Bermeo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bermeo
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Municipality
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 Bermeo
Location in Basque Country
Bermeo
Location in Spain
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| Country |  Spain |
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| Autonomous community |  Basque Country |
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| Province | Biscay | ||
| Comarca | Busturialdea | ||
| Founded | 1236 | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 34.12 km2 (13.17 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation
(AMSL)
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11 m (36 ft) | ||
| Population
(2018)
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| • Total | 16,688 | ||
| • Density | 489.10/km2 (1,266.76/sq mi) | ||
| Demonym(s) | bermeotar | ||
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) | ||
| Postal code |
48370
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| Area code(s) | +34 (Spain) | ||
| Official language(s) | Basque, Spanish | ||
Bermeo is a lively town and municipality in the Basque Country, a special region in northern Spain. It's located in the province of Biscay, within an area called Busturialdea.
With over 16,000 people, Bermeo is super important for fishing in the Basque Country. The town was started way back in 1236. For a long time, from 1476 to 1602, Bermeo was even the capital city of Biscay!
When you visit, you can explore cool places like the island of Gaztelugatxe, the Ercilla Tower (which is now a fishing museum), and the old San Juan Gate. Bermeo is also connected to bigger cities like Bilbao by train and bus. The town has many charming neighborhoods, including Arana, Artike, and San Pelaio.
Contents
Discovering Bermeo's Past
Bermeo has a long and interesting history. The first mention of the area dates back to 1051, with the San Juan monastery on Gaztelugatxe island. In 1082, it was called "Sancti Michaelis Arcangeli in Portu of Vermelio."
A king named Ferdinand II of Aragon officially made Bermeo the capital of Biscay on July 31, 1476. It stayed the capital for over 100 years, until 1602. Over the years, Bermeo faced many challenges, including big fires in 1297, 1347, 1360, 1422, and 1504, which unfortunately destroyed many old documents. Also, when the nearby city of Bilbao was founded in 1300, Bermeo's importance began to decrease a bit.
Bermeo's Weather
Bermeo has an oceanic climate. This means it gets a lot of rain, especially in spring and late autumn. The weather is usually mild.
The average low temperature is around 9 °C (48 °F). The average high temperature is about 19 °C (66 °F). The hottest temperature ever recorded was 45 °C (113 °F), and the coldest was -9 °C (16 °F).
| Climate data for Bermeo | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 13.2 (55.8) |
14.5 (58.1) |
15.9 (60.6) |
16.8 (62.2) |
20.1 (68.2) |
22.6 (72.7) |
25.2 (77.4) |
25.5 (77.9) |
24.4 (75.9) |
20.8 (69.4) |
16.4 (61.5) |
14 (57) |
19.1 (66.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 4.7 (40.5) |
5.1 (41.2) |
5.7 (42.3) |
7.1 (44.8) |
10.1 (50.2) |
12.6 (54.7) |
14.8 (58.6) |
15.2 (59.4) |
13.2 (55.8) |
10.8 (51.4) |
7.6 (45.7) |
6 (43) |
9.4 (48.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 126 (5.0) |
97 (3.8) |
94 (3.7) |
124 (4.9) |
90 (3.5) |
64 (2.5) |
62 (2.4) |
82 (3.2) |
74 (2.9) |
121 (4.8) |
141 (5.6) |
116 (4.6) |
1,195 (47.0) |
| Source: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología | |||||||||||||
| Northwest: Bay of Biscay | North: Bay of Biscay | Northeast: Bay of Biscay |
| West: Bakio |  |
East: Elantxobe |
| Southwest Mungia and Meñaka | South: Arrieta | Southeast: Busturia and Mundaka |
Bermeo's Population Growth
Bermeo's population grew a lot in the 1960s. This was because many people moved there for jobs in factories, a process called industrialisation.
Even though the number of people living in Bermeo went down a bit in the 1990s, it started to grow again after the year 2000.
Bermeo's Economy
Bermeo's economy mainly depends on fishing. The town's port is its most important source of money. Bermeo has a large fleet of ships that go out to sea to catch fish. Its coastal fisheries are some of the most important in the region.
Besides fishing, Bermeo also makes diesel engines and generators. Its commercial port receives raw materials, which are important for different industries. The town also has connections to the timber (wood) industry and the undersea-gas industry.
Getting Around Bermeo
Bermeo is well-connected by roads to nearby towns. You can reach Mungia (18 km away) using the BI-631 road, and Gernika-Lumo (14 km away) by the BI-2235. The BI-3101 road connects Bermeo with Bakio, which is 12 km away. If you want to go to the capital city, Bilbao (33 km away), you can take the BI-631 and BI-2235 roads.
- Buses: The BizkaiBus service connects Bermeo to places like Guernica, Amorebieta-Etxano, Bilbao, Derio, and Bakio.
- Trains: The Euskotren Trena train service offers direct connections from Bermeo to Bilbao, Guernica, Amorebieta-Etxano, and other parts of Biscay and Gipuzkoa.
- Local Transport: Bermeo also has taxi services and a local bus called Bermibusa, which helps people get around town.
Cool Places to See in Bermeo
- San Juan de Gaztelugatxe: On the road to Bakio, you'll find the lighthouse of Matxitxako. Further along is the amazing Gaztelugatxe island, which has the San Juan de Gaztelugatxe monastery. In the 14th century, there was a castle on this island, which was later replaced by the monastery. Every year on August 29, a special mass celebrates the feast of San Juan. This island is a protected natural area.
- Akatz Island: This is a small, rocky island right next to Gaztelugatxe. It doesn't have much plant life but is home to many nesting birds.
- Matxitxako Lighthouse: Located on the cape of the same name, this lighthouse offers fantastic views of the coast. You might even spot whales and dolphins from here!
- Izaro Island: This island is part of the Urdaibai Reserve, a special natural area.
- Bermeo's Old Town: Wander through the old part of Bermeo and you'll see many houses painted in bright, different colors. The narrow streets and charming squares are perfect for exploring.
- Aritzatxu Beach: This is a lovely small beach where you can relax and enjoy the water.
- Ercilla Tower (Fisherman's Museum): This tower is the only one left from the 30 towers that used to protect Bermeo during the Middle Ages. It was built in the late 1400s in the old port. It was once home to the Ercilla family, including Alonso de Ercilla y Zúñiga, a famous writer. Besides being a military tower, it also housed fishermen and stored fish. Today, it's a museum dedicated to fishing, showing Bermeo's strong connection to the sea.
- Bermeo Town Hall: You can find the town hall in Sabino Arana Goiri Square. It was built in 1732 and has two clocks on its front. It's considered an Artistic Historical Monument.
- Kikunbera House: This unique house is designed to look like a ship! It's built in a style called Basque Rationalist and has been an Artistic Historical Monument since 1995.
- Batzoki: This is another interesting building with a modernist design by Pedro Ispizua.
Gallery
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Old port
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Marina
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San Juan de Gaztelugatxe
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Santa María Church
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Aita Guria whaleboat
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San Juan Gate
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Aritzatxu Beach
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Ercilla Tower
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Aerial view of Bermeo
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A panoramical view of Gaztelugatxe
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See also
In Spanish: Bermeo para niños
