How to Get to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe from Bilbao

A visit to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe together with a punctual tour of other villages on the Biscay Coast is one of the best things to see or do when travelling in Bilbao. The natural beauty of the north of the Basque Country, as well as the architectural peculiarity of its towns, makes it a real necessity to explore the area beyond the largest and best-known city of this Spanish autonomous region.

So here I will explain the means at your disposal to reach the islet of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe without any inconvenience and in a fast and safe way. It will be waiting for you along with other great attractions of this section of the northern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.

The fact that San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is located only 35 kilometres from the centre of Bilbao makes it a basic and elementary tourist destination for visitors interested in touring the Basque Coast. Whether from Biarritz or San Sebastian to the mouth of the River Nervion on the waters of the Bay of Biscay. In turn, a guided day trip from Bilbao to this famous rocky islet is the best way to get to know such an attractive and peculiar place.

The first reason is a question of logistical organisation. For this type of day trip from Bilbao there is always a planned route that guarantees you will be in San Juan de Gaztelugatxe in time to enjoy its beauty. You will also be able to discover other parts of the coast, without having to worry about investigating them on your own.

The second reason is convenience, as a pre-organised guided excursion usually takes place in first class vehicles. Most commonly it is a minibus for up to 25 people and in this type of car you can enjoy the road trip on your own terms. You have the option of joining in with the group and socialising or playing a game with your companions and family. You could also take advantage of the trip to admire the beauty of one of the most beautiful forest areas in Spain.

The guided accompaniment of the experience is a third reason why this is the best way to get to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe from Bilbao. You will have a specialist at your disposal at all times to answer all your questions about the history of the region, as well as the islet that is the focus of your interests. I will explain in more detail the two types of excursions that are usually available to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe so that you can have a better idea of the trip you will be able to enjoy.

Excursion to the viewpoint of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

This type of excursion usually focuses on getting to know San Juan de Gaztelugatxe together with two or three villages in the surrounding area. They usually start at the Biscay Transporter Bridge, a marvel of modern engineering that is worth seeing before leaving the metropolitan area of Bilbao.

The next point on the itinerary is usually the islet of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, but on this type of excursion it is unusual for participants to descend to the beach and then begin to climb the 200-plus steps to the hermitage. The hermitage is located on the rocky summit of the island, more than 150 metres above sea level. In this case the minibus usually parks at the viewpoint of the islet and from there the guide tells the history of the place and allows the tourists to capture photographic souvenirs.

After this moment we resume the drive to the town of Bermeo, one of the most picturesque in the region for its houses of Basque architecture painted in bright colours right at the level of the promenade of the town's coast. There will be an urban tour of the town before heading towards Guernica-Luno, a historic town that suffered a tragic bombing during the Spanish Civil War that inspired Pablo Picasso to create his most famous work.

Finally, you will return to the centre of Bilbao after having toured some of the most interesting towns in the surrounding Basque countryside. Including among them the admiration of the beautiful islet of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe.

Useful information:

• Price: a tour like this usually costs around 62 euros per adult. There is a 50% discount for children between 12 and 2 years of age. Babies under one year of age can go free of charge, but they must be in the arms of their representatives.
• Journeytime: A trip of this length and with this number of stops usually takes about 5 hours. However, traffic during busy tourist seasons can make the journey take a little longer.
• Advantages: This trip is interesting for those who only want to see the rock of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, but have no interest in doing the short hiking route that is involved in the ascent to the hermitage at the top of the island.
• Disadvantages: this very fact and the lack of an ascent to the hermitage can be a significant shortcoming for those who are only interested in this site and are not looking to see the rest of the region. Or who at least would like a little more prominence for the famous stone stairs that lead up to the hermitage of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe.

Excursion with ascent to the hermitage

As San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is the most interesting element for you in any type of guided excursion, it is advantageous to know that there are some itineraries that include the ascent to the hermitage at the top of the rock as part of the tourist planning of the walk. Basically, the start of the trip is the same, as you will meet your group at the point in the centre of Bilbao where the minibus will leave and start the drive straight to this famous rocky section of the Basque Coast.

Everything changes when you arrive at the car park at San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, as the guide who has accompanied you so far will tell you that you have 2 hours free to explore the area on your own terms. He will also indicate the area where he will be waiting for the group in case they have any questions or if any unforeseen emergency arises.

This means that you will have to walk from the San Juan de Gaztelugatxe Access Control to start descending along a perfectly signposted path that will take you to the two-arched bridge. This marks the start of the steep and winding stairs that after about 15 minutes will take you to the top of the island where the hermitage of the same name is located. Bear in mind that according to the locals, on the last step before reaching the hermitage you can see the footprint of Saint John the Baptist.

Eventually, when the two hours are up, you will have to return to the meeting point with the minibus for your excursion and from there you will continue your tour of the Basque Coast. This means that you will still have the opportunity to enjoy a short visit to the town of Bermeo as well as the municipality of Guernica-Luno and its historic Casa de las Juntas.

Interesting facts:

• Price: an adult usually pays around 68 euros while children between 12 and 2 years of age would pay around 35 euros. Please note that this includes payment of all road tolls, any taxes and also the guide who will accompany you throughout the tour.
• Journeytime: as in this case if there is an ascent to the hermitage of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe then the journey time is usually extended to about 6 hours on average. This is logical given that the stop at the Vizcaya Transporter Bridge is usually eliminated in order to optimise logistics.
• Advantages: in this case, if you manage to enjoy everything to do with San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, you will also have the chance to see other beautiful places in the region on the same tourist itinerary.
• Disadvantages: having to climb up to the hermitage can be quite a challenge for family groups that include very young children or those travelling with elderly adults. It means splitting up the group if someone really wants to climb the stairs and that can be a relatively bad thing depending on the individual.

There are other alternatives to get to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe from Bilbao in a direct and safe way without having to follow the itinerary of a tourist excursion, in case you are not interested in taking advantage of the benefits of one. The first option available to you is to arrive by private car, driving along the roads of the Basque Country. This is a good idea, as it would only be a 40 or 50 minute drive one way and the same amount of time on the return trip.

In this case you will have to take the BI-631 road from the centre of Bilbao and drive north as if you were going to the town of Bermeo. A couple of kilometres before arriving in Bermeo you will have to take the turn-off to the BI-2101, which is a new road that goes in the direction of Baquio. You will change at a roundabout and from there it will be another couple of kilometres to Baquio.

When you reach this village you will see the signs that take you towards the road to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe and when you reach the viewpoint you will find a car park where you can leave your car.

Bear in mind that this is a good alternative, as having a car means you can travel around the Basque Country at your leisure to discover the best villages around Bilbao as well as getting around the region to enjoy the best gastronomic tours of Bilbao.

Interesting facts:

• Price: it all depends on the season of your visit and the type of rental car you choose, as well as the duration of the contract. However, the average cost of renting a car in Bilbao is between 30 and 50 euros per day. Keep in mind that fuel and road tolls are added to this rate.
• Journey time: the round trip driving time from the centre of Bilbao to the San Juan de Gaztelugatxe car park is usually between 1.5 and 2 hours approximately. How long you decide to spend on the islet and its alternatives is up to you.
• Advantages: the experience of going in a private car is the most intimate of all, as well as the most adjustable to the interests of each participant. Being able to use the car to tour the Basque Coast at a time that suits you is also beneficial.
• Disadvantages: a car implies that you will have to have a place to park it in Bilbao in case you intend to use it for more days and if you add fuel prices it could become the most expensive alternative of all.

If you like the idea of travelling by bus, but don't want to take part in a preconceived excursion then you can use the region's public transport routes to your advantage. In the high season which usually runs from early to late summer there is a direct route between Bilbao and San Juan de Gaztelugatxe departing from the bus stations near the San Mamés stadium. However, during the rest of the year you will have to make do with logistics that involve combinations of different bus routes.

The first option available to you would be to take the A3518 line that connects Bilbao with Baquio, which will take you to the centre of this coastal town in approximately 1 hour. You could also take the other more common line from Bilbao to Bermeo, called A3527. The connections are when you have to use the line that connects Baquio and Bermeo, the A3524, as it is the only one that will take you directly to the entrance of the San Juan de Gaztelugatxe car park.

My advice is to go from Bilbao to Baquio and then take the bus to Bermeo. In this case you will have to get off at the Gaztelu Begi stop, as this is the San Juan de Gaztelugatxe stop and leaves you less than 100 metres from the Tourist Access Control. You would apply the same route in reverse to be able to return to the city and thus be able to join the best things to do or see in Bilbao at night.

Don't forget that you will need to get the Barik card to be able to make all these transfers by bus, as it is the mobility card between the public transport systems of the Biscay region. You can buy it at any Bilbao metro station for approximately 3 euros and a 5-euro top-up will be enough to do the round-trip route I have suggested.

Useful information:

• Price: if you add the 3 euros of the card with the 5 euros recharge you can assume that this trip has an approximate cost of 8 euros per person. Now, these fares are estimates, as there may be price adjustments and that could slightly raise the final cost.
• Journeytime: adding the stops and the change of bus that you would have to make in Baquio twice, it can be inferred that the journey in total can take 2 and a half hours and even three hours if there are significant delays.
• Advantages: Public transport is an extremely economical and even entertaining experience for many tourists. In addition, by taking the card you could use it to move around the region as well as within Bilbao.
• Disadvantages: There is no guarantee that buses will run at exactly the times you are interested in and this can be very distressing for those who enjoy timed logistical planning at all times.

If none of the other options are convincing you will be pleased to know that you still have one last alternative. It is a bit more expensive and depends a lot on the availability of vehicles and the willingness of the driver, but you always have the alternative of travelling in a taxi, in an Uber or in a BlaBlaCar.

Keep in mind that in the case of Uber you will have to adjust to the fares that are available based on the supply and demand of trips at the time of your request. This means that everything can be more expensive on a busy tourist day, such as Easter or summer weekends.

At the same time, it all depends on whether you can find a taxi driver who is willing to travel to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe on any given day. The truth is that you have to take into account the fact that you will pay him for the outward journey, but there is no guarantee that he will want to wait for you to pay him for the return journey to Bilbao.

The same goes for BlaBlaCar, as you will have to monitor the application to see if there is anyone who is doing that route from Bilbao to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe or at least to Baquio. In a tourist season you are very likely to get a convincing ride on this platform, but keep in mind that with Uber, taxi and BlaBlaCar there is no guarantee that you will get the same alternative for the return trip. That means you'll probably rely on public buses.

Interesting facts:

• Price: the approximate fare for an Uber to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe at an average time without much demand for services is usually €50 or €60. Bear in mind that the journey will be in two directions and the price will be up to 100 or 120 euros. A taxi will charge very similar fares and on BlaBlaCar it is possible to get prices with a discount of up to 30 or 40%.
• Journeytime: the driving remains the same and this means that the round trip, whether it is done exclusively in a taxi or a private journey, will still take about 2 hours or a little less.
• Advantages: with a taxi driver you get to enjoy a bit more privacy than with public transport or a shared tour and you still don't have to worry about dealing with the driving of the car when you are behind the wheel.
• Disadvantages: It's not the cheapest alternative of all and depending on the time you choose to go to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe there is a significant chance that you won't find a taxi driver or Uber for the return trip. This leaves you completely dependent on the bus system.

The first piece of advice I can give you is to wear sunscreen no matter how cloudy the skies are at the time of your visit. Remember that there is still a chance of getting sunstroke even if the sun is not fully visible.

This is one of the things to see and do in Bilbao with children and that is a good thing. Although to ensure the success of this idea it is preferable that you take some kind of entertainment option for the journeys by minibus, public bus or car.

I also recommend that you take snacks to help you cope with your appetite if it should appear at the wrong time. But I would also point out that right next to the San Juan de Gaztelugatxe car park there is a traditional Basque restaurant called Eneperi which is quite good and has nothing to envy from a city establishment.

I would also advise you to book your visit free of charge if you are visiting San Juan de Gaztelugatxe between 13 June and 11 September. As well as during Easter Week, a public holiday or a long weekend. For a couple of years now, this system has been in place to prevent the deterioration of the park by limiting entry to a certain number of people when there is an excessive influx of tourists at certain times of the year.