Travelling to Zierbena by motorhome means parking up right next to the second-longest beach in Bizkaia and waking up to a walk along the sea. This town on the left bank, at the mouth of El Abra, lived for centuries off fishing and iron mining, and both legacies still shape the area today: in the menus of its restaurants and in the old mining railway tracks now turned into greenways. Beach, port and cliffs, all within a few kilometres.
In this article you’ll discover what to see in Zierbena and the surrounding area, what to eat at the port, and everything you need to know to stay overnight with your motorhome by La Arena beach.
The Beach of La Arena, the Main Draw
La Arena beach is the second-longest in Bizkaia: 966 metres of dark sand, a colour that isn’t random but comes from the iron in the area’s old mines. It’s an open beach with steady waves and a good surf atmosphere, with full services in season, picnic areas with barbecues, and accessible paths.
One thing worth knowing before you set up your chair: the tides here are very pronounced. The sandy area goes from about 90 metres wide at high tide to around 350 metres at low tide. It’s worth checking the tide tables and, above all, following the lifeguards’ guidance.
La Arena beach. View location ↗
La Arena beach. Camper spot: La Arena Camper Park
To sleep just steps from the sand, La Arena Camper Park is your perfect base camp for exploring the town and the wider area.
- Takes motorhomes and campervans up to 10 metres, with a maximum stay of 48 hours
- Every pitch has electricity, plus a water fill and drain point
- Controlled access via cameras and barrier
- You can set up an awning, table and chairs
Takes motorhomes and campervans up to 10 metres, with a maximum stay of 48 hours
Every pitch has electricity, plus a water fill and drain point
Controlled access via cameras and barrier
You can set up an awning, table and chairsBook your spot directly in the TripStop app and travel hassle-free.
The Port of Zierbena: the Town’s Seafaring Soul
The fishing harbour keeps its maritime character fully intact: fishing and leisure boats moored side by side, the Xebas Larrañaga sculpture dedicated to the men and women of the sea, and the largest concentration of seafood restaurants in the municipality.
💡 The port has a small, 100-metre artificial beach with calm waters, ideal for children. It only appears at low tide, so check the tide tables before heading down with the kids.
Greenways: the Mining Past on Foot or by Bike
This is one of the reasons to stay more than one night. The old mining railway tracks have been turned into traffic-free, flat, well-signposted routes.
The Itsaslur Walk
2.2 km of clifftop greenway, along the former mining railway line. Flat and family-friendly, it takes about an hour there and back. It passes the 1900 calcination kilns and the viewpoint at the old El Castillo loading pier.
⚠️ Worth knowing if you have reduced mobility or a pushchair: the access from Pobeña has more than 100 steps.
Montes de Hierro–Itsaslur Greenway
🚲 The longest greenway in Bizkaia: almost 42 km from Traslaviña station (Artzentales) to the Itsaslur cliffs (Muskiz). Traffic-free, with the area’s mining past visible all along the way.
💡 It connects to the 11 km cycle path to Portugalete and to the Piquillo Greenway towards Ontón. If you’re travelling with bikes in your motorhome, you can string together routes over several days without repeating a stretch.
History Less Than 10 km Away
El Pobal Ironworks
8 km along the Montes de Hierro Greenway you’ll find a 16th-century water-powered ironworks by the Barbadún river: the best-preserved in Bizkaia and the only one that still keeps much of its original machinery. It operated until 1965 and is now a living museum.
⚠️ Limited opening hours, especially out of season. Booking ahead is essential. More information ↗
Punta Lucero
A 307-metre watchtower over the mouth of El Abra, with views stretching from La Arena to the Cantabrian coast. It preserves trenches from the Carlist Wars, fortifications from the Civil War’s “Iron Belt”, tunnels and artillery positions. You can climb up from both La Arena and the La Cuesta neighbourhood.
Flavours of Zierbena
Fishing was the town’s main activity for centuries, and it still rules the menus: grilled and pan-fried fish and seafood, with traditional recipes alongside newer, award-winning ones.
🍷 Pintxos, txakoli and cider. From the port to the inland neighbourhoods, the bars are full of pintxos: the cheapest and most Basque of dinners. The Encartaciones area also brings its own txakoli and natural cider.
📌 There are several restaurants in the La Arena area, and especially in El Puerto.
⚠️ Book ahead, especially at weekends. These are small, busy places.
When to Go: Festivals and Events
📅 July and August. Throughout the summer, local festivals run one after another across the town’s six neighbourhoods. They start in mid-July in Kardeo, followed by San Ignacio de Loyola (La Arena), San Mamés, La Virgen del Puerto (El Puerto), San Roque (La Cuesta), and finish in Valle at the end of August.
🦐 Kantauri Fest and Seafood Fair. On the first weekend of October, Zierbena hosts the largest gathering of traditional boats in Bizkaia: traineras, bateles, txalupas and rowing boats. There’s a boat parade, children’s workshops, guided tastings, live cooking shows, diving baptisms, a fishermen’s market and concerts. It coincides with the Seafood Fair / Itsaski Azoka, with seafood at community prices. Event website ↗
If we had to pick one weekend of the year to visit by motorhome, it would be that one. Just be sure to book your spot in advance.
Conclusion
Zierbena by motorhome works through accumulation: a huge beach for day one, a port to enjoy a good dinner on the first night, and then 42 km of greenway, cliffs, a 16th-century ironworks and a viewpoint with views over two regions — all from a single pitch, with barely any need to move the vehicle.
In the TripStop app you can check live availability at La Arena Camper Park, browse local tourist information, and book your spot before you arrive. Download TripStop and start planning your stop in Zierbena.
Download TripStop and start planning your next stop!
