PLACE: Zarauz (Gipuzkoa)

Situated on the wide open plains of Gipuzkoa, opening out onto the sea, the town of Zarauz offers an attractive location, a holiday destination for many tourists, thanks to its beautiful fine sandy beach and its wide cultural and festival offer.

The founding of Zarauz as a town dates back to the charter presented by Ferdinand III in 1237. The existence of the lineage of the Zarauz is inscribed in the coat of arms of the Narros Palace with the phrase "Zarauz antes que Zarauz" (Zarauz before Zarauz), informing us of its origin before the actual existence of the town. As testimony of its past splendour, today we can admire its rich historical and artistic heritage, such as the Narro Palace, built in 1536; the Zarauz Tower House, which today houses the Historical Museum and Fine Arts Museum; the Luzea Tower, from the 15th century, or the Santa María La Real Parish Church, which contains an altarpiece made by Andrés and Juan Araoz, and the tomb of Lope Martínez de Zarauz, both presenting a great artistic value.

In ancient times, whale hunting was one of the main activities until the industry fell into decline, and other sources of income had to be developed such as agriculture, the ironworks, shipbuilding, the textile industry, the furniture making, etc.

In the middle of the 19th century, Queen Isabel II chose Zarauz as a favourite holiday destination. Since then, and especially since the second half of the 20th century, the town experienced a significant tourist boom resulting in the modern town it is today, with top quality services and a population of around twenty thousand, who always warmly welcome visitors and tourists.