Balenciaga, Elkano and txakoli, discover Getaria
Getaria is a coastal town, known for being the birthplace of Juan Sebastián Elkano, the first man to circumnavigate the world, and of the designer Cristóbal Balenciaga. It is also famous for its restaurants that prepare grilled fish and the white wine with denomination of origin that is grown nearby, known as Txakolí de Getaria. One of the most charming villages on our coast.
Getaria is located on the central coast of Gipuzkoa, on the shores of the Cantabrian Sea. Its old town is located on the tombolo that links the mainland with Mount San Antón, which until the 16th century was an island. The silhouette of Mount San Antón resembles a mouse, forming the tombolo and the town of Getaria its tail. This is why Mount San Antón is better known by the nickname of El Ratón de Getaria, which forms one of the most common postcards of the whole of Gipuzkoa.
Originally, the historic quarter was walled and turreted, although these elements have almost disappeared today. A striking and well-known passageway that runs under the church of San Salvador and connects the main street (Kale Nagusia) with the stairs leading to the port. This passageway is called Katrapona and is a vestige of the old defences.
Juan Sebastián Elkano
"Primus circumdedisti me" you were the first to circumnavigate me. So reads the inscription on the coat of arms that Emperor Charles V gave to Juan Sebastián Elkano after completing the first circumnavigation of the Earth. In this way he recognised the feat of the Basque navigator, who arrived in Sanlúcar de Barrameda on 6 September 1522 on board the ship Victoria, three years after setting sail.
Juan Sebastián was born in Getaria, on the coast of Gipuzkoa, at the dawn of the Age of Discovery, in 1487.
Its famous "mouse" is one of the symbols of Getaria
Critóbal Balenciaga
Christian Dior called him "the master of us all", Hubert de Givenchy referred to him as "the architect of Haute Couture" and Coco Chanel called him "the only true couturier". Discover the life of this genius.
Cistobal Balenciaga Eizaguirre was born in Getaria on 21 January 1895 into a working-class family. His father, a fisherman, died when Balenciaga was 11 years old. His mother, a figure of reference for Balenciaga, was a seamstress and worked for the family of the Marquises of Casa-Torres.
The txakoli of Getaria
At the beginning of the 19th century, txakoli was produced in the farmhouses and was limited to home consumption. Today, more than 2 million bottles are produced every year and it is exported to the most select tables all over the world. A galloping development for this young, slightly sparkling and refreshing wine that has the Getariako Txakolina designation of origin. There are numerous wineries that open their doors for visits and it is also the star of a calendar of attractive events.
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