San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is a rocky peninsula rising from the Cantabrian Sea within the municipality of Bermeo, between Cape Matxitxako and Bakio. A small hermitage dedicated to Saint John crowns the summit, 80 metres above sea level, reached by climbing 241 stone steps cut into the rock face. The site is designated a Natural Monument and marks the western gateway to the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve.

The connection between this place and the sea runs deep. Since the Middle Ages, fishermen and sailors have made pilgrimage to the hermitage, above all on 24 June — the feast of Saint John — the busiest day of the year on the entire Basque coast. Living traditions persist: fishing vessels still perform three turns to port and starboard off the rock before setting out for the albacore season, a ritual that continues among the fishing communities of the area.

The name carries two readings in Basque: gaztelu-aitz (castle rock) and gaztelu-gache (difficult castle). In 2017, the site became internationally known as the filming location for Dragonstone in the seventh season of Game of Thrones.