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Bizkaia Worldwide Europe y Basque Country y y BIZKAIA y BIZKAIA_LONDON.QXP 20/2/09 10:47 Página 4

Presentation Summary

CUTTING-EDGE MODERNITY AND TRADITION ARE BLENDED IN BIZKAIA WITH THE UTMOST RES- PECT FOR THE HERITAGE OF AN AGE-OLD EUROPEAN PEOPLE WHOSE SIGHTS ARE SET FIRMLY ON INNOVATION. OURS IS A PEOPLE WITH AN OUTSTANDING RECORD OF PROGRESS IN 6 Bilbao: A Moel City INDUSTRY, CULTURE, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS THAT ALSO LOOKS TO THE FUTURE. A FUTURE IN WHICH WE SHALL SEEK OUT LINKS WITH FRONT-LINE, INNOVATIVE PROPOSALS SUCH AS THOSE NOW APPRARING IN THE EAST, WITH CHINA AT THEIR HEAD, AND IN EUROPE, WITH LONDON AS A NEXUS FOR THE WHOLE WORLD. 14 Biscayan, CHINALONDONBILBAO IS ENVISAGED AS THE SPACE THAT OPENS UP THAT LINK. I HOPE THAT THIS INITIATIVE WILL ATTRACT YOUR INTEREST AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISIT US IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO SEE FOR YOURSELVES THE ATTRACTIONS OF A COUNTRY THAT MAY BE EUROPE'S OLDEST BUT IS NEVERTHELESS LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE WITH THE BRIGHT TITANIUM OF 46 Wines THE GUGGENHEIM AND THE HOSPITALITY OF ITS SINCERE, FREIENDLY, PEACE-LOVING PEOPLE.

COME AND VISIT US.

JOSE LUIS BILBAO EGUREN 62 Cai Guo-Quiang GENERAL DEPUTY FOR BIZKAIA

64 Bilbao Museums

74 Bilbao in Shangái

76 Imagining Bilbao

80 Bizkaia: A Living History BILBAO IN THE NEW GLOBAL REALITY

ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF GLOBALISATION IS THE POSSIBILITY IT GIVES US TO EXCHANGE CULTURAL EXPERIENCES WITH OTHER PARTS OF THE PLANET. AS NEVER BEFORE IN HISTORY, THIS DEMOCRATIZED SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE ALLOWS US TO REACH OUT AND EXPERIENCE VERY DIFFERENT WAYS OF SEEING 84 Gorbeia’s Nature Reserve AND UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD. THIS NEW GLOBAL REALITY IS THEREFORE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR BILBAO, WHOSE HISTORY IS SYNONYMOUS WITH INTEGRATION AND OPENNESS, SINCE AT LEAST THE TIMES OF SHAKESPEARE, WHO, IN THE EARLY 17TH CENTURY SPOKE OF “BILBOES” OR BILBAO SWORDS. SOME SAY THAT BILBAO AS A CITY IS SOMEWHAT REMINISCENT OF LONDON, AND IT IS TRUE THAT TRADE 90 World Heritage Site RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO CITIES GOING BACK CENTURIES HAVE LEFT US THE LEGACY OF SUCH IMPORTANT THINGS IN THE DAILY LIFE OF BILBAO AS FOOTBALL, THE WORD “ALIRÓN” -FROM THE ENGLISH “ALL IRON”- AND THE TRADITIONALLY STYLISH DRESS OF THE BILBAINOS AND BILBAINAS. BILBAO, AS WAS THE CASE WITH LONDON AND THE RIVER THAMES, HAS UNDERTAKEN A COLOSSAL TASK IN RETURNING THE RÍA, OR ESTUARY, TO ITS FORMER SPLENDOUR AND RECUPERATING THE LIFE THAT WAS 96 Las Encartaciones: Large And Small LOST DURING DECADES OF INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY, TO TURN IT INTO THE BACKBONE OF THE NEW MODEL OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT THAT IS CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS. THE BANKS OF THE RÍA ARE HOME TO ARCHITECTURAL LANDMARKS OF THE CATEGORY OF THE GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM, THE EUSKALDUNA CONFERENCE CENTRE AND CONCERT HALL AND THE 100 : The Valley Of Tranquility ABANDOIBARRA RIVERSIDE PROMENADE, WHICH HAVE PUT BILBAO ON THE WORLD CULTURE MAP AND AT THE FOREFRONT OF INTERNATIONAL URBAN PLANNING. BUT BILBAO IS ALSO THE CASCO VIEJO, ITS OLD QUARTER, WITH THE SAN ANTÓN BRIDGE AND CHURCH-THE SYMBOLS OF THE CITY-, WITH THE CATHEDRAL OF SANTIAGO AND ITS SIETE CALLES OR SEVEN STREETS BUSTLING WITH SHOPS, BARS AND AUTHENTIC SHRINES TO GASTRONOMY AND EXCELLENT DINING. 104 Urdaibai BILBAO IS ALSO ARTXANDA, WITH ITS FUNICULAR RAILWAY AND ITS BREATHTAKING PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE CITY; AND THE BASILICA OF BEGOÑA, DEDICATED TO THE PATRON SAINT OF BIZKAIA. BILBAO IS EACH AND EVERY NOOK OF ITS ANCIENT TOWN AND EVERY NEIGHBOURHOOD OF THE MODERN METROPOLIS, BECAUSE THE BEST OF BILBAO IS NOT ITS GASTRONOMY, NOR ITS BROAD ARRAY OF CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS -OPERA, THEATRE, MUSIC, MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES-, NOR ITS SEMANA GRANDE CELEBRATIONS IN AUGUST -WITH OVER 300 FREE EVENTS-, NOR ITS AVENUES, PARKS AND SQUARES INVITING THE PUBLIC 112 That’s The Way We Are TO RELAX AND ENJOY ITSELF. THE BEST OF BILBAO IS THE WELCOMING, TOLERANT CHARACTER OF ITS PEOPLE, THEIR SOLIDARIDITY, THE AIR OF SAFETY THAT YOU BREATHE THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND THE APPRECIATION FOR A JOB WELL DONE AND THE SMALL PLEASURES IN LIFE. BILBAO AWAITS YOU WITH OPEN ARMS. 122 The Cultural City IÑAKI AZKUNA MAYOR OF BILBAO

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A MODEL BILBAO CITY BIZKAIA_LONDON.QXP 17/2/09 16:59 Página 8

The 2004 edition of the Venice Biennial, which brings together the avant- garde of international architecture, hit the nail on the head regarding the transformation process that Bilbao has undergone in the last decade. According to these experts, the urban revolution that the City of Bilbao has undergone “is a particularly significant experience of many years, and goes far beyond the success of the Guggenheim Museum". They say it is the best example of the symbiosis between a major city and its river. This par- ticular relationship, which was given the Jury Award in the competition, cle- arly explains the evolution of the city in its leap from an industrial past to a present-day activity that has not forgotten its origins, but has expanded its offer to both culture and leisure. Nowadays, Bilbao is a model city, built for and along its river - which slices the city in two -; a river that has been recovered for the enjoyment of its inhabitants, concentrating architectural and cultural landmarks that are in perfect balance and harmony with each other (Guggenheim Museum, Euskalduna Palace). The river has further- more established communication between the different parts of the city and has turned its docks into large recreational areas. History teaches us that the Nervión River has always been part of the city, but with a completely different mission. Since its founding as a City by Don Diego López de Haro, on 15 June 1300, the city had been adapting to the changes of times, but it was not until the 19th century that the city faced its first major revolution. During this century, Bilbao was designated capital of and embarked on the industrial development of its metropolitan area, with mining and iron and steel industry, as well as shipping and rail- way companies. Banks and even the Stock Exchange made their appea- rance. Bilbao, which up until then had consisted of the Old Town (Casco Viejo) and Old Bilbao (Bilbao La Vieja) - nuclei of population par excellence -, needed to grow physically. Thus began, in 1870, an annexation process, first taking , then Begoña, and later Deusto and Luchana.

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for its practical benefits, but also as a sculptural work of Are we that different? Have we changed that much? art. César Pelli was responsible for the Urban No, Bilbao will always be “el botxo”, a city of provinces Development Plan of the Abandoibarra area - a new dis- - not to be mistaken with a provincial city -, protected trict which allows the city a perfect view of its river -, by mountains, and which conserves the best parts of where the Guggenheim Museum and Euskalduna its history in its Old Town. The urban nucleus of the city Palace are located, along with other recently construc- is also a perfect example of intense citizen life - the ted buildings: the Sheraton Hotel, designed by the authentic everyday life - without much ado, but with a Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta; the Zubiarte lot of insistence. To really get to know Bilboa, make Shopping and Leisure Centre, created by Robert Stern; sure you wander the Seven Streets (Siete Calles) and the Maritime Museum Ría de Bilbao, etc... The last ones discover its hidden squares, streets and corners. Visit to arrive have been the Anglo-Iraqi architect Zara Hadid, the churches of Santiago, San Antón and San Nicolás, in charge of the regeneration project of Zorrozaurre of different architectural styles, but clearly showing the peninsula, and the Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, City's interest to incorporate new fashions in each age creator of the Uribitarte housing project. Architecture of splendour. Also make sure you visit La Ribera with a signature - that stands without question - for a Market, which claims to be the largest covered retail city that has also opened up to the most respected food market in Europe, closely related to yet another of brands and names in international design, such as Bilbao's traditions: that of a hospitable city, always Javier Mariscal, for example, in charge of designing the willing to celebrate any type of greeting, be it a “hello” Gran Hotel Domine. or a “goodbye”, around a well-stocked table.

The newly founded city also faced architectural renova- that astonishes the world and that, after more than 700 tion, with the construction of some of its most emblema- years of existence, prides itself of an aesthetic compo- tic monuments, such as the Plaza Nueva, Arriaga nent that stands out over the rest of the city's virtues. Theatre... A new eclecticism arose, defining the cons- Next we have the Bilbao Underground, both useful and tructions erected in the Ensanche: Neo-Gothicism com- beautiful, created by Sir Norman Foster, which incorpo- bined with 20th century and rationalism, with rates an element of the architect's personality: the “fos- clear references of “mountain” and Basque style. The teritos” or shelters that cover the accesses to the under- whole area, with such important references as Chavarri ground stations of Bilbao. They are unique, and that Palace (headquarters of the Government Delegation), also goes for Euskalduna Palace, designed by archi- Casa Sota or Casa Montero, located in one of the adja- tects Federico Soriano and Dolores Palacios, and cent streets to Plaza Moyúa, surprises in any case for worthy example of urban poetry: its structure symbolizes its vitality and characteristic sobriety. a large ship (it was actually built in the same way as a Nowadays, we talk of a new Bilbao and of another ship: with frames) and represents the last ship built by major revolution, following almost the same guidelines the former Euskalduna Shipyard, on whose site this as two centuries ago: transformation of the urban envi- modern Conference and Performing Arts Centre is loca- ronment and architectural renovation. It is a revision of ted. Santiago Calatrava, another guru of international the City, an example of the desire to enter the 21st cen- architecture, put his stamp on two important architectu- tury as a major city of reference at international level. ral works: Bilbao International Airport, also known as La Most importantly, Bilbao is home to Frank O. Gehry's Paloma (The Dove), and Zubizuri Bridge, a white and Guggenheim Museum, the icon par excellence of a city airy footbridge over the river Nervión, not only important

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BISCAYAN

BASQUE CUISINE BIZKAIA_LONDON.QXP 17/2/09 16:59 Página 16

RESTAURANTE

AIZIAN

JOSÉ MIGUEL

OLAZABALAGA

HOTEL SHERATON BILBAO LEIZAOLA, 29 48001 BILBAO www.restaurante-aizian.com

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RESTAURANTE

ARBOLA-GAÑA

AITOR

BASABE

RESTAURANTE ARBOLA-GAÑA PLAZA DEL MUSEO, S/N. 48009 BILBAO

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RESTAURANTE

AZURMENDI

ENEKO

ATXA

RESTAURANTE AZURMENDI LEGINA AUZOA 48195 www.azurmendi.biz

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RESTAURANTE

BOROA

JAVIER

GARCÍA

RESTAURANTE BOROA Bº BOROA. CASERÍO GARAY, 11 48340 AMOREBIETA www.boroa.com

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RESTAURANTE

GAMINIZ

AITOR

ELIZEGI

RESTAURANTE GAMINIZ PARQUE TECNOLÓGICO, EDIF. 212 48170 . BIZKAIA www.gaminiz.com

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RESTAURANTE

PALACIO ORIOL

TXOMIN

GÓMEZ

RESTAURANTE PALACIO ORIOL AVDA. CRISTÓBAL MURRIETA, 27 48980

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RESTAURANTE

ZORTZIKO

DANIEL

GARCÍA

RESTAURANTE ZORTZIKO ALAMEDA MAZARREDO, 17 48001 BILBAO www.zortziko.es

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PASTELERÍA

DON MANUEL

MANUEL

ANGULO

PASTELERÍA DON MANUEL ALMDA. URQUIJO, 39 - 48010 BILBAO www.pasteleriadonmanuel.com

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RESTAURANTE

ASIA CHIC

PEDRO

LI

RESTAURANTE ASIA CHIC LEDESMA, 30. 48001 BILBAO www.restauranteasiachic.com

32 33 BIZKAIA_LONDON.QXP 17/2/09 16:59 Página 34 CUISINE IN BIZKAIA

Today's classical Basque cuisine, known the world over, bears very little relation to the gastronomy of centuries New Basque Cuisine ago. This is borne out by the large numbers of great chefs and wonderful cookery last century and during this cen- This wonderful cuisine of the latter part of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century took its qualitative tury, and also by the testimony of many pilgrims who arrived in this land at some point, and fully enjoyed its culture leap due to shorter cooking times, a path of balance trodden between roasts and stews, new ways of cooking cod, and natural beauty and, of course, the gastronomy and food they encountered. lighter sauces etc., bringing Euskadi to a high point in its gastronomic history and elevating Basque cuisine to the For many centuries production and, therefore, food, focused on millet, beans, apples and other fruits, cider, the fruit Mount Olympus of international gastronomy, a position it most certainly deserves. of the chestnut tree - which used to cover large sections of the landscape - local vegetables, fish from rivers and the sea, products related to shepherding (milk and cheese), and beef and pork, among other foodstuffs. CUISINE IN BIZKAIA Forlorn by scribes - with the exception of a number of mainly foreign travellers who made notes on Bizkaia and The discovery of America cooking in Bizkaia - it was almost the 19th century before the reality of this province became clear, particularly in The discovery of America had a considerable effect on this subsistence lifestyle, since it brought back new foods- relation to cuisine. tuffs. It had such an effect, in fact, that we could even talk of a before and an after. It was a tireless traveller and chronicler, Juan Eustaquio Delmas, who reported this reality in his guide (Guía del America meant not only the discovery of a continent, but also, especially, new products to be grown which began to Señorío de Vizcaya). be used in the Basque Country, and new additions to our diet. Some of these were beans and maize - which soon Thanks to Delmas, we now know that in the Bizkaia of the 19th century local food was not bad at all, and people replaced millet - tomatoes, peppers, potatoes and cocoa. These are perfectly integrated now as autochthonous pro- did not go hungry. Some locals even contracted illnesses from eating too much - these people would visit spas or ducts. Without them, Basque cuisine would not be as we know it today. similar centres for a “cure”, where they would also enjoy the food served to them there. During the 14th century, when the first villa cities were founded, the middle and upper classes emerged and, toget- Patients confronted their liver complaints or “stomach acidity” with “exquisite dinners, with plenty of salmon, trout, her with the clergy, they enjoyed fine meals well supplied with food and drink. Bilbao, for example, which already hake, eels, grouper, crab and other fine fish. French and Spanish fare served”. had a thriving commercial class, used its estuary to become a major calling port for goods from all over Europe As we may observe, fish carried a certain amount of weight in this cuisine - as we might expect in a province such during the 16th and 17th centuries. as Bizkaia, with all its rivers and ports. Subsequently, the association of Caballeritos in Azcoitia and the Sociedad Bascongada de Amigos del País also played a major role in Basque food culture, due to their concern with improving 18th century agriculture. Canned fish Moreover, if the discovery of America constituted a qualitative leap in terms of Basque food and cooking, the indus- These fish were caught in large quantities, and many of them sent to Old and New Castile, Aragón, La Rioja and trial and commercial boom throughout the 19th century added its influence to local gastronomy. This created a other provinces, although some were kept for canning in brine by Joaquín Garamendi, Hilarión de Hornaza, José wealthy bourgeoisie which, to a certain extent, drew up the broad outlines of what Basque cuisine is today. Aberasturi or Manuel de Azcoitia, among others. These were the first steps taken in fish canning in . Fish in During its industrial revolution, the city of Bilbao opened up to enlightened cookery. French chefs and guisanderas brine transported in barrels was followed by canned fish. Two factories opened in Bermeo to carry on this activity: from Asturias arrived at the homes of the well-to-do bourgeois, mostly around Neguri. Garrés y Compañía and Arzadun y Compañía.

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The first two stages were followed by a third featuring Elvers the “disembarkment” of Italians who settled at , However, if this fossilised fish was, and still is, an Bermeo, and Getaria. So it was that, alongside important feature of culinary tendencies in Bizkaia local producers such as Cesáreo Garavilla, José Vila and Bilbao, elvers were also a fine delicacy in Bilbao. and José Serrat, the Genoa Fisheries Company emer- “Speciality of Bilbao and its estuary. The best are ged as the spearhead of the initial disembarkments, caught on the Island. They are delicate little fish, thick together with Parodi, Peleas and the Societá as a dove's quill and three inches long, which turn Comerciale. At the beginning of the 20th century more white after they have been prepared for the table.” Italians arrived in the area - Cusumano, Albo, San And, although fish were caught in other parts of Filippo and Valdano. Today the Cusumano are still part Bizkaia - , for example - according to Emiliano of Bermeo, while Dentici and Mariano are in Ondarroa; de Arriaga, apparently the Bilbao elvers were the Billante and Zizzo in , and Oliveri in Getaria. best:

Cod They are caught at night, a slow and laborious task However, if one type of fish has become the watchword since this is the worst time of year, in the harshest for cooking in Bizkaia, and Bilbao in particular, this has months of winter. This is why this tasty little fish can to be cod. Cod is a genuine philosophy, a peculiar man- fetch such exorbitant prices. ner of understanding gastronomy in Bizkaia. Obviously And, talking of an expensive whim, what can we say Bizkaia cuisine is much more than just cod, but there is about the prices they fetch nowadays, between 500 no doubt that this fish, and the gastronomy surrounding and 600 euros a kilo and more, particularly at festive it, is one of its emblematic features. times of year such as Christmas? Figures which sur- Its importance is borne out by genuine culinary formulae pass the previous figures, as some modern recipes from the classical pil-pil recipes to vizcaína sauce, cod do with respect to traditional fare. Club Ranero - the work of the French chef Alejandro One example of this is the method used by the Caveriviere, who was hired to work at the Sociedad (Axpe-Atxondo) chef Víctor Arguinzoniz - Bilbaína in 1900, and left this wonderful dish as his grilling with a mesh pan created ex profeso for this legacy - cod in the four flavours of Genaro Pildaín, and purpose, allowing the fragrances of the wood to cod salad by Ángel Lorente. All of them delicious. impregnate the elvers.

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Steaks This activity commenced in the mid-19th century, with Cheese And if cod and elvers are two of the basic kitchen ingredients in Bizkaia, the aim of improving the various breeds in the Basque Cheese is another of the basic features of food and gas- the kitchen would be as nothing if we did not make some reference to Country. went to England, Switzerland and tronomy in Bizkaia, and of the Basque Country in gene- meat, and to chuleta steaks in particular. in search of studs from breeds such as ral. This is due to the tradition of Basque shepherds We have the famous steaks served up by “Catarro” at his Gernika Durham, Ayr and Swiss beef, and Leicester and who moved from the valley to the mountain and from inn, based on nothing more and nothing less than three chuletas. He Berkshire pork. farmsteads to meadows in search of the best pastures cooked them one on top of the other, and so only the exterior steaks Today we can enjoy a beautiful chuletón at restaurants for their autochthonous latxa and carranzana herds. were grilled, segregating the juice to the steak in the middle to be eaten such as Baserri Maitea, Gaztañaga, Ripa, Zaldua, In Bizkaia, the summer mountain pastures belonged to by diners. Oteiza, Etxebarri, Horma Hondo, Casa Rufo, Castillo the local authorities. They rented them out to shepherds, To produce good steaks, you need good cattle. de Arteaga and Guetaria, among others. who could not build permanent huts or cabins as their BIZKAIA_LONDON.QXP 17/2/09 16:59 Página 40

own property, as they could in Araba and Nafarroa. Thus the roofs were not tiled, nor could they build a chimney, a symbol of ownership in the Basque Country. Here they tended to their herds and made their cheeses with a number of utensils, mostly fashioned out of birch wood - kaiku, abatza (contai- ners), idazkiak (colanders), malatzak, txurka, zimitza (mould), kartolak and oporrak. Perhaps the most universal Basque cheese is Idiazabal. Smoked or unsmoked, it is produced with full cream milk from the autochthonous breed. It is an extra-fat cheese, with a well- pressed paste, medium to long in maturing, from at least two months to a year or more. It has a pronounced, rather strong taste, oily on the palate, with a mild spiciness. Basque chefs use it in countless recipes.

Duck and foie gras We might say that twenty years ago the elitist connotations in relation to this animal were smoothed over, particularly to its liver, foie gras, which suddenly found itself rubbing shoulders with glamorous products such as caviar and champagne. Its culinary tradition was rooted in France, particularly in the 1980s, and its beginnings in the Basque Country were in Aranaz, with the emergence of the first company producing Moulard duck foie gras and confits. This initiative by Javier Martikorena was followed by others farther afield, such as Legutiano, Larrabetzu, and , among others. The tradition has now been popular for some years after a number of initiatives and hard work. BIZKAIA_LONDON.QXP 17/2/09 16:59 Página 42

The industrial revolution The industrial revolution was a key factor in the development of local cuisine in Bizkaia. During the industrial revolu- tion of the mid-19th century, prosperous members of the bourgeoisie arrived, and with them haute cuisine with an unmistakeable French accent to refine cookery in Bilbao and the rest of Bizkaia province. During this period, many French chefs came to cook for the bourgeoisie settling into the great mansions of Neguri. This was all reflected in the cuisine of Bilbao's El Amparo restaurant, where a team of sisters, Ursula, Sira and Vicenta Azcaray y Eguillor, produced the food they had learned to make in French restaurants at the end of the 19th century, and they brought these back with other recipes traditional to Bilbao and Bizkaia. So it was that, on the same level as the best of international cuisine, the three sisters at this temple of gastronomy in Bilbao served up porrusalda leek and potatoes, potatoes in green sauce and beans with meat, bacon and chori- zo, Normandy sole, Colbert sole, Margnerie and à la Mornay, among others. Here cod was also on the menu in ten different recipes, and hake in fifteen of them, in addition to a wonderful vizcaína sauce for tripe, pig's cheek, snails, trotters and cod. El Amparo also served up the beautiful desserts available in Bilbao at that time: relámpagos, pastry canutillos, chu- chus, macaroons, mille-feuilles, cream bartolillos, rusos, meringues and tocino de cielo pudding, among many others. To these we must add home-made desserts such as creamed rice, custard and compote, for example, which diners would delight in after the main courses.

The Mecca of gastronomy Bizkaia cuisine is the cooking of cod, vizcaína cod and Club Ranero, but we must not forget the bilbaína and pil-pil varieties. It is also the cooking of hake in green sauce, fried, the Bilbao or Ondarroa albardada varieties; baby squid from ; turbot and sole from ; sea bream a la bilbaína with garlic and peppers; Bermeo's potato and bonito marmitako; elvers pil-pil with garlic and peppers; hake throat kokotxas in green sauce; ox steaks a la bil- baína or villagodios; pisto egg scramble; Santurtzi's sardines … And Basque cuisine is also the cuisine of its white txakoli wine and cider, cheeses such as Idiazabal, large amounts and wide varieties of fish and vegetables - haricots, tomatoes, spicy peppers, green peppers and red beans.

Vizcaína sauce And while making reference to key features of Bizkaia gastronomy in particular and Basque gastronomy in general, we should make over an entire chapter to salsa vizcaína which, as the name suggests, is the province's most emblematic sauce. It is one of the most peculiar sauces in Basque cuisine, colourist and simple, used for cod, tripe, pig's cheek, trot- ters and snails, although it goes perfectly well with many other foodstuffs. What are the ingredients? We might say that the basic components are spicy choricero pepper, onion and olive oil. It was olive oil which replaced grease or bacon in earlier recipes. These are the basic ingredients - there is another component, tomato, which appears in some formulae and not in others. This has been, and remains, a controversy between gastronomes and chefs, some of whom prefer it to be added, whilst others are, of course, opposed. Arguments apart, the most common recipe is with dry choricero peppers, an amber-coloured onion, and quality olive oil. In any case, other varieties include croûtons, biscuits and/or flour to thicken the sauce.

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Txoko gastronomy clubs These are private clubs with their own articles of association, where friends and food lovers meet to prepare their own meals. Although the present structure of the dates back to the 1950s, they had been in existence long before this, pre-dating even the gastronomic associations typical of Donostia. It may be said - as the journalist José Luis Iturrieta remarked - that this type of association emerged in Bizkaia, since records exist prior to 1839 of gastro- nomy txokos in the province, known as cuarteles.

Euskadi, a land producing chefs Although when we talk of cooks, we always mean the professional chef cooking in a public place such as a restau- rant or a hotel, in the case of Bizkaia and the Basque Country, in addition to these chefs - of which the province has always produced a fair amount - there is also a genuine army of amateur chefs who display their culinary art at the txokos, and etxekoandreak (housewives) are also legion. The etxekoandreak have played a key role in preserving and handing down recipes, and also in feeding their hus- bands and children. To a certain extent, in many cases they were “catering school teachers” when there were no catering schools, and they have trained some of the greatest chefs in the business nowadays. Many of them learned the secrets of cookery when they were servants and wet nurses at the homes of the well-to-do bourgeoisie. It comes, therefore, as no surprise, to learn that the best food during the first half of the 20th century was eaten at restaurants run by women, such as El Amparo in Bilbao, or Nicolasa in San Sebastián. We could also say that in days gone by guisanderas have taught many great chefs from Bizkaia in particular, and the Basque Country in general. Two of today's great chefs, for example: Genaro Pildaín and Juan Mari Arzak. In addition to these chefs and the wonderful cookery teachers, some of whom still cook at certain restaurants, there can be no doubt that Euskadi has been, and still is, an enormous producer of chefs - not only for restaurants in the Basque Country and the State in general, since we also “export” them to other countries such as the United States, for example.

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WINES

AmongAmong itsits beverages,beverages, EuskadiEuskadi hashas thethe famousfamous RiojaRioja AlavesaAlavesa wines;wines; cidercider inin GipuzkoaGipuzkoa andand Bizkaia;Bizkaia; whitewhite txakolitxakoli winewine inin thesthesee provinces,provinces, andand inin ArabaAraba too,too, althoughalthough thethe practicepractice isis moremore commoncommon inin BizkaiaBizkaia fromfrom thethe pointpoint ofof viewview ofof bothboth productionproduction andand consumptionconsumption -- aa traditiontradition goinggoing backback centuries.centuries. BIZKAIA_LONDON.QXP 17/2/09 16:59 Página 48 BILBAO INTERNATIONAL WINE CAPITAL

Since October 2002 Bilbao, in conjunction with La Rioja, The members of the network meet every year at the annual assembly has formed part of the network of international wine capi- organised by one of its members. Specifically, from 5 - 9 October 2003 tals. Bilbao-La Rioja thus constitutes another “capital” in Bilbao-La Rioja organised the 5th Annual Assembly of the Network of the network, alongside Bordeaux, Santiago de Chile, San Capitals and Major Vineyards. The event was attended by over one Francisco, Florence, Porto, Melbourne, Cape Town and hundred wine experts from all over the world, mainly from the other Mendoza, the world's main winemaking regions. capitals forming part of the Network of Capitals and Fine Wines. The network was created in 1999 - it establishes syner- As part of this encounter, participants visited major wine centres and gies between the various regions of the network and its also the “On the Grapevine” exhibition at the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum, members and other winemaking regions worldwide, and and an International Symposium at the Guggenheim Museum, promotes its wines beyond state borders. “Investment in the wine sector and associated businesses”. BIZKAIA_LONDON.QXP 17/2/09 16:59 Página 50

TXAKOLI

Txakoli is a wine made from grapes to specific characteristics, traditionally produced in Bizkaia. In fact, there were certain regulations such as the 1338 ruling in Lekeitio which exempted the wood used for vineyard arbours from taxation, showing just how important the product was at the time. Likewise, the privileges of the newly-founded town of , as laid down in edicts by Juan I in 1369 and 1372, make reference to vineyards: “… it is in the said conditions that I do give them these lands and vineyards and orchards and mills and canals”.

Privileges These and other vineyards at the time required protection against competition. So it was that edicts in 1459 forbade any unloading at the port of wines from Castro, Laredo, Bermeo, , Bilbao, Santurce or any other part of the province, unless an equivalent amount of Portugalete wine was also loaded onto the ships. Despite the fact that txakoli was a well-known product at the time, there was no written record of it until 1622 in the Royal Archives, where it appears as “chacolin” in an executoria or edict in relation to Fuenterrabia.

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Until then, since the time of the first edicts in Bilbao in 1399, in Portugalete between 1459 and 1615, and in Bermeo, Lekeitio, , Getaria and , there had been no trace of the word chacolí. In another reference to protectionism, in Bilbao, which had boasted a large number of vineyards from the 14th century until the industrial revolution, there was a considerable conflict between local protectionism and non-local wines - and not just Bordeaux or Rioja wines, but also txakolis from other parts of Bizkaia, as had been the case in Portugalete. Such was the economic value of activity in relation to wine that, in some cases, at the end of the 18th century, for example, local producers attempted to cut back their harvests to increase the value of chacolín. In any case, it was not until the year 1816 that the winemakers of Begoña (now a district of Bilbao) called for complete freedom of sale.

Land of vines In addition to the privileges and boycotts extended by certain bishops, it is obvious that Bizkaia certainly had a large number of vineyards. One witness to such abundance was a traveller by the name of William de Humboldt in 1801, as he reported in his travel diary “Diario del Viaje Vasco”, where he also provided testimony of txakoli as “an excellent wine when made with care, which could be said to lie between Champagne and Moselle”. In addition to the stories related by de Humboldt, there is more testimony in relation to Bizkaia txakoli and vineyards. One such report was made by Fischer on his arrival in Bilbao in 1797, comparing the area to the Swiss countryside: “All around you can see mountains covered with green, vineyards, peaceful, joyful mansions. The low slopes by the river are covered with vineyards tended by villagers on the coast. The major wine centres are Portugalete, and Bilbao is the most famous, with its dependent farmste- ads at Abando and Begoña”.

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Barakaldo and las Encartaciones also had its vineyards, although In addition to Bermeo and Lekeitio, these were not actually in the town in other parts of Bizkaia the local as such, but in the surrounding antei- people also tended vines to make glesias or parishes - Begoña, txakoli, and such was the case in Abando and Deusto. It would appear . This is quite hard to that in Begoña the bumper harvests believe nowadays in view of its of corn, maize and grapes were structure as a large town with a used to make a fine txakoli in those splendorous industrial past, with no days. traces, however, of a txakoli-related Perhaps, however, we must search activity. for the relevance in Bilbao of this beverage in its “marriage” with gas- Txakoli and gastronomy in Bilbao tronomy at the famous chacolines As Fischer reported on his arrival in where the local people would meet Bilbao in 1797 when he compared up to enjoy food and txakoli with the town to the Swiss countryside, it family and friends.

There are also written references to the chacolines, among which those expressed by José Orueta in his book Memorias de un Bilbaíno (1929), where he relates an afterno- on spent in a 19th century chacolín in Deusto: “When we left the factory on a beau- tiful spring afternoon, our great sola- ce was the Chacolí de Isidro in This 19th century chronicler also provided other surprising informa- Deusto (…) what wonderful, wonder- tion, such as the fact that oidium had devastated the annual ful afternoons! What a place the 800,000 litres produced at that time in Lekeitio. This figure gives Isidro was, with its beautiful vines some idea of both the magnitude of the vine disease and of local surrounded by pear trees in season chacolín activity. Those 800,000 litres in 1850 were much more on a fresh green space with its net- than all the txakoli made in Bizkaia and at the beginning work of irrigation and sanitation of the 1990s. channels! Behind, the plantations

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and, beyond, Archanda and Banderas (…) rented out to the local people for chacolí. On arrival, whether they had come from Zorroza or Bilbao, everyone gre- eted the others and tasted a glass of wine, first hol- ding it up to the light and trying it on the palate, and then they would express their opinion.” During the 19th century, it was not just the chacolí at Isidro which was popular - the Lekana and Orueta varieties in Begoña were also famous, as was Arbolagaña's in Ibarrecolanda - at that time none of last century winemakers, cellar these districts were Bilbao proper, but they are now owners and the official Bizkaia cha- part of the city. We might say that these were the colí quality and precedence council beginnings of the catering sector in Bilbao. have been working hard to recover varieties Hondarrabi Zuri and Folle But there were others such as Loroño, Santi, the status quo, and also in the Blanche, and the red Hondarrabi Gardeazabal, Antón, Uriarte, Araluce, Larrazabal, neighbouring provinces of Araba and Beltza. This area is distributed Madariaga, Zelementxu, El Arratiano, Tablas, Zollo, Gipuzkoa, which had their own offi- around Bakio, , , some kind of connection with cial varieties: Getariako Txakolina Balmaseda, , , Bizkaia - wines from Rioja Alavesa, and Arabako Txakolina. Zornotza and Gernika. In 2005 total Nafarroa and the northern Basque At the beginning of the 1980s a production was over 960,000 litres, Country, Iparralde. Rioja Alavesa group of cellar owners founded double the amounts produced in has some 10,906 hectares of vine BIALTXA, the Bizkaia txakoli produ- 2001. with varieties such as Tempranillo, cers' association, with the backing of Txakoli also looks set to join the Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo, the Basque Government and the wine tourism circuit as another Viura, Malvasía and Garnacha Provincial Council of Bizkaia. Their means of relaunch and promotion of Blanca. These are used by 513 wine work produced the official brand of the drink per se, and the culture businesses to produce around 74 txakoli origin and quality in the pro- surrounding it. million litres per year. 70% of this is vince. White txakolis are young dry wines, sold in the State, and 30% overse- This was mostly concerned with with a certain amount of vigour, rat- as. International critics agree that white wines, although wines known her acidic, with primary aromas this wine is one of the world's best. as ojo de gallo or cock's eye had (apples, with a tinge of flowers and Nafarroa has around 18,000 hecta- also been important down through herbs). The red variety is also young res of vine, and 121 businesses pro- the years, and so red wines are now and fruity (raspberry, blackberry, ducing approximately 73 million undergoing a minor revitalisation strawberry …). litres. Iparralde's regulating body, process. Bizkaia now has 287 wine- In addition to txakoli and cider, dis- D.O. Irouleguy, covers 200 hectares makers, over 72 cellar owners and cussed in the next section, there are of vine, used by 10 companies to 210 hectares of vine for the white certain other wines which have produce some 757,000 litres.

Perico, Araluce, Arbolagaña, Ortuondo, and many more. They were all extremely popular. There were two types of chacolín - chacolín in season, and another variety which was drunk all year round. The latter was accompanied by a wide range of food - salads, fried eggs, hake fried or in sauce, cod in pil- pil and vizcaína sauce, sea bream, sardines, baby squid and elvers, among others. But txakoli, or rather, the existence of txakoli, was not only restricted to popular catering establishments and private residences - it was also found at major gastronomic events.

Txakoli nowadays If at first vine disease and subsequently industrialisa- tion, changing lifestyles and growing towns threate- ned to cut short vineyard activities in Bizkaia, since

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CIDER

It is now known that apples were one of the most popular choices for 11th century farmers, not only in Bizkaia, but throughout the Basque Country. It was Aymeric Picaud, a pilgrim visiting the “land of the Basques” on the Jacobean route during the first thirty years of the 12th century, who wrote down his rather unenthusiastic impressions of the trip in his Pilgrim's Guide. He claimed that the entire country was covered by thick forest and high mountains, and that there was no bread, or wine, and few other foodstuffs except apples, milk and cider. Hundreds of years later, during the 16th century, many stone and wood farmsteads were built with apple-pressing and cider-making facilities, as reported by Professor Santana Ezquerra. “ … The main products of the valleys during the 16th century were apples and corn, and the specialisation was clearly reflected in the architecture of the farmhouses. Many such period buildings were built around a gigantic wooden cider-making facility which stret- ched the entire length of the structure and was used to press the fruit harvested at the end of the summer. Although all houses at that time had vats for the cider, many also had a partially buried cellar built into the natural slope of the land.” BIZKAIA_LONDON.QXP 17/2/09 17:00 Página 60

Municipal edicts Apples and cider were of great importance in Bizkaia, although more so in Gipuzkoa, judging from the many municipal edicts, legal rulings, texts and sentences handed down in relation to their production, trade and consumption. These established the planting of apple trees in all precision, in addition to the compulsory charac- teristics of the plantations, and protection of trees and fruit. There were also strict protectionist rules for the cider business, and stipulations as to the distances at which trees were to be planted next to each others - the distance never varied, and was the equivalent of a seven metre square. The laws were extremely rigid and severe, with penalties for anyone who damaged the apples or cider-making facilities. For example, anyone caught destroying more than five trees was banis- hed, and the death penalty was applicable for breaking a barrel of cider. Another clear example of the law may be found in Chapter XXI of the ancient laws in Gipuzkoa, a section dealing exclusively with cider. The first section made it unlawful to add water to cider for sale, and those found selling watered- down cider were fined 6,000 maravedíes, and the cider was confiscated. There was also a fine of 20 ducats payable to the authorities of the area in which the offence was committed. The second and third sections dealt with the same topic, and made it clear that it was also unlawful to bring in or sell cider from other loca- tions outside the province. In Hernani, for example, a draw was made for the cider selling order, so that none of the producers could open a barrel until they had sold the pre- vious barrel. When the time came, it was opened and a branch of ash hung over the entrance to announce the offer for sale. There is a curious anecdote, in fact, in relation to this branch, rama in Spanish. This was apparently used by certain young ladies to disguise their car- nal wares as legitimate business. This could also be the reason why the term ramera was coined to denote prostitutes. Cider was eventually present in all aspects of life in the Basque Country, as attested by the meticu- lous way in which its usage was regulated in the Gipuzkoa Fuero, in which article 29 contained a curious stipulation in the event of fire: “If no water is available, wine or cider may be used to extin- guish fires, and the farms may also be demolis- hed, with compensation paid if need be.” These are but a few stories and anecdotes of a drink which, although more popular in Gipuzkoa, was also drunk in Bizkaia, a territory it shared with txakoli.

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GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM BILBAO CAI GUO-QIANG: I WANT TO BELIEVE

Photo by Ma Da, courtesy Cai Studio ©FMGB. Guggenheim Bilbao Museoa, Bilbao. 2009

TECHNICAL DATA Title: Cai Guo-Qiang: I Want to Believe Curators: Thomas Krens and Alexandra Munroe Venues: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; National Art Museum of China, Beijing; Guggenheim Museum Bilbao Dates: March 17-September 6, 2009 Galleries: Second floor and Atrium Sponsor: BBVA

A stunning overview of Cai Guo-Qiang's creative visual and conceptual language across four mediums: and subversive universe gunpowder drawings, ephemeral explosion events presented here through videos (Cai was a core member Cai Guo-Qiang: I Want To Believe arrives at the of the creative team and director of visual effects for the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao following a recording- opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing 2008 breaking presentation at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Olympic Games), site-specific installations, and social Museum in New York and the National Art Museum of projects that involve local communities in the creation China in Beijing in 2008. This retrospective exhibition of art projects worldwide. The exhibition in Bilbao will charts the career of an artist who has quite literally include Drawing for The Footprints of History, 2008, a exploded the accepted parameters of art making in major new panoramic gunpowder drawing made on the our time. occasion of the opening of the Olympic games, and will Drawing for Footprints of History, 2008 further invigorate the museum's spectacular atrium Gunpowder on paper (11 sheets) After having lived in Japan from 1986 to 1995, Cai through Inopportune: Stage One, 2004, an installation 4 x 33 m (13 x 108 ft) Guo-Qiang (b. 1957, Quanzhou, China) moved to New consisting of eight American-made cars suspended in Collection of the artist York. Since then, he has continued to produce highly mid-motion with protruding light rods. Installation view at the National Art Museum of China, Beijing, 2008 distinctive works that draw freely from a wide range of Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio sources, including ancient mythology, military history, Winner of the Golden Lion Award at the 48th Venice Taoist and Buddhist philosophy, extraterrestrial Biennial for his conceptual retake of the social-realistic Inopportune: Stage One, 2004 observations, gunpowder related technology, Chinese work, Rent Collection Courtyard, 1999 -recreated here Nine cars and sequenced multichannel light tubes medicine, and contemporary global conflicts. especially for Bilbao- Cai Guo-Qiang has earned Dimensions variable international acclaim through his participation in Seattle Art Museum, Gift of Robert M. Arnold, in honor of the 75th Anniversary of the The exhibition in Bilbao has been conceived as a site- exhibitions, biennials, and public events all over the world. Seattle Art Museum, 2006 specific installation framed by the museum's iconic Cai is the recipient of the 7th Hiroshima Art prize, Exhibition copy installed at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, 2008 Frank Gehry-designed building. Cai Guo-Qiang: I Want awarded in 2008 and is the first Chinese-born artist to hold © Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation New York to Believe traces the artist's creation of a distinctive a retrospective exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum. Photo by David Heald

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BILBAO MUSEUMS BIZKAIA_LONDON.QXP 17/2/09 17:00 Página 66

Bilbao Fine Arts Museum First mooted in 1908, the Museo de Bellas Artes was originally a joint ini- tiative of the Diputación (Provincial Council) of Bizkaia and the Bilbao City Council. The new Museum eventually opened its doors to the public in 1914. The Fine Arts Museum was conceived as part of a more general drive to modernise turn-of-the-century Bilbao socially and culturally and to provide members of the local artistic commu- nity with the best possible historical models during their training. Main collections: Classical Art: El Greco, Zurbarán, Murillo, Ribera, Goya, Van Dyck, etc. Contemporary Art: Gauguin, Bacon, Oteiza, Chillida, Tàpies, Barceló, etc. Basque Art: Regoyos, Zuloaga, Echevarría, Iturrino, Arteta, etc. As well as temporary exhibitions.

Basque Museum In 1921, and occupying the ground floor of the cloister, the Museum of Archaeology of Bizkaia and Basque Ethnography opened under the spon- sorship of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia and the City Council of Bilbao. The Basque museum collection brings together the Prehistory and Archaeology of Biscay and the Ethnography and History of the Basque Country, forming a cultural exhibition that reaches beyond the current geographical limits of the Basque Autonomous Community.

Ría de Bilbao Maritime Museum The history of Bizkaia is strongly bon- ded to the history of navigation. Not for nothing, for 700 years, the has been the economic engi- ne of our region. Seven centuries of history that the MMRB has collected in its rooms. The Ría de Bilbao Maritime Museum - Ría de Bilbao Maritime Museum, Bilbao Fine Arts Museum, Bilboko Itsasadarra Itsas Museoa is Diocesan Museum of Religious Art sited on what used to be the dock area of the Euskalduna shipyard in Abandoibarra, the symbol of a new Bilbao, a Bilbao of business activity, leisure, culture, and an Estuary which has retrieved its function as the main axis around which the city is arranged.

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Athletic Club's Exhibition and Trophy Room Holy Week Processions Museum Inaugurated in May 2003, this room holds over a cen- Permanent exhibition of the carved statues and scenes tury of Athletic history. of the Passion of Christ used in the Holy Week proces- Organized in thematic blocks, it is a space that exudes sions in Bilbao. Religious image art. Ornaments, habits, red and white history and where one can pleasantly banners and a varied collection representing the herita- admire the evolution of football equipment, photographs, ge of the “Cofradías” or brotherhoods of Bilbao, inclu- pennants and above all some of the most representative ding photos showing their history, etc. trophies obtained by Athletic in its 110 year history. Guided tours of the San Mamés football stadium will Bilbao Bullfighting Museum also be arranged: The boxes, the Press room, the chan- This museum was opened in 1995. Its permanent exhibi- ging rooms, the bench… tion records the history of bullfighting in Bilbao and Biscay by means of graphic documents. It also includes Guggenheim Museum Bilbao bullfighting costumes, capes, swords, etc. and practically Designed by the North American architect Frank O. all the original posters advertising the main events held Gehry, this unique Museum built on a 32,500 square in Bilbao. metre site in the centre of Bilbao represents an amazing The basic idea behind the Bullfighting Museum of Bilbao construction feat. On one side it runs down to the water- is to provide an understanding of the eight main periods side of the Nervión River, 16 meters below the level of of the history of bullfighting: bullfighting during the Athletic Club’s Exhibition and Trophy Room, Basque Museum, the rest of the city of Bilbao. One end is pierced through Enlightenment, the bullfighters of the 1898 generation Boinas La Encartada Museum, The Pozalagua Caves by the huge Puente de La Salve, one of the main and the era of "Guerrita", the so-called golden age access routes into the city. (Joselito-Belmonte), the ensuing silver age which encom- The artistic programme of the Guggenheim Museum passed the generation of the second republic, the era of Bilbao is composed of selections from its magnificent "Manolete", the 1950s and the era of "El Cordobés". Permanent Collection, consisting of works from all the Guggenheim museums, New York, Venice, Bilbao and Berlin, as well as excellent temporary exhibitions. The building that holds the Museum represents an outs- tanding example of the most avant-garde architecture of the 20th century. The architect, Frank Gehry, designed an audacious sculptural building of titanium, stone and glass, which has been classified by some as a preview of third millennium architecture.

The Bilbao Museum of Art Reproductions The Museum of Art Reproductions in Bilbao was created in 1927, with the idea attributed to Manuel Ramírez Escudero. Its new home, the former Corazón de María church, allows greater emphasis to be placed on the art- works displayed, which mostly correspond to the classi- cal Greek period. Items that stand out among its con- tents are exact life-size replicas of such famous works Diocesan Museum of Religious Art mechanical machinery. A guided visit provides an oppor- as the Winged Victory of Samothrace, Venus de Milo or This Museum exhibits works related to religious art in tunity to experience first hand the valuable heritage of the figures of Moses and Lorenzo de Medici by Bizkaia. The building is the former Convent of “La the mechanical items: the one hundred year old hydrau- Michelangelo. Encarnación” founded in 1515 by Dominican nuns. It lic turbine (once again working and producing electri- opened to the public as a museum in 1995. Collections: city), the old drying shed, the spinning mill, the works- Religious silverware, ancient holy vest-ments, sculpture, hops where the berets were made and finished or the painting, alabaster, ceramics, leat-her, etc. from the spectacular building for blankets and cloth. Romanesque period to the present day. www.laencartadamuseoa.com

Boinas La Encartada Museum The Pozalagua Caves 19th Century factory. 21st Century museum. Below the calcareous massif of Las Peñas de Ranero, The La Encartada wool factory was built in an exceptio- the area has been completely developed so that visitors, nal location on the banks of the Kadagua. The company aided by carefully installed artificial light, can see one of constructed several buildings around the mill, which still the most unusual potholing occurrences in the world. stand today: the factory, houses for the workers and the The cave is 125 metres long, 70 metres wide and 12 chapel, used during the week as a school. The architec- metres high. The central part of the cave houses one of The Bilbao Museum of Art Reproductions tural wealth of the factory is complemented by amazing the largest areas of eccentric stalactites on the earth.

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ARMINZA BAKIO BERMEO

PLENTZIA MUNDAKA ELANTXOBE

SOPELANA LEKEITIO MUNGIA GAUTEGIZ-ARTEAGA

SANTURTZI GERNIKA-LUMO PORTUGALETE ONDARROA ZAMUDIO BILBAO MARKINA-XEMEIN GALDAKAO AMOREBIETA-ETXANO ZALLA BALMASEDA DURANGO ABADIÑO

ZEANURI ELORRIO

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Pacual Abaroa, 10 Hotel Uribe * www.aristieta.com tfno. 94 627 51 74 tfno. 94 680 66 87 - 699 41 59 44 Kandi Baserria: Ugarte Goikoa, 12. /C/ Hotel Harrison Etxea ** Tel.: 94 616 91 00 · Fax: 94 616 91 03 Tel.: 94 684 07 72 www.hoteluribe.com Zarandegi: Angelutxo, 19. /A/ El Avellano: Bº Trespalacio, 14. /A/ tfno. 629 86 39 98 San Pedro, 12. www.ansotegierrota.com Hotel Arrate * Ordaola: Camino Pagasarri, s/n. /A/ tfno. 94 627 51 47 - 656 735 671 tfno. 678 39 43 86 Aldori: Zabale, 8. Gorozika auzoa. /C/ Tel.: 94 630 06 83 · Fax: 94 630 05 31 GALDAKAO Hotel Arresi ** Erribe, 27 tfno. 94 633 80 23 - 678 67 27 18 ELANTXOBE Gailurretan:Lanzasagudas, 17./C/ tfno. 650 40 27 75 - 671 67 10 89 Hotel Konbenio ** Hotel Iraragorri Etxea ** Portugane, 7 (Armintza) Tel.: 94 677 48 63 www.nekatur.net/astobieta.com Ogoño Mendi: Bermokiz, 6. /C/ tfno. 94 680 66 67 - 687 31 33 90 www.aldori.es Konbenio Kalea, 7. Txomin Eguileor, 28. Tel.: 94 684 92 08 PORTUGALETE AMOREBIETA-ETXANO tfno. 657 71 66 48 www.gailurretan.org Pagagoikoa: Agirre, 3. Gorozika auzoa. /C/ Tel.: 94 630 01 87 · Tel.: 94 436 36 01 · www.hotelarresi.com Gran Hotel Puente Colgante *** Ibarra: Ibarra auzoa. /A/ www.nekatur.net/ogonomendi El Herrero: Bº Ambasaguas, 47./C/ tfno. 626 10 56 38 Fax: 94 630 09 02 Fax: 436 36 02 LOIU María Díaz de Haro, 2. tfno. 94 673 41 82 – 656 79 79 61 ELORRIO tfno. 94 680 66 50 www.pagagoikoa.com Hotel Euba *** GAUTEGIZ-ARTEAGA Hotel Loiu *** Tel.: 94 401 48 00 · www.agroturismoibarra.net Arabio Azpikoa: Arabio, 8. /A/ ORDUÑA Ctra. Nacional 634, km 87,3. Hotel Castillo de Arteaga **** Lastetxe Kalea, 24. Fax: 94 401 48 10 Etxano: Dudea, 5. /A/ tfno. 94 658 33 42 Morgota: Basondo. /A/ Lupardika: Donibane, 11. /C/ Tel.: 94 630 06 30 · Fax: 94 630 06 31 Gaztelubide, 7. Tel. y Fax: 94 453 50 77 www.granhotelpuentecolgante.com tfno. 94 673 11 93 – 687 04 27 46 www.nekatur.net/arabioazpikoa tfno. 94 625 27 72 tfno. 945 38 33 71 www.eubahotel.com Tel.: 94 627 04 40 www.hotel-loiu.com www.etxano.com Berriolope: Berrio auzoa, 10. /A/ www.nekatur.net/morgota Arteondo: La Iglesia auzoa, 5. Mendeika /C/ ARMINTZA www.castillodearteaga.com MALLABIA Hotel Rural Batzarkideen Etxea tfno. 94 682 06 40 LARRABETZU tfno. 945 39 66 86 Hotel Arresi ** GERNIKA-LUMO Hotel Rural Mañe ** Bº Abellaneda, 12. La Toba: La Toba, 45. /A/ Galartza Barrena: Zenita, 1. /A/ Miamendi: Legina, 1. /A/ www.arteondo.com Portugane, 7. Hotel Gernika *** Mañe Baserria, 9. Tel.: 94 650 42 01 tfno. 94 610 96 11 - 616 85 99 20 tfno. 94 658 27 07 tfno. 94 455 70 84 Tel.: 94 687 92 08 · Fax: 94 687 93 10 Gangoiti, 17. Tel.: 94 317 22 90 · www.hotelbatzarbide.com www.nekatur.net/latoba www.nekatur.net/galartzabarrena www.miamendi.com Etxeluzea: Donibane auzoa, 8. /A/ www.hotelarresi.com Tel.: 94 625 03 50 · Fax: 94 317 05 01 SANTURTZI Ibarluze: Iguria, 18. /A/ LEZAMA tfno. 656 70 59 11 ARTZENTALES Fax: 94 625 58 74 www.hotelruralmane.com Hotel NH Palacio de Oriol **** Esparta: Esparta Auzoa, 4. /C/ tfno. 94 698 29 74 - 635 71 20 36 Matsa: Aretxalde 153. /A/ www.nekatur.com/etxeluzea Hotel Amalurra * www.hotel-gernika.com MENDEXA Avda. Cristobal Murrieta, 27. tfno. 94 631 79 67 www.nekatur.net/ibarluze tfno. 94 455 60 86 Garai: Beraza Garai, 5. /A/ Bº La Reneja, 35 ** Hotel Metrokua ** Tel.: 94 493 41 00 · Fax: 94 483 78 90 Madariaga: Madariaga, 9. /C/ Patxi Errege: Torrekua bidea, 3 (trasera) /A/ www.nekatur.net/matsa tfno. 94 633 05 06 Tel.: 94 610 95 40 Barrenkale, 5. Karraspio Hondartza. www.nh-hotels.com tfno. 94 631 71 66 - 660 791 034 tfno. 635 74 27 71 - 94 600 05 32 MALLABIA www.nekatur.com/garai www.amalurra.com Tel.: 94 627 01 97 / 656 76 22 17 Tel.: 94 684 49 80 · Fax: 94 684 49 81 Hotel San Jorge ** www.casamadariaga.com www.nekatur.net/patxierrege Trabaku Goiko: Gerea, 1. /C/ Albiltzuko Borda: Albizu, 7. /A/ ARRIGORRIAGA Fax: 94 627 06 75 www.metrokua.com Antonio Alzaga, 51. ATXONDO tfno. 943 17 00 09 - 639 00 25 12 tfno. 944 66 74 42 - 607 90 07 96 Hotel Beñaran ** www.hotelakelarre.com Hotel Villa Itsaso *** Tel.: 94 483 93 93 · Imitte Etxebarria: Axpe Marzana. San Juan, 21 /A/ Arribeiti Zarra: Landatxu-Escuelas www.nekatur.net/trabaku www.albitzukoborda.com Pol. Martiartu, 2 - nº 6. GETXO Likona Auzoa, 30. Fax: 94 483 93 75 tfno. 94 655 01 03 – 625 70 59 20 Arriaga bidea, 10. /C/ Longa Nagusia: Longa Baserria,25. Patxikoren Etxea: Urigoiti, 1. /C/ Te.: 94 671 26 68 · Fax: 94 671 26 69 Hotel El Embarcadero **** Tel.: 606 00 50 05 www.hotelsanjorge.com www.nekatur.net/imitte-etxebarria tfno. 94 471 04 91 Gerea auzoa /A/ tfno. 944 04 60 73 - 679 88 26 88 ATXONDO Avda. Zugazarte, 51. www.hotelvillaitsaso.com Hotel Iruña ** Olazabal Azpikoa: Olazabal auzoa. Axpe. /C/ www.nekatur.net/arribeiti tfno. 94 317 38 55 - 699 00 89 09 www.nekatur.net/patxikorenetxea Hotel Mendi Goikoa *** Tel.: 94 480 31 00 MORGA Francisco Calles, 1. tfno. 619 32 22 52 - 94 681 38 72 Kurutzelarreta: Asua- Erletxes. /C/ www.nekatur.net/longa Etxegorri: Urigoiti, 8. /C/ Bº San Juan, 23. www.hotelenbarcadero.com Hotel Katxi ** Tel.: 94 461 06 01 www.nekatur.net/olazabal tfno. 94 453 18 85 MARKINA-XEMEIN tfno. 636 96 70 66. www.etxegorri.org Te.: 94 682 08 33 Hotel Igeretxe *** Foruen Bidea, 20 (Andra Mari). SONDIKA BAKIO www.nekatur.net/gurutzelarreta Monte Baserria: Arta auzoa, 23. BAKIO Playa de Ereaga, s/n. Tel.: 94 627 07 40 · Fax: 94 627 02 45 Hotel Tryp Sondika *** Bisalde: Zubiaurrealde, 39. /A/ EREÑO (Bolivar). /C/ Kerizara: Kerizara. /A/ Hostería del Señorío de Bizkaia Tel.: 94 491 00 09 · www.katxi.com Ctra. La Avanzada, 2-4. tfno. 94 619 30 19 - 639 21 23 55 Endeitxe: Basetxetas-Atxospe auzoa, 27. /A/ tfno. 606 25 54 24 - 94 413 09 87 tfno. 945 46 14 12 - 605 77 14 79 Gibelorratzag Fax: 94 460 85 99 MUNDAKA Tel.: 94 453 80 52 · www.nekatur.net/bisalde tfno. 94 625 75 11- 650 03 02 31 www.euskalnet.net/montebaserria www.nekatur.net/kerizara Hotel Señorio de Bizkaia ** www.igeretxe.com Hotel Atalaya ** Fax: 94 453 86 20 Basarte: Urkitzaurrealde, 4. /A/ www.nekatur.net/endeitxe Amamana: Urberuaga, Exebarria: Bº Olaeta. /A/ Ibarratorre, 3. Hotel Los Chopos *** Itxaropen Kalea, 1. www.solmelia.com tfno. 94 619 45 62 - 605 02 61 15 Ctra. Larrauskain. /C/ tfno. 945 45 01 23 - 676947523 Tel. y Fax: 94 619 47 25 Avda. Los Chopos, 2. Tel.: 94 617 70 00 · Fax: 94 687 68 99 SOPELANA www.basarte.net Madalen Aurreko: Madalen. /A/ tfno. 94 616 61 55 - 630 80 50 11 www.nekatur.net/etxebarri www.hosteriasreales.com Tel.: 94 491 22 55 · Fax: 94 680 64 00 www.atalayahotel.com Hotel Modus Vivendi *** tfno. 94 625 46 31 Ibarlotza: Amallo auzoa, 25. /C/ SOPUERTA BALMASEDA Hotel Los Tamarises *** Hotel El Puerto * Sipiri, 32. Zearreta Barri: Bide Nagusia, 16 bis. /C/ www.nekatur.net/madalenaurrekoa tfno. 94 616 81 39 Lezamako Etxe: Carral auzoa, 31. /A/ Hotel Convento San Roque ** Playa de Ereaga, s/n. Portu kalea , 1. Tel.: 94 676 70 77 · tfno. 639 49 27 32 - 686 20 58 67 GALDAKAO www.ibarlotza.com tfno. 94 650 42 37 / 630 17 39 12 Campo de las Monjas, 2. Tel.: 94 491 00 05 · Fax: 94 491 13 10 Tel.: 94 687 67 25 Fax: 94 676 63 70 www.nekatur.net/zearretabarri Erdiko Etxe: Kortederra, 10. /C/ Makutegi Nagusi: Altza auzoa, 47 /A/ www.nekaturnet.net/lezamakoetxe Tel.: 94 610 22 68 · Fax: 94 610 24 64 www.lostamarises.com www.hotelpuerto.com www.hotelmodusvivendi.com Gane Landetxea: Goierriko bidea, 33. /C/ tfno. 94 457 32 85 - 630 47 02 91 tfno: 94 616 74 17 - 94 616 87 66 Urrezko Ametsa: Bº Las Muñecas, 9. /C/ www.sanroquehotel.net Hotel Artaza ** Hotel Kurutziaga Jauregia * Hotel Goizalde ** tfno. 94 676 16 83 - 615 74 10 34 www.nekatur.net/erdikoetxe Iketza Goikue: Iturreta auzoa, 24B /A/ tfno. 94 610 48 98 - 627 27 07 97 BARAKALDO Avda. Los Chopos, 12. Kustzio kalea , 1. Avda. Atxabiribil, 60. fax 94 676 16 83 GAMIZ-FIKA tfno: 690 61 20 42 www.urrezko.com Hotel Novotel Bilbao Barakaldo **** Tel.: 94 491 28 52 · Fax: 94 491 29 34 Tel.: 94 687 69 25 Tel.: 94 676 06 57 · Fax: 94 676 53 82 www.nekatur.net/gane Agerre: Azillona. /A/ Intxauspe Baserria: Atxondo auzoa, 10. /C/ Enkartada: Mercadillo, 34. /C/ Río Castaños, 2. www.hotelartaza.com www.kurtziagajauregia.com www.hotelgoizalde.com BERMEO tfno. 94 615 33 18 tfno. 652 77 08 89 tfno. 638 57 91 83. www.enkartada.com Tel.: 94 418 47 00 · Fax: 94 437 37 43 Hotel Neguri ** Hotel Mundaka * ZALLA Artiketxe: Artike, 16. /A/ www.nekatur.net/agerre www.intxauspe.com UBIDEA www.novotel.com Avda. Algorta, 14. Florentino Larrinaga, 9. Hotel Ibarra * tfno. 94 688 56 29 Añibarri: Ergoien, 171. /C/ MARURI Urbide: San Juan, 21. /C/ tfno. 945 45 03 00 Hotel Ivis * Tel.: 94 491 05 09 · Fax: 94 491 19 43 Tel.: 94 687 67 00 Bº Llantada, 11 www.nekatur.net/artiketxe tfno. 94 615 31 75 - 607 40 50 24 Garaizar: Kurtzegana, 11B. /A/ ZAMUDIO Bº de Kareaga Norte, 69. Retuerto www.hotelneguri.com www.hotelmundaka.com Tel.: 94 639 17 01 · Fax: 94 639 10 37 Mañuko Benta: Mañu auzoa, s/n. /A/ www.anibarri.com tfno. 94 615 52 13 - 94 674 14 24 Ilbaiti Aurrekoa: Arteaga, 13. /A/ Tel.: 94 418 01 60 GÜEÑES MUNGIA www.bizkaikojauregiak.com tfno. 94 688 56 01 - fax 94 688 50 00 Elortatxu: Elexalde, 16. /C/ www.nekatur.net/garaizar tfno. 94 452 23 70. www.dormirbilbao.com BASAURI Hotel Erreca * Hotel Golf Palacio Urgoiti **** Hotel Chicote * Kasa Barri: Kasa Barri, 13. Mañu Auzoa /A/ tfno. 656 79 82 53 MEÑAKA Hotel Armiñe *** Bº Lasier, s/n. Crtra. Arritugane, s/n. Bizkaitarra, 2. tfno. 94 688 53 89 - 686 627 430 GAUTEGIZ-ARTEAGA Bekoabadene: Mesterika auzoa, 4. /C/ Altzuste: Altzuste, 63. /C/ C/ Ibaigane, 4 B. Bilbao-Balmaseda, km 17. Tel.: 94 674 68 68 · Fax: 94 674 68 20 Tel.: 94 639 01 78 www.nekatur.net/kasabarri Ozollo: Ozollo auzoa, 3. /A/ tfno. 94 615 65 02 - 656 76 34 95 tfno. 94 673 91 70 - 655 73 54 76 Tel.: 94 426 29 60 Tel.: 94 669 03 30 - 94 669 03 45 www.palaciourgoiti.com ZAMUDIO BERRITUA tfno. 94 625 10 13 - 666 70 57 21 www.euskalnet.net/bekoabadane www.altzuste.com Fax: 94 426 29 61 Hotel Torrebillela ** Hotel Aretxarte *** Orubixe: Madalena, 23. /A/ www.nekatur.net/ozollo Txarbadi: Mesterika auzoa. /A/ Amalau: Ipiñaburu, 48. /A/ BERMEO Hotel Gametxo * Bero kalea, 18. Parque Tecnológico - Edificio 200. tfno. 94 613 92 85 - 620 183 360 Txopebenta: Basetxetas auzoa. /A/ tfno. y fax 94 674 30 27 tfno. 94 631 71 79 - 605 77 19 33 Hotel Txaraka ** Gametxo Auzoa. Tel.: 94 674 32 00 Tel.: 94 403 69 00 · www.nekatur.net/orubixe tfno. 94 625 49 23 - 629 45 50 79 www.txarbadiagroturismo.com www.amalau.com Almike Bidea, 5. Tel.: 94 627 77 10 www.hotusa.es Fax: 94 403 69 01 Urbixa Bekoa: Asterrika. /A/ www.nekatur.net/txopebenta Angoitia: Uribitarte auzoa, 80. /C/ Te.: 94 688 55 58 · Fax: 94 688 51 64 www.hotelgametxo.com Hotel Lauaxeta * www.aretxarte.com tfno. 94 683 33 23 - 657 73 06 28 Ugaldebarri: Kanala. /C/ Solaurren: Marmiz. /A/ tfno. 94 427 01 58 - 651 70 19 38 DERIO IGORRE Lauaxeta, 4. Hotel Artea Errota ** www.nekatur.net/urbixa tfno. 94 625 65 77 - 609 44 81 21 tfno. 94 625 81 18 - 636 26 72 42 www.nekatur.net/angoitia Hotel Andrea *** Hotel Arantza ** Tel.: 94 674 43 80 San Martín de Arteaga, 48. BERRIZ www.nekatur.net/ugaldeberri www.nekatur.net/solaurren Goikoetxe: Goikoetxe, 36. Larrauri, 1 (Antiguo Seminario). Ctra. Bilbao-Vitoria km. 22. MURUETA Tel.: 94 452 34 57 Karteruena: Bº San Lorenzo, 19 Urresti: Basetxetas auzoa. /A/ MENDEXA Uribe auzoa, 80. /A/ Tel.: 94 454 42 38 · Fax: 94 454 43 30 Tel.: 94 673 63 28 · Hotel Ibaigune * ZEANURI (junto al convento). /C/ tfno. 94 625 18 43 Itxas-Ertz: Likona auzoa, 8 bis. /C/ tfno. 94 673 94 80 - 620 14 33 27 www.hotelandrea.com Fax: 94 631 90 85 Larrabe Auzoa, 48. Hotel Rural Etxegana ** tfno. 94 682 41 27 - 606 07 46 70 www.urresti.net tfno. 94 624 31 77 - 656 77 05 99 www.nekatur.net/goikoetxe Hotel Laia *** Tel.: 94 625 72 82 Bº Ipiñaburu, 38. www.karteruena.com www.nekatur.net/itxasertz Eleizondo: Eleizondo, 17. /C/ Parque Tecnológico Zamudio P. 806. Hotel Rural Natxiondo www.ibaigune.com Tel.: 94 633 84 48 / 609 90 20 48 Oka: San Lorenzo Auzoa, 30. /C/ Akuiola: Akuiola Baserria. Laxier auzoa. /A/ Mendexakua: Zelaia. /A/ tfno. 94 673 95 70 - 656 75 05 58 Tel.: 94 431 76 80 · Fax: 94 431 76 81 Soluanes Auzoa, 17. Crtra. BI-2238, km. 47,5 MUXKIZ Fax: 94 633 84 49 tfno. 94 682 79 13 - 679 53 10 06 tfno. 94 684 12 13 - 616 14 90 44 tfno. 94 624 31 08 www.nekatur.net/eleizondo DURANGO Tel.: 94 684 49 47 Hotel Muskiz * www.etxegana.com www.okalandaetxea.com www.akuiolabaserria.com MUNGIA Gran Hotel Durango **** www.natxiondo.com El Haya, 16. ZEBERIO IBARRANGELUA Ibarrondo etxea: Txirlore bidea, Ametzola: Ametzola auzoa, 1. /C/ Gazteiz Bidea, 2. KARRANTZA Tel.: 94 670 78 28 Hotel Artanda * Iturbe: Bº San Bartolome. /A/ Caserío Arboliz: Arboliz, 12. /C/ Larrauri auzoa. /A/ tfno. 94 640 90 80 - 629 42 98 70 Tel.: 94 621 75 80 · Fax 94 621 75 94 Hotel Alma de Romero * www.hotelmuskiz.com Bº Salarian, 8. tfno. 94 618 64 91 - 605 70 88 88 tfno. 94 627 62 83 - 665 73 39 36 tfno. 94 615 55 99 - 605 70 92 24 www.ametzola.net www. granhoteldurango.com Ahedo, 25. Hotel Palacio Muñatones * Tel.: 94 648 12 08 www.nekatur.net/iturbe www.arboliz.net www.euskalnet.net/ibarrondoetxea ZIERBENA Hotel Kurutziaga *** Tel.: 94 680 68 69 - 617 46 24 08 Bº San Julián, 16. www.artanda.net Ontxene: Gorritxikale, 1. /C/ Merrutxu: Arboliz auzoa, 15. /A/ MUNITIBAR La Cruz: Paraje. El Puerto, 51. /A/ Kurutziaga, 52. www.almaderomero.com Tel.: 94 633 88 71 - 94 633 88 74 ZIERBENA tfno. 94 687 03 89 tfno. 94 627 64 35 - 626 86 03 95 Astorki Goikoa: Berreño Auzoa, 14. /C/ tfno. 94 636 50 70 Tel.: 94 620 08 64 · Fax: 94 620 14 09 LEKEITIO www.hotelpalaciomunatones.com Hotel Kaia ** www.nekatur.net/ontxene www.merrutxu.com tfno. 94 625 23 56 - 696 545 528 San Pedro: San Pedro auzoa, 4. /C/ www.kurutziaga.com Hotel Emperatriz Zita *** El Puerto, 19. DIMA ISPASTER www.nekatur.net/astorki tfno. 94 636 87 66 - 620 91 51 49 EA Sta. Elena, s/n. Hotel Ortuella ** Tel.: 94 636 50 53 Makaztui: Makaztui-Bekoa auzoa. /C/ Legortza: Kortazar auzoa, 18. /A/ Garro: Garro Baserria, 33. /C/ ZIORTZA-BOLIBAR Hotel Ermintxo * Tel.: 94 684 26 55 · Polígono Granada, 1. ZIORTZA-BOLIBAR tfno. 94 633 81 60 tfno. 94 684 30 79 - 659 18 97 99 tfno y fax 94 616 41 36 Ikestei: Iruzubieta auzoa, Bolibar. Bº Elejalde-Natxitua Fax: 94 624 35 00 Tel.: 94 635 32 04 Hostería Ziortzako Monastegia www.nekatur.net/makaztui www.nekatur.net/legortza www.nekatur.net/garro tfno. 94 616 81 27 Tel.: 94 627 77 00 www.aisiahoteles.com www.hotelortuella.com Tel.: 94 616 41 79 70 71 BIZKAIA_LONDON.QXP 17/2/09 17:00 Página 72 BIZKAIA_LONDON.QXP 17/2/09 17:00 Página 74

world that need to coordinate actions and projects The integral regeneration of the Old Town, which was involving different that make up a metro- practically razed by floods in 1983, has been specta- politan area. This can all be enjoyed on the 800 squa- cular. Today it is totally restored as regards its archi- re metres to be occupied by the Bilbao stand. tecture and urban infrastructure and has a model mix- "Bilbao Guggenheim ++" is an example of extensive ture of uses and social balance. BILBAO transformation of a city in a short period of 25 years, The pedestrian system and interior mobility in the city progressing from being a dirty, environmentally-dete- have improved exhaustively, with an extensive system riorated city, with an industrial production system in of pedestrian streets, plazas and walks and the spec- recession, to become one of the most attractive cities tacular growth of collective transport, especially the in Europe. metro and tram. The results from the economic and social point of view The presence of art is another identifying feature of are obvious, given that it has moved on from being a the city. Not only the Guggenheim Museum, which is city with a struggling economy and an unemployment one of the leading world references in Contemporary IN SHANGÁI rate of nearly 30% to a city with a more diversified, Art, but also the centenary Fine Arts Museum, the more tertiarised economy, with a growing presence of extensive range of museums, public art, quality archi- The Bilbao transformation process at the 2010 Universal Exhibition in Shanghai innovative activities and almost full employment. tecture, sculptural bridges, foundations, events and Moreover, the social integration levels in the different programmes related with art. Art is proving to be an districts of the city have improved spectacularly. important driver for innovation, it has helped to The image of the city has totally changed both among strengthen the feeling of belonging and the image of the citizens of Bilbao and as regards the city's image excellence associated with the new Bilbao city model. Bilbao's urban renewal experience is to travel to the of intelligent instruments to transform the territory, when seen from outside. It has advanced from an Bilbao will accompany cities like London, Osaka, 2010 Universal Exhibition in Shanghai as an example such as the company Bilbao Ría 2000. image of a polluted industrial city to a city with attracti- Vancouver, Rotterdam, Hong Kong, Seoul, Cairo of one of the urban best practices in the world. ve urban spaces, high quality architecture and extraor- and Taipei, among others. The expected 70 million Bilbao will have an exclusive area inside a 15-hectare Bilbao, a liveable city dinary cultural possibilities that has led to Bilbao being visitors will be able to explore the projects of 30 cities Expo site dedicated to urban best practices, in which In addition to Bilbao, Hong Kong, Paris, visited by more than 1,000,000 tourists each year. The in Europe, 16 in Asia, 6 in America, 2 in Africa and 1 only 55 projects from all around the world will be dis- Barcelona, London, São Paulo, Prague, Milan, urban renewal process has taken place especially in Oceania. Bilbao will be among them, showing the played. Using the motto "Better City, Better Life", sus- Osaka, Seoul, Venice and Cairo will also be present around the river estuary. world its transformation process. tainable development focusing not only on cities but in the Liveable City section, whereas Madrid and also their inhabitants, will be the main theme of the Santiago de Compostela have been chosen for hou- Expo, which is to be held in this Chinese city from 1 sing construction using sustainability criteria and for May to 31 October. exemplary rehabilitation of the Old Quarter, respecti- vely. Accompanying cities The site where Bilbao will be located is a pioneering Bilbao will share a pavilion with Paris (France), initiative in a Universal Exhibition and will occupy an Philadelphia (U.S.A.), Osaka (Japan), Xi'an (China), area north of the River Huangpu. It is a former indus- Geneva-Zurich (Switzerland) and Vancouver trial area where factories and warehouses are being (Canada), some of the most important cities attending rehabilitated as exhibition space, which will be divided this international encounter, which hopes to become into four sections: Liveable Cities, Sustainable the all-time most visited Expo, with 70 million visitors Urbanisation, Protection and Utilisation of Historical and 200 exhibitors. Heritages and Technological Innovation in Built As a result, the Expo 2010 Shanghai will become an Environment. It will be a privileged showcase for parti- excellent showcase for the city of Bilbao, which has cipants and a platform for exchanging experiences been selected from among 113 candidatures from 87 and ideas on sustainable urban development. cities around the world to take part in the so-called Urban Best Practices Area. "Bilbao Guggenheim ++" The case presented by Bilbao City Council, entitled Several urban planners call the Bilbao transformation Bilbao Guggenheim ++. PLUS. Project on Leadership process "The Bilbao effect", a phenomenon which has Urban Strategy, claims that the spectacular internatio- inspired similar transformation processes in a conside- nal fame of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is an rable number of cities around the world. Many cities essential reference point in projecting the city and an can learn from the Bilbao experience, especially those authentic symbol of the transformation of the city. aspiring to develop a city project, those seeking a new Nevertheless, the presentation will demonstrate that dialogue with their river, those trying to achieve grea- the Bilbao "miracle" is much more than just the buil- ter levels of social cohesion in urban spaces, those ding by Frank Gehry. The key factor has been the cre- aspiring to move from an industrial economy to one ative vision of the city's transformation and the change based on a creative economy and those seeking a in its economic model, political leadership, public par- model of ecourbanism and sustainable city. The Bilbao ticipation, public-private partnership, and the creation model might also be very useful for many cities in the

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Barakaldo. Redevelopment of industrial land next to the estuary. Railway infrastructures. Restructuring of lines. Urban inte- gration and interconnection between different means of IMAGINING transport. New stations. Street art

MEMORY LANE The promenade along Abandoibarra, built over what used to be the Evaristo Churruca dock, has reclaimed an important area used for industry and shipping in days gone by. BILBAO It was for this reason that it has been labelled “memory lane”, with its open-air sculptures to emphasise the importance of Abandoibarra to Bilbao. Producing new opportunities from old problems stage and industrial land has been transformed into Port activities and the steel and shipbuilding industries areas that represent opportunities for Bilbao and its CHILLIDA - LOOKOUT had operated in Bilbao and the Nervion estuary environ- surroundings. Begirari IV (Lookout) ment for decades and had come to condition the urban The company BILBAO Ría 2000 has played a leading Eduardo Chillida structure itself. role in this regeneration work. Donostia-San Sebastián 1924-2002 The crisis of the 80s made the reorganisation and Much of the former industrial land belonged to public modernisation of the major industries a necessity. As a companies or institutions. Its size and central location One of the great Basque sculptor's last works, a genui- result, the metropolis was given the chance to recover made it highly valuable, particularly from a town plan- ne steel lookout tower apparently seeking out the light highly valuable land. ning perspective. On 19 November 1992, the company through its five windows. Since then, both the economic and urban structures of BILBAO Ría 2000 was created with the objective of the metropolis have been undergoing a metamorphosis. overseeing the recovery of the land. Since then, the Forged steel menhir Tourism, culture and services have now taken centre company has been responsible for the development of 49 tonnes the former industrial areas and their integration into the fabric of the city. Abandoibarra. Opposite the Pedro Arrupe pedestrian BILBAO Ría 2000 is a public limited company in which bridge. local and regional institutions from the Basque Country and the Central Government (through public companies) each have a 50% holding. BILBAO Ría 2000 serves as a channel through which public initiative can stimulate the new urban and economic development of the metro- polis.

Financing The associates of BILBAO Ría 2000 allocate land to the company for it to be redeveloped. BILBAO Ría 2000 is a non-profit-making company and any financial gains obtained through the sale of land are invested in recove- red areas themselves or spent on covering other town planning activities.

Areas of activity Abandoibarra. Extension of the city, on former industrial land and port zones. Bilbao La Vieja. Urban reconstruction work as part of a comprehensive rehabilitation plan. Basauri. Restructuring of railway stations. Creation of new urban land. Ametzola. Removal of urban barriers and construction of residential and green areas. Basurto-San Mamés-Olabeaga. Improvement of means of access, railway restructuring and urban remodelling.

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LUPERTZ TUCKER Judith Maia Marcus Lüpertz William Tucker Liberec, 1941 Cairo, 1935

A representation of a Biblical heroine, using the powerful neo-expressionist language favoured by the German artist. A bronze sculpture evoking woman and the earth as a source of life. A good example of the artist's journey towards clay model shapes striving for expressivity and emotion. 3.15 metres in height 1,500 kg 3,500 kg Between Deusto Bridge and the Pedro Arrupe pedestrian bridge. Between Deusto Bridge and the Pedro Arrupe pedestrian bridge.

ÁNGEL GARRAZA - SITIOS Y LUGARES ZUGASTI Sitios y lugares A la deriva (Sea-drift) Ángel Garraza José Zugasti Allo, 1950 1952

Two kaikus or traditional wooden shepherd bowls with a red and black circular brick cladding. Next to the esplanade, Euskalduna Music and Conference Hall. A harmonious combination of architectural balance and colour. The artist was inspired by the title of a Walt Whitman poem to depict the industrial past of Abandoibarra. 100 tonnes Curving steel bars. Opposite the new Abandoibarra amphitheatre. CASTO SOLANO RÜCKRIEM Mercurio/Mercury Ulrich Rückriem Casto Solano Düsseldorf, 1938 The Roman god Mercury as a child, a life-size bronze sculpture resting comfortably on its pedestal. An unexpected itinerary of 11 Bleu de Vire granite slabs, perhaps suggesting some kind of code or game, culminating in a large hunk reaching up out of the ground. Plaza de la Casilla, behind the Sports Pavilion. Abandoibarra promenade. VICENTE LARREA Vicente Larrea Bilbao 1934

Cast bronze sculpture with furrow corrugation suggesting communications.

The platforms at Ametzola station.

MANOLO VALDÉS The Cantalojas Bridge is to be transformed into a square by BILBAO Ría 2000's extension work. The new feature will have a sculpture by Manolo Valdés, one of the modern art scene's major exponents. In accor- dance with the parameters set out for other BILBAO Ría 2000 recovery projects at Ametzola or Abandoibarra, for instance, this will make its own valuable contribution to the general refurbishment of Bilbao.

MIGUEL NAVARRO Casco Industrial/Hull Miguel Navarro Mislata. 1945

A monolith of steel plate.

12 metres in height Parque Ametzola, next to Gordóniz Bridge.

JESÚN Mª LAZKANO Not Titled Jesús Mª Lazkano Bergara, 1960

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If Bizkaia has something to be proud of it is its historical and cultural heritage, a heritage sufficiently diver- se to satisfy the interests of all and every one of its visitors. We are referring to the living history of the pro- vince that is depicted in its various museums, all of which boast interesting and interrelated exhibits of art and tradition. In many cases the historical value of the building which houses the museum and its magnifi- cent surroundings also add to the artistic expression. The visit thus becomes a cultural and tourist escape BIZKAIA of the first order.

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The route could start at the Loizaga Tower, a fort that rises up over , in the eastern part of Las Encartaciones, dating back to the Middle Ages. In sharp contrast to the setting, the most important and complete collection of Rolls Royces in the world is contained within the walls of the tower. This priceless collection contains 43 models. Apart from the impressive Rolls Royce collection, the Loizaga Tower also contains a series of car models, from the Ford- T the first series-production car to meet a gro- wing demand and crucially important in the excellent cartography, and nautical instru- development of capitalism, to the impressive ments from the 16th to the 19th centuries. The presence of a 1984 Ferrari Testarossa or a Euskal Herria Museum is located in the Lamborghini Countach. Baroque neighbourhood of Alegria, construc- Continuing the route is the Museum of Las ted in 1733 over an earlier tower. Encartaciones in Sopuerta, located in the Also In Gernika one can visit the Museo De La Assembly House of Abellaneda, a 14th Century Paz or Peace Museum, an ideal setting to tower where the General Assemblies were held learn about living together. The museum is on under the tree that takes its name. The two floors and is located in a building that hou- museum as such was inaugurated in 1934, alt- sed the Courthouses. It spans the history of hough it reopened its doors years later after the the town of Gernika, with special emphasis on remodelling of the building by the General the bombing of 26 April 1937 that destroyed Assembly of Bizkaia. The charm of this small the town, converting it into a symbol of the museum is due to the fact that through a com- terror of war. The visitor can examine copies of bination of very diverse elements (originals, the sketches of Picasso's “,” an exhi- audiovisuals, reproductions, recreations, bit on the bombing, and a photographic jour- models, photographs, illustrations), it helps the ney through cities that suffered the same des- visitor to understand the history of the Biscayan truction as Gernika. region of Las Encartaciones from its origins But history is also learnt through everyday through the middle of the 19th century. The events. The Museo del Pescador or Fishing museum also has an institutional room, where Museum is located in the Old Port of Bermeo, the visitor can learn everything about the in the Medieval Tower of the Ercilla family. This Assemblies of Abellaneda. museum devotes all of its space to the Basque Without doubt Abellaneda is the best preface to fisherman, showing in a very instructional way a visit to Gernika and two of its museums. aspects of the life and work of the “arrantza- Gernika possesses an interesting heritage lin- les,” such as the nets and tackle with which ked to the cultural and political history of the they fish and the fishing boats that they use. Basque Country. In its Assembly House is In the same way, the Eco-Museum of the found the old oak, the Tree of Gernika under Basque Caserio or farm, located in Artea, which the Lords of Bizkaia swore to respect the shows the visitor the way of life of the “baserri- law codes. In the Euskal Herria Museum, tarras.” This museum is located in a farmhou- Gernika gathers different exhibits that explain se constructed in late 16th century style, when the origins, the environment and archaeology, oak was the most commonly used material in the development and culture of the Basque these types of homes. Inside it is possible to Country, through its language, social and reli- enjoy typical products and see displays related gious evolution, ethnography, commerce, and to cooking, popular medicine, the use of industry. All of this spans a period of 150,000 wool… years in a route that is organised through dra- Finally, the Durango Museum of Art and wings, etchings, oil paintings, scaled models, History is charged with conserving and disse- minating the cultural activity which has been created in Durango throughout the course of its history and at the present time, also inclu- ding works and references from the outside. Thus this museum, located since 1984 in the Palace of Etxezarreta, alternates galleries of art and history and houses the Municipal Historical Archive of Durango.

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GORBEIA’S NATURE RESERVE

Gorbeia stands on the centre-western stretch of the Cantabrian-Mediterranean watershed, and on one of its main massifs. This is an enormous mountainous area covering parts of both Araba and Bizkaia, the highest point of which, the summit of Mount Gorbeia (1,475 m), marks the boundary bet- ween the two provinces.

The highest position The Gorbeia Cross crowns Bizkaia at a height of 1,475 metres. Located on the summit of the mountain from which it inherits its name, the Gorbeia Cross rounds off a stunning landscape that extends between the provinces of Bizkaia and Araba. This monument has been rendered in iron, with a structure that is similar to that of the Eiffel tower and a height of 17 metres. Having become the unquestionable reference for the people of Bizkaia and Araba, the Gorbeia Cross also summarises the determination to turn the highest elevation in Bizkaia (1,475 m.) into a Christian and mountaineering symbol. Currently, as it celebrates its 100th anniversary, its stormy background has come to light, and its victorious end. The reason for locating the cross on the summit of Mt. Gorbeia is based on the recommendation issued by Pope Leo XIII to the different Christian sectors, to pay homage to Jesus Christ during the change of century (from the 19th to the 20th). It was then decided that the best way of achieving this aim was to erect monumental crosses on the summit of the well-known mountains, in order to transmit, as depicted in the writings of this period, the “solemn memory of faith”. In compliance with this suggestion, Zeanuri's parish priest, Juan Bartolomé de Alcíbar, promoted a commission to erect a cross on Mount Gorbeia in 1899, as per the project presented by Casto de Zabala, architect.

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Donations were collected tanding bouts of strong and located at a height of into the perfect setting to (the initial budget was winds, rain and snow. 900 metres, you begin to observe the phenomenon. 50,000 pesetas), work The cross was evidently walk towards the Cross. Nevertheless, a statutory began and was culminated jinxed. Perhaps due to this The ascent, which will take order exists that regulates on 12 November 1901. On reason, the people of the you around 1 hour and 40 public access to this area this date, a sunny but villages surrounding the minutes, takes you through during that time. Its purpo- windy day, the monumen- massif kept quiet about tracks and paths that have se is to preserve the condi- tal, 33 metre-high cross (to the third and definite been perfectly laid out. tions of the habitat and to commemorate Christ's reconstruction (around You will reach Arrabakoate avoid disrupting the life of age) was blessed. It stood 1907). No records are in the first place, and then the deer that settle there. for exactly one month. kept about its inaugura- walk across the Campas To begin with, entering the Reports from that period tion, nor of its blessing. de Arraba, to continue park by vehicle is prohibi- account for the very strong No-one said a word. The towards Egiriñao. From ted. Visitors must walk winds hitting Bizkaia, which only thing we know today this point, you reach the along the trails without lea- bent the cross 6 metres is that Talleres de Zorroza mountain pass of ving them, and try to not from the base, and the built the same, and that its Aldamiñospe (1,312 make noise or show anno- cross reclined on the north initial height of 33 metres metres), from where you ying lights. Thus torches part of the mountain, was reduced to 17. will tackle the last uphill and tape-recorders are not towards Aldamin. Nowadays, not only is it still stretch of the journey, permitted. In short, you But the wind was not solely standing, but it has beco- which happens to be the must observe without inter- responsible for its downfall. me a landmark and refe- steepest. This will lead you fering. It seems that the suppor- rence to all those approa- to the Gorbea Cross. Yet this will not be a guided ting beams were not capa- ching the Gorbeia moun- visit. Witnessing the bello- ble of maintaining the cross tain, which was declared a Bellowing on Gorbeia wing of the deer is an in an upright position (the Natural Park on 28 June Bellowing is part of a very adventure in which one underground base was not 1994. specific cycle in the life of must be guided by intuition. sufficient and snow accu- the deer, the moment when Nobody shows you the mulated on the bay work). How to get there this mammal goes into way; there is not even a Therefore, reconstruction One of the most frequen- heat. The males then roar sign to direct you toward a work commenced in the ted routes to access and howl in order to enfor- specific access route. All winter of 1902, ensuring Mount Gorbeia leaves ce their power, preserve that is known for certain is that it was perfectly stable from the town of Villaro their harem, and strive to that the phenomenon of this time. Height was then (Areatza), in Bizkaia. mate. This occurs from the deer bellowing can best limited to 25 metres. But it Once in the centre of this mid-September through be observed in the part of was to no avail: the cross village, look for a signpost mid-October and converts the Gorbeia Park that is in was inaugurated on 1 indicating Pagomakurre. the Natural Park of the Araba. This has an expla- October 1903, and fell to You can reach this point by Gorbeia, where there is a nation: the Natural Park of the ground again on 12 car along a cement track. settlement of a colony of the Gorbeia occupies February 1906, after withs- Once you reach this point, this indigenous species, 20,016 acres of land, and

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The males bellow to mark their territory and protect their harem that is composed of half a dozen females. This noise is also associated with fights between males who lock horns to win territory from each other or defend their own. Thus is the mountain filled with howls. Since the area is very well wooded and closed off, it is impossible to see the deer. One senses them due to the intensity of their bellowing, hearing perfectly and almost in unison the hoarse complaint of 4 or 5 deer. It is the struggle to mate, it is the call to the females through those strident bellows, and it is a display offered by nature that is followed intensely every year in many parts of the world starting in the month of September. In any case, the howl of the deer is a good excuse to get to know the picturesque countrysi- de presided over by the bulk of the Gorbeia. This compact mass is not only a point of union between the territories of Araba and Bizkaia, as well as the highest elevation of the two provin- ces, it is also strongly linked to the history of Bizkaia. Its height (1,475 meters) and its location granted it the privilege to be one of the five Signalling Mountains from where the General Councils were convened through noise and merrymaking. Also, the enormous richness of its forests, with beech and oak groves, and its rich flora and fauna are the legacy of a place that was once wild. In fact the archives tell us that the last bear on Gorbeia was hunted in 1819.

Not to be missed… although the bellowing occurs in 60% of this vast expan- se, its highest intensity is located in only 10%, specifically The Cross in the part situated in the municipalities of Zigoitia and Zuia 17 m. high, the cross that has crowned the summit of Mount Gorbeia since 1899 has beco- in Araba. me the symbol of the nature reserve. Thus these two districts are the starting point for those who want to witness an event that happens every year in Itxina the hours between 8:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. It is then that The Itxina biotope is remarkable for its karstic landscape modelled by the water bellowing converts itself into the natural sound of the which has gradually dissolved the rock over the centuries, creating beautiful Gorbeia Natural Park. With this sound the deer, whose scenery in the process. colony is made up of between 400 and 500 animals of the species, initiate a particular mating ritual. Gujuli Cascade This spectacular waterfall of over 100 metres high leads the waters from the streams on the high plateau towards the river Altube.

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Bizkaia Transporter Bridge, a UNESCO World Civil architecture Heritage Site. It was the first of its kind in the world and Though the proposals that Getxo has to offer are extre- the only one of its type to still be operational. It is an mely varied - the has a calendar of interna- outstanding expression of technical creativity, that com- tional jazz, blues and folk festivals, in addition to interes- bines functionality and beauty. ting alternative sports or gastronomy festivals - you This crossroads of views starts from the bridge that uni- really should browse through the municipality's impor- tes with Portugalete, better known by the tant architectural heritage, mainly made up of civil buil- name of Puente Colgante or Suspended Bridge. dings that were built between the end of the 19th cen- After the renovation carried out by the Company the tury and the beginning of the 20th, at the time of splen- Puente Colgante now offers, besides its daily transpor- dour of the Bilbao bourgeoisie. The buildings mainly tation, one of the best views over the Nervion River, consist of small palaces and mansions with clear thanks to two panoramic lifts, one on each side. English and Basque influences, such as the Lezama- On the bank is Las Arenas showing all its elegance, Leguizamón Palazzo, originally the work of architect while on the other Portugalete competes with its style J.M. Basterra, though the building was later modified and distinction. and reformed, the last of which was carried out in 1921 by Manuel María Smith. This palazzo is characterised Getxo: A compulsory stop-over by its stately, elegant carriage and central tower, inspi- They say that Getxo has everything. And that might well red by the Palace of Monterrey in Salamanca. be true. All you have to do is take a close look at the town's leisure offer, its architecture, communications network, its inhabitants … to corroborate the statement that no-one questions. Located towards the northeast of the province of Bizkaia (Biscay), a mere 15 kilometres away from Bilbao, the municipality combines, as few others do, the quality of life of small townships with the modernity and strong upward surge of a modern metro- polis. An interesting combination to be sure, to which an additional innate condition must be added: 10 kilometres of coast and beaches that make tourists appreciate the spot even more.

Puerto Viejo and Puerto Nuevo (Old and New Ports) The “Suspended Bridge” marks the beginning of the route. From then on, all you have to do is let the whim take you. If you stroll along the promenade running alongside the wharf of Las Arenas, you will reach the beach of Ereaga and Getxo Marina, without doubt one of the area's most appealing spots. This new marina, with its total of 827 moorings, was born with the inten- tion of becoming the leading marina in the Basque Country and the best along the Cantabrian coast, not only regarding services, but also as far as installations are concerned. Its shopping and leisure areas attract a great many people and offer multi-cinemas, small res- taurants, fast food outlets, bars, cafeterias … and many, many visitors. The New Port contrasts directly with the Puerto Viejo (Old Port), a former fisherman's village located a few metres away, a picturesque spot with steep, narrow streets that still preserve much of their primitive archi- tecture. It is an ideal spot full of atmosphere in which to sample “pintxos” and “banderillas” (tapas), but which also offers an opportunity to discover the true essence of Algorta with its small, whitewashed houses.

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Portugalete, sea town Its past has inevitably left its mark. Thus, during the 16th century to the 18th century it gathered vigour due to its shipping and fishing trade. The coming and going of people and vessels was frenetic and very varied, even at times providing shelter to boats with letters of marque. Nothing happened that did not include Portugalete as a refe- rence, even the boat with which Juan Sebastián Elcano completed the first round the world voyage was built in the shipyard next to its port. Also worthy of special mention are the Residencia Rosales, the most From the wealth derived from its recent industrial past, generated by the quality and quantity of the iron ore extrac- famous work undertaken by Rafael de Garamendi and certainly the ted from the Montes de Triano, there remain many signs, especially the stately homes, the small palaces and the most perfect imitation of an English country mansion, or perhaps the large mansions of the bourgeoisie and the aristocracy. These buildings, the work of well-known architects, do not Villa San Joseren, work of José Luis de Oriol. Neither should the go unnoticed: The Lejarza Palace (today headquarters of the UNED), El Saltillo, la Casa Bustamente (situated at Molino de Aixerrota (Windmill of Aixerrota) dating from the 18th cen- number 1 Salcedo Street) or the buildings situated in the Muelle Nuevo (New Wharf), one of the most charming tury be overlooked, the only example of a windmill of that period to places to go for a stroll in Portugalete. At the end of this wharf, a “mareómetro” to measure the fluctuation of the be still preserved in Getxo and which is inseparably associated in the tides, the work of the engineer Evaristo Churruca, was installed in 1883. There it remains, as well as the impressi- mind's eye with the beach of Arrigúnaga. ve silhouettes of the cranes of the that can be made out in the distance. Its Old Quarter, declared a Historical Monument of the Basque Country, is another of the attractions that has not New Cruise Berth lost its liveliness and charm with the passing of time. The slope of its parallel paved streets and the rows of balco- The new berth has a land area of 6,750 square metres, a 355 long x nies define a place in which the Santa María Basilica (15th - 16th centuries) stands out with its Gothic-Renaissance 17-metre wide jetty and a 12-metre draft at low tide. This means that style. This building which consists of a nave and two aisles, with low chapels between buttresses, contains in its even the largest vessels can dock there. interior a major altarpiece by the Beaugrant brothers and J. de Ayala, which is considered as one of the most In 1997, the first cruise vessel put in at Santurtzi docks at the Port of important works of Basque Renaissance sculpture. Bilbao. It was the first to arrive in Euskadi (The Basque Country). Together with the Basilica, in the highest point of the original Villa, is the Torre Salazar, a small feudal castle from Since then, this type of traffic has been increasing more and more, the same lineage as its name built in 1379 and rebuilt following the fire in 1934. There lived Don Lope García de and in 2007, 22 cruisers berthed here, carrying a total of 22,972 Salazar, first chronicler of Biscay, and there also took place numerous historical episodes related to its inhabitants. passengers. Next to the tower, the visitor can enjoy a viewpoint from where a beautiful view of all of the Villa and the Nervion river estuary can be observed. Lastly, the Plaza del Solar (Solar Square) brings together three very interesting monuments: the neo-Mudejar octa- gonal Kiosko (or bandstand); the Town Hall building, a Neoclassic building opened in 1884; and the monument to Víctor Chavarri, by Miguel Bay, which won the Gold Medal at the Paris International Exhibition in 1905 due to its originality and beauty.

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LAS ENCARTACIONES LARGE AND SMALL

The area of Las Encartaciones can boast of being the most extensive in Bizkaia, agglutinating the municipalities that make up the same, namely a population of around 30,000 inhabitants. But, it is precisely due to its vast exten- sion that one needs to specify this area in detail in order not to offer an enhanced view of each and every one of its corners. It is to this avail that the first proposal is made, as an aperitif for subsequent visits, to call on the periphe- ral locations of this rich region. That is, Karrantza, the largest municipality of around 30,000 inhabitants.

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But, it is precisely due to its vast extension that one needs to specify this area in detail in order not to offer an enhanced view of each and every one of its corners. It is to this avail that the first proposal is made, as an aperitif for subsequent visits, to call on the peripheric locations of this rich region. That is, Karrantza, the most extensive municipality in Bizkaia; and , the smallest. Located on the western side of Las Encartaciones, Karrantza comprises the most mountainous terrain in the area. In fact, the first thing that sur- prises the visitor who approaches the height of “la Escrita” is the intense green of its hills, which would fully justify the fact that this land had been selected by man from prehisto- ric times. And this is no poetic licen- se : human presence in the valley of Karrantza does go back to Prehistoric times, and testimony of this fact can be found at Ventalaperra (a very small sample but of great value as these engra- vings date back before cave painting) ; the cave of Santa Isabel, in the Ranero quarters ; the pit of “La Torca del Carlista” ; the set of dolmens which extend throughout the area of Sopeña and La Cabaña ; and the caves of Pozalagua, located two kilo- metres away from the Ranero quar- ters, which have been catalogued as some of the best in the world due to their peculiar crystallised geological shapes, which resemble the roots of a tree. On the other hand, Lanestosa, is one of the oldest towns in the feudal estate of Bizkaia - it used to be called the “dry port of Castille”, as this was the place which supplied fish to the inland area - and, as we have mentioned earlier, one of the smallest, with an extension of 1.2 square Km. But, despite the fact that it is almost exclusively reduced to the banks of the river Calera, it offers a special charm: narrow outskirts and old houses which render the old part of the town a medieval atmosphere; here, one can see houses with corri- dors, in the Cantabrian fashion and 17th and 18th century palaces.

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THE VALLEY OF TRANQUILITY ATXONDO

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Few spots are as beautiful, or as peaceful, as the municipality of Atxondo, located in the county of Durango in the southeast of the province of Bizkaia. So much so that people say that the tranquillity (close to silence) becomes the central element of these marvellous surroundings bordered by the Cliff battlements (with a height of 1,330 meters) and the Memaia Mountain (674 meters). Part of the municipality also belongs to the Urkiola Natural Reserve, charged with protecting the preservation and restoration of the region's natural ecosystem. Another interesting feature of the municipality of Atxondo is its configuration, which is consistent with the characte- ristic Basque rural environment, where a low population density is dispersed among several points. For this rea- son, in 1962 the old parishes of Apatamonasterio, Axpe-Marzana, and Arrazola agreed to merge. Between them they make up Atxondo, with a population of around 1,500 inhabitants. Going there the visitor will find an extremely rocky and steep environment, which has deterred any serious develop- ment of the region. This is no doubt today its highest asset. Atxondo is therefore an ideal place to practice moun- tain sports, for open-air activities in contact with nature (the excursions from one side to the other are infinite), and for observing a way of life that clearly reflects the organization of the typical caserio (Basque farm) of the surroun- ding villages. These buildings are defined among other things by the presence of one or two sitting arches in their large façade. An example of this is the Zearreta Caserio in Apatamonasterio, which dates from the end of the 17th Century. Chapels are another type of popular architecture that are extended throughout the municipality. In them one can observe the typical façade, closed with iron bars or turned wood. In any case, the visitor should not leave Atxondo without having heard some of the legends that are told in this area located at the feet of the Anboto, considered the cradle of Basque mythology. One name will probably be constantly repeated: Mari, the lady of Anboto, who is con- sidered a just goddess. Her home can be visited, taking into account among other things that one has to leave the cave in the same way one entered, backwards.

Where to eat and where to sleep Hotel Restaurante Mendi-Goikoa. C/ Barrio San Juan, 33. Axpe- Atxondo. Telephone: 94 682 08 33. These are a set of two caserios built in the 18th and early 19th centuries, and later restored by the Ibarra family, who took over these buildings over a decade ago. The hotel, with unbeatable views to a valley that breathes tran- quillity, has eleven double rooms and one single. The restaurant, for its part, offers an exquisite cuisine, with exceptional dishes such as bacalao con piparrada (cod in a red pepper sauce).

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in front of the estuary is the solitary island of Izaro...

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The Mundaka estuary stands at the centre of the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve and is a truly exceptional area. We are now in the valley of the Oka river, whose main town is Gernika, where we will also find a series of smaller, country villages and delightful scenery. On the coast, to the east of the estuary, is cape Ogoño, an impressive limestone bulk which provides shelter for the shag and the peregrine falcon. At is foot is Laga beach which, despite its popularity with swimmers, still preserves valuable specimens of the extremely special psammophyte flora (typical of sandy areas and dunes). In front of the estuary is the solitary Island of Izaro, an outstanding element on the landscape, which is moreover home to an important nesting colony of yellow-legged gulls, in addition to the recently installed colony of common egret. We should now stop on the Mundaka estuary itself which, as we said above, stands at the heart of the Reserve. We recommend that you visit it at different times of the day in order to enjoy the scenery at both high and low tides. The two roads leaving from Gernika, one towards Bermeo and the other towards Laga-Elantxobe, run along opposi- te banks of the estuary and therefore allow us to admire virtually all of the area. The views from the either bank of the estuary are also lovely. Low tide uncovers enormous stretches of beach, including that of Laida, near the mouth, and which are later cove- red as the tide comes in. Upstream, from the same road, and particularly from Gautegiz-Arteaga to Kanala, there is a fairly good view of the marshlands which, with their several furrows, loamy soil (visible at low tide) and vast reed- beds, comprise a habitat of exceptional ecological value within the environment of the as a whole. This area plays an extremely important part in the migratory route of aquatic birds, some of which are particularly endangered, such as the spoonbill. This said, we can nevertheless catch sight of groups of birds on the marshlands the whole year round: sandpipers, ducks and other waterfowl, birds of prey such as the osprey, warblers, herons, terns, seagulls, divers, rails, kingfishers, etc.

The month of September, in full autumm migration, is however one of the best times to observe the different ornitho- logical species offered to us by the estuary. If we take a look from the estuary at the surrounding landscape, our eyes will tend to particularly settle on the right bank (Atxarre-Ereñozar), on a series of contours bearing tightly packed, dark green vegetation. These are limesto- ne ridges covered with the Cantabrian holm oak at all of its different stages of growth. This typically Mediterranean vegetation (right on the Atlantic coast) has decided to stay here, as it has done in other areas, due to having taken root in the rocky, dry ground that is no use whatsoever for agriculture. The caves created in this area by dissolving limestone, were used by prehistoric hunters as their homes. One of these caves is Santimamiñe, in the municipality of Kortezubi, home to a magnificent example of cave painting depicting the animals they hunted. Many other caves contain material (bones, tools) left behind by their inhabitants.

NOT TO BE MISSED… Elantxobe The houses of this picturesque village, with its intense seafaring flavour, literally hang from the hillside and make their way down as far as the harbour.

Gernika - Casa de Juntas (Assembly House) The meetings of the Juntas Generales (General Assemblies or Parliament of Bizkaia) and the oath-taking ceremo- nies at which or Charters were granted by the Lord of Bizkaia were held in the shade of the symbolic oak tree. These Juntas Generales were subsequently recovered in 1979, and meetings are still held to this day.

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PORT OF BILBAO New cruise berth

Oma Forest Located in the municipality of Kortezubi, this magical forest establishes a new relationship between nature and art. On painting hundreds of pine trees with colour and life, the artist Agustín Ibarrola has created an enor- mous canvas which visitors can rearrange at will by playing with the dif- ferent perspectives while walking through the trees. The Port of Bilbao, situated on the Bay of Biscay, is one of the main ports in , with Bermeo (Museo del Pescador) annual traffic movements of over 30 million tonnes. But Bilbao is not just a port for the entry Located in the fortified tower of the ancestral home of the Ercilla family, the Museo del and exit of goods. Each year it receives some 200,000 visitors, who arrive on ferries from Pescador (Fishing Museum) takes visitors through the region's fishing history, showing them the or on cruise ships, for which Bilbao is a port of call. Consequently, there are techniques and tools used in the different periods. two terminals, one for ferries, at Santurtzi, the other for cruise ships at Getxo, just 15 Km. from the capital.

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Tourism offices

BILBAO TURISMO: (+34) 944 795 770 www.bilbao.net

GETXO: (+34) 944 910 800 www.getxo.net

Tourist guides and Tour Receptives

BILBAO PASO A PASO: (+34) 944 153 892 www.bilbaopasoapaso.com

N.I.S., NORTH INCOMING SERVICE: (+34) 944 255 830 www.nis.es Port of Bilbao Services International Airport Cruise berth at Getxo A.M. Stop Bilbao: (+34) 944 424 689 Time www.stop.es GMT + 2 h. (April to September) Bilbao Airport, designed by With the arrival in February 2006 of the first cruise ship of the Romotur: (+34) 944 433 463 Schedule architect Santiago Calatrava, www.romotur.com Open 24 hours season, the Midnatsol, from Norway, the Port of Bilbao’s new cruise located only 15 Km. from the Emergency telephone ship berth next to the Getxo Marina was inaugurated. As well as Bilbao International Airport (+34) 944 871 233 city and 10 Km. from Getxo, is completely covering the needs of those who approach the area in AENA: (+34) 902 404 704 Anchorage the most important facility of Available their own craft, the Marina offers excellent leisure facilities: www.aena.es this kind on the Bay of Biscay Auxiliary craft Bilbao Air: [email protected] Permitted restaurants, bars, cinemas, specialised nautical shops and even an seaboard. www.bilbaoair.com Pilotage aquarium. Compulsory (+34) 944 960 311 It offers direct connections to

Tugs the main European capitals, as New cruise ship berth Available (+34) 944 645 133 EXCURSIONS TIME well as numerous flights that Tide movement / Maximum reach (Exclusive facility at Getxo) Coast of Biscay 40 Km. / 4 h. 4.5 m. (14.75 feet) link up with Spanish cities. Length: 355 m., Possibility of berthing Inland Biscay 60 Km. / 5 h. on both sides. Vitoria-Gasteiz 65 Km. / 5 h. Rioja Alavesa 90 km. / 5 h. Some tourism factsTHE AIRPORT IS 15 KM. FROM BILBAO AND 10 KM. FROM GETXO Draft: 12 m. Width of wharf: 17 m. Surface: 6,750 m2. The Autonomous Community of Services: Tourist Office, stopover, fuel the Basque Country has a hotel Distances between ports in nautical miles supply, refuse collection, water supply, capacity for 22,000 visitors in the A Coruña telephone, metal detector arch. A Coruña three stars category and above, Gijón and last year more than two million 143 Gijón Ferry berthing wharf visits were registered, reflecting a Santander 226 87 Santander (At Santurtzi) five-year process of uninterrupted Bilbao 263 122 35 Bilbao Length: 177 m. / Draft: 7 m. growth. Tourist spending reached Bordeaux Services: stopover, shipyard, fuel a figure of 2,786 million euros 409 303 220 230 Bordeaux supply, refuse collection, water supply, EXCURSIONS TIME (2004 figures), contributing 5.2% Brest San Sebastián 110 km. / 6 h. 420 355 320 368 340 Brest provisioning, telephone lines. of the Basque GDP, according to Gipuzkoa 180 Km. / 6 h. Passenger terminal: Tourist Office, Southampton French Basque Country 160 Km. / 7 h. the official Basque Statistics 551 500 535 551 511 250 Southampton shops, cafeteria, taxi, bus, metal 120 Km. / 6 h. Agency, EUSTAT. La Rochelle detector arch and scanner. Burgos 140 Km. / 6 h. 360 248 200 199 128 221 450

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THAT’S THE WAY WE ARE

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Some suggestions in order to get to know the city's during the 1939-1940 season); a semi-final victory in the idiosyncrasies: its traditions, its tastes, its cuisine, its UEFA in the 1976-1977 season, etc. Years of history symbols… and triumphs that have converted San Mamés, the Cathedral, into one of the grounds with the most tradi- The Cup-winning King tion of Europe. Passion for football has no limits. Athletic Club of Bilbao is no exception and it is hardly surprising. As a unique Aste Nagusia case in world football today, the club signs only Basque The Fiestas of Bilbao or Aste Nagusia, brings together players. This policy has created an incredible fan base within one long week in August all of the movement of among club supporters, who feel fully identified with the the city. Apart from the actual liveliness of the fiestas, players, who are, after all, local boys. Its history is full of there are bullfights, theatre, and music. In fact from triumphs: 8 league titles, 7 times runner-up and 10 third August 16th through 24th , Bilbao awakens from its places; 24-time winners of the Cup (King’s Cup), the summer torpor to experience the most enjoyable week trophy par excellence, with 36 finals played; 18 Regional of the year, intended to appeal to all tastes. Marijaia, the Championships (this tournament was played, under dif- muse and symbol of these fiestas, just wants you to ferent names, from 1913 until its final disappearance enjoy yourself.

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Gernika Cake Ingredients: Almonds, sugar, butter, eggs, flour, The Aste Nagusia is conceived as a popular and inclu- eggwhite. sive gathering, in which different parts of the city beco- made me transformed into stages that receive a broad, diver- in Elósegui se, and quality program to reach all tastes and age (Tolosa). groups, blending mass events with more intimate ones.

More than a symbol St. Thomas Market Bilbao, like almost every city, has its small identifying Bilbao and St. Thomas Market every year melt together in a unique elements. One of those is the Bilbao floor tile which fiesta. On the 21st December, its people go out onto the street to pack out can be found throughout its streets, distinguished due the Plaza Nueva (New Square) and the area around El Arenal. And it is because this to its grooves and nonslip character. Designed by the day is portrayed as the best opportunity to taste the local products that are on show on the City Council in 1942 (in fact, the Council copied the stalls that are found there, and also to participate in a collective revelry where there is no shortage of design from Barcelona's roseta floor tile, but added street entertainment and local music. St. Thomas Market, which goes back to the 19th Century, becomes the iron powder to the cement so that it would not become living postcard of the farmhouses of Biscay, becoming the perfect doorway into the Bilbao Christmas. slippery when wet), today it is a symbol and a sign of the city. Holy Week Goloso Holy Week has been celebrated in Bilbao since the mid 16th century. The penitents' guilds take part in all the pro- People from Bilbao have a sweet tooth. Its butter buns cessions, displaying art works by renowned sculptors, as well as figures typical of Basque religious imagery. - bollos de mantequilla (a local invention dating back to The Holy Week floats, with their artistic heritage of great value, are on display throughout the year at the Holy 1845) are famous, as are the santiaguitos, sweets with Week Processions Museum. over 300 years of history, sold in the cake shops of the Bilbao's Holy Week puts on display one of the foremost artistic and religious patrimonies in northern Old Quarter. Every bite is enjoyable. Spain, accompanied by 2,000 penitents from nine fraternities. Last year more than 100,000 people crowded the streets to experience this remarkable event that has its roots in medieval times. Dress with tradition The most crowded processions are the ones with the floats of “El Borriquito” (The In the shop Melchora (Somera, 13), the secrets of Donkey), and “El Nazareno” (The Nazarene), as well as the evening processions the kaiku can be discovered, a garment inspired by on Holy Thursday and Good Friday. the attire worn by fishermen. It is basically a woollen jacket, edged with a black pattern and characterized by its box collar and its heart-shaped elbow patches. It comes in different colours. Boinas Gorostiaga (Víctor, 9) is the world of the beret or txapela in all its forms: men wear the strong, rough woollen beret, so that it sits on the head like the eaves of a roof; while women style it thanks to the use of a softer material; those from Araba and those from Biscay prefer them black, those from Gipuzkoa, blue and those from Nafarroa red. There are French, Czech, Brazilian, but if you want a Basque one, chose those BIZKAIA_LONDON.QXP 17/2/09 17:00 Página 118

HOW TO GET TO BILBAO

AIRPORT Bilbao International Airport is located in Loiu, some 10 kilome- tres from the capital of Biscay (Bizkaia). It provides service through more than 400 flights every week. A total of thirteen airlines, four Spanish and the rest European, are currently operating from the Airport. This makes it possible to reach the most important cities in Europe in an average of between 1 and 3 hours, as well as to catch connections with all other continental and transcontinental airports. www.bilbaoair.com

WHERE TO SPEND THE NIGHT

Bilbao has a good and well diversified accommodation infrastructure, with 29 hotels offering a total of over 3,000 rooms. These range from emblematic buildings dating from the 19th century to examples of the most avant-garde designs. One common feature of them all is QUALITY. www.bilbaoreservas.com

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BANKS Public phone boxes work with coins or Bakio: www.bakio.org Opening times to the public are from with cards that can be acquired at tobac- Bermeo: www.bermeo.org 08:30 to 14:00 hours from Monday to conists. Getxo: www.getxo.net Friday and from 09:00 to 13:00 hours on Sopelana: www.sopelana.net Saturdays. Some branches also open in SHOPPING Gorliz: www.gorliz.net the afternoon from Monday to Friday, with The most usual shop hours are from Plentzia: www.plentzia.org different timetables. 09:30 to 13:30 and from 16:00 to 19:30 hours. Many shops are open on CLIMATE Saturdays. Department stores are open The climate in Bilbao is a humid maritime from 10:00 through to 21:00, from type, with mild temperatures throughout Monday to Saturday. BILBAO TURISMO & CONVENTION the whole year. Rain is very frequent in BUREAU spring and autumn, with mild winters and ELECTRICITY not excessively hot summers. The avera- The electric power supply is at 220 volts Plaza Ensanche, 11 ge temperature is 20º C in summer and and 50 cycles. Electrical plugs are the Tel. 94 479 57 60 8º C in winter. European type, with two round pins. Fax 94 479 57 61 www.euskalmet.net [email protected] USEFUL WEBS http://www.bilbao.net/bilbaoturismo CURRENCY BILBAO TOURISM: www.bilbao.net/bil- The unit of currency is the euro. There baoturismo Convention Bureau are seven different notes and eight coins, Bilbao Museums: Tel. 94 479 57 70 which can be used in any of the fifteen www.museobilbao.com Fax 94 479 57 71 countries in the Euro-zone. Notes are www.euskal-museoa.org [email protected] denominated in 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 www.guggenheim-bilbao.es http://www.bilbao.net/bilbaoturismo and 500 euros. Coins are of 1, 2, 5, 10, www.torosbilbao.com 20 and 50 cent, and 1 and 2 euros. www.museomaritimobilbao.org INFORMATION OFFICES www.museo-benedicto.net PLaza Ensanche, 11 POSTAGE www.fundacionathleticclub.net Tel. 94 479 57 60 Post Offices are open from 08:30 through www.museoreproduccionesbilbao.org Fax. 94 479 57 61 to 20:30 from Monday to Friday and from www.elizmuseoa.com Timetable: Monday to Friday: 9.00-14.00 09:30 to 14:00 on Saturdays. There is a & 16.00-19.30 special summer timetable during the Other webs: months of July and August, opening only www.bilbaoair.com Abandoibarra etorbidea, 2 in the morning. www.bilbaoreservas.com Timetable: Tuesday to Friday: 11.00- wwww.bizkaia.net 18.00. Saturday: 11.00-19.00. Sunday & TIPPING www.bilbaoexhibitioncentre.com Holidays: 11.00-14.00. Summer Tips are included in all prices and bills, so www.bilbaoria2000.com Timetable: (July & August) Monday to tipping is not considered obligatory. www.bm30.es Saturday: 10.00-19.00. Sundays & However, if the service received is consi- Bizkaia Tourism Office: Holidays: 10.00-15.00 dered satisfactory, especially in bars and Gernika: www.gernika-lumo.net restaurants, a tip is often left. Lea Artibai: www.learjai.com Arriaga Theatre Durango: www.durangaldea.com Timetable: Monday to Friday: 11.00-14.00 TAXIS Balmaseda (Encartaciones): www.enkar- & 17.00-19.30. Saturdays: 9.30-14.00 & All authorised taxis are clearly identifiable tur.net 17.00-19.30. Sundays & Holidays: 9.30- and display that they are a public service. Karrantza: www.karrantza.com 14.00. Summer Timetable: Monday to There is a fixed initial price plus an autho- Gordexola: www.gordexola.net Saturday: 9.30-14.00 & 16.00-19.30. rised public rate for time spent and dis- Mendata: www.mendata.es Sundays & Holidays: 9.30-14.00 tance travelled. The amount to be paid is -Urdaibai: www.busturialde- displayed on the taximeter and any sup- aurdaibai.com Bilbao International Airport plement must be on show to passengers. Orduña: www.urduna.com Departure Office: Tel. 94 471 03 01 Gorbeialdea: www.gorbeialdea.com [email protected] TELEPHONES Costa de Bizkaia: www.bizkaiacostavas- Timetable: Mondat to Friday: 7.30-23.00. The code for international calls is 00. The ca.org Saturday & Sunday: 8.30-23.00 international code to call Spain is 34. Urdaibai: www.urdaibai.com Directory enquiries is 11818. The Bilbao Santurtzi: www.ayto-santurtzi.com Reservations Centre municipal information service is 010. The Portugalete: www.portugalete.com +34 902 877 298

PRACTICAL emergency phone number is 112. Mundaka: www.mundaka.org [email protected] BILBAO BIZKAIA_LONDON.QXP 17/2/09 17:00 Página 122

Bilbao is the past, the present and THE the future, in which traditional ways of life and customs rub shoulders with the latest in CULTURAL modern artistic, cultural and archi- tectural expressions. CITY

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Bilbao Orkestra Sinfonikoa Bilbao Orkestra Sinfonikoa (Bilbao Symphony Orchestra) gave its first concert on 8 May 1922, at the Arriaga Theatre, under Armand Marsick's baton. Since it was founded, the principal conductors have been Armand Marsick, Vladimir Golschmann, Jesús Arámbarri, José Limantour, Antoine de Babier, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Alberto Bolet, Pedro Pirfano, Urbano Ruiz Laorden and Theo Alcántara. In July 1999, Juanjo Mena took up the principal conductorship and artistic direction of the Orchestra. Season: October to June www.bilbaorkestra.com

Arriaga Theatre A theatre that has close ties with Bilbao Although the people of Bilbao have been theatre lovers for a long time, the city did not have a theatre until 1799. That building was destroyed by fire in 1816. However, by then the people of Bilbao realized that they could not live without a theatre. After several years of performances at a temporary theatre, the people of Bilbao attended the inauguration of the City Theatre in 1834. The building was constructed on the Arenal, on the same municipal land where the Arriaga theatre stands today.

The first City Theatre remained standing until 1886, when it was closed and demolition began. Its structure had been severely damaged during the Carlist war and the sieges on Bilbao. On 31 May 1890, at eight o'clock in the evening, the curtain was raised on the inaugural performance at the Arriaga Theatre, as the theatre was nicknamed after the square that housed it. In turn, the square was named after Juan Crisóstomo de Arriaga, a composer from Bilbao. On the night of 22 December 1914, a fire burnt it almost to ashes. Architect Federico de Ugalde was commissioned with the task of rebuilding the Arriaga Theatre. On 5 June 1919, the Arriaga was inaugurated once again. The show that had the honour of being chosen for the occasion was anot- her opera, "Don Carlo" by Giuseppe Verdi, performed by the Ercole Casali Company. www.teatroarriaga.com Euskalduna Jauregia The Conference and Performing Arts Centre designed by architects Soriano and Palacios inaugurated in 1999. This building is considered to be one of the most outstanding contemporary works carried out by Spanish architects and resembles the last vessel ever to be built on the site of what was formerly the Euskalduna shipyard. This down- town building provides a highly spacious 53,000 m2 multi-purpose complex. Opera performances, symphonic concerts and ballet may now co-exist with large-scale congresses, board meetings, general assemblies, conventions and corporate gatherings without interfering with each other. In addition, the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra also has its headquarters here. www.euskalduna.net

ABAO.- The Bilbao Opera Lover’s Association The ABAO is a non-profitmaking Association founded in 1953. The main objective of the association is to develop and promote lyrical art forms, in general, and opera in particular, within the con- text of a cultural project which is both open and plural. The association's main activity is the organisation of a stable opera season of acknowledged national and international prestige, with around 70,000 spectators. Season: September to May www.abao.org

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ZINEBI. 48th International Festival of Documentary and Short Film. The Bilbao International Documentary and Short Film Festival (ZINEBI) will celebrate its fiftieth anniversary this year. Created in 1959, filmmakers as important as Richard Lester, Ennio Morricone, Carlos Saura, Julio Medem, Roman Polanski, Jane Birkin, Elías Querejeta, Arturo Ripstein and Père Portabella have visited ZINEBI. In its last edition, the 2,648 films registered from 75 countries are evidence of its consolidation as one of the most important festivals in the world of its speciality. Bilbao, with ZINEBI at the forefront, has opted to develop the audiovisual industry in the city and in the Basque Country as one of the signs of identity of its renewed international presence after the spectacular urban remodelling that has earned it international recognition and has enabled it to become a modern, competitive place at the dawn of the 21st century. www.zinebi.com

Festival Música-Musika Música-Musika is an international classical music festival that has been held in Bilbao since 2002 and is organised by the Bilbao 700 - III Millennium Foundation. It is Europe's most important classical music festival and has been held in cities such as Nantes or Lisbon every year since 2000. Tokyo became part of this festival in 2004. Every year, the organisation meets in Nantes to decide the composer to be featured by the festival and the pro- gramme for the 3 days of the event. Música-Muskia is held in the Euskalduna Conference and Performing Arts Centre over one weekend, during which over 50 concerts are performed and Bilbao hosts a true musical marathon. The concerts are performed by internationally renowned orchestras and musicians. The Festival's philosophy is to create a new generation of fans that will support classical music in the future. www.bilbao.net/bilbao700

Bilboko Kalealdia. 9th International Street Theatre Festival. A sample of the new trends in street theatre with the emphasis being on fantasy, poetic or contemporary pieces that catch the passer-by's attention and provide a new way of enjoying the city.

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AC/CD PRESENT THEIR CHEF SOUND DEPECHE MODE NEW ALBUM BILBAO-BIZKAIA HEADLINE “BLACK ICE” THE FIRST NIGHT AT IN BILBAO 4 to 7 June BILBAO BILBAO MARITIME MUSEUM BBK LIVE 2009 4 April BEC-BILBAO 9 to 11 June EXHIBITION CENTRE KOBETAMENDI www.bilbaoexhibitioncentre.com www.bilbaobbklive.com

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF ASTE NAGUSIA-BILBAO’S THE PALACIO “BIG WEEK” FESTIVITIES 26 July EUSKALDUNA JAUREGIA SAN MAMÉS CONFERENCE AND 15 To 23 August FOOTBALL STADIUM PERFORMING www.bilbao.net ARTS CENTRE PALACIO EUSKALDUNA JAUREGIA www.euskalduna.net

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copyright

Dirección General de Promoción Turística Diputación Foral de Bizkaia Bilbao Turismo Bilbao Ría 2000 Oficina de Turismo de Getxo Oficina de Turismo de Bermeo Oficina de Turismo de Gernika-Lumo Asociación Bizkaia Costa Vasca Asociación de Desarrollo Rural Gorbeialde Archivo Histórico Bilbao Athletic Club Autoridad Portuaria de Bilbao staff

Editor-Director Diputación Foral de Bizkaia Photograph Archivo A Medida Asesoría Gastronómica Archivo Diputación Foral de Bizkaia Archivo Ayuntamiento de Bilbao Autoridad Portuaria de Bilbao Printed Croman Edited by A Medida Asesoría Gastronómica, S.L.

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