Bermeo

Together with Gernika, Bermeo is one of Urdaibai’s most important towns.

Irregular sloped streets criss-cross to form one of the Basque Country’s oldest and largest old towns. The Old Town maintains its medieval ambiance thanks to the humble houses of fishermen and artisans, as well as the imposing structures of the nobility. Among the latter is the attention-grabbing Ercilla Tower, a solid block erected in the 15h century as a perch from which the once influential Ercilla family watched over the reservations and departures of ships. Today it is home to the Fishermen’s Museum, where you can explore the lived experiences of Bermeo’s arrantzales (Basque fishermen), the fishing trade, and everything else relating to fishing and life on the sea.

Today, the Old Port continues to be the heart of Bermeo. Now as before, boats take shelter from the power of the sea surrounded by colourful fishermen’s houses next to docks where you can enjoy seafood dishes made from the day’s catch. One of the most noteworthy spots in the port is the ‘Tres Cantos’ fountain, which is the oldest in Bizkaia and was already providing fresh water to Bermeo in the 16th century.