Bilbao

Bilbao is an undiscovered treasure of the north of Spain. It is a fascinating city surrounded by stunning mountains and beaches. It attracts an increasing number of tourists due to its cultural attractions, the highlight of which is the Guggenheim museum. However, there is much more to...

Bilbao is an undiscovered treasure of the north of Spain. It is a fascinating city surrounded by stunning mountains and beaches. It attracts an increasing number of tourists due to its cultural attractions, the highlight of which is the Guggenheim museum. However, there is much more to see and do in Bilbao with a selection of museums, sports, shopping and cultural events. Spain's northern industrial port city, Bilbao, is the political capital of the nationalistic Basque people who inhabit Spain's three northern provinces, an area known collectively as Euskadi. Bilbao has some surprises to offer visitors, and there are plenty of attractions in the surrounding countryside and around the coast on the Bay of Biscay which can be easily reached on excursions by rail or road. The main attraction in the city is the controversial Guggenheim Museum, relatively new on the scene, having been opened in 1997. The city fathers regard this avant-garde building as the beginning of the city's revitalisation, which has also recently acquired a new metro system and airport terminal. Bilbao has some good beaches and a few scenic spots - a favoured picnic site is on Monte Archanda, north of the old town, accessible by funicular. Of the beaches Getxo is the favourite, particularly with surfers, and features a 100-year-old suspension bridge and some lively bars and nightclubs.