Gernika (Guernica)

Gernika (Guernica in Spanish) is a small town in Bizkaia, in the Basque Country, at the head of the Urdaibai estuary, about 21 km north-east of Bilbao in a straight line. It is known worldwide for the bombing of 26 April 1937, which inspired Picasso’s painting Guernica, and for the Tree of Gernika and the Assembly House, symbols of Basque self-government. You get there by Euskotren train or Bizkaibus from Bilbao, or by car. Come for the Peace Museum, the Assembly House and the Monday market, and as a base for Urdaibai; skip it if you want a beach on the doorstep.

Quick facts

• Names: the municipality is officially Gernika-Lumo; Gernika is the Basque name of the town and Guernica the Spanish one, also used in English (English Wikipedia).
• Where: 48300 Gernika-Lumo, Bizkaia, in the Busturialdea district, inside the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve (Basque tourism board).
• Coordinates: 43.3150, -2.6785 (Foru Plaza, OpenStreetMap).
• Size: 18.40 km² and 16,826 residents, per the Basque tourism board.
• Founded: 1366, by Count Tello, whose statue stands in Foru Plaza (Basque tourism board).
• Main sights: the Peace Museum, the Assembly House and the Tree of Gernika, the Europa Park, the church of Santa María and the Monday market.
• Entry: the historic part of the Assembly House is free.

Access and parking

By train: Euskotren runs trains between Bilbao (Zazpi Kaleak station) and Gernika every 30 minutes on summer and winter weekdays and every 60 minutes on winter weekends, and on to Bermeo (Basque tourism board). Gernika station is about 200 m from Foru Plaza (OpenStreetMap).

By bus: Bizkaibus lines A3513, A3514, A3515 and A3523 link Bilbao’s Termibus station with Gernika, with a bus about every 15 minutes, and line A3515 continues to Bermeo (Basque tourism board). The bus station is next to the train station. From San Sebastián the trip takes about two and a half hours by train from Amara or by bus, for example on Lurraldebus DB03 to Lekeitio and then on to Gernika.

By car: Gernika is about 19 km in a straight line from Bilbao Airport. OpenStreetMap maps many surface car parks east of the centre around the stations, and a free 50-space car park on the western side near the Assembly House. We found no official parking prices. Monday is market day and the centre is at its busiest.

What to expect

Gernika is a compact town that is easy to see on foot in half a day. Start in Foru Plaza, where the statue of Count Tello stands and where the Peace Museum is (Basque tourism board). The museum remembers the bombing of 26 April 1937 by German aircraft, told through the people who lived it, and asks what peace and human rights mean today. Its collection includes texts, objects, audiovisuals with a recreation of the bombing, and a copy of Picasso’s Guernica (Basque tourism board). The original painting is in the Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid (English Wikipedia).

A short walk south-west, about 200 m, is the Assembly House (Casa de Juntas). The Basque tourism board calls it the seat of one of the oldest parliaments in Europe. The representatives of Bizkaia met under the Tree of Gernika from at least the 14th century. The oak behind the building is replaced with a cutting from the old tree when needed, and the house is still used for plenary sessions of the General Assemblies of Bizkaia and for the swearing-in of the Lehendakari, the Basque president.

Close by are the Europa Park and the Peace Park, which Spain.info says has large sculptures by Eduardo Chillida and Henry Moore. Spain.info also points to the church of Santa María and the Euskal Herria Museum on the history of the Basque Country.

English Wikipedia describes the old core as a grid of parallel streets with a church at each end, typical of Basque medieval towns. The bombing destroyed much of the town, so most buildings are rebuilt.

The Monday market

The Basque tourism board calls Gernika’s weekly market, every Monday, the most important in Bizkaia. On the last Monday of October a large cattle and farm fair fills the town with visitors from across the Basque Country; Spain.info lists it as the Farmers’ Market.

Practical details

• Peace Museum (checked November 2026): Foru Plaza 1. Closed 1–27 January. From 28 January to 16 March and from 20 October to 28 December: closed Mondays, Tuesday–Friday 10:00–18:00, Saturday 10:00–14:30 and 16:00–18:00, Sunday 10:00–14:30. From 17 March to 19 October: Monday 10:00–14:30, Tuesday–Saturday 10:00–19:00, Sunday 10:00–14:30 (Basque tourism board). We could not confirm the ticket price.
• Assembly House: open every day; entry to the historic part is free, and guided tours in Basque, Spanish and English are by appointment (Basque tourism board).
• Tourist office: in Foru Plaza, next to the Peace Museum (OpenStreetMap).

Accessibility and safety

The centre is small and mostly gentle, and the train and bus stations are close to the main sights. The Assembly House stands on a small rise with steps to the entrance, as the photo shows. We found no official accessibility information for the museums, so ask when you book.

Best time to visit

Any time of year. Come on a Monday for the market, or on the last Monday of October for the big farm fair, and expect crowds. Avoid early January if you want the Peace Museum, which closes for maintenance. Combine Gernika with the Urdaibai beaches in summer, or with the Santimamiñe caves, about 5 km north-east, at any season.

Nearby alternatives

• Mundaka – surf village at the mouth of the estuary, 10 km north.
• Bermeo – fishing port at the end of the train line, 12 km north-west.
• Isla de Izaro – island at the estuary mouth, 12 km north.
• San Juan de Gaztelugatxe – island hermitage with 241 steps, 17 km north-west.
• Bilbao – the city and the Guggenheim, 21 km south-west.

FAQ

Is Guernica the same as Gernika?

Yes. Gernika is the Basque name and Guernica the Spanish one; the municipality is officially Gernika-Lumo.

How do I get from Bilbao to Gernika?

By Euskotren train from Zazpi Kaleak, every 30 minutes on weekdays, or by Bizkaibus from Termibus on lines A3513, A3514, A3515 and A3523, about every 15 minutes, per the Basque tourism board.

Can you see Picasso’s Guernica in Gernika?

No, the original is in the Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid. The Peace Museum shows a copy, and a tiled reproduction stands on a wall in the town (English Wikipedia).

Is the Assembly House of Gernika free?

Yes. Entry to the historic part is free, and guided tours are by appointment.

Is there parking in Gernika?

Yes. OpenStreetMap shows many car parks near the train and bus stations and a free one on the western side near the Assembly House. Mondays are busiest.

Sources and freshness