Mundaka is a small fishing village on the Bizkaia coast, about an hour from Bilbao, where the Urdaibai estuary meets the sea. Surfers know it for one of the best left-hand waves in Europe; everyone else comes for the village itself, the green estuary around it, which is a UNESCO biosphere reserve, and the easy trips to Bermeo and Gernika. You can see the best of it in a day from Bilbao by train.
The wave
When the swell and tide line up, a long, fast, hollow left peels off the sandbar at the mouth of the estuary, right beside the harbour wall. Sand carried down the Oka river shapes the bar, which is why the wave can be world class one year and weaker the next; dredging in the mid-2000s famously damaged it for a while. It hosted a world championship tour contest for about a decade, until 2009.
It is for experienced surfers only: strong currents, a shallow sandbar and a competitive local line-up. It works best from autumn to early winter with a big northwest swell, around low to mid tide; at high tide it often disappears. Beginners should take a lesson across the estuary at Laida beach or along the coast. For non-surfers, the harbour wall and the church on the headland give a front-row view on a good day.
The village
Mundaka is a few streets of old houses around a tiny harbour. The church of Santa María stands on the point with the sea on three sides, and a short walk north leads to the Santa Catalina hermitage on its own headland, with views up the coast. In summer (roughly June to September) a small boat links Mundaka with Laida beach and Sukarrieta; it carries few passengers and is seasonal, so check on arrival.
Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve
UNESCO declared Urdaibai a biosphere reserve in 1984, one of the first in Spain. It covers the whole basin of the Oka river: the estuary's marshes and sandbanks, oak and holm-oak woods, farms, cliffs and about twenty villages. See Spain's official tourism site and Urdaibai tourism for routes.
- Laida and Laga beaches, on the far side of the estuary, the area's best for swimming.
- Urdaibai Bird Center, in the marshes near Gautegiz Arteaga, for spoonbills, herons and other migrating birds, especially in spring and autumn.
- Santimamiñe cave, near Kortezubi, with prehistoric paintings, visited on a booked guided tour that takes you to the entrance and shows the painted inner galleries in a virtual reconstruction.
- Walking and cycling paths along both banks of the estuary.
Bermeo
Just north of Mundaka, Bermeo is a busy working fishing port, much bigger than its neighbour. Walk the old harbour with its coloured houses and visit the fishermen's museum in the medieval Ercilla tower. Bermeo is also the closest town to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, the island chapel on a stone staircase, which combines well with Mundaka in one day.
Gernika
About 15 minutes inland, Gernika-Lumo is the symbolic heart of the Basque Country. The Assembly House (Casa de Juntas), where the Bizkaia assembly still meets, stands beside the Tree of Gernika, the oak under which the lords of Bizkaia swore to respect local laws. The town was bombed by German and Italian aircraft on 26 April 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, the attack Picasso painted in *Guernica*. The Gernika Peace Museum tells that story. Check opening times at Gernika tourism, as they vary by season.
Getting there
- Train: the Euskotren line from Bilbao to Bermeo stops at Gernika and Mundaka. From Bilbao's Zazpikaleak (Casco Viejo) station it takes around 70 to 80 minutes to Mundaka, with trains about every half hour on weekdays and less often at weekends. Check Euskotren for times.
- Bus: Bizkaibus links Bilbao with Bermeo and Mundaka.
- Car: about 45 minutes from Bilbao, but parking in Mundaka is very tight in summer.
From the UK, many visitors arrive via Bilbao airport or the Portsmouth to Bilbao ferry, and base themselves in Bilbao.
Staying connected
Surfers live by the swell and tide forecasts, and everyone else will want train times, museum hours and a map of the estuary paths. A data eSIM for Spain gives you local data from arrival without removing your own SIM; see how to install it and how much data you need.