Aiako Harria Natural Park

Aiako Harria Natural Park, declared in 1995, lies in the eastern tip of Gipuzkoa, on the foothills of the Pyrenees. It is the only granite massif in Euskadi — one of the oldest geological formations in the Basque Country, which emerged at the surface more than 250 million years ago — and commands the landscape from San Sebastián to the French border. Its three main peaks, Irumugarrieta, Txurrumurru and Erroilbide, rise above 800 metres and can be reached via well-marked trails. From the heights, the views extend over Txingudi Bay, the towns of Hondarribia, Irún and Hendaye, Mount Jaizkibel and the Oiartzun valley.

At the foot of the massif, the Arditurri mining area adds a distinctive historical and heritage dimension: the mines were worked almost without interruption for 2,000 years, with evidence of activity even before the Roman period. On the Irún side, the Irugurutzeta Mining Estate contains the largest battery of furnaces in Gipuzkoa. The park also hosts cromlechs, burial mounds and dolmens, while its wildlife includes griffon vultures, Egyptian vultures and wood pigeons.