Zumarraga, what to see and do.

Zumarraga, what to see and do in one of the most emblematic towns of the Alto Urola region.

Zumarraga, a small urban center located in the Gipuzkoa region of Alto Urola (Urola Garaia in Basque), encourages us to get to know its cultural, architectural and natural heritage at any time of the year. A list of spaces, which captained by the always impressive hermitage of Antigua, allow us to enjoy the interior of the province of Gipuzkoa in style. Its privileged location at the foot of the Natural Park of Aizkorri Aratz, is another reason why we encourage you to visit this Basque village. And if you like nature and sports, this area of Euskadi offers you a world of possibilities.Zumarraga and the rest of the towns that we find in this valley, have been historically linked to iron. For this reason, there were many mills and forges. Essential structures at the time of working this precious mineral. An economic activity that made possible the expansion of the small urban centers existing at that time. A sector that has contributed to build the current urban nucleus of Zumarraga. Nowadays, Zumarraga, continues being an urban nucleus with a marked industrial profile. A town in which factories still play an important role. Are you ready to know what to see in Zumarraga?

The nerve center of Zumarraga is located in the Plaza de Euskadi, a meeting place where buildings such as the town hall or the Itarte and Uzkanga houses stand out. We will also find the statue to one of the most outstanding personages of the locality, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. A central space, from which we encourage you to discover the rest of the town. Ready?

What to see in Zumarraga.

This Basque town encourages us to know and enjoy some of its most emblematic places. If you want to discover what to see in Zumarraga, we recommend that you pay special attention to each of the spaces that we mention in this section. We hope you like them.

Zelai Arizti Fronton: In the center of Zumarraga, next to the Euskadi square, we find a long, open fronton, which in addition to being the scene of some exciting pelota matches, is also used as a public space. This fronton hosts all kinds of activities: open-air dances, dance competitions…

Ermita de la Antigua: The Antigua Hermitage, also known as the cathedral of Basque hermitages, is undoubtedly one of the most important tourist attractions of Zumarraga. A religious temple declared a Historic Artistic Monument on July 27, 1984, of which there are traces from the year 1366. Do not be deceived by its exterior. Its facade, simple and austere, keeps one of the greatest jewels of Euskadi. An oak wood structure that we are sure will captivate you. You cannot leave Zumarraga without visiting the Antigua and enjoying its privileged views over the town center.

Church of Santa María de la Asunción: Unlike the hermitage of La Antigua, this temple of Santa Maria is located in the center of Zumarraga. But it has not always been this way. Formerly, this church was located between farmhouses, on the hillside. When an urban center began to be created on the banks of the Urola River, in the lower part of the valley, the inhabitants of this area demanded the transfer of the parish church in order to have religious service next to their houses. This new temple was inaugurated in 1667. We recommend you to visit its interior.

Legazpi House: This tower house located next to the industrial zone of Zumarraga, between the hospital and the urban center, was the birthplace of Miguel López de Legazpi. A well-known nobleman from Gipuzkoa who, after occupying positions of responsibility in the state, left for Mexico, from where he would later travel to the Philippines. Miguel López de Legazpi is known for being a colonizer of the Philippine Islands. By the way, did you know that the name of these islands is in honor of King Philip II? This tower house was built by the Lord of Balda during the wars of sides. But it did not always belong to the nobility, in the 16th century it went from being inhabited by the Arriaran family (whose coat of arms we find on the main facade) to being inhabited by peasants. In the 20th century the house was in very bad condition, so in 1945 it was declared a Historic-Artistic Monument. After many restorations, nowadays, the Legazpi tower house is one of the most important cultural spaces in Zumarraga.

Azoka: The Zumarraga market is the ideal place to buy local products. A place where some of the best producers of the Urola Garaia region meet (Saturdays). Local, seasonal and quality products. To the stalls of the farmhouses of Zumarraga and surroundings are added others of different kinds (textile, home…) that complete the offer of this small Basque market.

Euskadi Square: As we have already indicated, Euskadi Square represents the nerve center of Zumarraga. A meeting place, in which structures such as the town hall, the azoka (market), the statue of Miguel López de Legazpi or houses like Uzkanga form an attractive and interesting architectural stamp. If you look at the ground you walk on, you will see how next to the town hall there is a cobbled area where the oxen trials are held.

City Hall: The city hall of Zumarraga is located in the already mentioned Plaza Euskadi, a building of the XIX century that has been reformed to modernize its facilities. The structure has a portico and a reproduction of the town’s coat of arms. If you enter through one of its sides and walk to the back, you will find the Urola River and the sequoia of the Uzkanga house.

Convent of the Mercedarian Sisters: This building constructed in 1930 is located in front of the church of Santa Maria de la Asunción, next to the road that takes us to the hermitage of La Antigua. The tower and the arches of its facade call the attention of every person who decides to visit this area of Zumarraga. Unfortunately, the trees at the entrance guard this building with great suspicion.

Statue of Miguel López de Legazpi: In the middle of the Euskadi square we find the figure of Miguel López de Legazpi. The expenses that generated this bronze sculpture elaborated by the sculptor Aniceto Marinas in 1897 were defrayed by the Queen Regent, the three Basque deputations, the city council and the own zumarragarras among others. The position of the figures that form this sculpture makes clear the dominant position of the colonizer.

Nature: Although Zumarraga is a town with a certain industrial profile, it is located in a natural space of great value. In fact, there are different routes that start from several points of the town, among them, the hermitage of La Antigua. If you like the mountain and you are in Zumarraga, do not hesitate. We recommend you to make some of the routes that we found in the vicinity of the hermitage of La Antigua and then visit its interior.

If the spaces mentioned above are not enough for you, remember that they are not the only ones, you can also visit the hermitage of San Martin de Aginaga, the hermitage of San Cristobal, the hermitage of San Gregorio or the Uzkanga house.

How to get to Zumarraga.

This Basque town is located in the upper part of the Urola river valley, 40 km from the coast. A quiet and industrial urban center, which borders with other towns of interest such as Azkoitia, Legazpi or Azpeitia. To reach Zumarraga we can use both public and private transport.

Where to park in Zumarraga.

You should know that from Monday to Friday from 21:00 to 8:00, the center of Zumarraga is reserved for residents. For this reason, we recommend that you pay close attention to where you park your car. In our opinion, the best option is to park outside the city center and take a short walk to the center. Zumarraga is small and can be easily covered on foot. On the other hand, we would like to point out that the parking next to the hermitage of La Antigua is quite limited, so we advise you to avoid rush hour.

The 3 great temples of Gipuzkoa.

The hermitage of La Antigua forms together with the Sanctuary of Arantzazu and the Sanctuary of Loiola the so-called route of the 3 temples. A route that, following in the footsteps of St. Ignatius of Loyola, takes us to know this beautiful area of the interior of Gipuzkoa. Undoubtedly a very interesting cultural route.

What to see near Zumarraga.

The towns and cities that surround Zumarraga perfectly complement the tourist offer that this town in Gipuzkoa has to offer. We leave you a small list of the most outstanding places in this area of Euskadi. We hope you like them.

Video of Zumarraga.

As usual in all our articles, we wanted to accompany the photographs and texts about Zumarraga with a short video. An audiovisual, with which we intend to show you in a more real way what awaits you in this small corner of Euskadi. In case you like this kind of videos, we encourage you to subscribe to our YouTube channel. A nice way to know all the places and experiences that we recommend in Euskal Herria.

What to do in Euskadi.

If you are looking for experiences or activities to do during your trip to Euskadi, we recommend you to take a look at our reservation center. We are sure that more than one activity will catch your attention. Here are some examples to whet your appetite. We hope you like them.

As you have been able to appreciate, Zumarraga has a good handful of places to see and enjoy. An inland destination that we encourage you to visit on any trip to Euskadi. In case you have any questions about what to see in Zumarraga, we recommend that you use the comments system below these lines to send them to us. We will try to respond as soon as possible. Ondo pasa!