Modern, vibrant and captivating, Bilbao is a harmonious mix of new architecture and proud traditions. Tips for a 3 or 4 day trip to the jewel of the Basque Country, in Spain, that deserves to be explored beyond the Guggenheim museum.
A city with a strong personality, its own language, a rich identity culture and fierce pride: Bilbao in the Basque Country, Spain, is a modern destination, a surprise above all from an architectural and urban planning perspective. The city council has managed to transform it in just a few years, making it green and liveable. There are 100 kilometres of green space running through the city, an expanding and high-performing metro system, the river has been cleaned up, and the shipyards have been relocated. Bilbao is not just the Guggenheim, but Frank Gehry's remarkable museum is undoubtedly an attraction without equal. What to see in Bilbao, even in three or four days: the five points of interest not to be missed in the Basque city.
It is not yet among the top destinations for visitors to Bilbao, but in our view it best represents the modern architecture that sets the city apart. Azkuna zentroa stands in the building once occupied by the Antigua alhondiga, where wine was stored. In the 1970s, with the creation of a new warehouse in another part of the city, the Alhondiga was abandoned and left unused for more than 40 years. It was Mayor Azkuna who initiated a regeneration project to transform it into a modern multipurpose centre with a cultural programme ranging from film screenings to exhibitions. The exterior is in Modernist style, unchanged since its origins, while the interior was completely redesigned by the great Philippe Starck, who made it unique and breathtaking with solutions that would have seemed unthinkable. The atrium is a genuine revelation for anyone who enters: 43 squat yet magnificent columns, each different from the last, created by Lorenzo Baraldi using various materials (marble, stone, ceramic, wood, brick) support a multi-storey structure that also houses one of the city's libraries. Everything here is designed to astonish, yet at the same time it is harmoniously cohesive with the original structure. Many people come to admire the transparent swimming pool or to enjoy a glass of txakoli on the terrace — an excellent white wine produced in the Basque Country. Taking in one of the events on the Azkuna zentroa programme is a must if you want to understand the modern soul of Bilbao.
It may not be as famous as the Guggenheim, but it is an unmissable place in the city all the same. It is located within the beautiful Casilda Iturrizar park, and inside the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum too, large glass windows allow visitors to take in the brilliant greenery of this part of the city. The museum holds more than 10,000 pieces spanning ancient, modern and contemporary art, as well as hosting important permanent exhibitions. Among the works on display are pieces by El Greco, Paul Gauguin and Francis Bacon. The modern art section was born from the commitment of two Basque artists: Manuel Losada and Aurelio Arteta, who decided to found a museum that would bring together the most significant figures in contemporary art, with particular attention to Basque artists such as Darío de Regoyos, Ignacio Zuloaga, Juan de Echevarria and Francisco Iturrino. The museum's first director, in 1924, was the painter Arteta himself.
This suburb of Bilbao is easily reached by metro, and the moment you step out of the Portugalete station you find yourself in an atmosphere completely different from that of the big city: you can feel the sea breeze, and every narrow alley leads to the area's famous attraction, the Vizcaya bridge, or puente Colgante. Built in 1893, Unesco added it much more recently to its list of World Heritage Sites. Its distinctive feature is a gondola section that transports cars and people from one bank of the river to the other for just a few euros. Once on the other bank, you can return to Bilbao by metro (Areeta station). The bridge remains an architectural marvel to this day — built in iron taking inspiration from the structure of the Eiffel Tower — but the true beauty of this area lies above all in the square where the Torre Salazar and the Basilica of Santa Maria stand. On fine summer days — not as plentiful as one might think, given that the Bilbao area sees as many as 180 rainy days a year — this is the ideal spot for a pleasant stroll and to enjoy the views over the gulf. Within just a few minutes from the Casco viejo, the old town, the metro can take you to areas that were once heavily industrialised but now stand as examples of thoughtful renewal and urban development.
It is worth seeing because markets are the heart of a city, where the pulsing life of a community beats. The Mercado de la Ribera sits on the river just a short walk from the Casco viejo. Inside, however, it is thoroughly modern while still retaining its original structure with splendid stained-glass windows. Here you can fully appreciate just how important cooking and good food are to the Basque people: the stalls are laden with fresh local produce, meat and fish above all, sourced directly by the bilbainos (the city's residents), who do their daily shopping here. It is best visited in the morning, as many vendors are closed in the afternoon, and not on Mondays, when the fishmongers do not work. The best thing to do is come at lunchtime and stop at one of the bars serving pintxos, perhaps enjoying them on the terrace overlooking the river. The Gilda is well worth trying — a simple pintxo but one of the most delicious: a wonderful skewer of olives and anchovies.
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Vitoria, Gasteiz in Basque, is a wonderful discovery. Less well known than the larger Bilbao, it is the administrative capital of the Basque Country. In recent years it has stood out for the high quality of life it offers and for its green vocation. The medieval, pedestrianised historic centre is enchanting. A jewel box. At