Tourism destinations
Towns
Located in the north of Alava and within the Cuadrilla de Zuia region, Zigoitia consists of 17 settlements, being Gopegi and Ondategi the most important ones.
In fact, Ondategi is the seat of the municipal government. Zigoitia hosts many historically interesting buildings such as tower-houses and palaces. For instance, in Manurga we will admire some ancestral homes like the Hurtado de Mendoza Tower-House (15th-16th century) or the Verastegui Palace.
Romanesque architecture plays an important role in this municipality. In Zestafe we will find two magnificent examples: the church of San Nicolás and the hermitage of San Pedro de Gorostiza. On the other hand, Ondategi hosts the beautiful church of San Lorenzo, which, in spite of a great Baroque altarpiece, it keeps its Romanesque style. Finally, in Gopegi we can visit the church of La Asunción.
Gorbeia and its surroundings
Zigoitia is the second biggest municipality of the region and a large area of it belongs to the Gorbeia Natural Park, whose landscape and ecological richness is highly appreciated. From Murua we can access the famous Gorbeia Mount (1,481 m), a traditional reference point within Basque mountain climbing. One of the ways to the peak follows the River Zubialde, where we can see one of the most astonishing spots in the Basque Country: the Mairuelegorreta Caves. These are a 12 km long labyrinth of caves with different and curious forms.
From a vantage point in Oketa Mountain (1,031 m), the wonderful views of Zigoitia Valley and Llanada Alavesa, with the Urrunaga Reservoir and the Urkiola Natural Park in the background, will delight us.
In addition to this, we can rest in the Bengolarra leisure area (Gopegi). This area is surrounded by oaks and gardens and offers different services like swimming pools, tables, barbecues, pelota court, playground, etc.
Finally, we must mention that every year Zigoitia hosts the Gorbeia Horse Fair. This takes place at the Sarragoa fields, between Ondategi and Gopegi, and includes exhibitions of cattle, sheep, goats and horses, as well as horse taming.
