Sanctuary of Loyola: A Scenic Journey from Bilbao through Inner Basque Country

Embark on a scenic journey from Bilbao to the province of Gipuzkoa, exploring charming towns, visiting the birthplace of Ignatius of Loyola, and enjoying the coastal beauty of Zumaia and Getaria. Indulge in San Sebastian’s renowned gastronomy and take in the breathtaking view of La Concha Bay from Mount Igeldo.

Duration: 9 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Santuario de Loyola - Guided visit to the famous Sactuary of Loyola, built around the tower house of the Loyola family.
  • Getaria Fishing Port - Walking tour around Getaria, a charming coastal village known for its fishing tradition and birth town of the famous fashion designer Balenciaga.
  • Zarautz - Drive through Zarautz, home to the…
What's Included
  • Travel comfortably in an air-conditioned coach or minivan
  • Explore with a knowledgeable professional guide
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Food and drinks, unless specified
Additional Information

Starting from Bilbao, we’ll travel towards the Gipuzkoa province, taking in sights of towns like Eibar, Elgoibar, and Azkoitia. Our journey brings us to the Loyola sanctuary, notable as the birthplace of the region’s most renowned figure, Ignatius of Loyola. Continuing along the coastline, we’ll reach the Zumaia region, home to the quaint fishing…

Location
Mazarredo Zumarkalea, 65
Mazarredo Zumarkalea
Please go to the Bus Stop at Tourist Office located next to the Guggenheim Museum. Pick up time at 08.50am (departure time at 09.00am)
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.7
(70 Ratings)
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L6206gvreginal
Sep 25, 2024
Great day trip - Phantastic Trip, great mixture of sights. Estafan was a competent and entertaining guide. He brought it all to life with his amazing knowledge.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
N2107llelizabethc
Sep 8, 2024
Certainly worth a visit - Covadonga is certainly worth a visit. The basilica there was built in honour of St Ignatious Loyola. The basilica itself is well worth a visit but so is the tiny chapel in the rock along with other buildings. There is a large car park too. You can spend several hours there, there are toilets and a little Café. It is an impressively built place. We went on a fine day, it's high up in the Picos de Europe.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Erica_r
Aug 20, 2024
Great Trip - Great experience. Tour guide was very informative, friendly and punctual. Enjoyed all the stops. The view from on top of the mountain upon San Sebastián/playa concha was breathtaking.
Review provided by Viator
John
Jul 7, 2024
First visit to Bilbao - Our guide was good and shared bilingual Spanish and English. We had a predominate Spanish speaking group , so there are still dynamics you must absorb in being the minority , but he did a good job of managing it. He even tried to get 4 English speaking people on the tour to sit in front of the bus to avoid having the microphone on for both translations, but people who had entered the bus anchored those seats and would not move when requested. Our point. Wing he managed the situation very well and a were made to be welcome . I would do this tour again . Might consider San Sebastián on a day other than Saturday as the locals had many of the restaurants covered. But we worked through that too.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Resort67911985684
Jun 29, 2024
Fun trip - Despite the rain had a very nice day. Nice stops, the guide had a lot of info but his English was sometimes a bit difficult to understand. Sufficient time during the stops
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Janet_h
Jun 16, 2024
great day in Pais Vasco - The guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. The itinerary was interesting, fun and well paced. I would highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Viator
Japitq
Oct 4, 2024
For religious propagation and navigation or exploration. Specifically in the Philippines. - St Ignacio de Loyola and one of our founder El cano are both important people in our religious propagation and exploration.
Review provided by Viator
Elaine_t
Sep 26, 2024
Lovely sights - The sanctuary was absolutely beautiful. Free time allowed me to participate in the midday prayer at basilica, but it was short. Good recommendations for pintxo and the San Sebastián basque cheesecake which cannot be missed! Even bumped into celebrities during lunch. To round it up, a bird’s eye view of San Sebiastian with an ice cream!
Review provided by Viator
Omaira_w
Jun 21, 2024
Peacefully place for your soul - The visit to the Basilica, was beautiful and memorable , Stefan was very good explaining all about this place
Review provided by Viator
Tine_r
Jul 16, 2024
Bad experience - Bad information/communication flow. Viator do not deliver what they write. The People they hire do not have a sign, on car/clothes where it says VIator. I Will never recommend Them to any of my friends or People I speak with.
Review provided by Viator
From $81
up to 9 guests
1 Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).