Jai-Alai in Gernika

Don’t miss the chance to attend a jai-alai match in Gernika, a fast and exciting sport deeply rooted in Basque culture. This combination of activities offers you a complete perspective of Basque tradition and modernity.

Jai Alai, also known as cesta punta (“basket tip”), is a sport of Basque origin. The name “Jai Alai” means “merry festival” in Basque. It is a form of Basque pelota played with a wicker cesta (basket), known as a cesta punta, in which the ball is picked up and thrown towards a fronton (a walled court). Jai Alai has its origins in the 19th century in the Basque Country, originally as an open-air Sunday pelota game.

Over time, it spread to other countries and moved to indoor courts, known as frontons. In Mexico, it has been practised since colonial times and it is one of the most prominent countries in the world in this sport.