Sopela

Sopela's landscape is full of cliffs and wild beaches constituting one of the most striking stretches on the Bizkaia coast due to its natural richness and the beauty of its landscape.

This quiet and cosy village is a real paradise for those who want to combine sports with leisure, as Sopela is a perfect place to practice different activities such as surfing, bodyboarding, paragliding, climbing and routes by mountain bike.

But, without doubt, its 3 beaches are Sopela's one of the main attractions. Barinatxe, also known as La Salvaje, has heavy swell and attracts numerous surfers. On one side of the beach nudism is practised and every year this beach is home to an international nudist race, very popular in town. Arriatera-Atxabiribil Beach is one of the most frequented and is encompassed by cliffs and open to the sea, whereas Meñakoz is perhaps the most solitary and difficult to access.

Leaving aside its beaches, it is worth going for a walk along the path from Getxo to Sopelana among impressive cliffs where many practise sports such as paragliding and hang-gliding. On the way we will find interesting elements such as the windmill Aixerrota and the Faro de Punta Galea lighthouse. Green spots such as the Parque de Iturrieta park where the estanque De La Ballena pond is located also surround the way.

To its undeniable natural beauty we have to add some interesting cultural features too, such as the Renaissance style church of San Pedro (16th century) and its magnificent baroque tower, the Romanesque hermitage of San Andrés with seafaring details, country houses in the surroundings (interesting sample of popular architecture) and sculptures in the open air as the one dedicated to surfers. Likewise, it should be noted the presence of prehistoric settlements such as Kurtzio, one of the most ancient settlements in Bizkaia.

As for festivals, the main fiestas in Sopela are San Pedro's, in June, festival of Carmen and Santa Marina in July and San Andrés in November.