What to see and do in Zarautz

Zarauz —officially known in Basque as Zarautz— is a coastal town in the province of Guipuzcoa on the Northern Way, home to the longest beach in the Basque Country and one of the longest in the Bay of Biscay, earning it the nickname "Queen of Beaches". In town you can visit Casa Portu, Narros Palace, the San Pedro Elcano hermitage and the Zarautz Museum of Art and History.

A little history

Zarautz acquired the rank of town at the beginning of the 13th century, under the mandate of Ferdinand III of Castile. It is said that most probably, the nao Victoria, the first ship to circumnavigate the world under the command of Juan Sebastian Elcano, was built here.

This city of great fishing tradition was the place chosen by some monarchs like Queen Isabella II to spend the summer. That is why, along the promenade, we can find a sector of houses built by the high bourgeoisie in the 19th century and the Palace of Narros.

Would you like to walk this part of the Camino with your accommodation booked for every stage? These organised trips pass through Zarautz: Northern Way from Irún to Bilbao.

Portu House

It is the current seat of the town hall of Zarautz. It was built in the 18th century under the precepts of baroque civil architecture, although it also has several elements with a classical flavour.

Narros Palace

This 16th-century palace is located on the beach promenade opposite the church of Santa María la Real. On multiple occasions, this palace was the summer residence of Queen Elizabeth II.

Hermitage of San Pedro Elcano

It is a temple built in the 14th century, in a transitional style between Romanesque and Gothic. It is supposedly the first parish church in Zarautz.

Museum of Art and History of Zarautz

It is the perfect place to learn about the history, art and culture of this territory, from ancient times to the present day.

www.zarautz.eus