Get lost in the vertiginous streets of the Old Port of Algorta and discover the amazing corners hidden in this fishing village of Getxo.
The Old Port of Algorta, its emblematic stairs and its fish restaurants, represent one of the most striking enclaves of the Biscayan municipality of Getxo. Surrounded by the sea, the cliffs and the beaches of the town, this space formed by old and white fishermen’s houses, hosts in summer time one of the best atmospheres of all Euskal Herria, a bustle, in which to know the Basque gastronomy in the form of pintxos and fish is indispensable.
This small fishing village is one of the most photographed places by those who visit us and one of the most coveted by the “guaitos” (popularly known as the inhabitants of Algorta). And it is not for less, to enter in the Old Port of Algorta is like traveling to the past, the bars and houses, small and crowded, create pleasant corners where to sit down to speak and to enjoy the so awaited summer moments. In fact, the stairs of the Old Port become improvised tables and chairs where to enjoy a good pintxo-poteo.
Information Old Port of Algorta.
- Basque name: Portu Zaharra.
- Number of inhabitants of Algorta: 39,000 approximately.
- Experiences: Gastronomy, boat trips (Getxo Marina).
- Festivities: Festivities of San Nicolás (August 12). It is essential to enjoy the pajama party.
- Location: Algorta, Getxo Bizkaia, Basque Country.
The gastronomy and the Basque culture are present in this emblematic corner captained by the streets Portuzarra and Aretxondo, the two arteries of this small Basque space. Meanwhile, the parks of Usategi and Satistegi provide the panoramic views of this place, two parks that accompany the Old Port of Algorta in its adventure to become one of the most charming places of the Basque coast.
Old Port of Algorta.
Picturesque, small, emblematic and beautiful are the 4 adjectives that come to mind when thinking about the Old Port of Algorta. A tangle of small streets, in which we find bars, restaurants and stores. Everything reminds us of the past in the Old Port, a “retro” space with the Made In Euskal Herria seal, do you feel like transporting yourself with us a few centuries back? Discover the Old Port of Algorta!
History of the Old Port: This old fishing area, today a place of leisure and enjoyment, has its origins in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, with the rise of inshore fishing and the work of the Leman pilots (experts who knew the seabed and helped ships to enter and leave Bilbao). These jobs were combined with the rescue of the shipwrecks that occurred in front of their houses, when the boats crashed against the “bar” of sand that existed in the seabed of Getxo, a fact that unfortunately was very common at that time.
How to get there: The Old Port is located in the lower part of Algorta, 15 minutes walk from the Cruise Port of Bilbao, next to the beach of Ereaga. There are many ways to get to this enclave of the Biscayan coast, it all depends on the type of transport we use and the desire to walk that we have. For us, however, the most charming path is the one that borders the Bilbao estuary at the height of the Hanging Bridge and the Bay of Abra, a beautiful route known as “The walk of the great villas” which can be reached from the metro station of Areeta or Gobela.
If you use private transport: La Avanzada, the BI-637 road, connects Getxo with Gran Bilbao, a road that we recommend you to take to get to the traffic circle of Romo, where, after taking the second exit, we will find ourselves in front of the marina of Getxo, at which point we must take the Paseo Marques de Arriluce to reach the parking lot of the Old Port of Algorta, you can’t miss it. The parking of the Old Port is free, but unfortunately, in summer, the demand exceeds the supply, going at rush hour is not a good idea.
If you use public transportation: The subway and bus connect Getxo with the rest of the surrounding municipalities, 2 transports that take us to Getxo in a maximum time of about 30 minutes from the capital of Bizkaia, Bilbao.
Metro Bilbao: The stops of line 1, Algorta, Neguri, Gobela and Areeta (in order of shortest to longest distance), offer different options to reach our destination, it all depends on your tastes. Algorta station is located in the upper part of the town, which would leave us a short walk through its streets to the lower part, perhaps the most comfortable but less attractive stop. Neguri, allows us to make an intermediate strategy between those offered by Algorta and Gobela or Areeta, a slightly longer walk than from the Algorta stop but with more charm. The Gobela stop is further inland, but it is another good option to link with the walk of the great villas of Getxo.
Areeta, our recommendation. Once in the Plaza del Ajedrez, the square where one of the two metro exits is located, we should head towards the Hanging Bridge or Bizkaia Bridge, the point where we start the route along the coast. A perfect opportunity to enjoy all the charms that encompasses the coastal area of Getxo: Suspension Bridge, Areeta and Ereaga Beaches, Marina, Punta Begoña, Paseo de las grandes Villas, Bilbao Cruise Port and finally the Old Port of Algorta. What do you think? It is a longer route but it is well worth it!
Bus: The public company Bizkaibus has several regular lines that connect Algorta with the rest of the municipalities. You can check the timetables on their website.
What to see in the Old Port of Algorta: We recommend walking around the Old Port completely. It is worth to get different perspectives, different points of view, it is small and can be done quietly in 2 hours while we know the stories of the houses that surround us. The Old Port of Algorta is beautiful wherever you look, and no, it is not a saying, it is a fact that we invite you to verify in first person, you only have to place yourselves in the following places to obtain a global perspective, remember that the magnificent views of the Bay of the Abra, are another of the attractions of the place.
- From below: harbor breakwater.
- From above: Usategi and Satistegi.
- From the right: viewpoints and benches of the Old Port.
- From left: surrounding streets and roads.
- From the sea.
Although every house and every street is worth admiring, the Getxo tourist office highlights the following points of interest in the Old Port:
- The sculptures of the Arrantzale and the sardinera.
- The first floor of the Etxetxu house.
- Riberamune. Wall from which sailors and fishermen watched the sea.
- Usategui Park. Park located on the fortification that existed centuries ago.
- Castaway House, Arriluze. Former headquarters of the Sociedad de Salvamento de Náufragos.
In the Old Port of Algorta there is a small souvenir store called Txalupa, where you can buy some souvenirs.
Application: The APP of the Old Port of Algorta shows us in more detail each of the buildings we have mentioned, and also adds many other houses that we find on our way. You can download the application here.
Where to eat: Pintxos and fish, those are our 2 recommendations. We suggest you to start in the lower part of the Old Port, in the bar Itxas Bide Taberna, you can’t miss their famous crunchy croquette of Idiazabal, it’s a real delicacy! We continue the gastronomical route of the Old Port going up towards the PortuZarra, a space where we find another of the rituals of the Old Port, to take something in the stairs, in front of the bar that we mentioned.
And to finish, main courses in one of the restaurants on Aretxondo street, upstairs. Related articles:
Festivities: The festivities of Puerto Viejo, in mid-August, are the most popular festivities of the town, a popular event declared of high tourist interest. We must highlight the marmitako contest and the pajama day, a day in which according to tradition, they must wear a nightgown and they must wear pajamas, what about you? Are you going to miss it?
Anecdotes: The Old Port of Algorta keeps alive the same charm it enjoyed when its inhabitants, historical sailors, rowed to the ships arriving at the Abra Bay. The task of these sailors was none other than to guide these giants through the then narrow, shallow and sandy Bilbao estuary. A highly demanded profession, in which there was a certain rivalry with the neighboring towns on the left bank, Portugalete and Santurtzi. The oarsman who reached the boat first got the job, a small handicap with which they checked who was the fastest at sea, one of the possible origins of today’s “traineras”, one of our most beloved rural sports (Herri Kirolak in Basque).
Another anecdote not to lose sight of is the origin of Kalimotxo, one of the most popular drinks among young people in the Basque Country. Legend has it that in the middle of the festivities of the Old Port, the wine of the txosnas was chopped, leaving it in bad condition and making its commercialization impossible. A situation from which they decided to get out of by mixing the wine with Coca-Cola and obtaining the so famous Kalimotxo, curious, isn’t it?
What to see and do in Getxo: Getxo is one of the most attractive municipalities of Bizkaia, a fact, which is demonstrated by the number of tourist attractions found in this town. A town full of mansions and stately homes, where the Biscayan bourgeoisie settled in the twentieth century and in which the coast plays a very important role.
Sunsets: The Old Port of Algorta is one of the most popular places to see how the sun disappears from our sight. A very special moment in which the sea becomes the protagonist with its unmistakable reflections of light.
The Old Port of Algorta has been declared a Monumental Cultural Asset by the Basque Government, one more reason to visit this emblematic space in Bizkaia.
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