Alonsotegi: Trails through Karst and Heritage

Alonsotegi combines significant changes in elevation with hiking trails through karst and woodland landscapes, as well as buildings from different periods. This offers different ways to plan your trip: you can follow the landscape themes of the routes or explore hermitages and local history. If you are looking for a hotel in Alonsotegi, this comparison can help you choose where to stay based on the focus of your trip.

Hiking routes through karst and woodland

The PR BI 101 hiking trail is a circular route through the limestone karst of Peñas Blancas and starts at the Ermita de San Antolín. The Alonsotegi–Pagasarri route follows a different course: it starts at the town hall square and follows the signposted climb towards Pagasarri. It leads through pine forests along woodland paths; there is also the possibility of observing wild mountain animals. Thus, the PR BI 101 focuses on a circular route and karst, while Alonsotegi–Pagasarri highlights the ascent, the woodland and possible wildlife sightings.

The circular route from Zamundi also offers views of scenic surroundings. Several routes make it possible to explore Alonsotegi’s many hermitages on foot. If you would rather plan your outing around religious buildings than a particular landscape theme, this offers a distinct focus.

Hermitages and historic buildings

The Ermita de San Antolín is in the Irauregi district and was built by the noble Coscojales family at the end of the 15th and beginning of the 16th centuries. It is considered the only hermitage in Bizkaia to have preserved its original altarpiece. The PR BI 101 also begins at the hermitage. At this specific location, a historic construction period, a distinctive preserved furnishing and the starting point of a circular trail come together.

The Neveras del Pagasarri are underground ice houses dating from the 17th century. Snow was stored there to make drinks, preserve food and alleviate fever. Their uses ranged from supplying drinks and food to the contemporary treatment of fever.

At the Ermita de San Juan Bautista in the Azordoiaga district, an altar stands against a rock face beneath a small roof. The associated icon was made after the original in the Serbian Orthodox Church in Belgrade. The site is therefore defined not only by the hermitage, but also by the icon’s special connection to its model.

In the town centre, the parish church of San Bartolomé is a prominent building. Barrenkalea reveals another side of local history: this workers’ housing estate was built in the first half of the 20th century, following the growth of mining and industry in the region. The church and housing estate offer different perspectives: religious architecture in the town centre and the history of a settlement linked to mining and industry.

The buildings and sites mentioned can also be distinguished by period: the Ermita de San Antolín was built at the end of the 15th and beginning of the 16th centuries, the Neveras date from the 17th century, and Barrenkalea from the first half of the 20th century. This comparison places religious architecture, ice houses and a workers’ housing estate within distinct historical contexts.

Location and elevation

Alonsotegi lies in the corridor formed by the Cadagua River between the mountains of Sasiburu, Ganekogorta and Pagasarri. The town centre is at around 50 metres, while Ganekogorta reaches almost 1,000 metres above sea level. The river corridor and these elevation figures provide two concrete points of reference for understanding the town’s location and the range in elevation between the centre and the mountain.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Durango, Sanfuentes, Loiu, Otxandio, Abadiño, Mundaka, Ibarrangelu, Sopelana

For the broader travel overview: Bizkaia.