BILBAO

Guggenheim Bilbao
Guggenheim Museum

Bilbao, city founded in the XIIIth century by Don Diego López de Haro, is Vizcaya`s capital. Its main industries are siderurgy, metal and ship construction, chemicals (explosives, pneumatics, plastics, etc.) It also has one of the most important ports in Europe. The annexiation of the nearest munucipalities gave origin to what is known as the Gran Bilbao (Great Bilbao), which extends itself along the Nervión mouth into the Bay of Biscay.

Places of interest

Bilbao has "born again" after the opening of the Guggenheim Museum and the Euskalduna Conference Centre and Congress Hall. Still, the charms and attractiveness of the city are not limited to these already emblematic buildings.

The Casco Viejo (Old Town) of Bibao preserves plenty of buildings that make the history of the capital of Vizcaya, as: the Arriaga Theatre, the Stock Exchange building, the Municipal Library, the Ribera market or the City Hall (Ayuntamiento). The area is characterized by the intense comercial activity of its seven main streets (centre) among which you find the Plaza Nueva (Square), the Gothic Cahtedral of Santiago Apóstol, the Basque Ethnographic Museum and the Arenal (Square).

The area of Indautxu is also characterized by its intense comercial activity. It is located in the upper side of Bilbao. It is not only well known for its shops but also for being an area with a high concentration of bars and restaurants. The street Poza, which ends at the Football Stadium of San Mamés and the Bilbao International Exhibition Centre, is one of the most concurred by youths at night during weekends. It is also very popular at midday to taste a snack before lunch. As it was already mentioned, Indautxy is full of barsa and pubs where you can get hold of the famous "pintxos", typical of the Basque gastronomy that are becoming more and more popular in cities like Madrid or Barcelona.

The Ensanche (enlargement) of Bibao cannot be forgotten. On the other side of the estuary, crossing from the Arenal that is an entrance to the Old Town, is one of the most beautiful areas of the botxo (familiar name given to the city). The Ensanche is an area of spacious streets, gardens and parks that are taken well care of. The centre of the Ensanche is Bilbao`s main street, Gran Vía de Don Diego López de Haro, which houses very characteristic buildings and spots of the city: the Diputación Foral de Vizcaya (Vizcaya`s Provincial Government), the Gobierno civil (Civil Government), the Fine Arts Museum (Museo de Bellas Artes), the Guggenheim Museum, the Doña Casilda Park, and the Plaza de Moyúa (Square) among others.

A city that with these and many other things has become worthy of the adjectives of cosmopolitan, open and plural. It must be for some reason that Bibao is considered the city in the South of Europe that is most similar to London.

Tours around

The attractive of Bilbao extends itself to other municipalities close to the city as: Santurce, Baracaldo, Guecho, Portugalete or Gernika.

Santurce, with more than 50,000 inhabitants is a municipality whose economy is mainly based on the fishing industry. Its port is one with the most activite in Europe. The port is presided by a monument to the sardine seller, emblematic figure and main character of the central story of the popular song "Desde Santurce a Bilbao" (from Santurce to Bilbao). The monument of the Virgen del Carmen, patroness of seamen and the Parish Church of San Jorge are also representative sites of the town.

Portugalete is located by Santurce`s port, for this reason it has an intense maritime traffic. Its main industry is metallurgy. The Nervión Estuary is between the town of Portugalete and Getxo but the Puente Colgante (hanging bridge) connects both sides and is a linking point. In addition to this important and historic construction the Church of Santa María, the Solar Square, the Salazar Tower and the Canilla Promenade should also be visited.

Baracaldo is a town whose economy is based on the siderurgy, mechanic, chemical, and construction industry and the textile market. It has about 120,000 inhabitants and counts with a splendid treasure: the Church of San Vicente, from the XIIIth century. Other things that should be pointed out in Baracaldo are that it is the second population nucleus, after Bilbao, in Vizcaya, and that it has a local theatre, the Baracaldo Antzokia, with an intense cultural activity throughout the year.

Gernika is considered to be Vizcaya`s political capital as the historical Casa de Juntas (Assembly House) is located in this town. It is very well known because under the shade of the old oak tree, popularly known as the Arbol de Gernika (Gernika Tree), symbol of Basque freedoms, is where the Kings would take an oath to respect the Basque privileges. During the Spanish Civil War the town was destroyed by a bombing from the air, which inspired the famous painting by Picasso, Guernica. Some of the places that should be visited in this town are: the Peace Museum, the Genealogy Archives, the Barroque Palacio de la Alegría (Palace of Happiness), the Parish Church of Santa María, the Ancient Señorío Hospital connected to the Convent of Santa Clara by a semicircular arch and the Memorial to the Gernika Batallion.

Guecho is a municipality that centres its economic activity on the services sector. It stands out for its cultural and sports offer: it is the seat for the International Jazz Festival, the International Folk Festival, the International Craftsmanships Fair, … Moreover, this territory with more than 80,000 inhabitants has magnificent public sport facilities (Ciudad Deportiva de Fadura - Fadura Sports Centre) and also private ones (Real Club Marítimo del Abra - Royal Maritime Club of the Abra or the Real Sociedad de Golf de Neguri - Neguri Golf Royal Society). From this municipality, close to the centre of Bilbao, you can walk along the coast and reach by foot the beaches of Sopelana, Plentzia and Gorliz, very popular during the summer. They are also nice sites to visit for their beauty and gastronomic offer.

Balmaseda, boasts with pride for being the first town founded in Vizcaya, in fact it celebrated eight centuries of history in 1999. Its economy is mainly based on the industry, construction and services sector. It is a municipality with many monuments that make it very attractive. Some of these are the Puente Viejo (Old Bridge), ancient gateway inside the town walls symbol of Balmaseda, the Church of San Juan, the Buniel Palace, the Church of San Severino, the Urrutia Palace and the Convent of Santa Clara. Without any doubt, one of the most ancient traditions that have made Balmaseda well known is the celebration during Easter and since the XVIIIth century of the life Via Crucis (Way to the Cross) on the night of Maundy Thursday. A big event that gathers more people every year because of the great popularity the representation, in which the whole town of Balmaseda collaborates, has gained.

In the confluence of the Nervión and the Ibaizabal, Basauri is the town with more services and number of inhabitants in the area. Its cultural and leisure offer is noteworthy. Nearby, getting inside the Durango area, the town of Amorebieta merged with Etxano in 1951 and the municipality of Amorebieta-Etxano was originated. In it there are various churches with great cultural and historic value to visit. Some examples would be the Church of Santa María de la Asunción, or the churches of Bernagoitia, San Antonio, Boroa, Larrea and Etxano.

The Duranguesado (Durango region) is a magical place because of its spectacular orography, myths and legends and million other things to enjoy. Among these and located in the area of the Duranguesado Mountains, the Natural Park of Urkiola is impressive, declared in 1989 of historic, geographic and lanscape interest. This area is known as the "small Switzerland" because of its resemblance to the Alpine landscape. Onother remarkable place is Besaide, spectacular viewing point and limit between the areas of Bizkaia, Álava and Guipúzcoa. In addition to the spectacular orography nature has gifted this region of Bizkaia with places like La Encina de Etxeita (Holm Oak of Etxeita) located in the municipality of Garai and catalogued as "Unique Trees in the Basque Country" for its great dimensions, symetry and density of its foliage. Testimonies of humans inhabiting these lands in prehistoric times are found in the caves existing in this region where plenty of archeologic remains have been found.

Links:

Services Directory

Hotels:

BARCELÓ HOTEL NERVIÓN ***
Campo Volantín 11
48007, Bilbao
+34944454700
www.barcelo.com
348 rooms

HOTEL CARLTON *****
Plaza Federico Moyúa 2
48009, Bilbao
+34944162200
148 rooms

HOTEL ERCILLA ****
Ercilla 37-39
48011, Bilbao
+34944705700
www.hotelercilla.es
346 rooms

HOTEL HESPERIA ZUBIALDE ****
Camino de Ventosa 24
Bilbao
+34944008100
www.hoteles-hesperia.es
82 rooms

HOTEL INDAUTXU ****
Plaza Bombero Etxániz s/n
48010, Bilbao
+34944440004
www.hotelindautxu.com
183 rooms

HOTEL LÓPEZ DE HARO *****
Obispo Orueta 2
48009, Bilbao
+34944235500
www.hotelercilla.es/es/lopezdeharo/
53 rooms

HOTEL NH VILLA DE BILBAO *****
Gran Vía 87
48011, Bilbao
+34944416000
www.nh-hoteles.com
142 rooms

Museums:

FINE ARTS MUSEUM OF BILBAO
(MUSEO DE BELLAS ARTES DE BILBAO)
Plaza del Museo 2
48011, Bilbao
+34944396060
www.museobilbao.com
Tuesday to Saturday: 10-20h.
Sundays and public holidays: 10-14h.
Closed on Mondays
Admisión Fee: General: 4.5 €
Reduced (Señor citizens, students and unemployed): 3€
Children under 12, Friends of the Museum and Wednesdays (Museum Day): Free.

GUGGENHEIM BILBAO MUSEUM
(MUSEO GUGGENHEIM BILBAO)
Avda. Abandoibarra 2
48001, Bilbao
+34944359000
www.guggenheim-bilbao.es
Tuesday to Sunday: 10-20h.
Closed on Mondays
July and August: open every day from 9 to 21h.
Admission Fees
General: 7€
Señor citizens, pensioners and students: 3.5€
Children under 12: free.
Groups (minimum 20): 6.30€

BASQUE ETHNOLOGIC MUSEUM
(MUSEO ETNOGRÁFICO VASCO)
Plaza Miguel de Unamuno 4
48006, Bilbao
+34944155423
www.euskal-museoa.org
Tuesday to Saturday: 11-17h.
Sundays: 11-14h.
Closed Mondays and public holidays.
Admission Fees
General: 3€
Students and groups: 1.5€
Children under 10 and pensioners: free
Museum Day (Thursdays): free

Emergency:

Emergency coordination: 112
Ambulancess: Cruz Roja (Red Cross) 944222222
DYA 944101010
(Assistance on the Road Association)
Basurto Hospital: 944418800
Cruces Hospital: 944850086

Restaurants:

GOIZEKO KABI
Adress: Particular de Estraunza, 4.
48011 Bilbao.
Telephone: 944421129.
Price: 50/75 euros
Menu degustación: 34,85 euros.

GORROTXA
Adress: Alda. Urquijo, 30 (Galería).
48008 Bilbao.
Tel.: 944434937
Price: 50/75 euros

GUGGENHEIM BILBAO
Adress: Abandoibarra Etorbidea, 2.
48001 Bilbao.
Telephone:944 23 93 33
Price: 40/60 euros.
Menus degustación: 31,85 y 43,28 euros.

GURIA
Adress: Gran Vía, 66.
48011 Bilbao.
Telephone: 944415780.
Price: 60/100 euros.
Menu degustación: 41.02 y 58.70 euros.

VÍCTOR MONTES
Adress: Plaza Nueva, 8
48005 Bilbao
Tfno.: 94 415 70 67
Fax: 94 415 70 67
Price: 27 / 66 euros.

ZORTZIKO
Adress: Alda. de Mazarredo, 17.
48001 Bilbao.
Telephone: 944239743
Price: 54/78 euros.

Transports:

Buses:

BILBOBUS
Routes inside the city of Bilbao.
Telephone: 944484080

BIZKAIBUS
Routes with destinations in the province of Vizcaya.
Telephone: 902 222 265

Trains:

Bilbao La Naja (Station): c/Bailén 2, Bilbao
Abando Station: Plaza Circular 2, Bilbao
Atxuri Station: c/Atxuri 6-8, Bilbao

SUBURBAN TRAINS

RENFE
Telephone: 902 240202/ 944238635
Connects the left bank of the Nervión Estuary with Bilbao.
Routes: Santurce-Bilbao La Naja
Muskiz-Bilbao La Naja
Orduña-Bilbao La Naja


FEVE
Telephone: 944232266
Connects Balmaseda and the Encartaciones region with Bilbao.
Route: Balmaseda-Bilbao.

EUSKOTREN
Telephone: 944019900/944339500
Connects Ermua with the Bilbao-Atxuri Station crossing through the Durango area and connecting the Arratia Valley to Bilbao.
Routes: Ermua-Bilbao
Bermeo-Bilbao
Lezama-San Inazio (Bilbao)

LONG DISTANCE TRAINS

RENFE
Telephone: 902240202/ 944238635
Abando Station. Routes with destinations Alicante, Barcelona, Madrid, A Coruña, Málaga and Salamanca.

EUSKO TREN
Telephone: 944019900/ 944339500
Connects San Sebastián with the Atxuri Station in Bilbao. It also stops in some towns of Guipuzcoa (Zarautz, Eibar, Ermua...)

FEVE
Telephone: 944232266
Connects Bilbao with Santander from the La Naja Station.

Taxis:

RADIO TAXI 944448888
TELE TAXI 944102121
RADIO-TAXI NERVIÓN 944269026