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10 TOP plans to discover Pasaia

1. Discover the bay of Pasaia on board of the Lucretia  

01 OSTARTE

Visit the bay of Pasaia aboard a classic 1927 sailboat?

This is possible thanks to Ostarte Sailing, which offers 50-minute departures during weekends and holidays aboard the Lucretia. The sailing in this spectacular sailboat allows us to make a tour of the port of Pasaia, navigating between the line of houses of Pasai San Pedro and Pasai Donibane, until we find the spectacular panoramic views offered by the cliffs of the mountains of Jaizkibel and Ulia which give way to the sea.

 We can feel the passion of its captains Edgar and Amoaitz who fulfilled their dream by recovering this beautiful 19.3 meter long Dutch sailboat built in 1927 in Teka, Oak and Mahogany wood. If you’d like to find out more, we invite you on board the Lucretia.

Sailing on the classic Lucretia

 

2. Donibane, un a fairy-tale historical town center

02 PASAI DONIBANE

The main street of Donibane that crosses the historical center takes us back to another era that allows us to walk between 16th and 17th century manor houses, being the most popular one Victor Hugo´s House. The uniqueness of this historic center lies in the set of passages that form under the houses, creating wonderful corners, and nooks from where to see the movement of ships that come to unload at the port, the trawlers and small txalupas that swift through the port. This street gives way to the Plaza de Santiago, open to the sea and formed by a long row of narrow and high houses with colorful wooden balconies on popular and sailor styles, where all the celebrations of Pasai Donibane take place.

Walk through the buildings of Pasai Donibane

 

3. The route of moorings

03 RUTA AMARRES

The port of Pasaia has a great historical heritage,and has been and is a port of great activity. Within this activity over the centuries, the inhabitants of Pasaia have found shelter in protecting coves where they would moor their boats, forming this route consisting of seven points divided between Pasai Donibane and Pasai San Pedro. It is a journey through the unique mooring points used in Pasai San Pedro and Pasai Donibane, which otherwise today would remain unnoticed

In order to carry out this route, we recommend taking a free brochure at the Pasaia Tourist Office and downloading the Amarre Pasaia application, which uses augmented reality to recreate the old moorings.

Download the brochure in pdf here

Link to the application: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.albaola.amarre

 

4. Crossing the bay on a boat

04 MOTORA

 

If there is something you can’t miss in your visit to Pasaia, it is to cross in the small motor boats that run between the pier of Pasai San Pedro and Pasai Donibane. It is a non-stop service offered by the Itxaszerbi company that saves passengers from having to go around the entire bay of Pasaia to go from one place to another in just a minute. Neighbors,walkers, pilgrims and visitors wait to take the motorboat with its characteristic green color, to make this short journey, while immortalizing with their cameras this unique trip.

In addition to this regular service, Itxaszerbi has a fleet that offers many more services suchas transport to Albaola, or boat trips on the bay.

Itxaszerbi

 

 5. Walking through the historical centre of San Pedro

05 PASAI SAN PEDRO

 

In addition to the fishing pier and the fish market, Pasai San Pedro has a beautiful historical center. Our recommendation is to start the journey from the 17th century Church of San Pedro and by surrounding it to the Herriko plaza, ascend by the stairs that lead to the cemetery, where you will find the remains of the primitive church dating from the Romanesque period (XII century) and the later baroque (XV century), with its well preserved covers. As we return to the current church we will enter the narrow cobbled street of San Pedro, which runs between historical houses as the home-birth of Admiral Blas de Lezo, General of the Navy in the18th century, famous for his great heroic feats. Outside the house (which is not open to public as it is a private house) a magnificent family shield is preserved.

In the last part of the street we can find the Torreatze square, which gets its name from the old tower located there originally used to control the bay. From here towards the mouth of the bay, a pleasant walk will take you to the neighboring Senokozuloa lighthouse.

More about Pasai San Pedro

 

6. The Ulia route, from Pasaia to Donostia

06 RUTA ULIA

We advice to wear trekking shoes, in order to enjoy this plan of walking the almost 8 km of this coastal path that joins Donostia with Pasaia throug Mount Ulia. It is an easy and little unevenness, marked in white and red (GR 121, part of the stretch of the Talaia coastline path that goes from Bidart in France to San Sebastian) and that offers us spectacular landscapes. We will walk between the cliffs that prevail the entrance of the bay of Pasaia, or the bucolic viewpoints over the lighthouse of La Plata, surrounded by trees.

See detailed map

More about Ulia route

 

7. Victor Hugo house

07 VICTOR HUGO

Within the Historical Center of Pasai Donibane, beneath the second archway of the "..first street...which always takes you where you want to go" (Victor Hugo,we find Victor Hugo House. It is a typical seafaring house of the 17th century which the French writer originally chose as a place to spend a few days and which has been made into a museum with a free entrance.

Inside you’ll find the permanent exhibition "Victor Hugo, travelling down the memory" that brings together various elements that belonged to the house, as well as the room where the writer stayed and where we can hear the description he made of the everyday life he had at home. There is also a room with an audiovisual aid that will allow us to see the Pasaia of the 19th century in Victor Hugo´s words. In addition, on the ground floor of the house you will find the Tourist Office of Pasaia, where the staff will suggest to us many more options to take advantage of the day.

Victor Hugo House

 

 8. Albaola and the replica of the Nao San Juan

08 ALBAOLA

This old shipyard, home to the Basque Maritime Factory, has become one of the most visited museums in Gipuzkoa. Albaola, recovers the tradition of riverside carpentry that has remained a landmark in the shipping history of Pasaia . It is divided into several spaces, on the one hand the permanent exhibition based on the history of whale fishing and the Basque shipping activity during the sixteenth century, with another area of ​​riverbank carpentry workshop and the shed where they currently work with the reconstruction before the public of the replica of a 16th century whaling ship, the San Juan ship.

There are two ways to get to this museum, on foot through the road that goes from San Pedro pier to Ondartxo, or by sea, taking a boat that departs from the Trintxerpe pier with Itxaszerbi.

8 museums with a single ticket

Albaola, the Sea Factoy of the Basques

 

 9.  On boat of the Mater, a classic tuna fishing boat

09 MATER

The MATER Ecoactive Museum Boat is an authentic classic tuna fishing boat from the Bay of Biscay, the last fishing boat built in wood in the traditional way. It is moored on the shore of Pasai San Pedro and shows us through its guided tours of the boat the extraordinary past that this traditional tuna boat had and the fishing techniques used today.

In addition, Mater Ecoactive Museum Boat offers other activities related to the sea and fishing: trips to the sea (whale watching, fishing .), guided tours, eco activities and workshops, among others.

Consult here the agenda

8 museums with a single ticket

 

10. Gastronomy

10 GASTRO

 

The historical centers of Pasai Donibane y Pasai San Pedro have a gastronomic tradition deeply linked to their fishing activity. Thus, at lunch time you can choose from an extensive showcase of seafood and fresh fish brought directly from the sea. This wealth performs the basis for the development of different traditional dishes of the area. Do not leave Pasaia without trying some of them!!

Where to eat