Bermeo

Bermeo is a town and municipality in the comarca of Busturialdea. It is in the province of Biscay, which is part of the autonomous region of the Basque Country in northern Spain.With a population of 17,159, it is the most important fishing port in the Basque Country. The town was founded in 1236, and is the largest in Busturialdea. Bermeo was the provincial capital of Biscay from 1476 to 1602.Tourist attractions include the island of Gaztelugatxe, the Ercilla Tower (a fishing museum), San Juan Gate and the port. Bermeo is connected by Euskotren Trena and BizkaiBus to Bilbao. It has a number of neighbourhoods: Arana, Artike, Agirre, San Andres, Almike, Arronategi, San Migel, Demiku, Mañu and San Pelaio.HistoryBermeo's history dates back to the monastery of San Juan of Gaztelugatxe in 1051. In 1082, it is mentioned by Don Lope lñiguez as "Sancti Michaelis Arcangeli in Portu of Vermelio". Ferdinand II of Aragon named the town the capital of Biscay on 31 July 1476, a position it held until 1602. Many documents have been destroyed by fire; notable fires occurred in 1297, 1347, 1360, 1422 and 1504. The founding of Bilbao in 1300 also coincided with decline in Bermeo.ClimateThe town has an oceanic climate, with heavy rains in spring and late fall. The average annual minimum temperature is about 48 °F (9 °C), and the maximum is about 68 °F (20 °C). The record maximum temperature is 113 °F (45 °C), and the record minimum is 16 °F (-9 °C).