Biscay · The Abra
Boat hire in Santurtzi
Boat hire in Santurtzi: one company registered, with boat rental as its main business, at the fishing harbour, and the big fleet 3 km away in Getxo, with 12, across the Abra. With phone, website and Google rating. No commission.
- Companies
- 1
- with boat rental as main business
- Price
- €250 – 1,500 / day
- indicative
- Licence
- No licence needed up to 5 m and 15 hp
- Season
- June – September
- peak July and August
The boat hire company in Santurtzi
Hiring a boat in Santurtzi
Santurtzi is the town of the sardine sellers on the left bank of the Abra, opposite Getxo, with the fishing harbour, the leisure quay and the Vizcaya Bridge 3 km upriver, and its rental offer is one txalupa boat-tourism company registered at the harbour. The big fleet is opposite: Getxo, 3 km by the bridge or 10 minutes by water, with 12 companies at the marina at the mouth; Bilbao, 11 km away, has 4 on the ría. From Santurtzi you sail the sheltered Abra to the Vizcaya Bridge and the ría, or west to Zierbena and the outer port.
The season runs from June to September. Inside the Abra you sail in almost any wind, with the Bilbao port traffic; outside the Punta Lucero breakwater, Cantabrian swell and a tide of more than four metres.
Ports and departure areas
Santurtzi leisure quay (Santurtziko Kirol Kaia)
Leisure quay next to the fishing harbour. 1 company within 500 m.Santurtzi fishing harbour
Historic fishing port of the sardine sellers, in the centre.Types of boat you can hire in Santurtzi
Skippered
- Requirement
- None: the skipper is in charge
- Price
- boat price plus €50 – 250 per day (indicative)
Motorboat or RIB
- Requirement
- ICC or a Spanish PNB/PER licence
- Price
- €250 – 650 / day (indicative)
How much does it cost to hire a boat in Santurtzi
Indicative high-season prices from the directory's reference table, reviewed September 2026: a no-licence motorboat costs €120–250 a day; a RIB of 6–8 m, €250–650; a 10–12 m sailing yacht, €400–900 bareboat or €600–1,500 skippered; a catamaran, €1,000–2,500; a skippered motor yacht, from €900. Expect 20–40% less outside July and August. Deposits run from €300 to €2,000 and fuel is extra. Each company sets its own prices.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a licence to hire a boat in Santurtzi?
The local company's trips are skippered. For bareboat from Getxo, an ICC or Spanish licence for motorboats and sailing boats; motorboats up to 5 metres and 15 hp can be driven without a licence inside the Abra.
How much does a boat cost in Santurtzi?
A skippered trip from €600 a day or by the seat; a RIB with licence from Getxo, €250–650; a sailing boat, €400–1,500. Indicative high-season ranges; fuel and deposit are extra.
Where can I sail from Santurtzi?
Round the Abra to the Vizcaya Bridge and the Bilbao ría, in sheltered water, to Getxo opposite or to Zierbena to the west; outside Punta Lucero, only in good weather.
Where do boats leave from?
From the Santurtzi fishing harbour or the leisure quay (Santurtziko Kirol Kaia), both in the centre, where the local company is based.
Are there boat trips in Santurtzi?
Yes, the local company's txalupa trips and the scheduled cruises on the Bilbao ría. They are listed under the boat trips category.