Getaria, what to see and do.

Getaria, a fishing village in Gipuzkoa and a temple of Basque gastronomy.

Getaria, a town in Gipuzkoa located in the region of Urola Kosta, is presented to the world as one of the best gastronomic areas of the Basque Country. But Getaria is not only known for its gastronomy, this small coastal town of approximately 10 square kilometers and 2,700 inhabitants, is also known for its Txakoli wineries, its beaches, its history and Mount San Anton, the famous mouse of Getaria.Getaria, the charismatic fishing port that saw the birth of two of the great figures of Basque history, Juan Sebastian Elkano and Cristobal Balenciaga, encourages us to enjoy the essence of the sea. A town strategically located 25 kilometers from Donostia San Sebastian, in the heart of the Basque coast, surrounded by cliffs and Txakoli wineries, opens its doors to dazzle us with each and every one of its tourist attractions. Ready to know what to see in Getaria?

Throughout this article we will try to show you everything we recommend to see and do in Getaria. A small tourist guide of Getaria that we encourage you to read carefully. In case you have any questions, we encourage you to use the comment system that you will find at the end of these lines to let us know. We will try to respond as soon as possible.

What to see in Getaria.

Surrounded by vineyards and the Cantabrian Sea, 30 minutes from Donostia San Sebastian, we find the town of Getaria. A small town, which holds great treasures inside. We leave you some of the places that we personally like the most. Places, that located between the historical center and the port, take us to travel Getaria in a pleasant and attractive way. We hope you like them as much as we do.

Beaches: The coast of Getaria offers a multitude of possibilities, its beaches, Malkorbe, Gaztetape and Orruaga, offer visitors a variety of spaces to choose from and enjoy. Sandbanks, located on the sides of the old town, allow us to enjoy the sea without wasting time in displacements. The largest beach, the sandy area of Malkorbe, 430 meters, is the most demanded for family plans, while the beaches of Gaztetape and Orruaga, with wilder profiles, are occupied daily by surfers. The coast of Getaria, the sea and its waves, make this coastal town an ideal place to practice numerous water sports such as surfing or diving. We must remember that both Malkorbe and Gaztetape have the usual services during the summer season (from June 15 to September 15). We do not recommend Orruaga beach due to its stony bottom.

Port: The port is located between the old town and Mount San Antón. It is an ideal sheltering port to protect the boats from the attacks of the Cantabrian Sea. The large number of fishing boats found in its interior have made Getaria one of the most important inshore ports in Gipuzkoa. Next to the port are the docks, where the fishermen’s markets are located.

Monument to Elkano: Juan Sebastián Elkano, the first sailor to sail around the world, was born in Getaria in 1487. He arrived in Sanlúcar de Barrameda on September 6, 1522 after taking command of Magellan’s ship upon his death. An impressive achievement, to which the monument that bears his name makes mention. This work designed by Victorio Cacho is located on the 17th century wall that surrounded the city. In its interior it keeps the names of the rest of the crew members who managed to sail around the world with him. If you decide to stroll through the narrow streets of Getaria, you will see numerous monuments in honor of this adventurer from Gipuzkoa. As a curiosity, we should mention that every four years, Getaria performs the recreation of his disembarkation. Undoubtedly, a spectacle that is worth seeing and whose first theatricalization dates back to 1922.

Old Town: The old town of Getaria is located on a rocky cape in front of Mount San Antón. In the center of it, the church of San Salvador, watches from above the narrow streets that lead to the port. This space still preserves part of the walls that protected it. Also some of its palaces and towers. Examples are the towers of Zarautz and Ochoa Ibañez de Olano. But today, the main protagonists of this space are the restaurants. Authentic gastronomic temples that have specialized in preparing the best grilled fish in the Basque Country.

Church of San Salvador: Located in the heart of the historic center of Getaria, this Basque temple was built between the fourteenth and eighteenth centuries. It had to be rebuilt in the nineteenth century due to damage caused by the Carlist Wars. A building, which since 1895, is part of the architectural heritage of our land, as it was in this year when it was listed as a National Monument. As curiosity we must mention that the first General Meetings of Gipuzkoa were celebrated in its interior (year 1397). We encourage you to enter. Surely you find the inclination of its floor the most curious. Can you guess the reason?

Balenciaga Museum: The Balenciaga Museum pays tribute to one of the pioneers of fashion, Cristobal Balenciaga (Getaria, 1895). This master created designs that marked an era. Garments that even today continue to serve as a source of inspiration for many fashion designers. The museum is located in a unique building annexed to the Aldamar Palace, a space that encourages us to discover the creations of the couturier who dazzled Paris in the twentieth century.

Ratón de Getaria: At the end of the port we find what until the fifteenth century was an island, Mount San Antón. Today, it is artificially connected to the mainland. Historically, this space has been used as a natural watchtower to watch whales, corsairs and shipwrecks. A colossus, which encourages us to take a short route to enjoy the magnificent panoramic views from its summit. The mountain of San Antón and its union by land with Getaria create a curious shape on the horizon, the Mouse of Getaria. A silhouette that can be seen perfectly from the neighboring town of Zarautz. If you want more information, we recommend you to read our article: Ratón de Getaria, the San Antón mountain.

Way of St. James: Getaria is part of the Northern Way of St. James, the Coastal Way. One of the most used routes by pilgrims and also one of the oldest according to historians. This route begins in Hondarribia and leaves Gipuzkoa to enter Bizkaia after passing through Mutriku, a route that offers the best of the mountains and the sea.

Video.

As usual in all our publications, we have created a short video about Getaria. Complementing this way, the words and photographs of this article. With this audiovisual we intend to show you in a more real way what awaits you in your next destination. We hope it will be helpful. 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 rentals in Getaria.

If you are looking for plans in Getaria and surroundings, we encourage you to rent a boat. An enjoyable and attractive experience that allows us to enjoy this stretch of the Basque coast from an authentic and fun perspective. Can you imagine a boat trip from Getaria to visit Zumaia, Deba, Mutriku or Zarautz? Do not hesitate to ask us for a quote. More information: Boat rental in Getaria.

What to see near Getaria.

The towns surrounding Getaria offer us a great option to complete the planning of our getaway to the Basque coast. We leave you some of the towns that we like the most in case you want to take advantage of your trip to visit them. We hope this list will inspire you. Remember that you can get more information about them by clicking on each of the names in this list.

Experiences in the Basque Country.

If you want to get to know our land while enjoying amazing experiences, we recommend you to take a look at our reservation center. There you will find activities for all tastes and colors. We hope that some of them fit in your trip to Euskadi. We leave you a small list with the most demanded activities.

Location.

Between the beaches of Gaztape and Malkorbe, close to where the slopes of the vineyards border the sea, we find the urban center of Getaria, a small tangle of streets that lead directly to the port, to the sea. Although the lower part of the town has most of Getaria’s attractions, the views from the highest points of the municipality are well worth a visit. Getaria is located in the region of Urola Kosta, between the municipalities of Zarautz and Zumaia, on the Basque coast. A perfect opportunity to enjoy Geoparkea, a coastal area formed by the towns of Zumaia, Deba and Mutriku where we can observe the history of the land.

History.

Although there are indications of different Roman settlements in the town, the history of Getaria began to take shape with the charter that made it a town at the end of the 12th century. A document signed by King Sancho VI of Navarre that unfortunately was lost, which is why today we can not ascertain the exact date of this historical event. In a nice gesture to leave a record of this moment, we find next to the town hall a commemorative plaque that reads: “Getariako herriak, Getaria XII. mendean Nafar erreinuak sorturiko hiribildua dela azaldu nahi du. Getariako Udala, 2012ko ekainaren 9an.” (The people of Getaria want to state that Getaria is a town created in the 12th century by the Kingdom of Navarre. Getaria Town Hall, June 9, 2012). Getaria has suffered several attacks throughout its history, and is that, being one of the largest and most important fishing and trading ports of the time has been expensive to this small town of Gipuzkoa. Whaling, a widespread way of life on the Basque coast, marked Getaria, a town that for hundreds of years saw its economy grow thanks to these giants of the sea, a fact that is reflected in its coats of arms.

Getaria Festivities.

Getaria’s patron saint festivities are held the week of August 6th in honor of San Salvador. Among the many activities of the festival program we find the “Herri Kirolak”, the Basque rural sports, one of our most traditional and historical spectacles. An eye-catching and unique event that we recommend you enjoy. Other saints honored in Getaria are San Pedro (June 29) and San Antón (January 17).

Historical Heritage.

This walled municipality in the past, is nowadays a place to admire. Unfortunately, the repeated attacks suffered by the town in the past, have meant that today no elements of its walls and towers are preserved. Any visit to Getaria should begin in the main street (kale Nagusia in Basque), through the jumble of parallel and uneven streets that lead to the Church of San Salvador. Here we find one of the most architecturally striking spaces, the Katrapona passageway, a path under the church of San Salvador that connects the main street with the stairs of the Port. A reminder of the town’s defenses. We encourage you to visit the interior of the church to see how the floor of this temple has enough unevenness to save the passage of Katrapona.

Where to eat in Getaria.

If Getaria is famous for something, it is for its gastronomic culture, an aspect in which grills, fish and the local wine, the Txakoli, take great prominence. Pay attention because we are going to break down the typical menu of this coastal town. Grilled wild fish accompanied by a Txakoli with Denomination of Origin Getariako Txakolina. Simple, isn’t it? In Getaria there are plenty of restaurants that offer good raw materials cooked on the grill, but we are obliged to recommend you the restaurant Iribar Jatetxeaa restaurant that offered us a crazy gastronomic experience, specialty: grilled wild turbot. Although Getaria handles grilled fish to perfection, it is also possible to enjoy a good pintxo – pote in the streets of the town. A totally “different” way of eating, which represents one of the most demanded practices of Euskal Herria. You can make our same formula, pintxo-pote + restaurant, only recommended for the most gluttonous.

Guided visits to Txakoli wineries.

The Hondarrabi Zuri vineyards that invade Getaria, are part of the Getariako Txakolia Denomination of Origin, one of the most recognized and demanded Denominations of Origin of Txakoli. Although it is possible to enjoy the wines of Getaria in any of its bars and restaurants, we recommend you to go to the mountain to know in first person the secrets of the vineyards and wineries of the town. Our recommendation is none other than the winery of our most famous chef, Karlos Arguiñano, the K5 winery. It is not in Getaria, but it is just 25 minutes away and belongs to the Getariako Txakolia Designation of Origin.

Guided visits to canneries.

Fishing has been a way of life in Getaria since ancient times. A history that began with whale fishing and continues to this day. In Getaria, in the port, we find canneries that offer visits to their facilities complemented with tastings of their products, another experience to note.

Route Zarautz – Getaria.

Located practically at sea level, with the breaking of the waves at our feet, we find the road linking the towns of Zarautz and Getaria. This route offers us a nice crossing between the two towns. Once in Zarautz, we can return by the same road, make a nice route through the mountains or return by bus (line UK09 / UK10 / UK11 of the company Lurraldebus, Zumaia – Donostia). If you do not have time, you can also do the route by car.

We hope this publication will help you to plan your trip to Getaria. If you have any questions about what to see in Getaria or any other aspect related to this town, we encourage 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!