The term ‘hidden gem’ seems redundant these days, but when it comes to the small port of Portugalete it feels accurate. We only went because I’d read about a bridge with a UNESCO World Heritage designation. Bizkaia Bridge, the world’s first gondola bridge, straddles the River Nervión and is considered to be one of the ‘outstanding architectural iron constructions of the Industrial Revolution’.
That’s catnip to Industrial Revolution nerds. It was also a hot day, over 30C, and being by the coast at Portugalete seemed like a better option than the narrow streets of Bilbao’s Casco Viejo. We had a plan to investigate the area around the bridge and then follow the waterfront walk to the old port of Algorta in the Getxo neighbourhood. A centuries-old fishing district famous for being where the wealthiest Basque families lived.
Bilbao’s centre is far from the sea. The town spreads out along the river for around 12km until it hits the ocean just beyond the Bizkaia Bridge. The metro ride is partially above ground and you pass the huge industrial and shipping complexes that dominate parts of the riverbank. Emerging from Areeta metro station we found ourselves in a busy, modern area that felt far from the tourist honeypot of Casco Viejo.
On the river, the truly extraordinary Bizkaia Bridge awaited. At 45m high with a span of 160m, it is an impressive sight. Built between 1887 and 1893, it was the first bridge in the world with a hanging transporter that carried both passengers and vehicles on a gondola suspended high above the ships passing below. The original gondola was wood and iron, today’s is modern and sleek.
We took the gondola across the river – it’s odd floating above the water – and set off to explore Portugalete. Sitting at a strategic point at the entrance to the river, the town was founded only in 1322. The port was designed to seize control of trade from Bilbao by Doña María Díaz de Haro, wife of Prince Juan de Castilla, who was in a prolonged battle with his wife’s uncle over control of this entire area.
The town flourished. The 14th and 15th centuries were its ‘Golden Age’ thanks to the exclusive rights it had to export wool to Flanders – where it was turned into some of the most sought after cloth in Europe – and its monopoly on the trade in iron from mines in the Basque mountains. Its importance was underscored by royal visits, although these were also designed to mediate peace between feuding local nobility.
In 1511, the good times ended when Portugalete lost its trade monopoly to Bilbao. It was still an active port, but its commercial and political importance were lost forever. Only in the 19th century did its fortunes revive with industrialisation and the transformation of next door Getxo into a resort for rich Basque families and even British aristocracy, who built mini palaces on the heights overlooking the sea.
This history has left Portugalete with a wealth of historic buildings. We strolled along Muelle Churruca, an esplanade running past attractive buildings built to accommodate 19th century tourists as well as town houses for the wealthy. In lovely Plaza del Solar we took a table at one of the cafe-bars and had some lunch before heading into the narrow streets of the town, reached through a tunnel in the old defences.
There’s a steep climb through the streets to reach the Basilica of Santa María. The plaza around the church offers fabulous views over the river to Getxo and the ocean, but front and centre is Bizkaia Bridge. Nearby is Salazar Tower, a typical fortified tower-house built by one of the region’s most powerful families. There’s plenty to explore in the small town, but we had to head back over the river to continue our walk.
It’s a pleasant and uncrowded route that took us along another esplanade, Muelle de Las Arenas, past a very smart marina and 19th century houses which served as the summer residencies of wealthy Basques. Fishing boats bobbed in the water as we arrived at Getxo lighthouse, and just beyond we stopped for a drink at Ereaga Beach. Swimming was out of the question due to the presence of jellyfish.
As we walked further along the coast we spotted a funicular that meant we didn’t have to labour up a lot of stairs to get to Algorta metro station. In the heat it was a relief, and it was free.
