If you are into hiking, the Arantzazu Sanctuary is the perfect starting point.
Located within the Aizkorri-Aratz Natural Park, there are lots of trails of different levels that will allow you to discover spectacular landscapes of unique beauty. For example, you can hike to the top of the Aizkorri peak in about 3 hours.
Towering over the trees that surround it, the Sanctuary of Arantzazu is a magnificent example of Basque avant-garde architecture, featuring works by Jorge Oteiza, Eduardo Chillida and other artists. The tour, which lasts about 45 minutes, begins with a 10-minute video at the Visitor Centre. It continues with a visit to the 20th-century basilica, where visitors will learn about the construction of the building, the history of the surrounding area and the works of the sculptors.
Finally, visitors will explore the crypt, which features murals by Basterretxea and a polychrome wooden altarpiece by Lucio Muñoz, measuring 600 square metres. Arantzazu is also one of the stops on the Camino Ignaciano (the Way of Saint Ignatius), which marks the route taken by Saint Ignatius in 1522 from Loyola to Manresa.
