Cider week at the Igartubeiti farmhouse

12/09/2025

The Igartubeiti Farmhouse-Museum celebrates Cider Week from October 8th to 18th.

The 15th-century cider press is put to work making cider!

The Igartubeiti press farm is a building constructed in the 15th century that represents the Golden Age of Basque farmhouses. Despite being built in the 15th century, it reached its peak two centuries later, as the farmhouse was expanded on all four sides to adapt to the new jobs and ways of life that emerged in the 17th century. It is a unique farmhouse in the Basque Country thanks to the well-preserved original wooden structure and, above all, the existence of a large cider press on the second floor, with which the family made cider for their own consumption and for sale every year.

In 1992, the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa acquired the Igartubeiti farmhouse with the clear objective of preserving this small piece of living history. After a decade of research and a complex restoration, the farmhouse has recovered the historic image it had at the beginning of the 17th century. Today, thanks to the arduous work of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa and all its collaborators, Igartubeiti has become a very special museum. Inside, the real life of the old Basque farmhouses is recreated, where you can experience what life was like for these families more than four centuries ago, with their original lighting, furniture, and tools, and even the smells and aromas that permeated it in their time.

In October, we celebrate the Cider Week (Sagardo Astea). From October 8th to 18th, the Igartubeiti cider press is put into operation following the traditional process of the baserritarras, offering the opportunity to introduce visitors to this activity firsthand.

Operating this 15th-century wooden structure, the smell of apples, the aroma of the first must, witnessing an everyday activity from centuries ago... make this experience impressive and unforgettable.

Rhythmic apple pressing, dramatizations, and a visit to Fabrika

The apple pressing on October 11, 12, and 18 will be accompanied by a kirikoketa group, a rhythmic sound produced during the apple pounding process.

Cider Week is also an opportunity to learn about the Igartubeiti farmhouse through the eyes of those who lived there. On October 11, 12, and 18, starting at 11:15 a.m., there will be dramatizations. The Kortabarria family, inhabitants of the farmhouse in the early 17th century, will be represented by the Karmakros theater group from Urretxu-Zumarraga and the Tolosa actress Amaia Ruiz de Galarreta.

On October 11 and 18, a guided tour in Spanish will be offered at 5:00 p.m. to Fabrika, a museum located in a former paper mill in Legazpi. This will provide a journey through industrialization and the social, economic, and environmental consequences of this crucial change in Gipuzkoa.

The Igartubeiti wine press in operation: October 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 at 11:30 a.m.
The Igartubeiti wine press in operation to the rhythm of Kirikoketa: October 11, 12, and 18 at 12:00 p.m.
Dramatizations at the farmhouse: October 11, 12, and 18 at 11:15 a.m.
Guided tour in Spanish of Lantokia: October 11 and 18 at 5:00 p.m.

Exhibitions

Visitors to Igartubeiti will also be able to enjoy a sculptural and ethnographic installation at the farmhouse that explores the complex historical and cultural relationship between bees and traditional ways of Basque rural life. This exhibition is the result of a Galbahe scholarship research project.

The apple is the star of this event in its many forms. During Cider Week, some of the apple varieties harvested from the Igartubeiti apple orchards will also be on display.

Sagardoa Route and Igartubeiti Farmhouse Museum

The Basque Cider Route organizes weekly trips to Igartubeiti every Wednesday and Friday with transportation, and Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays without transportation. These excursions will immerse you in our oldest traditions and allow you to enjoy the finest cider and gastronomy. We'll begin the experience in Igartubeiti, where you'll see firsthand how cider was made five centuries ago. Then, we'll head to a local cider house where you can learn about the cider-making process today. There, you'll enjoy a traditional cider house menu accompanied by the finest cider.

In addition to the farmhouse excursions and the cider cellar experience, we also offer apple juice-making workshops—an ideal plan for families!

What are you waiting for? Join us! More information and reservations:

BASQUE FARM AND CIDER CELLAR

Visit Igartubeiti, a 16th century farm cellar where the real life of Basque ancient farmhouses is recreated! Igartubeiti was built in the mid-16th century and is a magnificent representative of the Golden Age of the Basque farmhouses. Its original wooden structure, excellently preserved, and the existence inside of a large cider pressing machine make it one of the most interesting farmhouses in the Basque Country. The inner part of the farm has been converted into a museum in which the real life of the ancient Basque farmhouses is recreated. Afterwards, you will visit a cider cellar where you will have a guided tasting of different Basque ciders. Afterwards, you will enjoy a traditional cider house menu.