Plentzia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Plentzia
Plencia
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 Plentzia
Location in Basque Country
Plentzia
Location in Spain
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| Country |  Spain |
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| Autonomous community |  Basque Country |
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| Province | Biscay | ||
| Comarca | Mungialdea | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 11.17 km2 (4.31 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 19 m (62 ft) | ||
| Population
(2018)
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| • Total | 4,363 | ||
| • Density | 390.60/km2 (1,011.6/sq mi) | ||
| Demonym(s) | Spanish: Plenciano Basque: Plentziar |
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| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) | ||
| Postal code |
48620
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Plentzia (also called Plencia in Spanish) is a cool town and a municipality in the Basque Country, a special region in Spain. It's located in the province of Biscay. In 2023, about 4,459 people lived there.
Plentzia is about 25 kilometers (15 miles) northeast of Bilbao, a bigger city. It's part of the Bilbao metropolitan area, which means it's connected to the city. You can get to Plentzia easily because it's the last stop on the first line of Bilbao's Metro train system. There are also two bus routes that serve the town, and you can find more buses from Urduliz, the next Metro stop.
If you're coming by car, Plentzia is about 30 minutes from Bilbao and its airport. From Bilbao, you can take the BI-634 road towards Sopelana, then follow signs on the BI-2122 to Plentzia. From the airport, take the BI-631 to Mungia, then the BI-2120 to Plentzia.
Plentzia is a popular place for holidays because it has a big beach. This beach is next to the Plentzia River estuary, which is where the river meets the sea. The beach is in a round, shell-shaped bay that it shares with nearby towns like Gorliz and Barrika. The beach is very popular because it's clean and the water is calm. This is because the bay protects it from big waves. The town also has lots of things for visitors to enjoy.
Many families from Bilbao who have more money like to buy weekend or holiday homes in Plentzia and the towns nearby. So, during the summer, the beach, bars, and restaurants in Plentzia get much busier.
Just like in most towns in the Basque Country, Plentzia has many restaurants and bars. You can find small bars that offer pintxos (small snacks) or fancier restaurants with formal dining. There's also a small museum run by the local council. It tells the story of the town, especially its history as a port for merchant ships. The town also has an indoor Jai Alai Fronton, which is a special court where the traditional Basque sport of pelota is played. You can often watch exciting matches there!
History of Plentzia
The story of Plentzia began in the early 1200s. At that time, a powerful lord named Lope Díaz II of Haro, who ruled Vizcaya, marked out the sea area of Gorliz for whale hunting. However, the town itself wasn't officially started until 1299 by Diego López V of Haro. It was built in a coastal area called Gaminiz, which used to be part of Gorliz. This new town then became separate from Gorliz.
The first name for the new town was Placencia of Butron or Plasencia of Butron. But over the years, people shortened it to what we know today as "Plencia" or "Plentzia." The people of Plentzia followed the laws of Logroño. Later lords of Vizcaya and kings of Castile confirmed the special rights and benefits of the town.
Image gallery
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The Bay of Plentzia and the beach
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The Plentzia River
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The estuary and the town
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The port
See also
In Spanish: Plencia para niños
