Bilbao

Located in the Basque country, Bilbao is the largest city of the region and it sits on the banks of the Nervion River. After years of industrialisation, Bilbao has now shed it’s drab reputation to become a dynamic city, focused on both environmental and urban renewal. The city is now full of impressive sights and beautiful scenery.

The Old Quarter of the city, also known as Casco Viejo, contains most of the city’s 700-year-old history. Much of the area is currently being refurbished to recreate the scenes of hundreds of years ago. There are also very important churches located in this area including the Inglesia de San Nicolas, Bascilla de Begona and the Catedral de Santiago.

The Guggenheim Museum (Museo Guggenheim de Arte Contemporaneo) is housed in a very futuristic looking, controversial building and is the cornerstone of the city’s urban redevelopment programme. The museum is dedicated to modern art and is home to works by Picasso and Warhol. It is very popular with tourists and the number of tourists visiting Bilbao each year has risen significantly since the museum was built. Thousands visit each year to catch a glimpse of the building’s impressive architecture.

The Basque country surrounding Bilbao is easily explored by car. There are many small and interesting villages dotted throughout as well as stunning views and scenery.

Bilbao has a reputation for excellent food. In Casco Viejo, there are a number of bars and restaurants. The local tradition is to have a drink at each of the area’s bars after dining out.

Bilbao Airport lies 12kms from the city and has daily flights to many Spanish cities. Car hire is available at the airport, while local bus services and Spain’s rail network also offer transport options from the airport.