Leintz-Gatzaga

Leintz-Gatzaga is a rural municipality in the southeast of Gipuzkoa, in the Alto Deba region, bordering the territory of Álava and forming part of the Aizkorri-Aratz Natural Park. The town is built on a steep hillside and owes its foundation in 1331 to salt extraction, which drove the local economy for centuries. That legacy endures today in the Museo de la Sal, housed in the historic production buildings, where visitors can learn about the extraction process and its role in the town's history.

The other defining thread is the Camino Real, the old road that linked Castile with the Cantabrian coast and ran through the sloping streets of the town centre. Its oval walled layout, with three parallel streets and a transversal axis, retains five of its original seven gateways. Notable buildings include the Garro, Soran and Elexalde palaces, the eighteenth-century town hall and the church of San Millán. Beyond the town, the sanctuary of Santa María de Dorleta, a former hostelry on the Camino de Santiago, completes the heritage of the municipality.

The protected natural setting of the park, with access to the source of the Deba river, adds further value to the area.