The Natural environment

The location of Zumaia, around an open estuary and surrounded by mountains and cliffs, fills this visit with blues and greens. The blues of the river, its modern marina, and the sea, with a breakwater that invites us to walk. The greens of nature that, in Zumaia, acquires unique shapes.

The River Urola rises in the foothills of Mount Aitzgorri and empties in the sea after winding across the valley of the same name for almost 60 kilometres. On its way, it forms large meanders between the towns of Iraeta and Zumaia. As it empties into the sea, a shoal of sand and silt forms on the right bank of the river. To the north of this shoal, opposite the Bay of Biscay, the dune begins to expand with the wetland area, which is sheltered by the bay.

Two specific areas are protected by different entities as a Protected Biotope, a especial Protection Plan or Nature 2000 Net: