The “Camino de Santiago Barakaldo” route is made up ofThe “Camino de Santiago Barakaldo” route is made up of The “Camino de Santiago Barakaldo” route is made up of 12 points of interest spread across mountainous areas combined with more central areas of the city, along more than 9.5 kilometers that can be explored in about two hours.
ACCESSIBILITY
This is a very inaccessible route for people with mobility issues. In the end, much of the route runs through the mountains, where, despite the majority of the path being paved, the gradient of the slopes is too steep for those with any mobility issues. Furthermore, if you access the route by train, you'll encounter the inconvenience of only accessing the station by stairs. The lighting along much of the route is very poor, with streetlights only appearing when you approach certain neighborhoods. Once you reach point 5, the difficulty decreases significantly, as the route begins to enter the city center. As for signage, it's excellent throughout the entire route, with signs and arrows to help you find your way. Finally, there are also numerous benches and rest areas along the way, which can make the journey easier.
START AND TRANSPORT
The route can be accessed by public transport, using the Castrejana station, which can be reached by trains C1, C1F, and C2. It can also be reached by Bilbobus line 88 or buses A3341, A3342, and A3343, as well as by private vehicle. The route begins at the Devil's Bridge, which we'll find just outside the station. At the end of the route, we can once again use public transport, accessing the Urbinaga metro station.
ROUTE
- (Start) Section 1-2: The route begins at the Devil's Bridge, a bridge with a single semicircular arch, built in the 15th century. As we advance along this section, we will leave behind the Castrejana neighborhood, to fully enter the mountain and thus reach our second point, the Medieval Road. In this section we will find signs that will guide us to follow the Camino de Santiago, such as the arrow that indicates which way to go to reach the Hermitage of Santa Agueda (point 3 of the route)
In the first photograph, you can see the Devil's Bridge; in the second, you can see the Roman road; and in the third, a wooden arrow-shaped sign indicates the distance and direction to follow to reach the Hermitage of Santa Agueda.
- Section 2-3: Following the path, we'll begin to see some rest areas, which are also better lit by the streetlights along the side of the road. We'll see several houses and even some shops, such as "Huevos Camperos Santa Águeda," which will welcome us to the Hermitage of Santa Águeda (point 3). There, we'll find a QR code, which, when scanned, will tell us the story of the hermitage. Around it, we'll find fountains and rest areas to take a break after the ascent.
The first photo shows the exterior of the Hermitage of Santa Agueda, and the second shows a wooden sign to continue along the Camino de Santiago route.
- Section 3-4: Leaving the chapel behind, the descent begins, reaching Basatxu Auzoa. Along this stretch, we can enjoy unbeatable views of Bilbao and Barakaldo, where, weather permitting, we can see several of their most important infrastructures, such as the Iberdrola Tower, the Guggenheim Museum, and the BEC. We also begin to find some restaurants where we can sample some of their products, or if we don't want to make such a long stop, we also find more fountains where we can simply stop to refresh ourselves and continue on our way. As with the rest of the route, we can find signs to guide us as we follow the route.
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- Section 4-5: Leaving Basatxu auzoa behind, we'll begin to see a significant change in terms of buildings and crowds, as we begin to get closer to the center of Barakaldo. Entering the Cruces neighborhood, we'll see the Cruces University Hospital across the road. It's in this section where we'll begin to see increased vehicle traffic, so the roadway will begin to differentiate between the road and the sidewalk.
- Section 5-6: To reach the next stop, the Gorostiza Pilgrims' Hostel, we'll cross Tellaetxe Park, a vast park filled with grassy areas and trees where we can relax and rest. We'll also find numerous benches and fountains for a quick break and recharge.
- Section 6-7: Leaving the hostel and the park behind, we begin to enter Retuerto Auzoa, a neighborhood on the outskirts of Barakaldo that perfectly combines old buildings with modern ones. In this section, we begin to see numerous local establishments where we can grab a bite to eat or buy souvenirs.
Photos of different areas of the Retuerto neighborhood.
- Section 7-8: If we cross the Retuerto neighborhood, we'll come face to face with the BEC (Bilbao Exhibition Centre), a huge 251-square-meter building with a tower almost 100 meters high. This is the headquarters of the Bilbao Trade Fair, along with other important national and international events.
Photo of the exterior of the BEC (Bilbao Exhibition Centre).
- Section 8-9: We continue straight along one side of the BEC until we enter the heart of Barakaldo, specifically the Sculpture Park (Point 9). Although the path continues along the edge of the park, there are some escalators that provide access to the park in case we find ourselves in a tight spot or have difficulty getting there. This park has many rest areas and green spaces. We can find several sculptures made of Corten steel, which decorate the park.
- Section 9-10: Walking through the park, on the right we will find the Church of San Vicente (point 10), whose temple dates back to the 17th century.
- Section 10-11: Moving away from the center of Barakaldo, we'll enter a more industrial area, where we'll encounter the Galindo River. This river will accompany us for the remainder of the remaining section.
- (Final) Section 11-12: Finally, following the Galindo River, we will reach the final point of the route, the Sestao Bridge, which we can cross to cross the Galindo River and thus get closer to the Urbinaga metro station, which we will find in front of us.
POINTS OF INTEREST ALONG THE ROUTE
- Rest areas: At the Devil's Bridge (point 1), the Hermitage of Santa Agueda (point 3), the BEC (point 8), the Sculpture Park (point 9) and the Church of San Vicente (point 9) we will find benches and open areas where we can take a break.
- Leisure areas : In Retuerto Auzoa (point 7), BEC (point 8) and in the Church of San Vicente (point 10) we will find restaurants, shops and businesses.
- Sources : At any section of the road public fountains where we can refresh ourselves, but especially in Tellaetxe Park (between points 5 and 6).
- Information points: At the Devil's Bridge (point 1), Medieval Road (point 2), Hermitage of Santa Águeda (point 3), Retuerto Auzoa (point 7) and BEC (point 8) we will find small information panels with content referring to these elements and other routes, as well as indications and signs about the Camino de Santiago throughout the route.