Charo's house is very well equipped and immaculately presented. She has decorated the property very tastefully and included some welcoming touches to make this a home-from-home. The house is situated at the end of cul-de-sac up a shared drive with it's own fenced and gated driveway. Shops and bars are a 5 to 10 minute walk away in Larrabasterra or Sopela itself. A 10-15 minute walk takes you to a cerveceria at the top of the road down to the beach - a great way to try some traditional local dishes and a fresh roast chicken, barbecued steaks and a number of reasonably priced dishes.
The house is in a very peaceful neighbourhood with excellent public transport links between Bilbao and Gorliz. This is the route of the local Metro which runs above ground outside the Bilbao city limits offering the opportunity to see much of the wonderful countryside this part of Spain has to offer. The centre of Bilbao is about 40 minutes on the Metro and the trains are always clean and well-looked after. They are also very affordable; the three of us in my family made three journeys up and down the Metro line including twice into Bilbao for around 25 Euros. If you are spending a longer break here or think you'll be in the area again consider buying a travel card, Barik, which you can load Euros onto and which can be used on buses and the Bilbao tram network too.
There are walks and cycle paths up and down the coast which is a favourite spot for surfers. The beach is just 6 or 7 minutes in the car or a 20 minute walk away. The clifftops between Sopela and Algorta look west along the northern Spanish coastline with spectacular natural views as well as across the port of Bilbao.
Charo and her husband, Alfredo, made us feel very welcome throughout our stay. Nothing was too much trouble for them and they are very happy to point out local tourist attractions, activities and places to eat and drink.
My family and I can thoroughly recommend Charo's house to anyone wishing to explore this part of the northern Spanish coastline to enjoy the local countryside, culture and culinary experiences it has to offer.