San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

35 kilometers from Bilbao, in the town of Bermeo, we find one of the most emblematic places in the Basque Country, San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. This idyllic place is visited every year by thousands of tourists from all over the world, and not only for its privileged location, but also for all its past history. Nowadays, it is a point of reference of tourism at national level, being one of the most touristic places of all the Spanish peninsular north.

Located on the Cantabrian coast, San Juan de Gaztelugatxe joins the towns of Bakio and Bermeo with the hermitage of the same name located on a small island in the middle of the sea. To access it you must cross a large stone bridge and climb 241 steps, which offer a unique view of the sea and the typical atmosphere of the area. From the hermitage itself there are spectacular views of the place, but when you walk along the walkway you can already appreciate the strength of nature and the sea in this peninsular area.

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe: An emblematic place

If many people already visited San Juan de Gaztelugatxe for its natural beauty, its appearance in one of the most successful series of the last years turned it into a worldwide emblem. San Juan de Gaztelugatxe served to give life to the town of Rocadragon, in the popular series Game of Thrones, making world-renowned actors like Peter Dinklage and Emilia Clarke, to walk along its long walkway. This appearance allowed it to become a place of worship for fans of the series, in addition to showing its beauty to the world, making more and more tourists visit it every year.

As if its appearance in Game of Thrones were not enough, this place is shrouded by a legend according to which those who visit the hermitage of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe can win fortune. All they have to do is ring the bell on the wall of the hermitage three times to make a wish come true. To this legend we must add the battles that over the years took place in this area as well as the stories of the pilgrims who came from the Camino del Norte.