Hotel URH Palacio de Oriol 4* - Santurce Bilbao

Discover Santurtzi’s seafaring history with your ticket to the Maritime Museum!

What’s included in your ticket?

When you arrive at the hotel, you’ll receive a ticket to visit the Santurtzi Maritime Museum (Santurtzi Itsas Museoa).

• You can visit on any day of your stay, during the museum’s opening hours.
• The museum offers an audio-guided tour in Spanish, Basque, English and French.
• Location: Puerto Pesquero Kalea, 20, Santurtzi, Bizkaia.

Museum opening hours:

September to June:

• Monday to Saturday: 10:00 to 19:00h.
• Sunday: 10:00 to 15:00h.

Easter, July and August:

• Every day: 10:00 to 19:00h.

Why is this museum worth a visit?

Discover the authentic seafaring spirit of the Basque coast! Set right in the fishing harbour, this museum invites you to explore Santurtzi’s history and its close connection with the sea.

You’ll learn about local fishing traditions, the famous sardine sellers, the world of traditional traineras rowing races, and how fishing has shaped the town over the centuries.

A perfect cultural experience to discover the essence of Santurtzi and round off your holiday in northern Spain!

Curiosities of Santurce: Sea, Tradition and Character

Santurce (Santurtzi), at the mouth of the Nervión, is much more than a coastal town — it is a place where maritime identity shapes every street, every story and every celebration. Discover the most fascinating curiosities of this unique corner of Biscay:

• La Virgen de Guía: The patron saint of seafarers watches over the town from a niche on the street leading down to the port. Fishermen would pause here to ask for protection before heading out to sea. Every July 1st, her procession becomes one of the most emotional and crowded events in Santurce.

• From Fishing Village to Strategic Port: Once a modest rural settlement, Santurce transformed dramatically during the 19th-century industrial boom of the estuary. Today it is a key port linked to Bilbao’s economy — yet it proudly preserves its authentic village spirit.

• The Sardineras: A Living Legend: Immortalised by the famous song “Desde Santurce a Bilbao,” the sardineras became an enduring symbol of the town. These women once walked barefoot along the estuary selling fresh fish. A statue near the port now honours their strength and legacy.

• Casa Torre Palace: Rising among the maritime atmosphere, this 18th-century palace reflects Santurce’s noble past. Once owned by the Marquises of Casa Torre, it now serves as a cultural centre, preserving models and exhibits that trace the town’s evolution.

• Gastronomy: The Scent of the Embers: In Santurce, sardines are not simply eaten — they are celebrated. During the El Carmen festivities, the streets fill with the aroma of fish roasting over open embers. Whole sardines, grilled with coarse salt and without cleaning, represent a culinary tradition locals defend with pride.

• Mount Serantes: Standing 451 metres high, this natural lookout offers one of the finest panoramic views in Biscay. On clear days, you can see from the Port of Bilbao to the coast of Castro Urdiales. For sailors returning home, its conical silhouette is the first reassuring sign of land.

Sea breeze, history and proud traditions — Santurce is authenticity shaped by the Atlantic.