The Museo de la Miel in Casa Oregi is dedicated to honey from the Gorbeia region and the techniques used to produce it. It also displays equipment and utensils traditionally used in beekeeping and honey production. This places both a regional product and the craft behind it at the heart of the museum.
At the Museo de la Miel, you should not assume that walk-in visits are possible: advance booking is required, and daily morning and afternoon appointments are available for groups of four or more. Check in advance whether these conditions are currently in effect.
Honey, Architecture and Green Spaces in Murgia
The history of architecture can also be read in specific places. Murgia Town Hall was built in the 18th century and is an example of the Basque typology of the Casa Consistorial. The construction date and typology offer different clues: the former places the building in time, while the latter points to its connection with Basque town hall architecture.
The Vea-Murgia Villa is also located in Murgia and is one of the notable large manor houses in Zuia. The town hall and villa thus draw attention to two different types of building: the municipal building and the manor house. The Villa Jesusa garden offers another example of urban design. It was rehabilitated as a sustainable urban green space; the project aims to raise the visibility of and preserve native and traditional species.
Trails and Religious Heritage
The trails in the surrounding area have different highlights. The six-kilometre route to the Bayas waterfalls starts in Sarria and is an easy walk. The nearest starting point can be reached from Murgia via the A-4414 road. The trail to the Ermita de Jugatxi from Murgia offers a different landscape, passing through beech and oak woods. The Bayas trail focuses on waterfalls and a route described as easy, while Jugatxi offers a woodland route.
The Ermita de Jugatxi connects the trail with a distinctive heritage site. It contains a 13th-century Romanesque depiction of the Virgin of Jugatxi, as well as a Baroque altarpiece. A traditional pilgrimage takes place at the ermita on the second Sunday in September. This gives visitors a clear distinction when planning: the route through beech and oak woods is described separately from the tradition held on a specific Sunday.
Another nearby place is the Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Oro, a historically and artistically significant place of worship with a viewpoint at 850 metres above sea level. The santuario has a small car park and can also be reached by a moderately difficult, four-kilometre hiking trail from Bitoriano. Visitors can therefore choose between the easy walk to the Bayas waterfalls and the moderately difficult route to the santuario; the trails start in different places and lead to different destinations.
Fairs, Festivals and Gorbeia Natural Park
Events also give Murgia its own character. Zuia’s established livestock, agriculture and crafts fair takes place in Murgia. Stalls run by producers and craftspeople, along with tastings and sales of local products, bring agriculture and crafts together with a culinary dimension. The Fiestas de Murgia have a different focus: sports, music, gastronomy and local traditions make up their festive, family-friendly programme. The fair focuses especially on produce and crafts, while the fiestas offer a broader programme.
Zuia provides the regional context for the wider natural setting: part of Gorbeia Natural Park lies within this area. The park’s activities include hiking, mountain sports, mountain biking and horse-riding routes, as well as caving. This broadens the view beyond the specific trails around Murgia to include nature and sporting activities across the natural park, without treating the individual destinations as the same.
Discover more destinations: Alaiza, Agurain, Corro, Guereña, Zambrana, Laguardia, Lapuebla Labarka, Sobrón.
For the broader travel overview: Alava.
