Sustainable Destination
Guided activities to promote environmental education
Fagus Alkiza Interpretation Centre and hiking routes in the Hernio-Gazume massif
Fagus Alkiza is a key cultural and environmental space in Tolosaldea. More than a museum, it is the Interpretation Centre of Hernio-Gazume, a Special Area of Conservation. Its philosophy is based on three pillars: nature, the people who inhabit it, and the culture that emerges from this relationship. Located in the peaceful village of Alkiza, Fagus is the ideal starting point to explore on foot one of the most authentic landscapes in Gipuzkoa.
Fagus Alkiza: the vision of farmhouse culture
The Interpretation Centre offers an in-depth view of how the landscape we see today is not merely natural, but the result of generations of farmers and livestock breeders. The exhibitions explain the evolution of farmhouses (baserriak), the influence of agriculture and livestock farming, and the biological richness of the surrounding beech forests and rocky areas.
It is a space dedicated to environmental awareness and to understanding the necessary balance between human activity and the conservation of the Hernio-Gazume ecosystem. Admission to the Centre is free, encouraging access to knowledge about our environment.
It is a space dedicated to environmental awareness and to understanding the necessary balance between human activity and the conservation of the Hernio-Gazume ecosystem. Admission to the Centre is free, encouraging access to knowledge about our environment.
Hiking routes: discover Hernio and Alkiza
Several itineraries start from Fagus Alkiza, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the landscape, with routes adapted to all levels of difficulty.
Live the experience: guided visits and services
For a complete immersion, Fagus Alkiza offers personalised services that enrich the visit. Expert-led guided tours are available for groups or the general public (by prior reservation), starting from Alkiza’s village square and finishing at the Centre.
Alkiza, with its tranquillity, cultural heritage and proximity to Donostia, is the perfect place to disconnect and begin your adventure on Mount Hernio.
Alkiza, with its tranquillity, cultural heritage and proximity to Donostia, is the perfect place to disconnect and begin your adventure on Mount Hernio.
Tolosaldea Sustainable Tourism Plan
Committed to quality tourism
The Tolosaldea Sustainable Tourism Plan promotes responsible tourism that respects the region’s nature, culture and heritage. Its aim is to encourage routes, outdoor experiences and tourist activities that benefit both visitors and the local community, while ensuring the conservation of the environment.
Learn about the objectives, lines of action, related projects and practical implementation of this plan through the following link:
Learn about the objectives, lines of action, related projects and practical implementation of this plan through the following link:
Pollarded trees of Tolosaldea
A natural legacy beneath Mount Hernio
The landscape of Tolosaldea, especially on the slopes descending from the Hernio massif, hides a fascinating testimony of traditional forest management: pollarded trees. These uniquely shaped beech trees are not a whim of nature, but the result of an ancestral system of forest use that linked timber production with rural survival.
What are pollarded trees?
Pollarding is an ancient and sustainable forestry technique aimed at maximising the production of firewood and timber.
It consists of cutting the trunk of trees (mainly beech) at a certain height (often between 1.5 and 2.5 metres above the ground) so that multiple young branches sprout from the cut crown.
By cutting the tree above the reach of grazing livestock, new shoots were protected from being eaten, allowing a regular supply of wood for fuel and tools.
It consists of cutting the trunk of trees (mainly beech) at a certain height (often between 1.5 and 2.5 metres above the ground) so that multiple young branches sprout from the cut crown.
By cutting the tree above the reach of grazing livestock, new shoots were protected from being eaten, allowing a regular supply of wood for fuel and tools.
Ecosystem, livestock and resource use
Pollarded trees are proof of a harmonious coexistence between humans, livestock and the forest.
This method made it possible to periodically obtain large quantities of wood for firewood, charcoal or tools, increasing forest productivity without completely felling the tree.
Pollarded beeches, with their bulbous crowns and sturdy trunks, create unique microhabitats and add unmistakable visual richness to the forest landscape of Tolosaldea.
This method made it possible to periodically obtain large quantities of wood for firewood, charcoal or tools, increasing forest productivity without completely felling the tree.
Pollarded beeches, with their bulbous crowns and sturdy trunks, create unique microhabitats and add unmistakable visual richness to the forest landscape of Tolosaldea.
Discover pollarded trees around Hernio
The highest concentration of these historic beeches is found in the area of influence of the Hernio massif, where pollarding was vital to the economy of nearby farmhouses.
Walking through these forests is like strolling through a natural ethnographic museum, where each tree tells the story of rural life and the ingenuity of its inhabitants in managing resources.
Walking through these forests is like strolling through a natural ethnographic museum, where each tree tells the story of rural life and the ingenuity of its inhabitants in managing resources.
Euskara
Euskara: The oldest language is alive in Tolosaldea
Discover one of the oldest languages in Europe in its most vivid setting. In our region, Euskara is not just a language, but the pulse of our daily life. Immerse yourself in a unique land where tradition, culture and social life are articulated through the Basque language.
Local product and km 0
The proximity philosophy, key to the success of our cuisine
In Tolosaldea, gastronomy is a way of life based on the excellence of raw ingredients. Our commitment to Local Product and the Km 0 (zero kilometer) philosophy is not a trend, but an ancestral legacy that guarantees maximum freshness and flavour. This commitment to sustainable, local production is the secret behind the prestige of our haute cuisine and the authenticity of our culinary tradition and landscap
The heart of Km0 is the Tolosa market
The Tolosa Fair is the epicentre of our local gastronomy, acting as the direct link between producer and table.
Every Saturday the square becomes the place where the farmers and artisans of the region offer their harvests and creations directly.
Chefs from Tolosaldea's most prestigious restaurants personally go to the market to select the best seasonal vegetables, the authentic Tolosa bean and other essential products. Buying directly ensures traceability and a deep understanding of the origin of the food.
Every Saturday the square becomes the place where the farmers and artisans of the region offer their harvests and creations directly.
Chefs from Tolosaldea's most prestigious restaurants personally go to the market to select the best seasonal vegetables, the authentic Tolosa bean and other essential products. Buying directly ensures traceability and a deep understanding of the origin of the food.
Sustainability, flavour and tradition
Choosing local product is an act of commitment to the territory that brings incalculable benefits. The Km 0 model minimises transport, significantly reducing the carbon footprint and contributing to more sustainable gastronomic tourism.
Supporting local farmhouses (baserriak) ensures the maintenance of the rural landscape and the biodiversity of the region. In addition, the freshness of products that are freshly harvested or prepared guarantees superior flavour and organoleptic properties, the basis of Basque culinary excellence.
Supporting local farmhouses (baserriak) ensures the maintenance of the rural landscape and the biodiversity of the region. In addition, the freshness of products that are freshly harvested or prepared guarantees superior flavour and organoleptic properties, the basis of Basque culinary excellence.
From producer to table: Award-winning Restaurants
Our restaurants are proof that gastronomic excellence is born from local product.
Establishments with Michelin Stars, Michelin Green Stars and Repsol Suns in Tolosaldea base their menus on the ingredients the region provides, demonstrating that sustainable is also synonymous with cutting-edge.
From the famed txuletas of the grills, to the suckling pig raised in Berrobi and the txakolí produced in the valleys, recovered ancestral recipes — the flavour of Tolosaldea is inseparable from its geography.
Establishments with Michelin Stars, Michelin Green Stars and Repsol Suns in Tolosaldea base their menus on the ingredients the region provides, demonstrating that sustainable is also synonymous with cutting-edge.
From the famed txuletas of the grills, to the suckling pig raised in Berrobi and the txakolí produced in the valleys, recovered ancestral recipes — the flavour of Tolosaldea is inseparable from its geography.
