ALBAOLA ITSAS KULTUR FAKTORIA: A SPECIAL PLACE

We would like to suggest a plan for this weekend… Donostia is a city of undeniable beauty, with wonderful people and a culture that makes you want to come back. However, truly understanding a place and enjoying it with awareness and knowledge requires one more step: learning about its history.

Albaola Itsas Kultur Faktoria is located in Pasai San Pedro, just half an hour away by public transport from the Hotel Parma (E09 bus from Okendo Street). It is no coincidence that this shipyard-museum is situated at the entrance to the historic whaling port of Pasaia: it is a space dedicated to the construction of historical vessels in front of the public and using traditional techniques, as well as offering an exhibition about Basque whalers.

The activity of Basque whalers reached its peak during the 14th and 15th centuries. At first, they hunted right whales along the Cantabrian Sea coast, which led Basque fishermen to refine their hunting techniques and systems. As a result, our ships managed to reach the North Sea, gradually Iceland, and later the coasts of Labrador and Newfoundland (Canada), 4,000 kilometres from their homeland. It is worth mentioning that they did not only hunt whales: they also traded in furs and fished for cod. Consequently, the maritime world had a great historical, social and cultural impact on our land, and Basque vessels dominated whaling for centuries; they were considered the best in the world around the 16th century.

Albaola has brought this world into the present day to give it the value it deserves, and it has done so brilliantly. Since 2014, the central activity of the Faktoria has been the construction of the replica of the ship San Juan: a 16th-century Basque whaler that sank in 1565 in Red Bay, Canada. To achieve this, they relied on a meticulous report produced by the Canadian government agency, turning the San Juan into an international reference for underwater archaeology. On 7 November 2025, we witnessed the launching of this vessel, a milestone for international maritime heritage.

They are currently restoring the tuna boat Ozentziyo, the last traditional fishing vessel from the port of Donostia, and it is open to the public. From the Hotel Parma, we encourage you to visit their website and make the most of everything Albaola has to offer. Discover our history, discover what we were, are and will be.