If you’ve strolled around Getxo Marina since this summer, you’ll have seen it. A huge, hyperrealistic octopus, painted in white and grey on a black façade, peeks its head over the roof and stretches its arms across three walls of the building.
It stands about 8 metres tall, covers around 130 m² of wall and watches over the entrance to Crusoe Treasure, the world’s first artificial reef winery. Behind it is a story that brings together urban art, marine life and wine. Here it is.
Where to find the octopus mural in Getxo
The octopus is painted on the façade of Crusoe Treasure, on Muelle Marqués de Arriluce, within Getxo Marina (Algorta, Bizkaia). It’s just a few steps from the cruise terminal, so many visitors spot it as soon as they step off the ship.
It takes about 25 minutes to get there by metro from central Bilbao. You can see it from the street at any time, with no ticket or reservation needed.
Who painted it, and when
The mural is the work of artist Aritz Mugerza, with artistic direction by Javier Pombo and Borja Saracho, managing director of Crusoe Treasure. It was painted between May and June 2026, as the winery opened its space at the port: ten days of work and around 50 litres of paint.
Mugerza used no colour—only whites and greys against the black façade, making the creature seem to emerge from the darkness behind it, like an octopus suddenly appearing in the beam of a diving torch. The suckers are painted one by one, while the arms make use of the building’s corners to bend around them and continue along the adjoining wall.
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What it represents: life on the reefs of Crusoe Treasure
The octopus is there for a reason. The mural depicts the Cantabrian Sea’s marine life that inhabits the artificial reefs and underwater winery Crusoe Treasure has created in the sea.
The bottles spend months submerged in these reefs. As the wine matures, the cages resting inside the reef winery teem with life: algae, shells, fish and octopuses, which make their homes in every available nook. Each bottle emerges from the water with its own marine encrustation, and no two are alike.
The octopus is, so to speak, the spokesperson for this entire ecosystem on dry land.
Eight arms, a Sea Soul Nº8 and a bunch of grapes
On the left wall, one of the tentacles wraps around a bottle of Sea Soul Nº8, one of Crusoe Treasure’s red wines. The name has a double meaning: it pays tribute to the octo-pus, the eight-footed animal, and to eight as a lucky number.
There’s another coincidence that few people know about. The female octopus lays her eggs in clusters that hang from the ceiling of her den, looking remarkably like a bunch of grapes. She guards them for weeks, barely leaving their side, until the young hatch. An animal that tends to clusters, at the entrance to a winery: it’s hard to imagine a better host.
By the way, the Sea Soul Nº8 held by the octopus is a truly surprising wine. Don’t stop at the photo—discover our wine and marine treasures.
The octopus in numbers
|
Fact |
|
|---|---|
|
Artist |
Aritz Mugerza |
|
Artistic direction |
Javier Pombo and Borja Saracho |
|
Date |
May and June 2026 |
|
Time spent |
10 days |
|
Paint |
Around 40 litres, in whites and greys |
|
Façade height |
Around 8 metres |
|
Area |
Around 130 m², across three walls |
|
Location |
Getxo Marina, Bizkaia |
At this size, Getxo’s octopus joins the small group of giant urban octopuses around the world, alongside the one at Castle Steps in Gibraltar and “Maud” in Chicago. Neither of them, however, wraps its arms around a bottle of wine aged beneath the sea.
How to visit
You can see the façade from the street, so all you need to do is head to the port. If you’d like to do more than take a photo:
- The photo: the best shot is from the pavement opposite, with all three walls in the frame. If you post it on social media, tag @crusoetreasure.
- The tasting: at the shop, you can try the Sea Soul, Sea Passion and Sea Legend, including the Sea Soul Nº8 held by the octopus.
- The full experience: the tours explain how wine is aged on a reef and why every bottle emerges from the sea with its own character.
Opening hours and bookings: please enquire.
Frequently asked questions FAQPage
Where is Getxo’s giant octopus mural? On the façade of Crusoe Treasure, on Muelle Marqués de Arriluce at Getxo Marina (Algorta, Bizkaia), next to the cruise terminal.
Who painted the Getxo octopus? The artist Aritz Mugerza, under the artistic direction of Javier Pombo and Borja Saracho. He painted it over ten days, between May and June 2026.
How large is the mural? It covers around 130 m² across three walls, on a façade approximately 8 metres high.
What does the octopus represent? It represents the marine life of the Cantabrian Sea that inhabits the artificial reefs and the underwater winery of Crusoe Treasure, where its wines are aged.
What is an artificial reef winery? A winery where wines mature beneath the sea, within a concrete and steel structure designed to function as an artificial reef that not only protects the wine but also provides a refuge for marine life. Crusoe Treasure is the first in the world to design and create this pioneering concept beneath the sea.
Can it be visited? The mural can be viewed free of charge from the street. Bookings for the shop, tastings and tours can be made on the Crusoe Treasure website. https://underwaterwine.com/products/en-getxo