What to see in Barrika

explain to you what to see in Barrika It means starting with a bit of history. Because this small municipality in the province of Vizcaya has its origins in the town letter that the lord of the area, Lope Diaz de Haro, granted in the twelfth century.

It is, therefore, a historic town. But, in addition to its monuments, it stands out for its natural wonders. huge Cliffs y wild beaches they mark out their territory giving it an exuberant appearance that has shaped the character of brave mariners. And all this just thirty minutes from Bilbao, between the towns of Plenty y Sopelana, In full Uribe region. If you want to discover what to see in Barrika, we encourage you to continue reading.

Beaches

We begin our tour of this Biscayan municipality by telling you about its beautiful and wild beaches. It has about six kilometers of sandbanks surrounded by impressive cliffs covered with vegetation. Some of these places are worthy of the best postcard and also contrast with the green interior dotted with traditional farmhouses.

La Menakoz beach is oriented to the northwest, already bordering on the aforementioned Sopelana. Due to its shape, it is open and ideal for surfing. As to Barrika's properly speaking, it has a length of almost three hundred meters and a width of thirty, although it varies greatly with the tides. Its difficult access and location mean that it has been chosen by fans of nudism.

Finally, the muriola beach is the most popular. In fact, she even appeared on stage in the seventh season of the famous television series Game of Thrones. It is also called of the quarry because it originated thanks to the silica sands of one that is next to it. In addition, it is well sheltered from the sea. In fact, next to her is the Barrikondo Cove.

The cliffs, another wonder to see in Barrika

If the beaches of Barrika are beautiful, even more spectacular are the cliffs that, as we have told you, frame them. The entire coast of the area presents these rocky promontories that seem to be cut by a knife over the sea. They even have their own route.

It is the one named Gecho-Armintza cliffs route, which runs through those that make up these two municipalities, but also those of Sopelana, Plenty, Gorliz and the own Barrel. It is a route of little difficulty that has more than twenty kilometers, but you can do it partially.

In any case, it gives you wonderful views of the Basque coast and the coastal towns. Specifically, in the Barrika area, you will be able to see virgin coves lashed by the sea that will not disappoint you. And, already in the lower part of the cliffs, there are capricious stone formations that have attracted geologists from all over the world. They make up what is called a flysch.

This name is given to the set of sedimentary rock walls made up of different layers and that alternate with cohesive rocks of another type. Among these, limestone or slate. As a curiosity, we will say that, precisely, the the Basque Country is rich in this natural phenomenon. It even has a call Flysch route located between the Gipuzkoan towns of Zumaia y Deva. It is also integrated into the Geopark of the Basque Coast. However, this phenomenon also occurs in other places in the north of Spain. For example, in the Cantabrian municipality of Piélagos you have the call Broken Coast.

On the other hand, there are even in the Barrika area some small marshes. They are in the last part of the Butrón estuary, coinciding with the edges of the road that goes from the town to Plenty. They make up an entire ecosystem that hosts native vegetation and migratory birds. However, you also have to see several monuments in this beautiful Basque town.

The parish church of Santa María and other religious buildings

It's a little romanesque jewel dated in the year 1052, although it has undergone various subsequent reforms. Due to these, the only vestige of its primitive style is a window with a semicircular arch located in the apse. The portal, on the other hand, is late Gothic from the XNUMXth century and the whole rather baroque of the XVIII.

Regarding this last style, the tower stands out. For its part, the cover of the annexed cemetery is neoclassical. But you should also visit in Barrika the hermitage of San Telmo, which dates back to the same XNUMXth century and is found in the lands of Aranbaltza House. This last one leads us, precisely, to talk to you about the farmhouses scattered around this Basque town.

Elorduy residence and more rural houses

Most of these manor houses respond to the typical basque rural style of the petty aristocracy. Among them, you can see those of Garramune, Txarta or that of the counts of Barrika. But we want to highlight another of those mansions for its beauty.

We talk about the call Residence Elorduy, which has a very different character. It was built in 1914 for the philanthropic interest of Concepcion Elorduy to serve as a hospital and is due to the architect Javier Aguirre Iturralde. It is a beautiful historicist and eclectic building reminiscent of the great European spas of the XNUMXth century.

Other things to see around Barrika

Along with the monuments that we have pointed out to you and the natural wonders that a typically Basque town like Barrika offers you, you can still find other surprises. You just have to move around a bit. Thus, for example, you will arrive at the nearby municipality of Gatica, where you have the impressive and famous butron castle.

It is a fortification neo-gothic of the XNUMXth century, although its origins date back to the Middle Ages. Specifically to the manor house of the Butrón. This, over the centuries, was being masked as if it were a rural house. would be the Marquis of Cubas At the end of the XNUMXth century, the architect in charge of building this historicist marvel that is the current castle.

To build it, he was inspired by different sources. Among them, the Bavarian castles of the same period, but also the Alcazar of Segovia, whose influence is seen in the keep. The construction has an area of ​​almost two thousand five hundred square meters and is located on a farm of thirty-five thousand. The Butrón River itself forms an overflow that serves as a moat. To save it, how could it be otherwise, there is a bridge.

Precisely, the lords of Butrón, original owners of the castle, had a house in Plenty, another of the towns near Barrika that we advise you to visit. Because this old seafaring and merchant town has a lot to show you, starting with its beautiful historic helmet. The property we are talking about is the Torrebarri's house, which dates back to the Middle Ages, although it has been restored several times. As a curiosity, we will tell you that it has an inscription in Basque from 1603, considered one of the oldest preserved in that language.

In turn, the Torreón It was built in 1562 and used as the seat of the Town Hall until the XNUMXth century. Instead, it currently houses the Museum of Plencia, dedicated to the history of the town. And the door or arch of Santiago It is the only remaining part of the old wall that surrounded the town.

Precisely, you can see the latter in the same square where the church of Santa Maria Magdalena. It is a XNUMXth century building to which the bell tower was added a hundred years later. It combines Romanesque and Gothic elements and consists of three naves with a straight head and a choir at the bottom. But, as it had a double religious and defensive function, it externally resembles some fortified churches.

What to eat in Barrika

Finally, since the gastronomy It is also part of the travel experience, we want to recommend some of the dishes you must try in Barrika. And this becomes even more necessary if Basque cuisine we speak, because it is considered one of the best in the world.

To begin with, the entire Uribe region, where the town is located, stands out for the quality of its veal. Their chops they are one of the great culinary attractions of the area. But, if you want fish, you have the no less delicious cod biscayne, which is made with the so-called sauce. In turn, this is basically prepared with chorizo ​​peppers, onion, flour and oil. But they are also typical hake cheeks in green sauce.

On the other hand, recipes for marmitako, which is a tuna stew with potatoes and other ingredients; of Bilbao-style vegetable stew; From red beans with black pudding or crab, which is nothing more than spider crab. Finally, as confectionery, we recommend the Bilbao eclairs or the pantxineta, which is a baked puff pastry filled with cream and sprinkled with almonds. And, to drink, you have the chacoli or Basque wine and cider. Of course, if Euskadi we talked, we also have to recommend their typical skewers. There are as many varieties as there are places that prepare them. But each of these usually has its own specialty.

In conclusion, we have shown you what to see in Barrika and in its surroundings. Also, if you get close to that area of ​​the the Basque Country, we advise you to also visit the natural wonder of Saint John of Gaztelugache, with its hermitage from the XNUMXth century, and the city of Bilbao, one of the most beautiful in all of Spain. Don't you think this is a very interesting plan?