My first time in Geoparkea
Explore the Basque Coast in a sustainable way
Where geology and sustainability intertwine in a journey without barriers.
Where is Geoparkea and how to get there?
Geoparkea is a territory located in the heart of the Basque Coast, in the west of the province of Gipuzkoa, and is made up of the municipalities of Mutriku, Deba and Zumaia, in all its extension.there are four international airports within a radius of one hour: Bilbao, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Donostia and Biarritz. Once in Euskadi, public transport is a good option to reach the towns that make up Geoparkea. Deba and Zumaia have a train station on the line that connects Bilbao with Donostia, managed by Euskotren. The bus services of the companies Euskotren and Lurraldebus also arrive at the three localities of the Geopark, among others, from Donostia, Zarautz, Azpeitia and Eibar. The car is a good option to move around different points of interest outside the urban centers, to go into the interior or to make the route of the viewpoints.
What exactly is a Geopark?
It is neither a natural park nor a national park. It is a territory, an area, that has a remarkable geological heritage (scientifically supported) and that provides tools that contribute to the local development of the territory from the perspective of sustainability, in the aspects of education and culture, and in the dissemination of Earth Sciences. Since 2015, our Geopark and the rest of Geoparks are part of the International Geosciences and Geoparks Program of UNESCO, thus promoting the values of this institution and carrying its seal and brand in the name and image: officially we are the UNESCO Global Geopark of the Basque Coast.
Do you have an information point?
Our physical information points are the tourist offices in Mutriku, Deba and Zumaia. They will be happy to answer any questions you may have about the Geopark, and another valuable point of information is our website, where you can book our guided tours online.
Is there an entrance fee to access Geoparkea?
No. The word "park" that is implicit in our form and name does not imply the payment of an entrance fee, since you are not going to enter any "park" delimited with barriers. You are free to come and visit the different villages and corners of the Basque Coast Geopark. What do have to be paid are the official guided tours that we have to know in an interpreted way the geological and cultural heritage of our territory.
Is it possible to visit on my own?
We always recommend taking one of our official guided tours, it is the best option to learn about the geological importance of the territory in an interpreted way and from the hand of an expert. That said, yes, the Geopark can be visited on your own, completely at your own pace. In fact, apart from signs and interpretation panels located at different points, we have a series of georoutes available for free download on our website, so you can check offline all the information (mainly geological) directly on your cell phone as you are doing any of the routes.
Where to stay?
It depends on whether you want to stay in an urban environment or prefer to stay in a rural environment; if you come as a couple or with your family? This is a question that we cannot answer directly, but we recommend that you take a look at the accommodations of the Geopark's collaborating entities, reliable accommodations whose services and commitments to the Geopark we certify every two years and that surely will not disappoint you.