Albaola Itsas Kultur Faktoria: everything you need to know

Can you imagine watching a 500-year-old ship being built just like it was centuries ago? At Albaola Itsas Kultur Faktoria, just outside San Sebastián, you don’t have to imagine it — you can see it with your own eyes. This shipyard-museum in the bay of Pasaia brings Basque maritime history back to life through real vessels like the Nao San Juan, a 16th-century whaling ship.

We include this stop in our guided tours at Go Local because it’s one of those places that surprises you, hooks you in, and gives you a whole new perspective on the region.

The origins and story behind Albaola’s maritime factory

Albaola Itsas Kultur Faktoria wasn’t born in a shipyard but in the mind of a curious Basque: Xabier Agote, a traditional shipwright trained in Maine, USA. There, he discovered the value of maritime heritage and realized how much of it had been forgotten back home.

The first step: Ontziola

In 2000, after returning to Gipuzkoa, Agote launched Ontziola, a small shipbuilding center in Pasaia dedicated to restoring traditional boats. From there, he led ambitious voyages — rowing across the Atlantic, sailing from Tenerife to Barbados — laying the groundwork for what was to come.

2010: the Ondartxo phase

By 2010, the project evolved into Ondartxo, the Maritime Culture Center, with better facilities and a stronger focus on preserving maritime skills and knowledge.

2014: the birth of Albaola

In 2014, Albaola Itsas Kultur Faktoria officially opened in a former shipyard in Pasaia San Pedro. This is where the flagship project began: rebuilding the Nao San Juan in full public view, using the same tools and materials as in the 1500s.

An internationally backed initiative

Thanks to research by historian Selma Huxley and the discovery of the shipwreck by archaeologist Robert Grenier, Albaola was able to reconstruct the ship with historical accuracy. Backed by UNESCO, the project has become an international reference in maritime heritage preservation.

Since then, the factory has expanded its work to include training, exhibitions, and cultural outreach — all from a small port with a big story to tell.

Visit Albaola and experience its history up close

Albaola is more than a museum — it’s a window into the Basque connection with the ocean, a place where you can see ancient skills being practiced and better understand the region’s seafaring roots.

At Go Local San Sebastián, we offer a guided electric bike tour to Albaola that follows the coastline to reach the shipyard. It’s a comfortable, unique way to discover this historical site with the insight of a local guide.