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Basque pelota experience at the Galarreta fronton in Hernani. Live, learn and play ski mountaineering with professionals.
Pelota and fronton are essential to know the way of life of the Basque people. An ancestral sport, deeply rooted in our culture and history, which we can enjoy in practically any fronton in the Basque Country. An example of this is the Galarreta fronton, a fronton located in the town of Hernani in Gipuzkoa, which has managed to reinvent itself to the delight of locals and foreigners alike. A scenario, in which we propose you to know and enjoy the Basque pelota through a very attractive experience. Although Basque pelota is practiced throughout the Basque Country, we must point out that the Galarreta pelota court is the only one where guided tours are offered on a regular basis during the summer season. 
Thanks to its new initiative, “Pelota Vasca“, Galarreta offers us the possibility of knowing the Basque pelota from the inside, from the court, from the fronton. An incredible experience, in which the “remonte” tool pelota modality is the main protagonist. The “remonte” is one of the most striking Basque pelota sports disciplines, one of the most spectacular that exists, and the fact is that the speed that the ball reaches, together with the technique needed to propel the ball along the basket, make it a sport worth watching and practicing. Did you know that the “remonte” ball can reach 210 km/h? The Galarreta fronton belongs to the group of frontons called “Jai Alai”, words that indicate the characteristics of the fronton and the modalities for which it has been designed. Jai Alai is the concept used to identify the largest frontons in existence, those of 54/56 meters, specifically designed for powerful modalities such as “remonte”. Would you like to enjoy a Basque pelota experience in one of the most special frontons in Gipuzkoa? Attention! 
Information about the Basque Pelota experience at the Galarreta fronton.
- Online reservations: Here.
- Schedule: Thursdays and Saturdays at 15:30.
- Price: Up to 18 years old 10€, from 18 to 30 years old: 15€ and over 30 years old: 30€.
- Location: Frontón Galarreta, Hernani, Gipuzkoa, Euskal Herria.
The Galarreta fronton is a temple of pelota, a 54-meter long structure that was inaugurated in 1970 and still holds the honorary title of “the longest fronton in Gipuzkoa”. A huge attraction that is a must for all those who wish to delve into the Basque culture. An experience that we recommend you to enjoy in any getaway to the Basque province of Gipuzkoa. 
Basque pelota experience at the Galarreta fronton in Hernani.
The experience, complete, intense and fun, fuses theory, practice, history and a lot of passion. A lot of love for the ball. From TurismoVasco.com we have been fortunate to enjoy with those responsible for “Oriamendi 2010”, the company responsible for the experience, a nice afternoon of fronton, a beautiful day of ski lift. An experience that we highly recommend. You will love it. Ready? 
Remonte.
The remonte is one of the Basque pelota specialties that we have in Euskal Herria. An authentic spectacle. A modality in which technique is essential. Although at first glance it may not seem very difficult, the technique used to bring the ball up from the height of the hand to the point where it comes out of the end of the basket is very complex. We must take into account that, unlike other basket modalities, the ball can never stop in the upward movement, so the movement must be continuous. 
Basic ski lift information:
- 35 or 40-point games.
- It is usually played in pairs (blue and red).
- The gable should be 56 m long, 10 m wide and 10 m high.
- Both the ball and the tool (the basket) are manufactured by craftsmen who control in detail its weight and dimensions.
History of the ski lift.
The remonte emerged in 1904 as a solution to the small, thin and small pelotaris, the pelotaris of little hit. It was in this year when Juanito Moya from Navarre, a pelotari of the old glove modality, invented this curious variety of the ball to be able to reach where it did not reach before, giving more vitality to the ball. The remonte spread easily through Gipuzkoa and Navarre, reaching its maximum splendor in the 20s, 30s and 40s. It was even played in frontons in Madrid and Cuba. Unfortunately, since the year 2000, the situation of remonte has been critical, almost reaching its extinction. Thanks to the remonte schools and the different initiatives promoted by Oriamendi 2010, this modality is still very much alive in several frontons of our geography. 
Experience.
The “Pelota Vasca” experience puts us in the shoes of a pelota player for an hour. A guided tour in which each and every one of the elements of the remonte are mentioned, among them: the court, the ball, the technique, the baskets and the bets. Do you want to know in detail the details of this experience? Let’s get started. 
Programming of the guided tour:
- Introduction on the history of the ski lift and the Galarreta fronton.
- We went down to the court. We got in touch with the fronton, the baskets and the balls to later learn the basics of the technique and start hitting our first balls.
- Explanation and demonstration of the handmade manufacture of baskets.
- Explanation of how the betting system works with the bookmakers.
The visit begins at the entrance of the fronton, next to the ticket office, where Xabier Gonzalez, manager of Oriamendi 2010, introduces us to the ski lift and its world. After explaining the basic concepts, we enter the second floor of the fronton, from where we can comfortably access the court. The good part begins. Most of the visit takes place here, in the fronton itself, where, after being introduced to Barrenetxea IV, an active professional pelota player, we have contact with all the elements mentioned above. Barrenetxea IV explains in detail, through theory and practice, the technical aspects of the remonte and its most important elements. A master class. 
- The courtThe court is practically the same as the other frontons we know. The only visible exceptions are the length (54 meters) and the counter court (made of wood), the rest is practically the same.
- The ballThe balls used to play remonte at the Galarreta fronton are 100% handmade, weighing between 127 and 132 grams each. They are made in layers, so that the bolo (the core of the ball) is protected from impact at all times. The bolo is a single piece composed of fiber and silicone (in the past it could even be a stone), a small half-transparent ball that weighs between 83 and 92 grams. We must take into account that the bigger the bolo, the bigger the bounce of the ball. The first layer corresponds to thread hardened with fish (pine resin), this layer increases the weight of the ball up to 118 grams approximately. The second layer is the one that covers the ball by sewing 4 pieces of leather of 3 grams each, which makes the ball have a total weight of 130 grams. As is normal, the leather deteriorates with the passage of time and play, so it is common for this last layer to be redone several times throughout the life of the ball. Just hearing it bounce makes our hair stand on end, it is a real “stone”. The following photograph shows the evolution of the ball during its manufacture.
- The techniqueIn order to understand the technique of the “remonte” it is essential to know basic aspects such as the effect of the ball or the speed and height with which it bounces on the fronton. Some questions that Barrenetxea IV showed us with demonstrations. Here is a video of the effect of the remonte ball and the reasoning of why it is not possible to play remonte with the left hand.
Another of this pelotari’s demonstrations was that of the remonte serve, a very personal technique that normally differs from one pelotari to another. The fact is that technique is everything in the remonte, strength is of no value. It is such an important aspect that it can be perfectly appreciated during the warm-up before an official match. After the professional pelotari’s demonstrations, it’s time to put on the glove and feel the ball going through our own basket. Although the baskets and balls of the “Vive el remonte” experience are not made of the same materials as the original ones, we can get an idea of the difficulty involved in this sport. 
- The basketsThis is another of the most special moments of the visit, when we meet Juan Pedro Ugarte, one of the few people in the world who makes handmade baskets. From his small workshop located in the highest part of the pediment, on the top floor, he explains each and every one of the secrets of the baskets. In the more than 100 years of history of the ski lift, there have been several changes, among them the material of the basket itself, the main tool of this sport. Did you know that a ski lift basket has an approximate price of 600€? In the ski lift, the baskets of the forwards and the baskets of the back-rowers differ in the curvature of the arc. The forwards’ baskets have a smaller curvature and are stronger to provide strength and precision to the player, while the fullbacks’ baskets, with a wider arc, provide a greater trajectory of the ball. Incidentally, it takes about 25 hours of work to make just one basket, which is almost nothing. We must emphasize, that to visit a workshop of this type is practically impossible nowadays, and Juan Pedro is the last of a great list of artisans of the ball. An almost extinct art. An artist.
- The betsThe betting on the remonte is practically no different from the rest of the pelota modalities. The only difference we found at the Galarreta fronton were the small bets, bets from 2€, which can be placed at a small counter located next to the bleachers of the court. Otherwise, the tennis balls and the bookmakers do their job. However, it is curious to know the specific percentages that the management company and the bookmakers keep, 6% and 11% respectively. That is why it is always said that with ball betting you always lose.
Book online Basque Pelota Experience.
If you want to know and enjoy the Basque pelota, if you want to get into a fronton and feel what professional pelota players feel, we recommend you to book your experience from our reservation center. A fast, comfortable and safe way to book a place in one of these incredible experiences. A very special activity, which we can only enjoy in a couple of frontons all over the Basque Country.
Group reservations.
If you want to enjoy an incredible experience of Basque pelota with your group, family or business partners, we recommend you to ask us about the conditions for groups. There is the possibility of special guided tours for groups of more than 15 people on any day of the week (as long as the pelotaris have availability). In case you are interested in this possibility, we recommend you to contact us through our contact form. We will try to respond as soon as possible.
Oriamendi 2010.
The company responsible for managing the celebration of ski lift festivals and championships, Oriamendi 2010, is the same company that offers the possibility of being a ski lift pelotari for a day. An innovative and beautiful initiative, which arose in 2016 as a measure to promote ski mountaineering and to ensure its continuity. Currently, Oriamendi 2010 manages the frontons Euskal Jai in Huarte and Galarreta in Hernani, creating new quarry and keeping this modality of Basque Pelota alive. Eskerrik asko! 
Fronton.
Galarreta Jai Alai, also known as “the cathedral of the ski lift”, is considered by specialists as one of the temples of the Basque sport. A fronton, in which the remonte is practiced assiduously but in which other modalities such as cesta-punta or pala larga also have their place. Galarreta was inaugurated on June 13, 1970 and renovated in 2010, turning this space into a true colossus of our geography thanks to its 1,140 seats (900 in court and 240 in box), 350 private parking spaces, 2 cafeterias and modern betting and scoring systems. At present, Galarreta is the venue for the most important ski lift tournaments, among which we highlight the Kutxa tournament (individual) or the Azysa tournament (couples). 
Price.
The prices to enjoy this Basque pelota experience at the Galarreta fronton in Hernani vary according to age. We must remember that the experience not only includes the guided tour, it also includes the entrance to enjoy the match of professional bouncers that takes place after the experience.
Basque pelota experience rates and tickets for a professional match at the Galarreta fronton:
- Experience + professional match ticket (up to 18 years old): 10€.
- Experience + professional party ticket (between 18 and 30 years old): 15€.
- Experience + professional match ticket (over 30 years old): 30€.
Schedule.
The “Pelota Vasca” experience is offered every Thursday and Saturday of the year, a schedule that is joined by Tuesdays in the summer season (from late July to mid-September). The activity begins at 15:30 and lasts approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, and you can take the opportunity to stay and watch the professional games. If we opt for the latter option, the schedule would be extended until 20:00. In summary: From 15:30 to 17:00 Basque Pelota experience and from 17:00 to 20:00 approximately professional matches. 
Location of the Galarreta fronton.
The fronton Galarreta Jai Alai is located on the outskirts of the urban center of Hernani, in front of the modern headquarters of Orona. Less than 15 minutes by car from the center of Donostia San Sebastian and less than 10 minutes from Astigarraga, the mecca of Basque cider (sagardoa). In case of using private transport, you do not have to worry about where to park your vehicles, Galarreta has a huge parking lot next to its facilities that makes it easy to park. For all those people staying in the capital of Gipuzkoa, in Donostia San Sebastian, there is the possibility of getting to the Galarreta fronton by public transport, by means of a bus that leaves from Okendo Street, from the center, next to the Victoria Eugenia Theater.
- Lines: G1-G2.
- Frequency: 15 minutes.
Professionals.
One of the attractions of becoming a ski lift pelotari for a day is the opportunity to talk, take pictures and learn from the hand of real ski lift professionals. We must take into account that there are currently only 30 professional ski lifters in the frontons “Euskal Jai Berri” of Huarte and “Galarreta Jai Alai” of Hernani, and we will be with one of them for about 1 hour, a luxury. Among the great pelotaris of remonte we must mention Koteto Ezkurra, an authentic number one of this sport. 
Conditions of the visit.
There is a maximum number of attendees to this type of visits, 30 people per group, a fairly large number that makes it easy to reserve our place. Although the established days for the guided tour are Thursdays and Saturdays, it can also be done on other days as long as the pelotaris have availability. All you have to do is ask. The experience is offered in 4 languages depending on the origin of the participants: Basque, Spanish, English and French. In the case of a mixed group, (Spanish / English for example) the visit is conducted in both languages, bilingual. Thus guaranteeing the maximum understanding of this experience. 
Video of the Basque pelota experience.
As usual in all our articles, we wanted to show you in a more real way what awaits you in this Basque experience. A video, in which we show you some of the most interesting parts of the guided tour. If you like this kind of videos, we recommend you to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you can discover all the experiences and places that we recommend in Euskal Herria.
It is not the first time that we talk about the different modalities of Basque Pelota and it will not be the last, for sure. It is not every day that we have the opportunity to enjoy the pelota among professional pelota players, it is not every day that we meet one of the few artisan manufacturers of baskets and it is not every day that we have the opportunity to enjoy a fronton of these characteristics so well preserved. For all these reasons and some more that we have left out, we recommend you to enjoy the experience of “Pelota Vasca” in the fronton Galarreta Jai Alai. If you have any questions, we recommend that you use the comments system below these lines to let us know, we will try to respond as soon as possible. Ondo pasa!
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