Zarautz, what to see and do.

Zarautz, what to see and do in the surfing mecca of Gipuzkoa.

Zarautz, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Basque Country, has countless places of interest to visit and enjoy. Its impressive beach and architectural and cultural heritage make this town one of the most complete of the Basque coast. It is also one of the most visited. Located in the Urola Kosta region of Gipuzkoa, flanked by the fishing villages of Orio and Getaria, this town invites us to enjoy the Basque coast in all its splendor.Zarautz is one of those towns that everyone falls in love with. In fact, for years, this small coastal town was chosen by great European personalities such as Queen Maria Christina, King Edward of England or Alfonso XIII to spend long summer stays. So much so, that many of the palaces that we show you in this article date from that time. Back when Zarautz was known for being the preferred holiday destination of European nobles, scientists and artists. It must have been for a reason, right?

We have prepared this small guide on what to see in Zarautz so that you can plan your trip with total freedom. We hope it will be helpful. If you have any questions, we encourage you to use the comment system at the end of this article to let us know. We will try to respond as soon as possible.

What to see in Zarautz.

In this section we mention each and every one of the places that we recommend you to see and enjoy in Zarautz. More than 20 places to enjoy Zarautz for a whole day. Are you up for it?

Narros Palace: The Narros Palace, also known as the Zarautz Palace, is located on the beachfront, next to the port. This building built in 1536 has a beautiful garden and a stately facade in which we can see a shield with the words “Zarauz before Zarauz”. In 1964 this palace was declared a Historic-Artistic Monument.

Promenade: One of the most demanded spaces by the people of Zarautz. A 2.5 km promenade that, located parallel to the beach, crosses Zarautz from end to end. The sculptures, bars, restaurants and surf schools that we find along the way, make it a very lively place. Especially in summer.

Historical center: This area houses the largest number of monuments and buildings of interest. Undoubtedly the heart of Zarautz. A place of great atmosphere that we recommend you to visit without a doubt. In fact, many of the buildings that we mention below are located in this place.

Musika Plaza: In this square historical and modern buildings merge offering us a vision of the current Zarautz. And if we stand on one of its corners, we can see the Makatza house, one of the oldest buildings in the town along with more modern buildings.

Walk from Zarauz to Getaria: If before we mentioned the promenade as one of the busiest areas for the people of Zarautz, now we mention the promenade that connects Zarautz and Getaria. Another of the great routes of the locality. A small route, which, located parallel to the sea, next to the road, offers us a route of 9 km (round trip) suitable for all audiences.

Torre Luzea: Located in Kale Nagusia (main street in Basque), this tower built in the 15th century as a watchtower, represents a great example of the civil Gothic of our land. Currently this 4-storey building is in an incredible state of preservation.

Church of Santa María la Real: This church located next to the port and the Narros Palace, on one of the sides of the beach of Zarautz, was built at the end of the 15th century. However, since then it has undergone several reforms, so we can indicate that the church and chapels that we see today are not the original ones. This temple has two entrances, the main one and the private access that allowed the patrons of Santa Maria to enter directly from their house, from the Narros Palace.

Mollarri Island: This small island known as Mollarri Island or Malla Harria Island (Mollarri uhartea in Basque), is located next to the mineral loading dock of the same name, in the cliffs of Talaimendi. As we already mentioned in our article on the Mollarri loading dock, this island was used from 1906 to 1923 as a loading platform for the ships that transported ore from Zarautz.

Casa Makatza: This building located on one of the sides of Musika Plaza, represents one of the oldest buildings in Zarautz. Its facade, built with brick and wood, attracts all those people who walk through the center of the town. Of course, we must mention that the appearance of its main facade is the result of the different reforms carried out throughout history. If you want to see its original appearance, we recommend that you turn the corner and look at the side facade. It is here, where you can appreciate the real aspect of this defensive tower of the 15th century. Nowadays, Makataza is one of the Historical and Artistic Monuments of Interest of the town of Zarautz.

Sanz Enea: This 19th century building designed by the French architect C. H. Besoin is today the headquarters of several departments of the town hall of Zarautz. H. Besoin is nowadays the headquarters of several departments of the town hall of Zarautz. The building was acquired by the City Council of Zarautz in 1985.

Mollarri: The Mollarri ore loading dock, also known as the Malla Harria ore loading dock, is located on one of the slopes of Talaimendi, on one of the sides of Zarautz beach. This space was designed to give exit by sea to the mineral extracted in the mines of Asteasu in the 20th century. Undoubtedly one of the great industrial heritage of Zarautz.

Photomuseum: Photomuseum, the Museum of cinema and photography of Zarautz, presents the history of art and photography through a large number of elements linked to photography. Some objects, that together with the beautiful library that this museum has, allow us to know more in detail the benefits of cinema and photography.

Sculpture route of Zarautz: The more than 10 sculptures that we find throughout the length and breadth of the town offer us a pleasant walk through the center of Zarautz. And although the most famous are perhaps those found on the promenade, next to the beach, we recommend you to walk through the rest of the streets and squares of the town to discover each and every one of the sculptures of Zarautz.

Zeleta Berri (Villa Munda): The building that currently houses the house of music in Zarautz, was once one of the many summer palaces that existed in the town. Today, this 19th century palace is, together with Sanz Enea, one of the few examples of the architecture of that time.

Palacio Portu: The building that currently houses the offices of the town hall of Zarautz, was built in the sixteenth century by the Portu family, hence its name. A building that attracts the attention of everyone who visits the historic center of Zarautz.

Franciscan Convent of Juan Bautista: This convent was founded by Juan Mancisidor in 1610. Unfortunately, the building that we contemplate today has little to do with the original. In 1794, after the sacking carried out by the French, this convent had to be reformed. This convent has an important library on Basque literature.

Santa Clara Convent: The convent of Zarautz was the first that this order created in the province of Gipuzkoa. A building constructed in 1611, that follows the architectural lines of the rest of the convents of the order of the Poor Clares, the order of Santa Clara, simple, without great boasts.

Munoa: On one of the parking lots of the town of Zarautz stands one of the liveliest squares of the town. Munoa, meeting place and watchtower from where to contemplate the beach and the sea, invites us to enjoy the beauty of nature throughout the year.

Port: The port of Zarautz is one of the smallest of all the Basque coast. A space composed of a dike and a counterdike protects the txalupas that we find in its interior. The shallow draft of this port means that at low tide there is hardly any water, and consequently, large boats cannot be moored inside. In summer, the port becomes one of the most demanded spaces by the young people of the locality. A perfect place for a refreshing dip.

Market: In the small but powerful traditional market that we find in the historic center of Zarautz, we can buy products of great quality. From fish from Orio and Getaria to the excellent fruits and vegetables from Zarautz itself. The market we see today was reopened in 2009 after works that lasted more than 2 years.

Surf: The beach of more than 2,500 meters long that Zarautz has made it possible for this town to become the mecca of surfing in Gipuzkoa. In this sense, the large number of surf schools found in this town have contributed to Zarautz having one of the best surfing quarries in Europe. A town that, together with Mundaka, attracts a large number of surfers from all over the world to the Basque coast.

Beach: This is the longest beach in the Basque Country. A sandy area, thanks to its fine sand and waves, has become a benchmark of the Basque coast. If we talk about the beach of Zarautz we must mention the area of dunes that we find on its right side, next to Talaimendi and the mouth of the river Iñurritza.

Iñurritza Biotope: As we have already mentioned, the Iñurritza Biotope is located on one of the sides of Zarautz beach, next to Talaimendi and the mouth of the Iñurritza river. With its more than 177,000 square meters, it is the largest and best preserved dune landscape in the Basque Country.

Real Golf Club de Zarautz: The Zarautz golf course was inaugurated in 1916. A 9-hole links course, par 68, located next to the beach, offers a different experience to golfers from all over the world.

Santa Marina: The origin of the hermitage of Santa Marina can be found in a cross that Marina de Alzuru ordered to be placed at the exit of Zarautz on the way to Azpeitia. With the passage of time, a cover was attached to this cross, turning it into a shrine. The original chapel was built in Santa Maria Street in 1610, but throughout history it has been moved several times until it reached its current location.

Ebro etxea: Ebro Etxea, Ebro house in Basque, was during the 80’s a summer resort for the children of the workers of Azucarera del Ebro. In 1988 it passed into public hands and became a pilgrims’ hostel during the summer season. This building is the headquarters of the art and crafts association Artezaleak of Zarautz. And therefore, a place where workshops and conferences on art and culture are held. The building also houses the offices of the Urola Kosta community.

All these spaces are just a small representation of what we can see in Zarautz. If you want to continue exploring this town on the Basque coast, we encourage you to visit other areas such as the Vista Alegre Park or the remains of the ship Gustav among others. We must remember that Zarautz is a quiet town during the winter, an urban nucleus that, during the summer sees its inhabitants tripled.

History of Zarautz.

Although the history of Zarautz goes back to prehistoric times, we can say that Zarautz was founded in the year 1237 together with the obtaining of the title of town. Whale fishing was the basis of the town’s economy until the Cantabrian whale began to disappear in the 16th century. It was then, when Zarautz had to adapt to the new reality, leaving fishing aside and dedicating itself to other tasks such as agriculture or shipbuilding. But the great economic change in Zarautz took place in the 19th century, when aristocrats and nobles from all over the world began to travel to this corner of the Basque coast to enjoy their summer vacations. This is how the large number of summer palaces of Zarautz were built, under the demand of the European aristocracy. Unfortunately, in the 80’s, this type of buildings began to be demolished to make way for hotels and other types of holiday homes. As a consequence, nowadays there are few palatial buildings from the 19th century still standing in Zarautz.

Parties.

The festivals occupy a large part of the summer season in Zarautz. A good example of this are the festivities of San Pelaio that are celebrated in June, the big week that takes place in August or the “Euskal Jaiak” that are celebrated in September. During all of them we have the opportunity to enjoy a great festive atmosphere.

Gastronomy.

Zarautz has a large number of establishments that perfectly represent the spirit of the gastronomic culture of Euskadi. In fact, eating in Zarautz is always a pleasure. Whether it is a nice pintxos route or tasting the dishes of some of the best restaurants in town. Fish is the basis of most of the dishes of the town, although other products such as vegetables from the surrounding baserris (Basque for farmhouses) are also great protagonists. As a typical drink we have txakoli or sagardo (cider in Basque). Both are good options to accompany the culinary proposals of this town. On egin!

Celebrities of Zarautz.

Led by the great Carlos Arguiñano, Zarautz has a good number of personalities. Among all of them we must highlight names such as surfers Aritz Aramburu, Nadie Erostabe, Ainara Aymat or Aitor Francesena, soccer players like José Ángel Iribar or bertsolaris like Andoni Egaña.

Experiences in Zarautz.

Although in this article we have put the focus on “what to see in Zarautz”, we recommend that you value the possibility of enjoying 100% Basque experiences. Among all the possibilities that Zarautz offers, we recommend you to visit a sagardotegi, a txakoli winery or enjoy a great surfing lesson.

Txakoli wineries.

Zarautz is the land of Txakoli. You only need to take a look at the slopes of the mountains surrounding the town to see the amount of vineyards found in this stretch of the Basque coast. An example of this is the K5 winery, Carlos Arguiñano’s winery. We should mention that this winery is not located in the town of Zarautz itself, but in the neighboring town of Aia, about 15 minutes away. If you like this wine so typical of our land, we recommend you to read our article about the best Txakoli wineries.

Where to park in Zarautz.

Parking in Zarautz is mission impossible, or at least parking for free during the summer season. At present, Zarautz has OTA (Traffic and Parking Ordinance) in almost all the town. A fact that forces us to pay for parking in most cases. Remember that the blue lines represent paid zones and the white lines represent resident zones. In the winter season the best option is to park in one of the free parking lots in Zarautz (Salberdin or Mitxelena). If you are traveling with a motorhome, there is a parking lot suitable for this type of vehicle on the outskirts of the town. Remember that this parking is paid and has a maximum stay of 48 hours.

How to get to Zarautz.

To get to Zarautz we can opt for public transport or private transport. Both are great options thanks to the strategic location of Zarautz.

Routes through Zarautz.

Zarautz offers a wide range of possibilities to visit the town. Among all of them, the routes to Mollarri and Santa Barbara stand out, 2 spaces of great importance in the daily life of this Basque town. If you like this kind of family tours, we recommend you to read our article about family routes in Euskadi.

What to see near Zarautz.

In the vicinity of this town there are many places to complement your trip to Zarautz. We recommend you to consider the possibility of enjoying the places mentioned in the following list. We hope you like them.

Video of Zarautz.

As usual, we wanted to complement the words and pictures of this article with a short video about Zarautz. We hope this video will help you to get a more realistic idea of what awaits you in this incredible corner of the Basque Country. If you like this kind of videos, we recommend you to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you can know the rest of the corners of Euskal Herria.

We strongly recommend you to visit Zarautz at any time. A Basque town that we always recommend to visit in any trip to Euskadi. As you know, your opinion is very important to us, so we encourage you to leave us a comment in this article with your appreciations about Zarautz. Eskerrik asko ta ondo pasa!