Bilbao
Day 1 - The Modern City
Take the time to walk the streets of Bilbao admiring the eclectic mix of architectural styles, walking along the riverside paths and sampling some pintxo with a drink. This walk will take you past the city’s most notable historic and contemporary buildings. Head towards the most famous building in the city, the Guggenheim Bilbao museum, a titanium masterpiece inaugurated in 1997 that changed the way of conceiving architecture. Frank Gary’s colossal Guggenheim Bilbao Museum is the most impressive building in the city. The museum, filled with works by some of the most important contemporary artists, has managed to make Bilbao the vibrant creative center it is today. For many travelers it is the main reason to visit the city.
For most visitors, the real star is the architecture. Designed by Frank Gehry, the museum is a succession of shapes, fluid caps, headlands, ships, towers, and winged fins,all covered in glittering titanium plates. It is a magnificent vision. Take all the time you need to observe the shapes and colors that change as the light changes. The Guggenheim Bilbao dominates the area of the city facing the river, and its appearance and the surrounding atmosphere change depending on the light. The site where the museum stands was a disused industrial area; the city’s past was dominated by industry and shipping ships and fisheries is evoked by its shape, which some consider similar to a ship or a fish shimmering. After the collapse of the shipping business and heavy industry, the administration committed itself to a regeneration project of the city. One of the main requirements was the construction of a world-class exhibition space, and from that idea, the Guggenheim Bilbao was born. Since its opening in 1997, the museum has contributed to transforming Bilbao from a declining industrial city to a center of culture and interacting with the city’s historical and geographical context. The construction also reflects the interests of Gehry, who, in previous works, had already made use of industrial materials. The shiny titanium plates that cover most of the building like gigantic scales are reportedly inspired by the architect’s passion for fish
Outside on the side of the museum facing the city, it rises 12 m Puppy, a terrier made with thousands of flowers: Jeff Koons’ work was only supposed to be a temporary installation but Bilbao has become fond of “El Poop”. The bilbainos will tell you that the dog arrived first and then they had to build a kennel for him.
Keep walking along the riverside, and you will find on your left the obelisk-like Iberdrola Tower, which rises from the southern bank and is a 41-story gleaming glass office complex of at 165 meters. Opened in 2012, it’s the tallest building in the Region.
To get an idea of Bilbao’s industrial past stop in front of the city’s Maritime Museum, the Itsasmuseum. On the western side in front of the dry docks look for the bright red “Carola” crane once used for shipbuilding. This interactive Maritime museum recreates the sea depths of Bilbao and the Basque Maritime history. Begin your visit by watching the 10-minute video that summarizes the history of the city from the 14th century to today, then walk around the two floors of the exhibition, which illustrate the ancient techniques of naval construction, the tragic shipwrecks (and innovative rescue practices of the time), and the threat of pirates. You will also find detailed model ships, including a life-size reproduction of the Falua del Consulado, a barge from 1511 used by the consular authority. Outside you can climb on a series of boats.
Take a walk in the Parque de Doña Casilda de Iturrizar with the gazebo for the bands and the ponds for the ducks. Embellished with maples, limes, cedars, palms and as 70 other species of trees, this elegant English-style park was completed in 1920 the highlight is the pond full of ducks and swans.
The Jardines Albia, dominated by the sixteenth-century Iglesias San Vicente Martir and with a fountain in the center are perfect for a break. Then continue to the headquarters of the Basque Ministry of Health, which was only completed in 2008 and since then it has become a landmark of the city. Composed of sheets of glass and steel it was designed by Juan Coll-Barreu.
Another nearby art nouveau masterpiece is the Campos Eliseos theatre. Restored to its art nouveau splendor and modernized in 2010 to accommodate contemporary productions, this masterpiece was built in 1902. Today, it hosts theatrical performances, musicals, dance, comedy concerts, puppet and magic shows, and sometimes cinema screenings. The multi-level main hall has a capacity of over 800 people while the more intimate domed hall on the top floor can accommodate 250 spectators.
Another Art Nouveau treasure of the city is the Bilbao Concordia railway station built in 1902.
Day 2
10 km northwest of Bilbao is one of the most photographed places in the Basque Country: the rocky island of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. Connected to the mainland via a stone walkway with 241 steps, it’s surmounted by a hermitage, the Ermita de Saint Juan de Gaztelugatxe, built by the Knights Templar in the 10th century. Due to its popularity skyrocketing after becoming a Dragonstone in the seventh season of Game of Thrones, to access it it is necessary to book online. According to local tradition it takes its name from Saint John the Baptist who visited the island.
