San Juan de Gaztelugatxe Day Trip: Booking, Steps & Kids

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is a tiny hermitage on a rock in the Bay of Biscay. It’s joined to the coast by a stone bridge and 241 steps, and it played Dragonstone in Game of Thrones. We did it as a day trip from Bilbao at the end of December 2019, with three kids, the youngest 3. Our plan said one hour. It took three. It was still the highlight of our Basque road trip.

This guide covers the part that trips people up now, the free booking (needed on some dates and not others), plus how long the walk really takes, how to get there from Bilbao, and what it’s like with small children.

Quick answers (checked 30 September 2026)

• Booking: free, but compulsory June–September and on busy weekends and holidays. Other days are open access. Book at tiketa.eus/gaztelugatxe.
• Steps: 241 from the bridge to the hermitage.
• How long: 1–1.5 hours round trip for adults at a steady pace. With young kids, allow 2–3 hours.
• From Bilbao: 35–45 minutes by car.

Do you need to book San Juan de Gaztelugatxe?

Only on certain dates. Entry is free all year, but on high-demand days you need a free timed ticket. Visitors are capped at 1,462 a day.

• Booking required: the whole of June–September, plus busy weekends, bank holidays and long weekends through the rest of the year.
• October–December 2026 booking dates: 3, 4, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 24, 25 and 31 October; 1 November; 5, 6, 7, 8 and 30 December.
• Every other day: no booking, just turn up.

How the booking works: pick a day and a one-hour slot on the official site. One booking covers up to 10 people. Your slot is cancelled if you haven’t arrived 60 minutes after it starts, and repeated no-shows can get you blocked from booking for a year, so cancel if your plans change.

When we went in December 2019, there was no booking system on that date. The staff at the information point told us to book next time, and they were right.

How long does it take to walk to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe?

About an hour to an hour and a half there and back for an adult who doesn’t stop much. The path goes downhill from the car park to the bridge, then up the 241 steps to the hermitage, and every metre you go down you walk back up at the end.

With kids it’s a different sum. We had Marc (3), Damian (6) and their cousin, and took three hours, because the kids stopped to run, look at the waves and throw stones. None of that was wasted time. If you’re short on time, the first viewpoint is about 15 minutes from the car park, and you get the famous photo from there.

Is San Juan de Gaztelugatxe good for kids?

Yes, and it’s a better adventure for them than for you. What to know:

• No pushchairs. The path is steep and the steps are uneven stone. Use a carrier for anyone who can’t walk the full distance. Our 3-year-old walked most of it and was carried for the climb back.
• Bring water and snacks. There’s nothing to buy between the car park and the hermitage.
• Proper shoes. The steps are slippery when wet, which here is often.
• Ring the bell. Tradition says you ring the hermitage bell three times and make a wish. For my kids, that was the entire point of the climb.

How to get from Bilbao to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

By car

35–45 minutes from Bilbao via the airport road towards Bakio. There’s a car park at the start of the path (it was free when we went). On summer days it fills early, so arrive at opening time or book an early slot.

By bus

Bizkaibus runs from Bilbao to both Bakio and Bermeo. In the busy periods, line A3524 links Bakio and Bermeo with a stop at the Gaztelugatxe path. Timetables change by season, so check Bizkaibus the day before. Without that shuttle, it’s a long walk from either town, which isn’t realistic with small kids.

Our Bilbao to Gaztelugatxe day trip route

What we planned: Bilbao → Getxo → Gaztelugatxe → Bermeo → Butrón Castle.

What we actually did: Bilbao → Getxo → Gaztelugatxe → a two-hour drive to our apartment in Hendaye.

We lost half the morning in Getxo, in the best way: breakfast at a bar looking over the yachts, surfers in the water in December, and the Vizcaya Bridge, the UNESCO-listed transporter bridge between Getxo and Portugalete. Then Gaztelugatxe took three hours instead of one. With kids, plan one big stop and one small one per day, not four.

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe and Game of Thrones

In season 7, the bridge and steps are the approach to Dragonstone, Daenerys’ ancestral castle. The castle itself was added digitally. The beach scenes of Dragonstone were filmed at Itzurun in Zumaia, just over an hour east. Do both and you’ve covered the Basque Game of Thrones trail.

Where to stay for Gaztelugatxe

If you want to be first on the path, sleep in Bakio (the nearest beach town) or Bermeo (the fishing port). We did it from Bilbao after one night at the ibis in Barakaldo, which had free parking. That was all we needed after a 5 am flight.

This was day 2 of our trip. The full route is in Basque Country with kids, and the day before is Bilbao with kids.

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe: FAQ

Do I need a reservation to visit San Juan de Gaztelugatxe?

Only on high-demand dates. The free booking is compulsory from June to September and on busy weekends and holidays; on other days entry is open without booking. Entry is free either way.

How long does it take to walk to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe?

About 1 to 1.5 hours round trip for adults at a steady pace. With young children, allow 2 to 3 hours; our group with three young children took three hours.

How many steps are there at San Juan de Gaztelugatxe?

There are 241 stone steps from the bridge up to the hermitage.

Is San Juan de Gaztelugatxe suitable for children?

Yes, but not with a pushchair. Bring a carrier for toddlers, water, snacks and good shoes, and allow extra time for stops.

How do you get to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe from Bilbao?

By car it takes 35 to 45 minutes via the road towards Bakio. By public transport, take a Bizkaibus to Bakio or Bermeo; in busy periods line A3524 stops at the path.

Was San Juan de Gaztelugatxe used in Game of Thrones?

Yes. Its bridge and steps were the approach to Dragonstone in season 7 of Game of Thrones.