Bilbao, Autonomous Community of the Basque Country, Spain
We had a nice long stay in Bilbao, Spain, giving us plenty of time to explore this new area. With my parents joining us from the US, we were able to keep busy with lots of variety!
The apartment occupied the top two floors of a building in an urban neighborhood, just a short walk from Casco Viejo, the old town. We were able to reach most of the city’s top sites on foot, including the cathedral, basilica, covered market, river walk along the Nervion, and the most famous attraction of all, the Guggenheim museum.
The Guggenheim building is just as much an attraction as the art within it. When Bilbao was chosen as the site for this museum, it changed the whole personality of the city from fading industrial town to booming tourist destination. The river walk got a facelift and art was installed all around the museum. Each one of the bridges crossing the river seems to compete for most interesting design, from the red arches to the glass footpath, and the bridge that ferries cars and people across on a suspended cable car.
We checked out the art inside the Guggenheim museum of course, modern art from global artists but seeming to emphasize Americans. On another day, we visited the free Museo Bellas Artes, which had more of a Basque focus. As ever, I also enjoyed all the art out on the street.
On our first day, Nathan and I walked one of the many hills surrounding Bilbao for a view over the city. Later, the four of us returned, much more expediently, on the funicular. Looking out over those mountains ‘made our feet itch,’ as the Welsh described it, so Nathan and I also hiked a wilder hill outside of town, sharing the trails with cattle, horses, goats sheep, and fog.
Bay of Biscay
Being so close to the sea, we were able to escape the heat with a few visits to beaches and seaside towns near and far, including:
* Lekeitio to the east, with its fishing harbor and lovely island reached by a causeway at low tide.
* The Punta Artatua coastline, with views out to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe hermitage. This was supposed to be a bird- and whale-watching hotspot, but we didn't really see either.
* Bilbao’s Atxabiribil Hondartza, more of a surfing beach where we didn’t dare swim in the massive breakers.
* A more sheltered swimming spot at the mouth of another river, the Plentziako Itsasadarra.
* Finally, Llanes to the west, with its medieval quarter and small, sheltered swimming cove.
We even got out on the water sailing one day! Of course, that was one of the few days that wasn’t hot, and we didn’t have much visibility for the first half. Still, we had a nice sail with a skipper to take care of the charting and the docking. As a local, he gave us a great seafood restaurant recommendation in his adorable car-free village of Puerto Viejo.
Finally, we made two longer excursions inland for nearby attractions.
Picos de Europa National Park
One was a weekend-long trip to the Picos de Europa. While not the highest peaks in Europe by any means, this national park got its name because it contains the first peaks sailors saw when returning to Spain and Portugal. It made for some gorgeous hiking. We got to try some more regional specialties of this province, including the tart apple cider (poured from high above to aerate it) and very VERY blue cheese.
We got to hike the Route de Caras, which despite the heat, has to be one of my favorite hikes I've completed. It's hugs a cliff on one side, dropping down into the Caras river gorge on the other, and is populated with both domestic and wild goats.
Pamplona
On our other weekend, we took a day trip down to Pamplona, where the famous San Fermin festival would be starting the following day with the Running of the Bulls. The town was already full of festive decor and people dressing up in the traditional red and white.
All in all we had a wonderful time in Spain! I loved getting to make memories with family, see some beautiful sites, relax on the beach and cook some nice meals on the BBQ. Of course, we had to indulge in the local cuisine too - creative, ready-to-eat small bites called Pinxtos. Unlike tapas in other parts of Spain, they are not really ordered to be shared but are instead ready and waiting in single servings behind almost every bar.
Bilbao, Pamplona, and our next stop San Sebastion - all had their own local flair, and we never had to order the same thing twice. My kinda meal!
