Aula· Spain, city by cityPaís Vasco
Santurtzi
«Santurtzi es un puerto de mar tradicional y pesquero.»Santurtzi is a traditional fishing port.
Santurtzi is located at the mouth of the Bilbao estuary, on the left bank, and is the city's commercial port. Its fishing port is linked to sardines and the women who carried them to Bilbao on foot with baskets on their heads, remembered by a song known throughout Spain.
Did you know
A song for the fish women
The popular song 'Desde Santurtzi a Bilbao' celebrates the historic route that women took on foot to sell fresh fish in the markets.
How they talk in Santurtzi
«Santurtzi» is the official Basque form and «santurtziarra» the demonym. «Sardinera» recalls the sardine sellers celebrated in the popular song «Desde Santurce a Bilbao».
agur
Greeting used to take leave and, depending on the context, also to say hello. Short greeting formula in Basque, very recognizable in the daily life of the Basque Country.
Everyday life in Santurtzi
The grilled «sardinas» on the pier
Sardines are roasted in the open air on iron grates and eaten there, with bread: the popular song that talks about the sardinera of Santurtzi is known throughout Spain.
«Unas sardinas a la brasa.» — Some sardines on the grill.
The port of large ships
Ferries to England depart from here and container ships dock: the port of Bilbao is in this municipality, and its noise is part of the night.
The «sardineras» remembered in bronze
The women who carried fish to Bilbao on foot, with the basket on their heads, have a statue on the seafront: it is the monument that the santurtziarras feel is most their own.
What to eat in Santurtzi
Sardinas asadas
Sardines cooked on an open-air grill, with coarse salt and that's it.
Kokotxas en salsa verde
The «throats» of the hake cooked slowly in oil with garlic and parsley.
Marmitako
Tuna soup with potatoes and choricero pepper, created on fishermen's boats.
Festivals in Santurtzi
Fiestas del Carmen
around 16 July
The patron saint of fishermen goes out to sea on the boats, and sardines are roasted for everyone on the pier.
What to see in Santurtzi
Puerto pesquero
The fishing port where sardines are still unloaded, with the colourful boats.
Monumento a la Sardinera
The statue of the woman who carried sardines to Bilbao on foot, with the basket on her head.
Iglesia de San Jorge
The Gothic church of the town, high above the port.
Monte Serantes
The mountain that closes the ría, with the forts and the view over the whole bay.
Where Santurtzi comes from
«Desde Santurce a Bilbao»
13th century
The village
A fishing village at the mouth of the ría.
19th century
The sardineras
The women carried fish to Bilbao on foot, with the basket on their heads: hence the song.
20th century
The port
The commercial port is built: Santurtzi becomes the port of Bilbao.
Today
The ferry
Ferries to England depart from here.
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