Bonjour, bilbao

Bilbao, the capital of Biscay (Bizkaia) and the largest city in the Basque Country, has undergone a remarkable transformation from an industrial powerhouse to a cultural hub. The Nervión River cuts through the city, dividing the historic centre from the more modern districts. To the east, the Old Town, or Casco Viejo (also called Zazpi Kaleak, ‘Seven Streets’), is a maze of narrow streets lined with pintxo bars, traditional restaurants, and Basque cider houses, or sagardotegis. Here, you’ll also find key landmarks like St James’ Cathedral and the Mercado de la Ribera. On the other side of the river, the modern half of Bilbao tells a very different story. Late 19th-century bourgeois expansion gave the city wide boulevards and impressive architecture, culminating in contemporary landmarks like the Palacio Euskalduna and the Guggenheim Museum, Frank Gehry’s world-renowned creation. The Guggenheim may steal the spotlight, but taking in the city from a viewpoint nearby reveals a full panorama of Bilbao’s contrasts all woven together along the riverbanks.