No, Bilbao is no longer grey...
FRIDAY:
3:00 p.m. Rushing our luck, we managed to arrive in time to eat, so we fully immersed ourselves in traditional Basque cuisine thanks to the Gure Kabi (Particular de Estraunza, 6), a specialized restaurant where, in addition to the daily menu, we will find à la carte dishes. The White beans first they leave almost no room for the grilled anchovies of the second, especially with the prawns who have gone downtown. The Goxua , a typical dessert made with whipped cream, sponge cake, pastry cream and caramelized sugar, finishes off the job.
5:00 p.m. With our guts bursting, we dropped off our bags at the hotel before solving the car issue, and that's because Parking in the city is a real problem. We are presented with two options: put it in a car park paying for full days, or park somewhere suburban town (like Sarriko) and get around by metro. We opted for the first option in the economic Garage San Mames (Sabino Arana, 21), next to the famous football stadium , and we return to the center taking a walk down the street Graduate Pool (commonly known as 'Pozas'), where fans of all ages take over bars, sidewalks and roads on the days that the Athletic.
The very original Azkuna Zentroa
6:00 p.m. . We are going to spend the afternoon in the Alhóndiga de Bilbao, currently renamed Azkuna Zentroa . It's about a old wine warehouse built in the early twentieth century and converted into a avant-garde cultural center. The underground plants house a commercial cinema and a free exhibition hall. At street level we find the covered square, supported by 43 columns, where the little ones have Txikiland, entertainment center with games, stories and computers. Although the most surprising thing is to observe from below the transparent floor of the pool, housed in the upper gym.
8:00 p.m. . The walk has managed to lower the food enough to dare to go to the Bar Alameda (Alameda de Urquijo 40, in front of the Alhóndiga) to finish off the task and try their 'Felipadas'. It's about a exclusive pintxo of this premises consisting of a Cantabrian anchovy, lettuce and mayonnaise sandwich with a touch of Tabasco . However, other options such as zucchini anchovies They will also make our mouths water.
You won't find 'Felipadas' anywhere else in the world
SATURDAY:
10:00 a.m. We start the new day removing our curiosity about the **potato omelette skewers of the Kazeta ** (Alameda San Mamés, 6), awarded with the ' Bilboko Tortilla’ of 2015. Indeed they deserve their fame, and the one that comes seasoned with York ham and cheese on top, together with a coffee with milk, makes up a breakfast as succulent as overwhelming.
11:00 a.m. With our bellies full again, we went down for a walk through Hurtado de Amezaga to turn right for Navarra. There we will find the beautiful views that the Old Town , our morning destination, offers from the other side of the estuary. As soon as you cross the Arenal Bridge he stands proud Arriaga Theater , with the best programming in the city. Now it's time to get lost in the Seven Streets and discover the Cathedral of Santiago, the Fuente del Perro, the Church of San Antón...
1:00 p.m. It is time to continue with the strict gastronomic day at the ** Xukela ** (C/ El Perro, 2), a homey place where you can pour a wine accompanied by a mushroom pintxo with foie or anchovies with cheese. The tasting will continue just a few meters away, in the Rio-Oja (C/ El Perro, 4) , with some small pots of mussels in sauce and baby squid in their ink.
The Arriaga Theater, proud and imposing
4:00 p.m. . The next thing to cross off the list is to get on the Mount Artxanda , for which we must go to the Funicular Square (next to Castaños street) either taking a walk along the estuary or on the tram. Going up and down will cost us two 0.95 euro bills ; one leaves every 15 minutes, and if we want to enjoy the totality of the panorama, we must stand up in the cabin just behind the driver. Once at the top, we give ourselves a little walk in the park until we lean out the viewpoint to contemplate the whole of the city.
6:00 p.m. Going down, we continue enjoying the estuary through the Uribitarte walk. Mama, the gigantic nightmare spider, will warn us that we have reached the famous Guggenheim museum , with its impossible titanium structure, the latest trends in contemporary art , two restaurants (one upstairs and one downstairs) and her iconic vegetable dog, Puppy , At the other end. Open until 8:00 p.m. and 13 euros for an adult ticket.
8:00 p.m. . After the museum we finished the walk along the estuary to the tram stop of the Euskalduna Palace . There are two possibilities here, like in the Choose Your Own Adventure books: if you want to go out, take the one that goes to the Old Town and discover the gambling dens that the iturribide street , ideal for lovers of rock, punk and metal . If you want to 'calm down', take the tram in the opposite direction and get off at the last stop on the Autonomy Street. Here we can end the day as we began, in the Kazeta , this time trying one of his fantastic gin and tonics.
The Old Town, always alive
SUNDAY:
10:00 a.m. The plan for today is to put in from the first hour the gear in the trunk of the car and get closer to see various things that are on the outskirts of the city before heading home. The first is to go up to the Sopelana beach , on the right bank of the Nervión, whose camping It is the option of many tourists in the summer months. There we can take a walk on the sand and have an aperitif in the Rock of Sopelana , restaurant with sea views. We keep going down until we stop at the Old Port of Algorta , in Getxo, an idyllic fishing village that will leave us with a great feeling in our mouths before leaving.
1:00 p.m. On the way to the left bank, we look at the famous suspension bridge , ferry built on the Nervión River. Before we hit the road back, and if we happen to be followers of Skorbuto (one of the most famous punk bands that the city has produced), we will find in Santurce a couple of places frequented by fans of half a planet: the statue dedicated to the guitarist and singer, Iosu Foundling , on Vallejo de Mamariga street, and the Kabiezes cemetery, where the remains of both Expósito and the bass player and singer rest, Jualma Suarez.
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Leaving Bilbao a little, this wonder
It is worth stopping in Puerto Viejo de Algorta