Murgia: Honey, culture and local trails

Three themes help you get your bearings in Murgia: regional honey production, Basque architecture and local festivals. Nearby, trails to waterfalls and historic places of worship add to the picture. You can plan your stay around whether you want to focus mainly on local culture or include outings into the countryside.

Honey, the town hall and local traditions

The Museo de la Miel is located in Casa Oregi in Murgia. The exhibition explains techniques used to produce honey in the Gorbeia region and displays traditional beekeeping and honey-making equipment and utensils. Visits are by prior appointment. Daily morning and afternoon appointments are available for groups of four or more; arrange your visit in advance.

Murgia’s town hall was built in the 18th century and is a fine example of the Basque Casa Consistorial typology—that is, town hall architecture. The Vea-Murgia Villa is also in Murgia and is one of Zuia’s notable large manor houses. These buildings give the townscape a historical dimension, without any single architectural style defining the entire selection.

Zuia’s established livestock, agricultural and craft fair takes place in Murgia. Producers and craftspeople present their work at stalls; tasting and sales of local products are also part of the fair. At the Fiestas de Murgia, sport, music, gastronomy and local traditions come together in a festive, family-friendly setting. Alongside permanent cultural sites, community events are therefore also at the heart of local life.

Green spaces and trails nearby

Villa Jesusa, Murgia’s urban garden, was rehabilitated as a sustainable urban green space. The project’s aims include making native and traditional species more visible and preserving them. Part of Gorbeia Natural Park lies within Zuia. Activities in the park include hiking, mountaineering, mountain biking and horse-riding routes, as well as caving.

Near Murgia, an easy 6 km route from Sarria leads to the waterfalls of the Bayas River. The nearest starting point can be reached from Murgia via the A-4414 road. Another route starts in Murgia and passes through beech and oak woodland on its way to the Ermita de Jugatxi. The trails therefore differ in both their starting points and the character of the landscape.

Ermita de Jugatxi and Santuario de Oro

The Ermita de Jugatxi contains a 13th-century Romanesque depiction of the Virgin of Jugatxi, as well as a Baroque altarpiece. A popular pilgrimage to the chapel takes place on the second Sunday in September. A walk to the chapel thus brings nature and religious heritage together: the route from Murgia passes through beech and oak woodland, while the chapel itself houses a Romanesque image and a Baroque altarpiece.

Also near Murgia is the Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Oro, a historically and artistically significant place of worship with a viewpoint at 850 metres above sea level. The site has a small car park. The sanctuary can also be reached via a moderately difficult 4 km hiking trail from Bitoriano. You can compare the routes by length and difficulty: a 6 km easy walk leads to the Bayas waterfalls from Sarria, while a moderately difficult 4 km trail leads to the Santuario de Oro from Bitoriano. They have different starting points and destinations.

The museum and the buildings mentioned are located in Murgia; the Bayas route starts in Sarria, and the trail to the Santuario de Oro starts in Bitoriano. If you plan to follow these trails, take their starting points into account, and choose Murgia as your destination based on whether you want to focus on local culture, regional traditions or outings in the surrounding area.

Discover more destinations: Oion, Amurrio, Manurga, Lezama, Quejana, Labastida, Páganos, Maturana

For the broader travel overview: Alava.