Gernika, Bermeo and Mundaka: Is the Bizkaia Coast Worth More Than Gaztelugatxe?
Updated October 22, 2026 · 5 min read
The answer first. Yes, if you want more than a photograph. Gernika is the town to see for its history, Bermeo for a working fishing harbour, and Mundaka for its setting at the mouth of the Urdaibai estuary. They are close enough to combine in one day, and most coast tours from Bilbao already do. For most visitors, the Gaztelugatxe, Mundaka and Guernica tour is the straightforward choice: it is guided, takes six hours and is rated 4.7 from 2,481 reviews.
The three towns
Gernika (Guernica in Spanish) was bombed on 26 April 1937 during the Spanish Civil War, and that is why most people come. The Gernika Peace Museum on Foru plaza is the place to understand it. Nearby, the Casa de Juntas and the Tree of Gernika are symbols of Basque self-government. The Casa de Juntas is free, but its official page says to book in advance, and opening hours change with the season, so check both before you plan around them.
Bermeo is a fishing port, and the harbour is the point of the visit rather than any single monument. If the fish trade interests you, one listing is built around it: the Bermeo harbour-to-table experience visits the fish market, explains how the traditional auction works and ends with lunch at a local restaurant. It has no reviews yet, so treat it as unproven.
Mundaka is a small fishing town about 38 kilometres from Bilbao, at the mouth of the Urdaibai estuary, and it is known among surfers for a long left-hand wave. Bermeo and Gernika also sit within the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, so the day is as much about estuary and marsh scenery as about towns.
Getting there on your own
The Euskotren rail line serves all three. Trains to Gernika are reported to take around 50 minutes from Bilbao’s old quarter, and the line towards Bermeo shares the track with it, with Mundaka on the way. Timetables change with the season, so check them on the Euskotren site or app before you go. The drawback is that Gernika, Mundaka and Bermeo are separate stops, so fitting all three into one day takes planning.
With a rental car from Bilbao you can set your own order and add Gaztelugatxe, which sits on the same stretch of coast; our Gaztelugatxe guide explains the free ticket you may need there.
The coast tours compared
| Tour | What the listing says | Duration | From | Rating · reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaztelugatxe, Bermeo, Mundaka, Gernika and wine tour | Dragonstone, three towns and txakoli at Berroja Winery | 10 hours | €35 | 4.7 · 3,315 |
| Gaztelugatxe, Mundaka and Guernica tour | Guided; Dragonstone, the fishing village of Mundaka, Guernica | 6 hours | €34.50 | 4.7 · 2,481 |
| Gaztelugatxe with access, Bermeo and Gernika | Free time to climb to the top, a fishing village, the Tree of Gernika | 6 hours | €59.99 | 4.3 · 617 |
| Gaztelugatxe, Bermeo and Gernika day trip | Hike up to the hermitage, Bermeo, Gernika’s Basque history | 9 hours | €70 | 4.8 · 872 |
How to choose
All four are really Gaztelugatxe days with towns attached, so the coast towns get a share of the time rather than all of it. The ten-hour tour is the most reviewed and cheapest per hour, and it adds a txakoli tasting, but it is a long day. The six-hour tour at €34.50 is the lightest option. If you care most about Gernika and its history, ask the operator how long the group stays in town, because the listings do not say.
If you would rather see the towns at your own speed and have no wish to climb to a hermitage, the train is a fair alternative, and the day does not need a tour at all. For more excursions, browse day trips from Bilbao or everything under things to do in Bilbao.
