Bakio-Getxo-Bilbao-Gernika-Bakio 126 km

This beautiful but sometimes demanding cycling tour takes you along the wild coast north of Bilbao, through the bustling town of Bilbao and its industrious agglomerates and through Urdaibai natural reserve. You also cross the Ría de Bilbao on the Vizcaya Bridge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, pass the famous Guggenheim Museum, pass through the old center of Bilbao with plenty of opportunities to lunch on pintxos, cycle through Gernika, the town bombed by Nazi Germany in the Spanish Civil War and subject of the famous painting by Picasso, and enjoy a panoramic view of the islet of San Juan de Gazelugatxe. The tour is on paved roads and cycling paths, but includes some mainly pedestrian boulevards close to the sea, and a short stretch of paved walking path with very good views near Sopela, but also a few sets of stairs that are best negotiated walking… You need to climb a few hills, the most strenuous one being a particularly steep variant of the Alto de Vivero, starting in Bilbao. See waypoints for more information on the climbs. The transporter bridge requires a fee of 70 cents. The overall length and the frequent and sometimes steeper climbs made me rate this tour difficult, although I expect that experienced cyclists might also rate it ‘average’.
The tour starts in Bakio, popular with surfers, where I had my holiday house. At the start you have a panoramic view of the beach and the town. You take the boulevard along the sea and then follow the river inland, through a park. At the outskirt of town you start the climb of the Alto de Goitisolo. This climb is not steep and offers great views of Bakio and the coast beyond with San Juan de Gazelugatxe in the distance. You continue descending towards the reservoir Urbietako urtegia. You pass a dismantled nuclear power station and continue to Armintza. You go inland and cycle to Gorliz. Here you cycle towards the large beach and cycle along a boulevard towards and along the Plentzia river estuary. In the town Plentzia you follow the boulevard along the tidal river full of boats until you get to a bridge for pedestrians and cyclists. You cross the river and then climb to a ridge of hills on the sea with occasional views of the sea. Near Sopela you cycle to the coast. Above beautiful Barinatxe beach you take a paved path along the coasts with good views. The 1.1 km path has a few steps which you best negotiate on foot with a road bike. Especially take care on the set of steps on the steep downhill stretch near the end. You could also give this stretch a miss (see waypoint), but then you miss the great views. After the 1.1 km, the paved path continues without steps past the Azkorri coast with a wild beach and great flysch cliffs. At Punta Galea you follow the cycling path with great views of the harbor and the town of Getxo, passing by the Castillo del Principe. At the end of the cycling path you cycle through the town of Getxo towards the quay at Areetako Kaia. A cycle path takes you towards the place where the Ría de Bilbao flows into the sea. Around the corner is the Vizcaya Bridge, a transporter bridge, where a gondola is taking you to the other side of the river. The gondola is suspended from an impressive metal structure. At the other side of the bridge at Portulagete you cycle inland until you get to the cycling path BI-R1 Barakaldo-La Arena Bidegorria. This cycle path takes you across and beneath bridges, along highways and past the Río Galindo back towards the Ría de Bilbao, and then to the town of Barakaldo. You cycle to the center here, and then back to the Ría de Bilbao, which you then follow on cycling paths to the center of Bilbao. You take a peek at the famous Guggenheim museum. On the river side is a walkway forbidden for bicycles, but worth a short look, which is interesting for the famous art works ‘Tulips’ by Jeff Koons, the ‘Tall Tree & The Eye’ by Anish Kapoor, the ‘FOG’ sculpture (with real fog) by Fujiko Nakaya and ‘Maman’, a huge spider, by Louise Bourgeois. Up on the right you can see the huge flower-covered ‘Puppy’, also by Jeff Koons. After having had a look around the museum you continue towards the old center of Bilbao. You cross the river and then enter the old center with narrow alleys surrounded by high houses, a cathedral, and the Plaza Nueva. I had some pintxos here at the famous Bar Bilbao. After leaving the old center (watch out for the pedestrians) you continue along the river for almost 3 km before you turn north and start your ascend of the Alto de Vivero. Initially through town, the ascent is easy, but shortly before leaving the built-up area the road becomes steep (~20 % in places). You cross the BI-631 on a cycle/footbridge and then climb further to the BI-3732. On this road following the ridge the ascent continues gradually until the summit. Occasionally the views are great. About 4 km after the summit you turn left and descend on a sometimes steep and badly-paved road towards the N637 at the foot of the hill. From here you cycle to Larrabetzu where the start of the climb to Alto de Morga starts. This is a wide road, but not very busy. After the summit you descend to Andra Mari, and continue towards Kurtzero in the Reserva Natural del Urdaibai. Here you follow the busy road to Gernika, and then cycle into the center. This town used to be the Basque capital and people adjourned at an old oak tree of which only a stump is left in the center. A bit further you will find a mural of the famous Picasso painting. After Gernika you follow cycle path R10 along the busy road towards Bermeo. At San Kristobal you leave the busy road and cycle on minor roads and a cycling path with good views to the Mundaka river estuary towards the Playa Antonio. This is a good place for a short stop. You continue back to the main road and follow this road with occasional good views of the sea to Bermeo. In Bermeo starts the last climb of the day of the Alto de San Pelaio. At the top you have a parking with a view of San Juan de Gazelugatxe. A bit further on the right is the starting point of the hike to this islet, not suited for a road bike. Instead you continue down towards Bakio, the starting point of the trip.