The place where we grow up is usually part of us even when we stopped living there years ago. In the case of Anne Igartiburu, that place is Elorrio, the Biscayan town where she was born in 1969 and to which she has always referred fondly. Away from the hustle and bustle of the big cities, this municipality in the Durangaldea Valley preserves one of the most elegant historic centers in the Basque Country, with dozens of emblazoned palaces, monumental churches and cobblestone streets that seem frozen in another time.
Furthermore, it is located at the foot of mountains such as Anboto and Udalaitz where the landscape stands out for its intense greenery and humid valleys dotted with hamlets and rural roads that form an image very similar to that of the Irish landscapes. It is no coincidence that anyone who grew up here speaks with pride about their roots.
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Walking through Elorrio is doing so between carved stone facades from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, while the green landscape that surrounds the town makes it clear that nature is also part of its identity. Declared a Monumental Complex, its historic center is one of the best preserved in Vizcaya and brings together more than fifty palaces and stately homes that turn any walk into a small history lesson.
What to see in Elorrio
The first thing that catches your attention when you arrive is that in Elorrio there is no one monument that stands out from another, it is the whole that makes you fall in love. It is enough to walk leisurely through its streets to discover wrought iron balconies, heraldic shields and noble mansions that speak of the splendor that the town experienced during the Modern Age.
The heart of the town revolves around the Gernikako Arbola square, presided over by the Town Hall and the imposing Basilica of the Purísima Concepción. Its architecture mixes Gothic and Renaissance elements, to which baroque additions were added over the centuries, making it one of the most representative buildings in the town.
Elorrio Tourism
Very close by is the Palace of Arezpakoetxea and, next to it, the Puerta de Don Tello, the only surviving vestige of the old medieval wall that protected the town. A short distance away, the Palace of the Marquis of Tola, the Monastery of Santa Ana and the numerous stone crosses scattered throughout the municipality are also worth a stop, one of the most characteristic elements of the religious heritage of Elorrio.
If it is your first visit, there is a special place that should not be left out of the tour: the Argiñeta necropolis. Located just a kilometer and a half from the center, it houses one of the most important medieval funerary complexes in the Basque Country, with sarcophagi and steles dating between the 7th and 9th centuries and turning this enclave into a true archaeological jewel.
Elorrio Tourism
Where to eat delicious and cheap in Elorrio
After touring the historic center, it is best to take a break to see that Basque cuisine can also be enjoyed here without having to go to haute cuisine restaurants.
A safe bet is the Katxarro Restaurant, well known for its daily menus made with seasonal products and traditional cuisine. For those who prefer a quiet meal without going over budget, Guria is also a good option, where the home-cooked cuisine and generous portions have earned it very good reviews among regular visitors.
Ignacio Bareno
If the plan involves eating in a more informal way, Algari is one of those taverns where pintxos and the portions allow you to try several traditional flavors without spending too much, while Batzoki Elorrio stands out for offering complete menus and Basque dishes at reasonable prices.
And before leaving it is worth making one last sweet stop. The Pello Pastry Shop makes the well-known Valentine's Day relics of Berrio-Otxoa, one of the town's most typical products, while the nuns of the Santa Ana convent maintain the tradition of preparing artisanal pastries following traditional recipes.
Ignacio Bareno
What to do around Elorrio
Although the historic center of the town invites you to spend hours strolling through the streets, the natural environment is another great reason to come here. Several signposted routes depart from Elorrio that run through rural neighborhoods, old paths and forests through the Naturbideak network, designed to discover the natural and ethnographic heritage of the municipality on foot.
One of the most recommended excursions is to follow the old greenway that connects with the Atxondo valley and reaches Arrazola. The route runs along the old railway route and leads little by little towards the foothills of Mount Anboto, the most emblematic peak of the Urkiola Natural Park and one of the most symbolic places in Basque mythology, where tradition places the home of Mari, its most important legendary figure.
Paulo Etxeberria
The Urkiola Natural Park is one of the most spectacular protected spaces in the Basque Country, where the beech forests, limestone walls and trails together offer an excursion that alone justifies a weekend getaway. It is the perfect finishing touch to understand why Elorrio not only stands out for its monumental heritage, but also for that green landscape that surrounds it and that turns Anne Igartiburu's hometown into a corner to return to or stay at.
Cover photo | @anneigartiburu and Roberto AI
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