BILBAO, Spain
“Bilbao has been around since 1300, but as a destination it made its debut on the international scene in October 1997. That was when the Guggenheim opened..the most audacious building of the 20th century.”
-Shanka Guha, Financial Times, Jan 25, 2003
YouTube: Bilbao, A Fascinating Transformation
YouTube: Bilbao, La Transformación Fascinante
General Information
(For additional details click on the words underlined)
Bilbao is one of the largest cultural and economic centers in the north of Spain. It is currently undergoing a process of renovation that accounts for the transformation in the image of the city. With a population of some 400,000 people and a large metropolitan area, the former industrial city has become a modern city of services.
At this moment in its history, Bilbao has become synonymous with the truly impressive Guggenheim Museum. Located right across the University of Deusto, the Museum has come to represent the transformation of the city, but is just a small part of a larger Renaissance symbolized by the new subway (Metro), the Convention and Music Hall Center, and the Abandoibarra area of service. It is, above all, a change that has allowed the institutions and culture of the old city to be rediscovered and re-launched: the Old Quarter, the Fine Arts Museum, the Arriaga Theater, and the highly acclaimed Basque Cuisine.
Weather
The climate in the Basque Country (or Euskadi) is wet oceanic on the coast, and continental inland. The temperatures are mild throughout the year, with more frequent rain in spring and autumn, mild winters, and summers which are not excessively hot. The average temperature in the summer is around 24º Celsius (75º F), and 8º C (46º F) in the winter.
There are several beaches close to Bilbao which are within the Metro range. The closest one where you can swim and surf is Ereaga or Sopelana, about 20′ to 35′ by Metro. The best beach for swimmers is Plentzia beach, at the end of the Metro line (45′).
Culture
The flagship museum is the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum. The Fine Arts Museum located just 2 blocks form the Guggenheim, is only second to the Prado Museum in Madrid. The summer music festivals, namely, the Jazz Festival in Vitoria, San Sebastian and Getxo, near Bilbao, are examples of the interesting cultural activity throughout the year.
Food
The Basque Country is famous for its cuisine. The fresh seafood, together with the excellent chefs, ensure unique dining experiences. There are many restaurants that offer what is called “Menú del día” (daily special), which is generally good, and very reasonably priced. You can also eat “a la carta,” which usually gives you more options, but is more expensive.
There are also places were you can go for fast food and order “bocadillos” (sandwiches in a baguette bread), or “tapas,” which are called “pinchos” in the Basque Country (small portions of food, very popular in Spain). Another type of restaurant is called “cerveceras,” where you can order roasted chicken and “tortilla española” (omelet with potatoes). In restaurants, tips are included in all prices and checks, and therefore it is not necessary to leave a tip. However, a tip can be given if one considers it appropriate to show satisfaction for good service.
The Basque Country (Euskadi)
Economic: The Autonomous Community of the Basque Country has a per capita income that is ten points above the Spanish average. Services are a major feature of the Basque economy. The Basque Country has a century-old industrial tradition, focused basically on the steel factories and shipyards, which have made the Basque Country highly competitive in European markets.
Political: The Basque Autonomous Community enjoys a high degree of self-government under the Basque Government and parliament. It also has a Basque police force, its own Basque broadcasting service and treasury departments with their own tax systems. It can also make its own decisions with respect to health, education, housing, and cultural issues, among others. This system of self-government is based on the Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country, a General Act of Parliament approved by the majority of Basque citizens in a referendum on October 25, 1979 .
The Basque Country is organized into three provinces: Vizcaya (Bizkaia), Guipúzcoa (Gipuzkoa) and Alava (Araba). The capitals are Bilbao (Bilbo), San Sebastián (Donosti), and Vitoria (Gazteiz), respectively.
If you want more information on Bilbao you can find it by clicking on the following web sites:
- http://www.bilbao.net/bilbaoturismo (City’s official website)
- http://www.cascoviejobilbao.com (Site for the Old Town)
- http://euskal-museoa.org (Basque History Museum)
- http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es (Guggenheim Museum official site)
- http://www.aeropuertodebilbao.net/en/ (Information on Bilbao’s airport)
- http://www.bm30.es/homegug_uk.html (Information on Bilbao ‘s metropolitan area)
- http://www.virtourist.com/europe/bilbao/index.html (Pictures of the city)
- http://www.termibus.com (Main bus station servicing the rest of the country and parts of Europe)
Transportation
By Plane
There are several daily flights from London, Brussels, Madrid, Milan, Paris and Frankfurt to the airport of Bilbao. You can take an international flight from the United States or Canada to one of these cities and then make a connection with another flight to Bilbao. Check Air France, British Airways or Lufthansa as these are two of the main carriers from the Washington, DC (Dulles International) area with service to Bilbao via Paris or London.
In Bilbao
Bilbao, and the Basque Country in general, has excellent public transportation, including a modern subway, buses and a streetcar. There is a Metro (subway) station near the University of Deusto. The Metro service is very convenient and and excellent way to get around with trains running every two or five minutes at peak times. It runs until 11:30 p.m. on weekdays, until 2:00 a.m. on Fridays and all night on Saturday. The bus service is also good, but public buses do not run late at night (just until about 11 p.m. ), so you may need to take a taxi if you go out at night. We recommend a visit to the Bizcay Transporter Bridge connecting Portugalete and Las Arenas for incredible views.
All authorized taxis display a sign indicating that they are available. There is a fixed minimum fare, plus the fare per km and time used. All taxis have a taximeter displaying the amount due. If any additional charges apply, these must be displayed to the public also.
“The Fiesta (of San Fermin) ….kept up day and night for seven days…. the sound of the rocket exploding….announced the release of the bulls from the corrals at the edge of town. They would race through the streets and out to the bullring.”
–Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises (1926)