ENGLISH 02 Oarsoaldea Regional Tourist Office Aialde, 2 20180 Oiartzun Tel.: 943 494 521 Fax: 943 494 614 [email protected] Errenteria Tourist Office Public Library Madalen, 27 20100 Errenteria Tel: 943 449 638 Fax: 943 449 648 [email protected] Pasaia Tourist Office Victor Hugo House Donibane, 63 20110 Pasai Donibane Tel.: 943 341 556 Fax: 943 341 777 [email protected] www.victorhugopasaia.net www.oarsoaldea-turismo.net 03 contents Oarsoaldea Area 05 Errenteria 07 Lezo 09 Oiartzun 11 Pasaia 13 Regional Map 15 Nature 17 Museums 19 Guided Tours 21 Leisure Activities 23 Fiestas and Traditions 25 Gastronomy and Accommodation 27 04 At the foot of Aiako Harria, looking out towards the sea through the Pasaia Bay, under the protection of the great towers of Jaizkibel and San Marko Fort, stands the Oarsoaldea area, half-way between San Sebastian and the Txingudi’s Bay. Four villages on the banks of the river Oiartzun: Errenteria, Lezo, Oiartzun and Pasaia form this Region faithful to its traditions and open to the four winds blowing in from other parts. Bordeaux La Magdalena Hermitage - Errenteria Hendaia Biarritz OARSOALDEA Hondarribia Donostia Irun San Sebastián LEZO PASAIA N-1 ERRENTERIA A-8 OIARTZUN OARSOALDEA Oarsoaldea, rich and varied, is a town where sailors and fishermen, farmers and industrial worker meet. And this relationship is reflected in the blue and green of the unspoiled landscape, with its fine local cuisine, where the fruits of the earth and of the sea find their greatest expression in our kitchens. Aiako Harria - Oiartzun oarsoaldea area Historic Quarter - Pasai Donibane Historic Quarter - Lezo 05 06 Errenteria, a vibrant modern town, where the smoke from the old factories which once led it to be called the “Little Manchester” have given way to gardens, avenues and promenades. Errenteria, open to the world, whose historical centre, listed as a Monumental Complex, contains features dating back to the Middle Ages, and where the Morrontxo Tower House, the ancestral Iturriza House, the churches, the street-plan and the bustle of the shops are a reminder of times past. Historic Quarter Añarbe Reservoir Nuestra Señora de la Asunción Parish Church 07 medieval errenteria San Marko Fort Dominated by countryside, the entrance to which is protected by San Marcos Fort, natural viewpoint over the Oarsoaldea Region, Errenteria takes us along its 40km of paths to the Caves of Aitzpitarte, the oldest human remains in the Oarsoaldea Region, corresponding to the Upper Palaeolithic era, the Añarbe reservoir and woods and the Fanderia Mill, among others. Bidegorri - Green Way/Foot and Cycle Path 08 Santo Cristo Square armhouse F miraculous lezo 09 Next to the Bay of Pasaia and sitting at the foot of Mount Jaizkibel is Lezo University. In its old quarter stands the serene Basilica of the Santo Cristo, famous since days gone by for its beardless Christ, showing us the simplicity and good taste of a people in direct contact with its past. This Basilica is guarded by small streets with emblazoned, semi-detached, squarely built houses. You’ll feel obliged to stop and take a closer look as you stroll along them. Mount Jaizkibel, highest mount on the Bay of Biscay, with its two-coloured view –the green of nature and blue of the sea– is the perfect choice for all tourists making their way to the nearby Hondarribia. Mount Jaizkibel Historic Quarter 10 Oiartzun is a natural community, just like the people, the mountains and the valleys that populate it. Oiartzun, closely related to the ancient Roman settlement of Oiarso, is the birthplace of the river Oiartzun running through the Oarsoaldea Region. Protected by Aiako Harria, an imposing granite giant marking the start of the Pyrenees from the Atlantic side, Oiartzun is a people proudly faithful to its customs that lives in perfect harmony with the surrounding nature. Oiartzun reconciles man with nature, awakening his senses by pleasing his sight with its scenery, his taste with delicious food, his touch with the warmth of the people, his smell with the scents of nature and his hearing with the singing of the birds. Aiako Harria natural oiartzun 11 Arditurri Mine Land One way to enjoy Oiartzun is to wander through its old part with the Parish Church of San Esteban de Lartaun, the 16th Century Basilica of San Juan Bautista and the 17th Century Town Hall, or to follow the “Arditurriko Bidegorria” path leading to Errenteria, only open to pedestrians and cyclists. This route guiding us through varied landscape is a great option for getting away and relaxing, even taking us to several peculiar museums: Luberri-Geological Interpretation Centre, Herri Musikaren Txokoa-Popular Music Centre and Arditurri Mine Land, where we will discover the richness of Aiako Harria Nature Park. Bidegorri - Green Way/Foot and Cycle Path Historic Quarter 12 Pasaia rises out of the sea, from its harbour. Its magnificent location, in one of the only natural fiords on the Basque coast, adds to its charm, keeping all its maritime flavour in the four districts which meet in the waters of the Bay: Pasai Donibane, Pasai San Pedro, Trintxerpe and Pasai Antxo. Pasaia has a savour of salt and sea: maritime culture permeates the entire town. Every corner is an adventure: the old fishermen's houses, the traditional Ontziola shipyard, the churches and the cemetery, the Platain House, the Arizabalo Palace and the Rowing Clubs are mute witnesses whose praises have been sung by such illustrious visitors as the French writer Victor Hugo, the Marquis of Lafayette or the German philosopher Humboldt. And Pasaia has also produced its own illustrious sons and daughters - people like the Ferrer brothers or Blas de Lezo. The Bay of Pasaia asai Donibane P edro P asai San P seafaring pasaia 13 Ontziola - Traditional Shipyard River Mouth Jaizkibel 545m GI-3440 1 Matxintxola 1 320m Ardalakuntza Irun 2 Gaintxurizketa Hondarribia Ulia 2 4 N-1 201m Ipintza 3 Pasai Donibane CR Pasai San Pedro 6 4 7 8 9 7 Lezo 1 Trintxerpe GI-2638 H N-1 Pasaia 1 Donostia Altamira 2 A-8 H 6 Pasai Antxo GI-3632 2 4 1 Larzabal H A-8 Arragua Gurutze Donostia GI-2134 GI-2134 Oiartzun San Sebastián Errenteria 3 San Marko H GI-3454 3 279m Irun 2 GI-3672 GI-3671 3 Altzibar Ugaldetxo Txoritokieta Zamalbide Ergoien 312m 3 Astigarraga 4 Txiki-Erdi GI-2132 Iturriotz 1 GI-2132 5 CR 2 1 1 Lesaka GI-3420 2 3 4 Karrika CR 5 4 2 CR ArtikutzaGI-3631 AIAKO HARRIA Igoin Aldura 454m 542m interpreting the 15 pictograms Tourist Summer Historical Quarter St. James’ Way Potholing Office Information 1 Point Coastal Road Car Park Lighthouse 2 Mine Inland Road 1 Airport La Plata Lighthouse Saint James’ Way’s Climbing Friend’s Association 2 Train Senokozuloa Cave Hand-gliding Irun Hondarribia Underground Panoramic Viewpoint Summit Function Room 2 Port Recreation Area Megalithic Monuments Beach Telephone Information Point “Cicerone” Hikking Nature Park accommodation 1 Oliden 1 Añarre Zarra 7 Zurgiarre H Hotel (Oiartzun) (Errenteria) (Lezo) 1 2 Usategieta**** Hostel Arkale-Zahar H (Oiartzun) CR Rural B&B 1 Arritxulo (Oiartzun) 2 Mountain Shelter 3 1 Lintzirin*** (Oiartzun) Erretegi Haundi Aitzarri H (Oiartzun) 2 (Oiartzun) CR (Oiartzun) Arrokaundieta (Pasai Donibane) Elurretxe 3 Elizalde* 4 JuanMartindegi 2 Aroxkene 3 Pikoketa 505m H (Oiartzun) Belabaratz (Lezo) CR (Oiartzun) (Errenteria) 4 5 3 Gurutze Berri* 4 Larre-Aundi Endara H (Oiartzun) Santa Ana (Pilgrim Hostel) (Errenteria) CR (Lezo) (Pasai Donibane) 6 Peluaga 4 Iragorri Campsite Farm B&B (Oiartzun) CR (Oiartzun) Aiako Harria 838m tourist resources Arditurri 7 Sport Ontziola - Traditional 5 Material Hire Strategy Games Shipyard 6 (Pasaia) Oiantzabal Sherpa 8 (Oiartzun) (Errenteria) Jaizkiball Paintball Planetarium (Pasaia) (Pasaia) Mountain Bike Routes Canoe Hire 9 and Bicycle Hire Museums Mater Bonito Fishing Boat (Pasaia) Mountain-Bike Pasaia Kayak Eskola 1 (Pasaia) Fanderia Mill Pasaia School (Errenteria) Home-made Products (Pasaia) 1 Motorboat Service Aritxulegi Environment School 2 Añarre Zarra San Marko Fort (Errenteria) 503m 1 (Errenteria) Hnos. Berrotarán Itsas Gela (Pasaia) (Pasaia) 2 3 Eguzki-Borda H.M. - Traditional (Errenteria) Thermal Baths Music Centre Sports Centre Skippered Yacht (Oiartzun) Elorsoro Trips 4 3 (Oiartzun) Galtzata Jaizkibel Itsasketa S.L. Luberri - Geological (Oiartzun) Leisure Navigation Interpretation Centre Balloon Trips School (Oiartzun) Aerostation Soka (Oiartzun) 5 4 (Pasaia) Arditurri Mine Land Larretxiki Horse-Riding (Oiartzun) (Errenteria) Diving 6 5 Listorreta Victor Hugo House Oiantzabal Buceo Donosti (Errenteria) (Pasaia) (Oiartzun) (Pasaia) 16 Immerse yourself in nature in Oarsoaldea: our mountains have well-signposted paths and information panels for hiking, trekking, abseiling, mountain-bike rides, etc. Ulia / Jaizkibel - Pasaia Cromlech of Oieleku - Oiartzun 17 nature 90% of Oarsoaldea Land Area is a green space. Some of the best locations for a day out in harmony with nature include the Aiako Harria Nature Park, Lau Haizeta Park, the Mount Jaizkibel and the Mount Ulia. Likewise, the Oarsoaldea Area has a cycling network and walking routes to discover the landscape from a different perspective. The Saint Jame’s way takes place too in Oarsoaldea, the Coastal Road and the Indland Road. Anyway, there are many approved hiking routes to enjoy the nature in its pure condition. Mount Jaizkibel - Lezo ath - Errenteria P oot and Cycle F ay/ W Bidegorri - Green 18 Ontziola - Research Centre and Construction of Traditional Boats: This is a traditional shipyard where the Basque shipbuilding tradition is kept alive. Amidst the smell of oak, hemp and pitch, visitors can see the carpenters faithfully following techniques that have been passed down from generation to generation, as they build a replica of an old boat. Victor Hugo House: The three-storey Victor Hugo house Mater Bonito Fishing Boat contains a Tourist Office , a Museum Hall with the permanent exhibition “Victor Hugo, travelling down the memory” and an exhibition hall.