Rowing

In addition to being blue from the sea and green from the surrounding mountains, Orio is also yellow. Its street signs are yellow, many restaurants and shops in the village sport yellow signs, and there are yellow awnings all over town. This is because yellow is the colour of the local rowing club and its boats. Rowing is extremely popular in Orio, with a very long tradition - long enough to turn an entire town yellow!

Rowing is a special fusion of tradition and elite sport. In the late 19th century, the boats known as traineras went from being associated with fishermen and naval transport to being used for competitions between young people from different villages in the Basque Country.

It is impossible to understand Orio without taking into account its rowing tradition. In the summertime, at the height of the rowing season, the balconies of Orio are dressed in yellow. Rather than watching or following rowing, the people of Orio live it, rejoice in it, and suffer deeply.