Basque in the Artistic Delights of Bilbao
Bilbao: the hub of culture.No trip to Bilbao would be complete without a visit to the Guggenheim Museum. Frank Gehry's architectural masterpiece is seen as the city's central attraction, with its curvaceous titanium façade, a work of art in itself. Inside the museum houses a fabulous collection of painting and sculpture, as well as playing host to a range of temporary exhibitions often drawn from the other Guggenheim museums around the world. The city has far more to offer than just one art gallery, stunning though it is, visitors should also leave plenty of time for the impressive Museo de Bellas Artes (Museum of Fine Arts), which contains a dazzling collection dating from twelfth century artists to contemporary art from this millennium.
Take a flight from London’s Heathrow Airport to Bilbao and enjoy a trip that is about more than art: it is a place to experience the highlights of the unique Basque culture. Sample the gastronomic delights of pintxos, the Basque version of tapas, in one of the city's authentic bars around the Calle Zugastinobia. Learn about Basque history and culture in the Basque Museum, or take the Artxanda Funicular railway up into the mountains for beautiful views over the city. In August, the city celebrates its fiesta, the Aste Nagusia, with fireworks, music, theatre and entertainments on every street corner. This is an exciting, if noisy, time to visit. In the summer, open air concerts are performed in the Kiosko del Arenal, but thanks to its mild climate, the charms of Bilbao can be enjoyed all year round.
