Ea

Ea is a municipality in Bizkaia, within the territory of the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve. Its main nucleus is built around a river that flows into the sea, flanked by several Romanesque-style bridges that are one of the most distinctive features of the old town. The village was founded by arrantzales — fishermen — and that heritage is still visible in the small harbour dotted with txalupas, and in the Beletxe building, a former sail store that recalls the seafaring past of the place. The sheltered Lapatza beach, with a quiet, family character, completes the coastal ensemble.

The municipality also includes the neighbourhoods of Natxitua and Bedarona, each with its own character: Natxitua preserves the church of the Consolidación and the Iturriña wash house; Bedarona, the hermitage of San Bartolomé. The heritage of Ea's main nucleus includes the Renaissance-style church of San Juan Bautista and the Baroque church of Santa María de Jesús. The Urtubiaga Mill and Ironworks round out the picture of the municipality's productive past. The hermitage of Talako Ama, reached by trail, offers views over the coastline and the Urdaibai surroundings.