Vizcaya Province - Bilbao, Bay of Biscay, Guernica

Subscribe To This Site

All About Vizcaya Province

Where To Stay and What To See And Do

In many respects, Vizcaya Province is the heartland of the Basque country.

With its muscular capital of Bilbao, its breathtaking Bay of Biscay coastline and its hidden valleys, it really has got a lot going for it.

The once unattractive industrial city of Bilbao has re-invented itself over the last decade - now it's clean, green and cultural.

Its centrepiece is Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum, now the city's main tourist attraction and remarkable both for its contents and architecture - this swirling structure, which at times resembles a boat at others a fish, houses a permanent collection of modern and contemporary art, including Picasso, Braque, Mondrian, Klee and Kandinsky and also hosts high quality temporary exhibitions.

Bilbao's Old Town or Casco Viejo is also worth exploring - dating from the 14th century, it offers streets full of restaurants and bars, the Gothic Santiago Cathedral, the arcaded square of Plaza Nueva and the fascinating Basque Archeology Museum.

Shared with the neighbouring province of Guipúzcoa, the Costa Vasca or Basque coast is characterised by abrupt cliffs and countless bays and coves against a setting of against verdant fields and wooded hills. Picturesque fishing villages and small holiday resorts such as Zumaia and Getaria are wonderful places to get away from it all.

Other good places to stop are the Cuevas de Santimamiñe with their stalactites and stalagmites and well-preserved prehistoric paintings or the charming town of Balmaseda, whose medieval hump-backed Puente Viejo, Gothic San Severino church and 18th century town hall are amongst the finest examples of local architecture.

No visit to Vizcaya Province would be complete without taking in the small town of Guernica - the spiritual home of the Basques. Basque assembliess met under an old oak tree here for centuries, and perhaps because of this it was chosen by Franco and Hitler as the target for the first systematic bombing by the Nazis on 26 April 1937.

The tragedy of Guernica is portrayed in Pablo Picasso's famous painting of the same name.

Where To Stay In Biscay Province

If you're looking for somewhere to stay in Vizcaya Province, please use the Hotel Search at the top of the page to find rooms in the Bilbao area.

The engine searches the databases of hundreds of agencies and returns with a list of hotels at all prices and star ratings. Once you click through, you can make the booking directly with the company or hotel.

If you're looking for something a little cheaper or even further off the beaten track, Click Here For The Best Prices And Widest Choice of Hostels in Vizcaya Province

You get full choice of star ratings at a cheaper price if you book just before you leave, so please visit Late Rooms in Vizcaya Province for the best last minute deals.

Furthermore, one of the best ways of getting about the province is by car, so Click Here for the Car Hire Search of Bilbao Airports and the major towns in Vizcaya Province.

Are You Looking For Something In Particular?
Please Type In Your Keywords To Search Spain-Football.Org Or Why Not Post A Question On The Forum?

Airports:
Bilbao Airport

Football Clubs:
Athletic Bilbao

Books and Guides to The Basque Country:
On Amazon.co.uk | On Amazon.Com

Return To The Basque Country

Return To HomePage