Bilbao

Bilbao (/bɪlˈbaʊ/, /bɪlˈbɑːoʊ/;Spanish: [bilˈβao]; Basque: Bilbo [bilβo]) is a municipality and city in Spain, the capital of the province of Biscay in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 as of 2010, it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth largest in Spain. With roughly 1 million inhabitants, Bilbao lies within one of the most populous metropolitan areas in northern Spain.

Bilbao's buildings display a variety of architectural styles, ranging from gothic to contemporary architecture. The ⊙Old Town features many of the oldest buildings in the city, as the ⊙St. James' Cathedral or the ⊙Church of San Antón , included in the city's coat of arms. Most of the Old Town is a pedestrian zone during the day. Nearby is one of the most important religious temples of Biscay, the ⊙Basilica of Begoña , dedicated to the patron saint of the province, Our Lady of Begoña.

Main Sights

⊙ Casco Viejo

Las Siete Calles or Casco Viejo in Spanish or Zazpikaleak or Alde Zaharra in Basque are different names for the medieval neighbourhood of Bilbao, part of the Ibaiondo district. The names mean Seven Streets or Old Town respectively and it used to be the walled part of the town until the end of the 19th century.

The area is probably the most colorful part of Bilbao, including many shops and taverns, several historical churches (San Antón, Santos Juanes, ⊙the Cathedral , San Nicolás), the largest food retail market of Europe (Mercado de la Ribera), the public Arriaga Theatre , the seat of the Academy of the Basque Language (Euskaltzaindia), a ball court , and a public library. It is connected to the rest of the city and conurbation by the subway, tramway and buses. Three public elevators also connect Casco Viejo to the neighbourhoods of Begoña and Solokoetxe, which otherwise demand a rather intense uphill walk.

⊙ Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is a museum of modern and contemporary art, designed by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry, and located in Bilbao, Basque Country. The museum was inaugurated on 18 October 1997 by King Juan Carlos I of Spain.

It is built alongside the Nervion River , which runs through the city of Bilbao to the Cantabrian Sea . The Guggenheim is one of several museums belonging to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. The museum features permanent and visiting exhibits of works by Spanish and international artists.

Useful

Inside the range of 4 km:

• ⊙   Tourist-Information Bilbao, Bilbao