From Portugalete to Castro Urdiales

In this stage we say goodbye to the Basque territory. To enter Cantabria. We are sure that you are going to miss Basque food a lot, but don't worry, we assure you that in Cantabria you will continue eating just as well. This time we are leaving Portugalete to put heading for Castro Urdiales, one of the most populated towns on the Cantabrian coast.

We must leave Portugalete via Casilda Iturrizar streets and Carlos VII avenue, until we reach the bidegorri, heading towards crossing the Cantabrian border to arrive at Castro Urdiales. A bidegorri is a bike lane, which in this case is heavily frequented by walkers and cyclists. We will continue straight along the bike lane, until we switch to another one heading towards the neighborhood of Nocedal and the town of Gallarta.

From Gallarta, we continue walking along the bidegorri. This section of the route has the most changes of crossings and underpasses, as well as overpasses, of the highway. It is the moment that confirms we are leaving the outskirts of the metropolitan area of Bilbao.

Once we have overcome the "scalextric" of roads, we will continue along another bidegorri to La Arena beach, from where we proceed to Pobeña.

Once in Pobeña, we begin the most beautiful stretch of the entire stage by entering the Paseo Itsaslur. This promenade is a greenway that runs along the route of an old mining train and offers stunning views of the coast. After walking about 2 kilometers, we will cross a passage known as "El Hoyo", which indicates that we are leaving Euskadi to enter the Autonomous Community of Cantabria.

We continue walking along the greenway, this time in Cantabrian lands. Our path runs parallel to the coast. The next point of reference will be the town of Ontón. From Ontón, we have two options to reach Castro Urdiales: the official route (14.8 km) and a direct alternative (8.1 km). We are sure that your choice will depend on how tired you feel by this point.

The official route passes through Baltezana, Otañes, Santullán, and Sámano. Meanwhile, the alternative path crosses directly to Castro Urdiales passing only through Mioño. From Mioño, we will have the option to continue to Castro Urdiales either inland or along a coastal path.

Things to consider

The public shelter for pilgrims in Castro Urdiales is located at the exit of the village, so those who choose this option will need to continue walking for another 1.5 kilometers, which is a good reason to prepare the stage before leaving Portugalete.

Points of interest

• Hermitage of Our Lady of Help
• Church of San Nicolás de Bari
• Mineral loading dock - Mioño
• Church of Santa María de la Asunción – Castro Urdiales
• Hermitage of Santa Ana – Castro Urdiales
• Cueva del Cuco – Castro Urdiales

Typical dishes

• Jibiones in their ink (squid)
• Sardines and bonito (in summer)
• Sea bream and mackerel (in winter)
• Land snails
• Canned anchovies, bonito, and mussels
• Dessert: sobaos and quesadas