 Bilbao
is located in the Spanish region of Bizkaia
(Biscay) in the Basque country. It's
Spain biggest port and sixth largest
city. For many, Bilbao is synonymous
with its spectacular Guggenheim Museum
which opened in 1997 signalling the dawn
of a new era for this heavily industrialised
city which previously held little interest
for the international traveler.
These days thousands of visitors flock
to the city with the sole purpose of
seeing the Guggenheim which, in the view
of many, has as much artistic merit as
the many masterpieces housed within it.
But for city lovers, Bilbao offers much
more than this awesome piece of architecture
which is without doubt one of Europe's
finest and most extraordinary landmarks.
Imaginative urban renewal projects have
enabled Bilbao to shake off its 1980s
depression when its ugly shipyards, steelworks
and docks floundered in a brave new world
where heavy industry no longer held sway.
Bold city planners and leading architects
have brought about a cultural and economic
rebirth to create a new Bilbao - a vibrant,
dynamic centre of culture and commerce
where ancient and modern architectural
styles make somewhat strange but never
dull bedfellows.
The new state-of-the-art metro system,
the futuristic new airport terminal and
a host of projects designed to regenerate
run down areas of the city have combined
to give Bilbao a new image as one of
Spain's leading players of the new Millennium.
You don't come to Bilbao of course
for a traditional Spanish sun and
sea holiday. The climate here is
mild and temperate so expect overcast
skies and rain on a regular basis.
Daytime high temperatures in the
summer are usually around the 22C
mark.
If you fancy a day at the beach, the
ritzy resort of San Sebastian with
its fine beaches frequented by wealthy
Spaniards is only 100 kilometres to
the east of Bilbao.
The city has a wealth of museums (still
worth visiting even though they now
lie in the shadow of the Guggenheim)
and many excellent restaurants serving
traditional Basque cuisine which is
generally regarded as being some of
the finest in Spain.
The main languages spoken here are
Castellano and the ancient Basque language,
Euskera, the origins of which are unknown.
There are some similarities to other
European and African languages but
this is a unique and strange tongue
which bears no relation to Spanish.
Its gastronomic culture lies at the
heart of the city's customs. Bilbao
hosts plenty of top quality restaurants
offering the best of Basque culinary
art. Abundant raw materials have favoured
Bilbao's cuisine, which has made a
name for itself the world over.
Passion for food is reflected in one
of the most popular Basque customs:
the "txikiteo" or "poteo",
especially common in Bilbao. While
you drink a "txikito" -small
glass of wine- or "zurito" -small
glass of beer-, you can see, at certain
times of the day, a lot of city dwellers
going from one bar to another, where
they have their "pintxo",
appetizers made up of various ingredients.
You will find dishes ranging from the
simplest and most traditional "pintxos" to
the most sophisticated and imaginative
food delights. A traditional "pintxo" contest
in which bars and restaurants take
part is held in Bilbao every year.
Gastronomic culture is also mirrored
in some of the most popular festivities
in the city as is Saint Thomas Day,
celebrated every 21 December, when
traditional products from "baserris" (hamlets)
are exhibited and everyone can buy
or taste delicious dishes in a joyful
atmosphere. Tasting "talo con
chorizo" (corn tortilla and salami)
and "txakoli" (sweet regional
white wine) is a must.
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Pintxos
are not exactly as tapas (as you
will recognize if you travel to
other cities in Spain). Pintxos
are different, more elaborated
maybe, and the best of all is that
they are displayed on the bars
and you can take and eat them as
you want!! You'll just pay at
the end telling the barman how
many of them you ate. (Of course,
honesty is a must, and locals appreciate
it).