María Magdalena, on the edge of what was once the walled urban center. As its name indicates, this rural building is located next to the portal or arch of Santiago, in the historic center of the town. According to different writings, this building was built at the end of the 17th century and enlarged in the 18th century. The deterioration of this structure in the eighties forced the Town Hall to take action in order to preserve this Cultural Asset.

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What to do in Plentzia and surroundings.

If you are looking for alternative experiences to get to know Plentzia and its surroundings, we recommend you to consider the possibility of enjoying some of our proposals. We are sure that more than one of them will catch your attention.

Plencia, Plentzia or Placencia de Butron.

The name of this town has changed over time, in fact, the original name of the town was Placencia de Butrón. With the use and the passing of the years it was shortened to the current Plentzia. Formerly Plencia. In any case, it is worth mentioning that the name of the town has been changing since its creation in 1299 to the present day.

History of Plentzia.

The town we know today has little to do with what it once was. This small coastal town, today one of the most popular holiday destinations in Bizkaia, was once an important shipbuilding center. Although whale fishing was initially of great importance in Plentzia, the sector that had the greatest impact on the town until the appearance of tourism was shipbuilding. In order to know the history of Plentzia we must go back to the beginning of the 13th century when the lord of Bizkaia, Lope Diaz II de Haro, founded the parish of Gorliz. This urban center, one of the Biscayan powers in whaling at that time, had a coastal neighborhood called Gaminiz. A space, which in 1236 would be desanexaría of Gorliz to found Placencia de Butrón. In 1299 it was named a town by Diego López de Haro. If you like history and want to know more details about Plentzia, we recommend a visit to the Plasentia de Butron Museum.

How to get to Plentzia.

Plentzia is located about 30 minutes from the center of Bilbao and its airport. To get to Plentzia we can use both public and private transport. If we decide for the public transport we must value the options of bus and subway. Of course, although the subway is the most used transport in Bizkaia, the bus is also a great option to reach Gorliz from places like Armintza or Getxo. Do not dismiss it lightly.

Where to park in Plentzia.

If you arrive in Plentzia by private transport, we recommend that you leave your vehicles on the outskirts of the town center. The historical center of Plentzia is not the best place to park. We recommend you to park your vehicle next to the fronton or the metro station, the 2 areas with the most parking spaces. Both areas are only a couple of minutes walk from the center of town. If these 2 areas are full, you can also consider the possibility of parking in the neighboring town of Gorliz. The large parking lot in front of the beach of this town allows us to park the car without big headaches. Once in Gorliz we only have to walk in front of the sea until we reach Plentzia. If you opt for this last option, know that Gorliz has OTA (Ordinance of traffic and parking) during the summer season, so you must pay for parking.

Plentzia Festivities.

The festivities of Plentzia are held on September 2 in honor of San Antolin, a date that can vary between the last week of August and the first week of September depending on the calendar each year. As a curiosity we should mention that San Antolin is not the patron saint of the town but the Virgin of Candelaria. A virgin who, according to the Catholic calendar is honored on February 2. In any case, the festivities of Plentzia are famous for closing the summer together with the festivities of Lekeitio.

What to see near Plentzia.

Plentzia’s tourist attractions are complemented by a long list of places in neighboring towns. And within a radius of about 45 minutes we find a wide range of possibilities. Here are some proposals to see near Plentzia.

Video of Plentzia.

As usual, we wanted to accompany the words and images of this article with a short video. An audiovisual, which we hope will help you to get a more real idea of what awaits you in Plentzia. In case you like this kind of videos we recommend you to subscribe to our YouTube channel, we are sure you will find videos that catch your attention.

As you have seen, Plentzia has a wide range of places to see and enjoy. We hope this article about what to see in Plentzia will help you plan your trip to this idyllic corner of the Basque Country. If you have any questions, we encourage you to use the comment system below these lines to let us know. We will try to respond as soon as possible. Ondo pass!