What you can see on the Getxo webcam
The camera looks west over Ereaga beach from the slope above it. Below are the sand, the promenade and the line of the breakers, with the rocks showing at low tide. Beyond lies the Abra itself, and on the far shore the town of Santurtzi with the long breakwaters and quays of the port of Bilbao, under the rounded summit of Mount Serantes. Ships cross the frame all day. The live picture comes with a time-lapse of the last 24 hours.
Getxo webcam: Ereaga beach and the Abra
This camera looks west from the wooded slope above Ereaga beach, over the treetops to the sand, the promenade and the sheltered water of the Abra. Across the bay lies Santurtzi, with the long breakwaters and quays of the port of Bilbao stretching out to the right, and Mount Serantes rising behind the town.
At low tide dark rock ledges appear along the water's edge and the beach doubles in width; at high tide the sea reaches almost to the promenade wall. Small waves usually wrap into the bay in neat lines, which shows how sheltered it is compared with the surf beaches further north. Watch for ships moving in and out of the port.
The Vizcaya Bridge
At the southern end of Getxo, in the district of Las Arenas, a gondola hangs from an iron frame high above the river and carries cars and people across to Portugalete. This is the Vizcaya Bridge, opened in 1893 as the first transporter bridge of its kind in the world, and one of only a handful still standing. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006, and visitors can walk across the top.
When to watch Getxo
Getxo is one hour ahead of the UK and Ireland. The camera faces west, so mornings are lit from behind and the sun goes down ahead of it, turning the bay gold on summer evenings. The Abra is sheltered, so Ereaga is a swimming beach while the open-sea beaches north of the town catch the surf. The tide here can rise and fall by more than four metres, and the camera shows the beach growing and shrinking through the day.
Around Getxo
The Puerto Viejo of Algorta, the old fishermen's quarter, climbs the hill just north of Ereaga in a tangle of white houses and steps. Further north, the cliff-backed beaches of Azkorri and Barinatxe lead on to Sopelana, the surfers' favourite. Bilbao and the Guggenheim are about 9 miles (14 km) inland, easy to reach on the metro.
Visiting Getxo
Ereaga has a long promenade and a marina at its southern end. Lifeguards patrol in season; check the flags before swimming.
