Rural sports

The well-known ‘Herri kirolak’ (rural sports) are traditional sports, the result of the work that has been carried out in rural areas. For example, the famous sport of ‘harrijasotzailes’ (stone-lifting) is based on the work of moving large stones for construction.

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Basque dances

Dance is also the basis of our culture, and nowadays it is very much alive, especially in our festivals, where many of the dances that are danced have more than 400 years of history. In Getaria we celebrate the Euskal Jaiak day in May, a perfect excuse to delve into our culture and learn a couple of steps.

 Bertsolaritza

Bertsolaritza has recently been named as intangible heritage of the Basque Country, as it is one of the most curious disciplines that can be found in Basque culture. What does bertsolaritza consist of? Bertsolaritza means making up a verse by singing it on the spot, respecting the rhymes and melodies. You can find bertsolaris at local festivals, in cider houses and, of course, in championships. Over the years, bertsolaritza schools have also been set up to professionalise and stabilise bertsolaritza.

 Irrintzia

The mythical cry of the Basque Country is the Irrintzi, a loud, high-pitched and long neigh. This means above all joy, and it is usually done at celebrations. In Getaria, on the day of Euskal Jai, the Irrintzi contest is held, highlighting this particular ‘cry’ of ours, because it is not as easy as it seems, do you dare to try it?