Lasarte-Oria brings together clearly distinct walking and cycling options with local history dating back to the Middle Ages. Distances and permitted modes of travel are a clear starting point for planning: some routes can be covered on foot or by bicycle, while another is exclusively a walking route. There is also a monthly cultural programme and historical points of interest, allowing you to weigh up exercise, culture and history as different priorities.
Walking routes by distance and mode of travel
The route details specify different ways of getting around. The Lasarte-Oria–Urnieta route is 3.9 kilometres long and can be covered on foot or by bicycle; sturdy footwear is required. The Lasarte-Oria–Usurbil–Aginaga route can also be covered on foot or by bicycle and requires sturdy footwear. Two destinations along it are listed, each with its own distance: 4.5 kilometres to Santuenea and 9.0 kilometres to Aginaga. This distinction helps you choose your route: the distances refer to different destinations and therefore indicate different lengths.
Another option is the 7.9-kilometre Andoain–Lasarte-Oria route. It can only be walked and takes you either up to Buruntza or around the mountain; sturdy footwear is required. Here, you can choose between two routes as well as consider the distance. The Marcha Familiar de Lasarte-Oria is a walking route for all ages and adds another option to the routes mentioned above.
Medieval local history and San Pedro
The first settlement of the Villa of Lasarte-Oria took shape towards the end of the Middle Ages, protected by the tower house of the Lasarte family. The tower house later passed into the ownership of the Oquendo family. The medieval origins of Lasarte-Oria are also linked to a settlement around the hermitage of San Pedro; the medieval settlement lay at the confluence of several Camino de Santiago routes. In this way, different aspects of local history come together: the development of a settlement, a tower house that changed hands between families, and a location on several routes of the Camino de Santiago.
The church of San Pedro dates from the 16th century. It has a rectangular floor plan and three naves of different heights. The floor plan describes the shape of the building; the three naves divide up the church interior. The church building therefore belongs to a later period than the town’s medieval origins. To understand its history, it is worth keeping these periods distinct: the history of the settlement and the architecture of the church tell different chapters.
Cultural programme and a nearby attraction
The Manuel Lekuona Cultural Centre offers an extensive monthly programme of cinema, music, theatre, dance and conferences. The programme may change, so check the current dates for your stay. This allows you to consider cultural activities as a priority in their own right, alongside walks and local history.
In the vicinity of Lasarte, in the Zubieta district on the border with Lasarte, is the Hipódromo de Donostia-San Sebastián racecourse. It is also known as the Hipódromo de Lasarte. Both names refer to the same racecourse.
Discover more destinations: Olaberria, Zaldivia, Azkoitia, Mendaro, Altzola, Villabona, Getaria, Deba
For the wider travel guide: Gipuzkoa.
