San Juan de Gaztelugatxe
The islet, crowned by a parish church and linked to the coast by a narrow corridor, has been the location chosen as Dragonstone, the place where they will meet Jon Snow and Daenerys. An excursion that will take you to another world and another time.
Before leaving, we must make sure that we have three basic things: a bottle of water, suitable footwear for walking (mountain boots or sneakers) and a camera with a fully charged battery, which we are going to inflate to take photos.
The islet belongs to the Biscayan town of Bermeo , less than an hour by car from Bilbao. we can go for the B-631 up to Bermeo itself or take a detour before B-2101 towards Bakio (the fastest route), is halfway along the road that connects both towns. Once there, we will have to park the car at the top of the cliff, near the viewpoint, and walk down for half an hour along a forest track where we will gradually discover postcard-worthy views.
The impossible stairs that lead to the hermitage of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe
And it is that whoever does not know the place will discover a priceless place: a rocky islet (Gaztelugatxe), colored by the green of its vegetation and raised in the middle of a turquoise sea. Its summit is crowned by a parish dedicated to San Juan , connected to the coast itself by a winding path that manages to save the water from the Bay of Biscay thanks to a stone bridge.
The parish of San Juan
Once we reach the end of the forest track (on the coastline), the path follows through a narrow passageway built on the stone bridge . An impressive place, with the sea on both sides, where we can feel that we are walking on water, and where the most adventurous go down to the very base of the pillars that support it to feel how the waves break against the rock.
Across the aisle awaits us steep climb , made up of a total of 241 steps , through which we will also find indicated the respective stops of the way of the cross (representation in fourteen stations of the path that Jesus Christ made towards the cross).
The climb to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, an epic feat
When we reach the top, the first thing that will catch our attention will be the amazing panoramas that we have of the coast and the road that we have just crossed (obligatory selfie moment). Then, of course, the hermitage, whose checkered history we can read in depth in an indicative poster.
It is worth discovering, and it has suffered since pirate sieges to several fires from its origins, which date back to the 10th century, until it was destroyed in 1978 to be reborn from its ashes in 1980. Tradition demands that one ring his bell (the rope is hanging next to the door), although it is not very clear what is the number of times to do it (some recommend three, others thirteen, others fourteen like the way of the cross...).
Church of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe
In addition we will also see a large shelter arranged with fireplace, seats and windows for pilgrims who manage to climb and want to spend the night there. Next to it, a curious toilet where everything that falls ends up falling into the heights of a cliff and where it is inescapable to remember the good of Tyrion urinating when crowning The Wall.
And we will not go far wrong. To shoot the seventh season of Game of Thrones numerous Spanish locations have been chosen again, and Gaztelugatxe was one of them in its own right.
Specifically, during the month of October its stone bridge was crossed in numerous shots by Kit Harington ( Jon Snow ) and Liam Cunningham ( Davos ), as well as by Emilia Clarke ( Daenerys ) and her entourage: Peter Dinklage ( Tyrion ) , Nathalie Emmanuel ( Missandei ) and Jacob Anderson ( gray worm ), confirming through the photos that fans and paparazzi got that the expected meeting between Snow and Daenerys (who according to fan theories are destined to be much more than friends) will take place there.
Back to reality, touch undo the 241 steps and begin the ascent again along the forest track to the car, which will take a few 45 tired and monotonous minutes . As a reward for the walk, we can do two non-exclusive things.
The first is to stop to cool off at Baquio beach (or Bermeo, if we return from the other side). The second is give us a good tribute. Our recommendation is the Aritxi Grill, located in a rural mansion at the foot of the road in **Larrauri (Mungia)**, on the way back to Bilbao, where we can give a good account of traditional Basque food, either with its menu or pulling from the menu. Great stews, huge steaks and delicious homemade desserts. You won't be able to with everything.
Game of Thrones