What to see in Errenteria, Oiartzun and Pasaia.

Oarsoaldea, one of the most charming regions of Gipuzkoa, invites us to know what to see in Errenteria, Oiartzun and Pasaia, 3 of its most emblematic towns.

With family, friends or as a couple, the region of Oarsoaldea and its municipalities of Errenteria, Oiartzun and Pasaia offer us a good list of places to visit. And the fact is that, surrounded by sea and mountains, this territory has many charms to discover. Each of the trips we have made in the region of Oarsoaldea has pleasantly surprised us, an argument more than enough to recommend allocating a couple of days of our trip to Gipuzkoa to this corner of the Basque Country.

Although summer and Easter are the most demanded times by our users to enjoy Pasaia, Errenteria and Oiartzun, the places we recommend below are suitable for any time of the year, check it out!

Fort San Marcos: One of the few fortresses that we can find in the Basque Country. A magical place, where you can enjoy its interior and exterior. Its interior, keeps great walls among which we find replicas of the cannons that defended the Basque coast, corners, which together with the reproduction of the soldiers of the time, makes it radiate charm everywhere. The interior gives way to the exterior in the final section of the visit, a section in which we visit the upper part of Fort San Marcos and from where we can admire the entrance to the port of Pasaia and part of the coast of the French Basque Country.

Albaola: One of the most amazing projects of our town, the reconstruction of the 16th century whaler, Nao San Juan. A whaler, which today we can find submerged in the waters of Canada, in Red Bay. Thanks to the great work of collaboration between Parcs Canada and Albaola, today we can see how the exact replica of this ship is made with the techniques, tools and illusion of the sixteenth century. Discover Albaola, our treasure, our history, the maritime heritage of the Basque people.

Mater: Another project that we follow closely. Mater, name of the last wooden fishing boat of the Pasaia fleet, has been converted into a school and museum, a boat that has its mooring in Pasaia San Pedro, a few meters from the Factoría Marítima Vasca Albaola. Sail aboard Mater and get to know the fishing techniques and the ins and outs of a very hermetic sector, of which we are gradually discovering all its secrets.

Arditurri Mines: Underground and of Roman origin, we find the Arditurri mines, a labyrinth of subway tunnels with a lot of history. At the exit of Oiartzun, in the lands of the Aiako Harria Natural Park, on the road that connects this town with the Navarrese municipality of Lesaka, next to the river, we find this place that we recommend visiting before enjoying a refreshing swim in crystal clear waters. Are you up for it?

Momotegi: This baserri (Basque farmhouse in Basque) is located in the heart of the Aiako Harria Natural Park, a baserri, which today has been converted into a rural house, a small building with a lot of charm that must be booked several months in advance. In this same environment, next to the rural house, we find Momotegi’s duck products, traditional products that supply the most select restaurants of our land. To all this we must add the great attention of Olga Posse’s family.

Casa Aramendia: In Errenteria, in one of the municipalities from which cocoa entered the peninsula, is located one of the pastry shops of Casa Aramendia, the house of the master craftsman Javi Aramendia. It is there where it is possible to enjoy a sweet and didactic workshop in which to discover the secrets of this gastronomic component that so many of us have in our heads.

Aiako Harria Natural Park: A natural environment to discover, massifs, forests and rivers coexist in harmony in this Gizpuzkoan temple of nature. An environment in which are some of the points mentioned in this article.

Arditurri Greenway: Perhaps one of the best ways to reach the Coto Minero de Arditurri. This 7 km long Greenway, a former railroad that transported the ore from the mines, crosses the valley of Oiartzun to take us to the massif of Peñas de Aia, a walk that runs along the river Oiartzun and allows us to cool off in more than one of its nooks and crannies. Remember that this greenway is linked to Donostia-San Sebastian by the bike path.

Although in this article we name what for us are the most beautiful experiences of Errenteria, Oiartzun and Pasaia, we must point out that they are not the only ones, discover the region of Oarsoaldea in Gipuzkoa!