Bilbao

From a dull seaport to a gastronomical heaven and with an astonishing architectural piece of art – that is a simple way to describe the city of Bilbao.

Bilbao, as the city is called in Basque, is the largest city of the Basque Country and situated in the Biscaya bay. The Basque Country rests safely at the foot of the Spanish-French part of the Pyrenees and is described as the last wilderness of Europe. The location offers a varied landscape, which will offer all options for a visit that constantly will give new impressions. In addition to Spanish, the language spoken by the locals are both French and Basque. The local language Basque is seen as quite odd and has no known linguistic origin in our modern languages. An simple example of how unique Basque is: Hola (Hi, in Spanish) and Kaixo (Hi, in Basque).

Bilbao, with it’s half million residents, was founded in the 14th century, and was, for a long time, an important cente for the Spanish iron production. With its location, Bilbao also became a crucial seaport. During the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) the city suffered from various attacks and was badly affected. After the end of the war the city started to rebuild and it’s industries were booming. With its strategical location, the city has now become an important hub for highways and railroads.

For the traveller who loves architecture and gastronomy, Bilbao is a real Mecca. Buildings with different architecture line up side by side, trying to get attention from the passersby. The old is mixed with the new, as the city has become expert on keeping the old facades while building modern houses behind them. The most distinctive building in Bilbao, and perhaps in the whole of Spain, is the Guggenheim Museum. It was established on the initiative of the American Guggenheim Foundation and the Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry designed its unique appearence. He choose the materials titanium, limestone and glass for the construction, which makes the whole building shimmer like a diamond in the sun. The museum was inaugrated in 1997 and is, by some, considered to be the greatest contribution to the city’s economical development and confidence in the future.

It is impossible to leave Bilbao and still be hungry! Why not try some of their tapas called pintxos together with the local sparkling wine txakoli? Other specialties you should not miss out on is the sheep milk cheese Brebis and the savoury almondcake Gâteau Basque. The city proudly offers nine restaurants with Michelin stars, and in the Basque region alone there’s a total of 39 restaurants with one or more stars.

When in Bilbao, be sure to visit the biggest Food Hall in Spain – Mercado de la Riberta, situated in the old part of the city. There you can find some intresting local specialties including wine and handcrafts. Why not combine a basket with food of your choice and hop on the mountain railway up to Placa Artxanda? Enjoy your delicacies while looking out over the astonishing panorama of the city.

If you like a break from Bilbao for one day, visit the Gaztelugatxe, just 40 minutes north of the city. If you want to get away from people for a wild and a breath of fresh air, this is the perfect place to be. We recommend good hiking shoes, and since there’s no dragons to help you with transportation – a bit of endurance might be needed.

Things you did not know:

• The world’s oldest transportation bridge is in Bilbao
• There are over 800 shops in Bilbao’s old town Casco Viejo, where both time and money can be spent.
• To walk from restaurant to restaurant and taste a little bit here and there is a tradition called txikiteo.

Transfer

From the airport to Bilbao you can take the air bus shuttle, more or less 24/7 to a cost of 2 – 3 euro. A one way taxi trip to the central parts of Bilbao costs from 20 euro and up. If you want to have the maximum freedom to explore there is always the possibility to rent a car at the airport.

Tourist card

As in many other big cities, Bilbao offers a tourist card with generous offers on shops, restaurants, museums and more. It also includes free public transportation. The card is called Bizkaia Card and you can buy it online or at the tourist agency in the city. http://www.bilbaobizkaiacard.com/

Safety

It is safe to book your trip to Bilbao with us! You are always covered by the Swedish Travel Guarantee Act. We strive to offer you affordable trips without compromising on quality or safety. A vacation trip should be easy to book and most of all, give you plenty for your money! When travelling with Norwegian Holidays, we are always there for you before, during and after your vacation!