Bilbao
Everything hinges on the “Guggenheim Bilbao” effect...the energy that has given the city its global outlook, making it the driving force behind its regeneration. Frank Gehry’s design leaves no-one indifferent. Nearby, the Bilbao Museum of Fine Arts displays its relevance with a collection of over ten thousand items. An avant-garde setting like no other. A space dedicated to the “cult of art” that concentrates the greatest names in global architecture.
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Durango
The town of Durango is part of the Urkiola Nature Park, the home of the Urkiola Sanctuary. The town centre is noted for its rich and varied monumental heritage, particularly its Old Quarters in a beautiful medieval style. Don’t miss Santa Ana Gate, the Church of Santa María de Uríbarri, and the magnificent Kurutziaga Cross, from the late 15th century, which represents the tree of life. You will find it at the Veracruz chapel, transformed into the Kurutzesantu Museum.
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Mendaro
Lumbering barges loaded with cocoa from overseas made their way up the Deba River towards Mendaro almost two centuries ago. Today, this ingredient arrives by road, but the famous local chocolate is still prepared in the traditional manner. It is perhaps the most popular but not the only charming feature of the town. Several tower houses, chapels, and the serene beauty of Kilimon Valley invite travellers to stop and enjoy this town where the train leaves the coast behind and heads inland.
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Deba Tidal River
In the past, it was the cocoa-laden barges that sailed up the Deba on the incoming tide; today, it is the fishing boats. The banks are full of improvised moorings for the boats that seek refuge as the night creeps upon the river. Also in search of places to spend the night, but attracted by the abundance of food, hundreds of birds occupy the marshes along the river banks. Once again, the train is a unique witness to this explosion of life.
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Deba
An ancient anchorage for galleons, Deba has streets with a feel of the sea and the outstanding Gothic church of Santa Maria. Its portico and cloister attract many tourists, although it was the beach that made Deba one of the most popular coastal towns in Gipuzkoa. The reason for this success is the coastal railway line, which has brought visitors from all over the peninsula since the line opened in the early 20th century.
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The Tidal Flats
Between Zumaia and Deba, the train travels through a virgin landscape where the hills merge with an untamed coastline. This is an area of flysch, the most imposing tidal inclines on the Basque coastline. The stunning cliffs resemble layers of rock that crumble away uncovering the history book of the Earth. There are no roads here, only paths used by hikers to reach the most beautiful parts of this district.
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Zumaia
Located in a privileged enclave of the estuary of the Urola River, Zumaia hides beautiful surprises. The Gothic church of San Pedro stands out among the labyrinthine lanes of the Old Quarters. Further uphill, the San Telmo Chapel balances dangerously on a cliff overlooking Itzurun Beach. The fantastic Zuloaga Museum can also be found on the shores of the Bay of Biscay, with its magnificent collection of paintings that include works by Goya and El Greco.
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Zarautz
The long Malecón promenade that extends as far as Getaria, hanging on a cliff, is a popular item with visitors and locals alike. Zarautz Beach, admired by surfers, extends at its feet. Further inland is the old section of the town near the Euskotren railway station. Tower houses, mansions, and busy squares are testimony to a rich past and to a lively and welcoming town today.
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Orio
The port, located on the opposite bank to the Euskotren station, is the centre of this fishing village. Fishing nets, stacked boxes, and boats of all sizes and colours are the typical sights on this part of the tidal river. As you make your way up the hillside, the narrow lanes dotted with restaurants lead to the heart of the Old Quarters. This is the site of the medieval church of San Nicolas, built on a rock, and of several mansions with coats of arms.
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Meadows of the River Oria
Between Usurbil and Orio, the train travels through a landscape that changes with the tide. The River Oria, the backbone of Gipuzkoa, flows more slowly in this district and forms a tidal river. These are generous waters where people fish for elver, and where the banks provide pleasant walks. But there is no better way to enjoy this area than from the window of a train that overlooks the estuary from its privileged route. The rhythmic rattle combines with the landscape noted for its natural beauty and the presence of busy fishermen in their small flat-bottomed boats.
Donostia
San Sebastian has been hailed as a tourist destination for more than one hundred years when the royalty and nobility chose it as their holiday destination. The popular La Concha Beach, of fine sand and calm waters, is the core element of the city. Mounts Igeldo and Urgull enclose a beautiful bay in which the evergreen island of Santa Clara seems to float.
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