Walk to the Higer lighthouse

The Higer lighthouse stands at the tip of the cape, where Jaizkibel runs into the sea opposite Hendaye. From the Marina, follow the beach promenade and then the Higer road (Higer Bidea) to the lighthouse: allow a couple of hours there and back at an easy pace. You can also get there by car, with little room at the top. From the point you see Txingudi bay, Hendaye beach and, on a clear day, the French coast towards Saint-Jean-de-Luz.

The cape and the lighthouse

At Higer, Mount Jaizkibel ends in the sea, beside the mouth of the Bidasoa, which marks the border with France. The lighthouse has lit this coast since 1881 and is still working. Today it is seen from outside: it is not open to the public. In May 2026 Hondarribia town council announced an agreement with the Pasaia Port Authority to recover the site and make it accessible, although a project must first be drawn up and works carried out, so it will not open before 2027.

From the point you have Txingudi bay on one side, with Hondarribia, Irun and Hendaye; ahead, Hendaye beach and the French coast; and on the other side, the open Bay of Biscay and the outline of Jaizkibel. It is a good place to watch the sunset.

The walk

Set off from the Marina and walk along the promenade beside Hondarribia beach to the end of the sands. From there, the Higer road climbs the slope of the cape to the lighthouse. It is an easy walk on tarmac, well suited to children who already walk; watch out for cars, because it is a road open to traffic.

Allow about two hours there and back, plus whatever time you spend at the top. Take water in summer and a jacket: at the point, exposed to the sea, the wind is stronger than in town.

Beyond the lighthouse

Higer also gives its name to a long route: Bidasoa Turismo points out that the trans-Pyrenean Higer–Endara route starts on the Bay of Biscay, crosses Hondarribia and Irun and climbs towards Peñas de Aia, and that the Talaia path follows the Jaizkibel coast to Pasai Donibane. If you fancy the mountain, go up afterwards to Jaizkibel and Guadalupe. If you would rather see the cliffs without walking, the boat trip along the Jaizkibel cliffs leaves from the harbour and covers them in an hour and a half.

Eating nearby

On the Higer road itself, Bidasoa Turismo places the restaurant Arroka Berri. Otherwise, go back to the Marina: Calle San Pedro has pintxo bars such as Gran Sol. Without a car, the Lurraldebus bus from San Sebastián drops you in Hondarribia, and the walk starts from the Marina.