I agree about the Guggenheim - nice building, shame about most of the contents! Still worth 7 euros as a peniless student to get in and have a look around. The nearby car park seemed reasonably safe and secure. We took a wrong turn early in the evening in Bilbao and ended up lost in a rather dodgy area of town. Probably makes my view of the place biased. We were there to catch the ferry home to Portsmouth. The Centro Comercial Max Center is a good place to stock up before a short journey down the motorway to the docks. The road layout isn't entirely clear on the way out, however. Get a Nationwide Flexaccount VISA debit card as they are fee-free and are accepted far more widely than Maestro.
Bilbao is a nice city to visit for short-break. It’s compact and easy to get around. If you’re not planning to go to any museums, you could easily walk around and see all the sights in a day. The real draw of Bilbao is the Guggenheim Museum and the building itself is a work of art, although the same cannot be said for some of the installations that the building houses. The museum is open until a least 8:00 p.m. (later in summer) so you could spend the day seeing the sights and then spend a few hours in and around the Guggenheim later on.
August is the major month for the Basque festivals. The “big week” in Bilbao recently kicked off and it sees the town’s squares filled with temporary bars and it seems like everybody in the town is out for the evening. There is music, fireworks and some serious drinking going on and the atmosphere is fun and relaxed.
A worthwhile day trip from Bilbao is a bus ride up the coast to San Sebastian. The buses leave the termibus station and…
San Sebastián … San Sebastian is a great place to chill out and take a break from your vacaction for a bit. Beautiful beaches and a nice town.
San Sebastián … I went to San Sebastian for Carnival. It was a great experience, lots of culture a and really nice people. It is also the tapas capital that can't be missed. Even when i's cold in the winter there is still plenty to see.
San Sebastián … I visited San Sebastian back in 1994 and I didn't like it. I was expecting a very quaint, very Basque town and I was disappointed on both counts- I could hardly hear any Basque being spoken and it looks much like any other Spanish city, i.e. very urban. As for the beach, it is the kind where people go surfing, not swimming, so expect wind and waves.The surrounding countryside, however, is gorgeous, green and lush, right there with Devon or Ireland.
The history behind Vitoria-Gasteiz is fasinating, as is the mix between Spanish and Basque cultures.
I think Vitoria-Gasteiz is the one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and in my opinion, the nightlife is really fascinating. Everyone should go and enjoy all it has!
San Sebastián … San Sebastian is one of the most gorgeous beach/view/city combos I've ever seen. Great night life and pintxos, too.
San Sebastián … San Sebastian is one of the most beautiful areas in the world, and certainly the most beautiful in Spain. Quaint and old-world, but with all the modern amenities. Great pintxos (tapas), beach, and overall, a gorgeous city!
San Sebastián … I will always remember San Sebastian and I would go back to visit it. We arrived on my birthday driving from a wet Bordeaux to pitch a tent and catch a bus down to the town. The weather cleared up and we had some fantastic tapas in a picturesque square and a beautiful walk along the beach. It's a fantastic, family-oriented place too.
San Sebastián … I lived there for a year, it's fantastic!
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