Coastal Mouse and the Slope-way to Heaven.

The Monument

The Church dominates the town

The Mouse

The lighthouse at the end of the "mouse"

Getaria. Town in middle of two beaches.

Coastal Mouse and the Slope-way to Heaven.
Tuesday 5th June 2012
More pics here


Temperatures were in the mid to high twenties as we arrived in the Spanish coastal town of Getaria, between Bilbao and San Sebastian. El Raton de San Anton (the mouse of St Anthony) caught our eye immediately, a mouse shaped one time island, now linked to the mainland.

The other main attractions here are the Iglesia de San Salvador (whose floor slops upwards to the main alter and is built over a tunnel), the monument to the Basque seaman Juan Sebastian Elcano) who serve with Magellan) and even a museum to fashion designer Cristobal Balenciaga.

It is also the centre of production for the Txakoli wine but we didn’t see any sign of that. Didn’t particularly look for it either as we are finding the wine without any problem and enjoying the prickly bubbly juice.

We walked out to the lighthouse on the Raton, enjoying splendid views over the little town, its harbour and beaches and also out to sea and indeed right up to the large golden beach of Zarautz, the next town. Quite an uphill walk in the heat but well worth.

Then back to the church, a 14th century contraction and that strange sensation of walking uphill towards the altar. Then up the narrow street to the main thoroughfare and the very large monument to the sailor where, on one side, a fronton had been incorporated and some young lads were playing pelota, with rackets this time.

Didn’t bother with the fashion museum and headed along the coast to Zarautz, before re-joining the tooled motorway towards France. But still one stop to make and why not? Petrol here was just €1.29 per litre, about forty cents cheaper than across the border. EU harmonisation still has some way to go!