Lemoiz

Lemoiz is a municipality in the Uribe district of Bizkaia that combines a rural interior with a Cantabrian coastline of strong natural character. The landscape changes gradually as you descend from the inland neighbourhoods of Andraka and Urizar — where scattered farmhouses and pastures frame the Romanesque church of Santa María — down to the shore, where the land opens out towards the sea.

The fishing quarter of Armintza, set in a natural inlet, is the municipality's most seaward nucleus. Its harbour, the church of Santo Tomás and a pebble beach define its maritime character. Lemoiz's coastal stretch alternates cliffs with small bays and black flysch formations, and has been declared a Relevant Natural Area for its communities of coastal and marine flora and fauna. The coast is also a breeding ground for various seabirds, making it a notable setting for diving and birdwatching.

For those travelling along the Bizkaia coast, Lemoiz offers a stopping point where the transition between the rural world and the Cantabrian shoreline is particularly apparent.