Portugalete

Its land area is only 3.14 km2, resulting in a population density of sqmi, the 8th most densely populated municipality in Spain. It was established in 1322 by María Díaz de Haro.

• Name — Portugalete • Type — Municipality • Official Name — Noble Villa de Portugalete • Image Flag — Portugalete_bandera.svg • Image Shield — Escudo de Portugalete.svg • Map Caption — Location of Portugalete • Subdivision Type — Country • Subdivision Name — Spain • Subdivision Type1 — Autonomous community • Subdivision Name1 — Basque Country • Subdivision Type2 — Province • Subdivision Name2 — Biscay • Subdivision Type3 — Comarca • Subdivision Name3 — Greater Bilbao • Elevation M — 26 • Area Total Km2 — 3.14 • Established Title — Founded • Established Date — 1322 • Population As Of — 2025 • Population Total — 44864 • Population Demonym — Portugalujo/a, Jarrillero/a, Portulano/a • Population Density Km2 — auto • Custom Label Sec1 — Official language(s) • Custom Data Sec1 — Basque and Spanish • Time Zone — CET • Utc Offset — +1 • Time Zone Dst — CEST • Utc Offset Dst — +2 • Postal Code Type — Postal code • Postal Code — 48920 • Area Code Type — Dialing code • Leader Title — Alcalde • Leader Name — Mikel Torres Lorenzo • Leader Party — PSE-EE Portugalete is a city and municipality west of Bilbao in the province of Biscay in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country in northern Spain. The city has 44,864 inhabitants and lies west of Bilbao, and as such is part of its metropolitan area. It is located at the mouth of the Estuary of Bilbao, on the left bank. Its land area is only 3.14 km2, resulting in a population density of sqmi, the 8th most densely populated municipality in Spain. It was established in 1322 by María Díaz de Haro.

Despite its name, it is not near the Spanish border with Portugal and its name is not etymologically related to that country: it is derived, instead, from a phonetic adaptation of its Basque name (Portu-Ugaldeta) (edges of the port) to the Spanish language.

As of 2025, the population is 44,864, of which 47.7% are male, and 52.3% are female. Minors make up 12.6% of the population, and seniors make up 29.2%.

As of 2025, immigrants make up 11.6% of the population. The 5 largest foreign countries of birth are Colombia, Morocco, Venezuela, Paraguay, and Peru.

The festivals officially last four days, from 14 to 17 August, the main festivities occurring on 15 and 16 August, San Roque Day. The people sing the song "La Diana Portugaluja" outside the Town Hall in the morning of 15 August to mark the eve of San Roque Day.

Monuments in Portugalete include the 15th century Basílica of Santa María, Salazar's Tower and the town hall in addition to the mediaeval arches and streets in the older part of the town. The town has the Vizcaya Bridge, a transporter bridge inaugurated in 1893. The car ferry is suspended from a frame by wires attached to wheels on tracks above the cabin and moves from one side of the River Nervión to the other (Getxo) via a traction system. This bridge was declared a World Heritage Site in 2006.