# Getaria and Zarautz

Two villages on the Gipuzkoa coast a stroll apart: Getaria, with its harbour, the Ratón and the Balenciaga museum, and Zarautz, with its beach and surfing.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/basque-country/getaria-and-zarautz · Revisado: 2026-11-12

Getaria and Zarautz sit side by side on the Gipuzkoa coast, about 4 or 5 km apart along the coast road. They are two different atmospheres that complement each other. Getaria is a fishing village with a small medieval old town, a harbour of grill restaurants that cook fish on the grill in the street, Mount San Antón, which everyone calls the Ratón (the Mouse) for its silhouette, and the Cristóbal Balenciaga museum, the couturier who was born here. All around, the slopes are covered with txakoli vineyards. Zarautz is a summer resort town with the longest sandy beach on the Basque coast, waves for learning to surf and the Iñurritza dune system.

## How to get there

From San Sebastián it is about 25 km along the AP-8 motorway towards Bilbao, with the exit at Zarautz: between 25 and 30 minutes (estimated). From Bilbao, about an hour along the AP-8 (estimated). From Vitoria-Gasteiz, around an hour and a quarter along the AP-1 and the AP-8 or through the Goierri (estimated). From Pamplona, a little over an hour along the A-15 to Andoain and the AP-8 (estimated). The Zumaia Flysch is ten minutes further west, in case you want to add it.

Without a car there are good options. Lurraldebus has several lines from Donostia: the UK10 (Donostia–Zarautz–Getaria–Zumaia, by motorway) and the UK09 and UK11, which also go into Orio. From Bilbao, the DO01 links Bilbao, Zarautz and Donostia, and from Vitoria the DO02 goes through Zarautz. Between Zarautz and Getaria, the same bus takes a few minutes, or you can walk.

## Where to park

In Getaria the old town is tiny and the harbour fills up in summer and on Sundays at lunchtime; the tourist office publishes on its website where to park, with areas for cars and for caravans. The practical thing is to arrive before 13:00 or park in Zarautz and walk the path. In Zarautz there is more space, but next to the beach parking is regulated (OTA). Karlos Arguiñano's restaurant, for example, recommends the Kortazar or Munoa car parks.

## The walk between the two villages

There are two paths. The seafront promenade starts at the western end of Zarautz beach and follows the coast, flat, beside the road, to Getaria harbour. The Camino de Santiago climbs from the end of Zarautz's old town along a steep stone causeway, between vineyards, to the hermitage of Santa Bárbara, and descends towards Getaria. You can go by one and return by the other, or return by bus.

## How much time

One day covers the Balenciaga museum in the morning, grilled fish at Getaria harbour and a stroll or a swim in Zarautz in the afternoon. Two days let you add a visit to a txakoli winery, a surf lesson and an unhurried climb of the Ratón, or a trip to the Zumaia Flysch.

## When to go

From May to September is the season for the beach, terraces and surfing for beginners. In July and August the Balenciaga museum is open every day and until 20:00. The wineries have their own calendar: Txomin Etxaniz, for example, does not run visits in September, October and November, which is the grape harvest and production. In winter the villages are quiet, the museum is open Wednesday to Sunday and some restaurants close for a few weeks: Karlos Arguiñano's hotel and restaurant, from 21 December to 5 February.

## Dónde está
- Zonas: Bay of Biscay
- Cerca: Hondarribia (a 33.0 km), Urdaibai (a 40.9 km), French Basque Coast (a 44.0 km · France), Laguardia and the Rioja Alavesa (a 88.4 km)

## Qué hacer
- **Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum** (1 h 30 · Everyone; free for under-18s · €14 · reduced €9 · under-18s free): The museum, in Getaria, brings together the work of Cristóbal Balenciaga, born in the village, and stages temporary exhibitions. General admission costs €14 (the price changes with the time of year and the exhibitions) and reduced €9 for under-26s, retirees, unemployed people and people with disabilities. Under-18s go in free. From one hour to half an hour before closing, admission at the ticket office is free as long as there is capacity.
The couturier and his village
Balenciaga was born in Getaria, in a fishermen's house from the late 19th century on Calle Aldamar, and in 1907 left for San Sebastián. The museum, run by the Cristóbal Balenciaga Foundation, occupies the Aldamar palace and a new building next to it, and opened in 2011. It can be toured unhurriedly in an hour and a half.
What exhibitions there are
In November 2026 the museum has three exhibitions open:

Cristóbal Balenciaga: Technique, Material and Form, from 7 March 2025 to 10 January 2028, an educational look at his work, influence and legacy based on the museum's own collections.
The Givenchiaga Family, from 28 March 2026 to 22 February 2027.
Vivre sa vie. Georges Dambier and fashion, from 22 May to 13 December 2026, on 1950s Paris haute couture in the photographs of Georges Dambier.

The museum also programmes activities: guided visits, workshops for families, programmes for schools and a fashion school. For the European Heritage Days, on 14 November 2026 it holds a visit on how works come into the museum and how they are conserved and displayed, and on 15 November, the family workshop "Warp and Weft". Check its calendar before you go.
Hours
From November to February it is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10:30 to 17:00, and in March until 18:00. In October, Tuesday to Sunday from 10:30 to 18:00; from April to June and in September, Tuesday to Sunday until 19:00; in July and August, every day from 10:30 to 20:00. Last entry is half an hour before closing. Tickets can also be bought online. Telephone 943 008 840; email info@cristobalbalenciagamuseoa.com.
With children and getting there
Under-18s do not pay, and the family workshops are designed for them: it is a good way to take kids into a fashion museum. If you are with a pushchair or wheelchair, the museum's website has an accessibility section.
Without a car, the Lurraldebus UK10 from San Sebastián stops in Getaria and the museum is a short walk away. By car, park outside the old town, which is tiny. Afterwards, go down to the old town and harbour for lunch at the grill restaurants, or go up the Ratón. If you sleep in the village, SaiazGetaria is a few minutes' walk away.
- **Climbing the Ratón de Getaria** (1 h · Everyone · Free): Monte San Antón used to be an island and is now joined to Getaria by the harbour. Its profile, seen from Zarautz, looks like a mouse, and that is what everyone calls it. From the harbour a path climbs among trees to the lighthouse at the top: allow an hour there and back, with a few slopes. At the top you see the coast towards Zarautz and, on the other side, towards Zumaia.
What is at the top
The Ratón is not just a viewpoint. It is the natural shelter of Getaria's harbour: the old quay, begun in the 15th century, was built resting on the former island, and the harbour has grown in its shade ever since. Getaria Turismo explains that at the top there was a hermitage dedicated to San Antón, from which the hill takes its name; the 2008 archaeological excavations brought its remains to light, next to the lighthouse. There are also remains of a watchtower, part of the hill's old lookout system, from which warning was given of what came in by sea.
The present lighthouse was built in 1862. The tower is 21 metres tall and its light is 93 metres above the sea. Attached is a pavilion that was the lighthouse keeper's home. Today the hill is a recreation area for the people of Getaria, and you cannot drive up: vehicles are forbidden.
The climb
Leave the harbour, pass the fishing boats and follow the path that climbs the hillside. It is short, but has slopes: with comfortable shoes anyone can do it, including children who already walk well. With a pushchair it is hard going. At the top there is somewhere to sit and look at the sea. On the way back you go down the same path to the harbour. If the day is clear, the best light is first thing in the morning or at sunset; in fog, the climb is still worthwhile, but the views are lost.
As there are no hours or entry fee, you can go up whenever you like. Bear in mind that at the top the wind blows more than in the harbour and that, in the rain, the path becomes slippery. In summer, bring water.
How to combine it
The most famous photo of the Ratón is taken from a distance, not from the top. To see it in its mouse shape, look from the Zarautz promenade or from the coast path: it is a good reason to do the walk from Zarautz to Getaria and climb up on arrival. Then go down to the old town and harbour of Getaria and have grilled fish at Kaia Kaipe, which opens on Sundays at midday. If you have time left in the afternoon, the Balenciaga museum is close, in the same village.
- **Walking from Zarautz to Getaria** (1 h 15 · Everyone; the Santa Bárbara path has a steep slope · Free): There are two ways to link the two villages on foot. The easy one is the seafront path: you leave from the western end of Zarautz beach and follow the pedestrian track beside the road, flat, with the Ratón ahead, to the harbour of Getaria. The other is the Camino de Santiago: at the end of Zarautz's old town, a steep stone causeway climbs among txakoli vines to the hermitage of Santa Bárbara, and from there the path descends to Getaria. Allow an hour or an hour and a half depending on the route. You can go by one, return by the other or come back by bus.
The seafront path
This is the route for everyone. Zarautz Turismo presents it as a continuation of the promenade: the pedestrian path follows the coast from the end of the beach to Getaria. It is about 4 or 5 kilometres. It is flat and runs right by the sea, with the Ratón de Getaria getting ever closer: from here you understand why they call it that. It runs beside the road, so it is not a mountain path, but the views of the Cantabrian Sea make up for the noise of the cars. It can be done with a pushchair and with small children.
On stormy days, the upper path is better. In summer, set out early or late in the afternoon, when the sun is less fierce.
By the Camino de Santiago and Santa Bárbara
The coastal Way of St James passes here. According to the Basque Coast Route leaflet from Turismo Euskadi, at the end of Zarautz's old town a stone causeway begins that climbs steeply among txakoli vineyards to the hermitage of Santa Bárbara, at the top, with Zarautz bay at your feet. From the hermitage, the path descends to Getaria.
It is more demanding than the seafront path: the climb is short but steep, with stone that is slippery when it has rained. Wear shoes with soles, not flip-flops. It is not for a pushchair.
How to organise it
The most convenient is to go by one path and return by the other: go up via Santa Bárbara in the morning, in the cool, and return along the coast in the afternoon. If you only want to walk one way, come back by Lurraldebus: the UK10 links Zarautz and Getaria in a few minutes. Walking from Zarautz to Getaria and not the other way round has an advantage: you reach the harbour at lunchtime.
In Getaria, go up the Ratón, stroll round the old town and harbour and, if you go Monday to Saturday outside the grape harvest, book the visit to Txomin Etxaniz. To start in Zarautz, the beach and the Iñurritza dunes are at the other end of the promenade. The Getaria tourist office, at Kale Nagusia 38 (943 140 957), also provides information on Zarautz.
- **Getaria old town and the church of San Salvador** (1 h · Everyone · Free): Getaria's old town is a few parallel streets that run down from the Calle Mayor (Kale Nagusia) to the harbour, crossed by narrow alleys. At the end is the Gothic church of San Salvador, built on a slope, and beneath it runs a passage leading to the harbour. There are the grill restaurants, with their grills out in the street. The tourist office, at Kale Nagusia 38, runs guided visits on the town's heritage and gastronomy.
What to see in the old town
Start at the top, on Calle Mayor. House number 16, for example, was rebuilt in 1842 after the Carlist siege of 1835, and on the parallel streets towers and houses of the seafaring and fishing families are still standing: the Aldamar tower, that of Miguel de Necolalde, the Campos one or the Asuenekoa house, a medieval tower with narrow windows like arrow slits. The street of the medieval palaces was called Torracalea, "street of the Towers". On Calle Aldamar is the birthplace of Cristóbal Balenciaga, a fishermen's house from the late 19th century.
The church of San Salvador is the building that draws most attention. Getaria Turismo presents it as a Gothic church of markedly defensive character, declared an Asset of Cultural Interest, with an imposing nave. Beneath the high altar is the chapel of the Piedad, a crypt with a 16th-century image of the Virgin. Under the church runs the Katrapona passage, a medieval way linking Calle Mayor with the harbour that was part of the town's defences.
The wall and the harbour
Getaria was a walled town. From the sea front, built in the first quarter of the 17th century, the French landing in the battle of Getaria, on 23 August 1638, was repulsed. What remains is the Tronpape gate, towards the sea, built from 1567 under Philip II, and the bastion that supports the staircase to the harbour, where the Elkano monument was installed in 1922. From Plaza Katrapona the staircase goes down to the quays.
The old quay was begun in the mid-15th century: in 1452 King John II gave Getaria the right to charge harbour dues. The harbour grew from 1919 and Monte San Antón, the Ratón, gives it natural shelter. It is still a fishing port, and at midday it smells of charcoal.
Guided visit and tips
The tourist office runs the Elkanoren Getaria visit, through the old town and the town in the days of the first circumnavigation of the world. It costs €5, €3.50 for under-12s and for groups of more than 10. It starts at 10:00 on the dates in its calendar, in Basque or Spanish, and must be booked 24 hours ahead, with a minimum of four people, on 943 140 957. The office itself warns that the route is not fully accessible because of the slopes and gradients.
Without a guide, an hour is enough to go up and down the streets and look out over the harbour. Afterwards, go up the Ratón de Getaria or go into the Balenciaga museum. For lunch at the harbour, Elkano or Kaia Kaipe, with a booking at weekends.
- **Visit and txakoli tasting at Txomin Etxaniz** (1 h 30 · Adults · Desde 22 € per person): Txomin Etxaniz is a family txakoli winery in the Eitzaga district, on the slopes of Getaria. The visit tours the vineyard and the winemaking and ends with a tasting of its txakoli accompanied by anchovy and bonito from Getaria. It lasts an hour and a half and costs €22.
A family and a grape
The winery tells the story of the family from Domingo de Etxaniz, in 1649, to today's Txueka-Etxaniz. Its aim has been to preserve the hondarrabi grape, the txakoli variety, and to modernise Getaria's txakoli, which has had its own designation of origin, Getariako Txakolina, since 1989. The winery presents Getaria, a seafaring town, as the cradle of txakoli.
As well as classic txakoli, fresh, fruity and with its characteristic acidity, they make sparkling and late-harvest wines. At the winery itself you can buy its products at the end of the visit.
What the visit is like
It begins in the vineyard and continues through the winery to see the winemaking. It ends with the tasting of txakoli with anchovy and bonito from Getaria, which is the most local way of trying it.
There are visits Monday to Saturday, excluding public holidays, in the morning; you book on its website choosing time, number of people and language (Basque, Spanish or English). The form offers start times between 9:00 and 12:00, and the winery replies by email within 24 hours to confirm availability. In September, October and November there are no visits: it is the grape harvest and winemaking season. It is closed on Sundays. The form asks for the number of adults and children, so children can come; ask when booking what they have at the tasting.
If you want another type of visit, for a group or with a specific need, the winery asks you to say so in the comments field of the form. As there are no visits in autumn, the useful season runs from December to August: in summer, with more tourists in Getaria, book further ahead.
Getting there
The winery asks you not to rely on the GPS alone: get to Getaria and then look for the address, Eitzaga auzoa 21. It is outside the old town, on the hillside: the practical way is to go by car or taxi. Remember that you drink at the tasting: if you are driving, let someone else taste. Telephone 943 140 702.
What to do afterwards
Go down to the harbour for lunch, at Elkano or Kaia Kaipe, where txakoli goes with grilled fish. In the afternoon, the Balenciaga museum or the walk to Zarautz. If you want to sleep among vines, the Hotel Iturregi, in Askizu, is surrounded by txakoli vineyards.
- **Zarautz beach and the Iñurritza dunes** (3 h · Families and surfers · Free): Zarautz has the longest stretch of sand on the Basque coast, open to the sea and with waves that make it the beach of the surf schools. At its eastern end, towards Talaimendi, is the Iñurritza dune system, the largest and best preserved on the Basque coast: a wooden walkway crosses above the dunes, next to the golf course, to the village. Swim in the supervised areas: on the open sea there are currents with the swell.
The beach and the promenade
Zarautz Turismo gives some 2,500 metres of sand, the longest beach in Gipuzkoa. In front runs the promenade, the seafront walk, with sculptures by several artists and several children's playgrounds. On the sand there are showers, toilets, lifeguards and parasol and sunbed hire. In summer the water is between 19 and 21 degrees, according to the tourist office, and on the promenade the Itsasertza information point opens (943 890 377), which in 2026 ran from 18 June to 13 September.
The flags rule: green, free swimming; yellow, with caution; red, no swimming; and red and blue, the water sports zone, where the surfers are. If you are with floats or small children, stay in the green-flag zone. Ball games are played in the marked areas, and the showers are used at the end, without soap.
The Iñurritza dunes
At the end of the promenade, where the River Iñurritza reaches the sea, the Iñurritza protected biotope begins. Turismo Euskadi describes it as the largest and best-preserved dune field on the Basque coast, between the north of the beach and the left bank of the estuary. It covers 177,200 m², although a good part is taken up by the Zarautz golf club course. Zarautz Turismo reckons about 17 hectares of dunes, almost entirely covered in vegetation.
In the estuary fresh and salt water mix, and the marsh receives the tide twice a day. Gulls, sandpipers and other birds live there, as well as worms, snails, reptiles and amphibians. Many animals are camouflaged: it takes patience to see them. A walkway of almost a kilometre crosses the area above, so as not to trample the dunes. Stay on it.
When and how to go
The beach is public and free, and enjoyable all year: in summer, for swimming; in winter, for walking with a rough sea. Beside the beach parking is regulated (OTA); in July and August, arrive early. Without a car, the Lurraldebus from San Sebastián or Bilbao stops in the village.
If you want to try surfing, the Pukas school in Zarautz is a step away. From the western end of the beach the walk to Getaria begins. Facing the sand, Karlos Arguiñano's restaurant has a bar with a terrace over the sea, and at the eastern end, on Monte Talai-Mendi, is the Gran Camping Zarautz.
- **Surf course in Zarautz** (3 h · Beginners): Pukas has a school in Zarautz, at Calle Lizardi 9, a step from the beach. It offers 3-hour weekend courses, 5- or 10-hour weekly courses, 12-hour monthly courses and a 20-hour mini-camp, in individual, pair, trio or group classes. Its website does not publish prices: they appear when you book each course. Telephone 943 890 636.
Why Zarautz for learning
Zarautz has the longest beach in Gipuzkoa, some 2,500 metres of sand open to the Cantabrian Sea. According to Zarautz Turismo, surfing arrived in the village in the 1960s and today there are waves all year round, with surfers of all levels: experts, families and students. The beach is so long there is room for everyone, and the village's schools work with beginners who have never stood up on a board.
Pukas has two schools, one in San Sebastián and one here. The Zarautz one is right in the centre, on Calle Lizardi, and caters to beginners and to those who already have some level.
The courses
The shortest format is the weekend course, of 3 hours in total: it works for finding out whether you like it. The weekly ones, of 5 or 10 hours, spread the classes over several days, which is how you really progress. The monthly one adds up to 12 hours and is only done in a group, and the mini-camp, of 20 hours, has a morning-only option. All of them, except the monthly and the mini-camp, can be taken as an individual, pair, trio or group class.
The school's website does not publish prices, minimum ages or what equipment each course includes. Ask by phone or at zarautz@pukassurfeskola.com before booking, especially if you are going with children. Nor does it publish times: fix the day and time with the school before organising the rest of your trip.
In the water
On the beach, watch the flags. Zarautz Turismo explains the code: green, free swimming; yellow, swimming with caution; red, no swimming; and red and blue, a zone reserved for water sports, where surfing takes place. Anyone swimming with floats must stay in the green-flag zone. In summer the water is between 19 and 21 degrees, according to the tourist office; the rest of the year, with a wetsuit, you can learn too.
On the beach there are showers, toilets, lifeguards and parasol hire, and on the promenade the Itsasertza information point operates in summer (943 890 377). The tourist office is at Kale Nagusia 30 (943 830 990).
Before and after
Arrive in good time: in summer the parking beside the beach is regulated and fills up. Without a car, the Lurraldebus from San Sebastián or Bilbao stops in Zarautz. After the lesson, stroll to the Iñurritza dunes or keep walking to Getaria. If you stay overnight, the Gran Camping Zarautz hires surf equipment.

## Dónde comer
- **Kaia Kaipe** (Restaurant, Getaria, €€€€). Qué pedir: whole grilled fish, such as turbot, or lobster, with Getaria txakoli
- **Elkano** (Restaurant, Getaria, €€€€). Qué pedir: the grilled turbot, and let them advise you on the fish of the day
- **Karlos Arguiñano Restaurant** (Restaurant, Zarautz, €€€). Qué pedir: the five-half-portion tasting menu, or something informal on the bar terrace

## By car: Harbour, vineyards and an unhurried beach
With a car you can reach the wineries and the hillside hotels that the bus does not, and add the Zumaia flysch in ten minutes. Inside Getaria, leave it parked: the old town is tiny.
Presupuesto orientativo: 100–200 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir if you're driving
- **SaiazGetaria Hotela** (Small hotel): A 15th-century tower house between Gaztetape and the old town
SaiazGetaria occupies a 15th-century Gothic tower house at Calle Roke Deuna, 25, on the edge of Getaria's old quarter, between the old town streets and Gaztetape beach. The restoration left the original stone walls, fireplaces and antique furniture on show. The lounge, café, terrace and several rooms look out onto the Cantabrian Sea.
Eighteen rooms, not all facing the sea
The hotel has 18 rooms in four types, and the difference lies mainly in the view:

Doubles: the website does not attribute sea views to them; some keep the 15th-century stone walls and have a medieval-style decor.
Viewpoint doubles: with sea views.
Superior doubles: two, also with sea views.
Junior suites: two, both with sea views.

All have air conditioning, minibar, safe, television, telephone and hairdryer, and some, a bath. There is one room adapted for reduced mobility, and several can be prepared for families, with extra beds for adults, children's beds and cots. The website publishes no prices: it says its own booking gives the best one, so compare there.
Breakfast, café and reception
Breakfast is a buffet, with light options and local produce, and it can also be brought up to your room. The café serves local produce and has the same views as the lounge. Reception is open 24 hours and helps with booking restaurants, museums and excursions; there is free wifi throughout the hotel, an adapted lift and a meeting room with a projector.
Pets and parking
The website says they like pets and offers beds for them: confirm the conditions and whether there is a surcharge when you book. It publishes nothing about parking, so ask where to leave the car before you arrive.
Getaria on foot from the door
From here everything is on foot. You go down to the harbour and the grills: Elkano, on Calle Herrerieta, and Kaia Kaipe, above the harbour. The climb up the Ratón de Getaria starts from the harbour, and the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum occupies the Aldamar palace, in the same village.
- **Hotel Iturregi** (Small hotel): A small hotel in the vines
Iturregi is in Askizu, the upper district of Getaria, in a former farmhouse surrounded by txakoli vineyards, with large windows over the Cantabrian Sea. It has eight rooms, six doubles and two suites, an outdoor pool and a wine project of its own. It presents itself as a luxury hotel, belongs to the Basque Luxury and Cosy Places association and organises weddings, corporate events and meals with a private chef with the hotel for your exclusive use.
The rooms
Each room has a name and a different decor, and the website groups them by view.
With sea views are Jaizkibel, English in feel, with the bath facing the window looking at the Ratón de Getaria and a balcony with furniture; Igeldo, on a corner, with large windows to the garden and the coast, a balcony with a table for breakfast and a bathroom with a freestanding bath and shower; Zarautz, in the attic, with high ceilings and a sofa beside a large window over the sea; and the Getaria suite, the hotel's main one, with a canopy bed, a bath with sea views and a private balcony at the top of the house.
With mountain views are Orio, in light tones and with views of the garden; Zumaia, on a corner, with a canopy bed, two large windows and a reading nook, one of the sunniest; Askizu, in the attic and with oriental touches, with views of the garden, the pool and an old arch of the farmhouse; and the Iturregi suite, spacious, with an open dressing area, afternoon sun and views of the pool, the hills and the village of Askizu.
Services
À la carte breakfast is included in the rate. The pool is outdoors and the hotel provides pool and beach towels. There is private parking, free wifi, an honesty bar, room service, a pillow menu, a reading room with daily press and magazines, a laundry service and even a helipad.
Its website does not publish rates, check-in and check-out times or pet policy: you book with the form on the home page, by calling 943 896 134 or writing to info@hoteliturregi.com.
The house wine
During the 2020 lockdown, the team recovered an abandoned centuries-old vineyard of 1,276 m² and began making single-plot txakoli under the Getariako Txakolina D.O., with the local hondarribi zuri grape. There are two wines: Iturregi Bizkarraga 2022, with fewer than 2,638 bottles, and Iturregi 2021, from 396 pre-phylloxera vines a few metres from the sea, aged in barrel, with 1,150 bottles. The website offers no winery visits or tastings; ask if you are interested.
Getting there
You need a car: Askizu is high up, on the road that climbs from Getaria. From the hotel you go down to the harbour in a few minutes, with the Cristóbal Balenciaga museum and the old town, and Zarautz is a step away along the coast.
- **Gran Camping Zarautz** (Campsite, desde 19.6 € / bed): On Mount Talai-Mendi, above the beach
The campsite is at the top of Mount Talai-Mendi, on the eastern edge of Zarautz, within a protected natural area and with views of the sea and the mountain. It is open twelve months a year. You go down to the beach by its own steps, in a quarter of an hour on foot, and the way back is uphill. In high season a town bus passes every half hour; the rest of the year there is a shuttle taxi three times a day to the village and back, at €1.50 each way. The railway station, with trains every half hour to San Sebastián, is 1.5 km away. It is also a regular stop for people walking the Camino del Norte.
Pitches, glamping or a bunk
Pitches. There are 450 for tents, caravans or motorhomes, in four sizes. The rate includes two adults with a tent and car, caravan and car or motorhome, and up to six people fit on a pitch. You cannot choose a specific pitch, but you can request an area when you book; many have electricity, which you also have to request. The car is left on the pitch or in the nearby parking areas. Check-in from 14:00 and check-out before 12:00.
Glamping. These are safari-style tents. The XS is for two, with a double bed or two beds and bed linen included: from €61.30 a night in low season to €90.90 in high. The XLs, for four or five, add a bedroom with bunk beds and a kitchen with an induction hob, fridge and microwave, from €91.40. The Premium ones have a wheelchair ramp. For a few euros more there is a version with a sea-facing terrace. Check-in from 15:00.
Hostel. Twenty beds in rooms for two, four and six, with bed linen included, lockers with keys and a shared kitchen with a dining area and an outdoor space with sea views. A bed costs €19.60 in low season, €24.30 in mid season and €35.10 in high season. One person per bed, groups of six at most, and minors always with a responsible adult. Check-in at 15:00 and check-out before 10:00.
What there is on site
A bar-restaurant open all year, with breakfasts, raciones, combination plates, burgers and pintxos; a supermarket; heated washrooms with hot water in each area; a laundry; barbecues; a playground; a sports area and a games room. The gym and sauna are free for guests, and wifi reaches the whole campsite. They hire out bicycles and surf gear, which comes in handy for the surf lessons in Zarautz.
Dogs, minimum stays and booking
Dogs are allowed on a lead and it is best to say so when booking so that you are given a suitable spot. They are not admitted in the hostel, and in the glamping only on the outdoor terrace, never inside the tent. You can only book on its website, with a 30% deposit. The minimum stay is one night in low season, two in mid season and seven in high season (from mid-June to mid-September and at Easter).
From below starts the Zarautz beach and the Iñurritza dunes, and following the coast westwards you reach Getaria on foot along the Zarautz to Getaria walk.
- **Hotel Karlos Arguiñano** (Small hotel, desde 110 € / night): Twelve rooms in a mansion facing the beach
The hotel occupies Villa Aiala, an early 20th-century mansion at Calle Mendilauta, 13, facing Zarautz beach. It is small and family-run: twelve rooms, and downstairs, in the same house, the Karlos Arguiñano restaurant and the bar with a sea terrace. Some rooms face the sea; those onto Calle Mendilauta face south.
Four room types

Junior suite with a large terrace and sea views, for two adults: 2 m bed, living room and bathroom with shower and bath. €190 to €275 a night.
Doubles with terrace or sea views, four: 1.50 m bed or two beds, shower and minibar. Three have a terrace; the fourth does not, but has views. €160 to €230.
Doubles onto the street, three: double bed or two 90 cm beds, shower and the option of an extra bed (€45).
Singles onto the street, four: 1.35 m bed and shower; they can be used as a double. €110 to €150, and €135 to €175 for double use.

High season is July and August; mid season, late June and early September; the rest of the year is low. From Sunday to Thursday there are special rates.
Breakfast, parking and stairs
Continental breakfast is included; if you ask for something from the breakfast menu, it is paid separately. The hotel has parking for guests: ask at reception on arrival where to leave the car, because the restaurant and bar have none and other customers park at Kortazar or Munoa. There is wifi, room service and paid laundry. What to know before booking: there is no lift to the first or second floor and the hotel is not adapted for reduced mobility. It does not admit pets either.
Check-in, check-out and cancellation
Check-in from 14:30 and check-out before 12:00. Cancellation is free up to seven days before arrival; after that they charge half, and everything if you do not show up. Hotel and restaurant close from 21 December to 5 February.
What you have on foot
You step out of the hotel onto the promenade of Zarautz beach, where the surf course schools are. Towards the west, the walk from Zarautz to Getaria runs beside the sea to Getaria harbour.

## Car-free: By bus from San Sebastián, Bilbao or Vitoria
Getaria and Zarautz are easy to do without a car: Lurraldebus runs from all three Basque capitals, and you can walk between the two towns.
Presupuesto orientativo: 90–180 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir without a car
- **SaiazGetaria Hotela** (Small hotel): A 15th-century tower house between Gaztetape and the old town
SaiazGetaria occupies a 15th-century Gothic tower house at Calle Roke Deuna, 25, on the edge of Getaria's old quarter, between the old town streets and Gaztetape beach. The restoration left the original stone walls, fireplaces and antique furniture on show. The lounge, café, terrace and several rooms look out onto the Cantabrian Sea.
Eighteen rooms, not all facing the sea
The hotel has 18 rooms in four types, and the difference lies mainly in the view:

Doubles: the website does not attribute sea views to them; some keep the 15th-century stone walls and have a medieval-style decor.
Viewpoint doubles: with sea views.
Superior doubles: two, also with sea views.
Junior suites: two, both with sea views.

All have air conditioning, minibar, safe, television, telephone and hairdryer, and some, a bath. There is one room adapted for reduced mobility, and several can be prepared for families, with extra beds for adults, children's beds and cots. The website publishes no prices: it says its own booking gives the best one, so compare there.
Breakfast, café and reception
Breakfast is a buffet, with light options and local produce, and it can also be brought up to your room. The café serves local produce and has the same views as the lounge. Reception is open 24 hours and helps with booking restaurants, museums and excursions; there is free wifi throughout the hotel, an adapted lift and a meeting room with a projector.
Pets and parking
The website says they like pets and offers beds for them: confirm the conditions and whether there is a surcharge when you book. It publishes nothing about parking, so ask where to leave the car before you arrive.
Getaria on foot from the door
From here everything is on foot. You go down to the harbour and the grills: Elkano, on Calle Herrerieta, and Kaia Kaipe, above the harbour. The climb up the Ratón de Getaria starts from the harbour, and the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum occupies the Aldamar palace, in the same village.
- **Hotel Karlos Arguiñano** (Small hotel, desde 110 € / night): Twelve rooms in a mansion facing the beach
The hotel occupies Villa Aiala, an early 20th-century mansion at Calle Mendilauta, 13, facing Zarautz beach. It is small and family-run: twelve rooms, and downstairs, in the same house, the Karlos Arguiñano restaurant and the bar with a sea terrace. Some rooms face the sea; those onto Calle Mendilauta face south.
Four room types

Junior suite with a large terrace and sea views, for two adults: 2 m bed, living room and bathroom with shower and bath. €190 to €275 a night.
Doubles with terrace or sea views, four: 1.50 m bed or two beds, shower and minibar. Three have a terrace; the fourth does not, but has views. €160 to €230.
Doubles onto the street, three: double bed or two 90 cm beds, shower and the option of an extra bed (€45).
Singles onto the street, four: 1.35 m bed and shower; they can be used as a double. €110 to €150, and €135 to €175 for double use.

High season is July and August; mid season, late June and early September; the rest of the year is low. From Sunday to Thursday there are special rates.
Breakfast, parking and stairs
Continental breakfast is included; if you ask for something from the breakfast menu, it is paid separately. The hotel has parking for guests: ask at reception on arrival where to leave the car, because the restaurant and bar have none and other customers park at Kortazar or Munoa. There is wifi, room service and paid laundry. What to know before booking: there is no lift to the first or second floor and the hotel is not adapted for reduced mobility. It does not admit pets either.
Check-in, check-out and cancellation
Check-in from 14:30 and check-out before 12:00. Cancellation is free up to seven days before arrival; after that they charge half, and everything if you do not show up. Hotel and restaurant close from 21 December to 5 February.
What you have on foot
You step out of the hotel onto the promenade of Zarautz beach, where the surf course schools are. Towards the west, the walk from Zarautz to Getaria runs beside the sea to Getaria harbour.
### Servicios
- **Lurraldebus buses to Zarautz and Getaria**: UK10 Donostia–Zarautz–Getaria–Zumaia · DO01 from Bilbao · DO02 from Vitoria-Gasteiz

## As a family: A big beach, a flat promenade and a free museum for the kids

With children the combination is easy: a beach in Zarautz, a flat seafront walk to Getaria and lunch at the harbour. The Balenciaga museum is free up to age 18.

### What works best
Zarautz beach and the boardwalk over the Iñurritza dunes

The seafront walk from Zarautz to Getaria, which is flat

The climb up the Ratón, an hour there and back

The Balenciaga museum, free for under-18s

### Where to sleep
Gran Camping Zarautz, with a playground, glamping and open all year

SaiazGetaria Hotela, with cots and extra beds

### Where to eat
Karlos Arguiñano: there is no children's menu, but they adapt dishes

Kaia Kaipe, at lunchtime, also on Sunday

### Worth knowing
The path via Santa Bárbara has a steep road: with a pushchair, take the seafront walk

In Zarautz, swim only in supervised areas

### Qué hacer as a family
- Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum
- Climbing the Ratón de Getaria
- Walking from Zarautz to Getaria
- Getaria old town and the church of San Salvador
- Zarautz beach and the Iñurritza dunes

## With teenagers: Surfing, a path through the vines and real fashion

For teenagers, Zarautz means surfing and Getaria is the museum of a couturier whose label they may still recognise. In between, there is a path they can walk on their own.

### What works best
A surf course in Zarautz, over a weekend or by the week

The Balenciaga museum, free for under-18s

The Camino de Santiago between Zarautz and Getaria via Santa Bárbara

Zarautz beach, with its surf scene

### Where to sleep
Gran Camping Zarautz, with a bunk-bed hostel and surf equipment hire

Hotel Karlos Arguiñano, opposite the beach

### Where to eat
Kaia Kaipe, for a grill at the harbour

The terrace of the Karlos Arguiñano bar, informal

### Worth knowing
The surf school does not publish minimum ages: ask when you book

### Qué hacer with teenagers
- Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum
- Climbing the Ratón de Getaria
- Walking from Zarautz to Getaria
- Zarautz beach and the Iñurritza dunes
- Surf course in Zarautz

## Consejos

### Come early in Getaria
The harbour grill restaurants fill up at weekends; book or arrive at 13:00.

### Enter the museum free in the last hour
Buying at the ticket office, from an hour to half an hour before closing, entry is free while there is capacity.

### Walk it one way
Walk from Zarautz to Getaria and come back on the Lurraldebus bus.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How far is it from Zarautz to Getaria?
About 4 or 5 km along the coast. You can walk it along the seafront promenade or along the Camino de Santiago, between vineyards.

### Can you go from San Sebastián without a car?
Yes, with Lurraldebus: the UK10 goes from Donostia to Zarautz, Getaria and Zumaia by motorway.

### How much does the Balenciaga museum cost?
€14 general and €9 reduced; free up to age 18.

### Can you visit txakoli wineries?
Yes. Txomin Etxaniz, in Getaria, runs visits with a tasting Monday to Saturday for €22, except in September, October and November.

### Where do you eat on Sunday in Getaria?
Kaia Kaipe is open on Sunday at lunchtime. Elkano is closed on Sundays.

### Can you learn to surf in Zarautz?
Yes. Pukas Surf Eskola has a school on Calle Lizardi, with weekend, weekly and monthly courses.