Spain is an all time favourite holiday destination for Brits – but have you ever wondered where Spaniards choose to go on their getaways?
One city that comes out on top is the beautiful city of Bilbao as Spanish residents attempt to avoid the more touristy locations of capital Madrid and Barcelona – which are jam-packed with Brits, Americans and tourists from the rest of Europe.
It is located in Basque Country which in the western Pyrenees that straddles the border between France and Spain on the coast of the Bay of Biscay.
One of the many reasons the Spanish head here on holidays is for its world-famous cuisine – there an astonishing 19 Michelin stars there.
The region’s largest city is Bilbao where visitors can also get a whopping slice of culture – with world famous Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is located there.
There are plenty of other museums to explore too including the Itasamuseum and Museo de Bellas Artes.
Spanish tourism website Spain.info explains more about the city.
It said: “We could also refer to this Basque Country destination as ‘The City of the Guggenheim’, as when this original museum was built in 1997, Bilbao was changed forever.
“In fact, to this day it is making an impact due to its groundbreaking structures created by prestigious architects, and it serves as an international reference point for modernity.
“Although, curiously, its unique character comes from combining avant-garde with the traditional feel of its old town, full of charming streets and bars offering pintxos, proof that they are passionate about gastronomy around here.
“All this has earned Bilbao a place of honour on the lists of Spain’s most interesting cities.”
And it seems that international visitors love spending time exploring this gorgeous location, thousands taking to travel review website Tripadvisor to talk about their experiences there and travel bloggers waxing lyrical about it.
Anita of https://www.anitasfeast.com/ said that the city “surprised” her “repeatedly and to my great delight”.
She said: “I did NOT anticipate Bilbao to be a pleasant, walkable city filled with green spaces, beautiful architecture and public sculpture; nor local restaurants eager to cook way beyond a pintxos menu; nor a Guggenheim Museum-adjacent restaurant worth the price of a tasting menu.”
The rusticaltravel.com blog said: “No other European city has experienced quite an impressive transformation during the last 30 years as has Bilbao, the capital of the Basque Country region in Spain.
“Reborn from its ashes in every sense: it was once a grey city affected by heavy industry and has now been fully renovated into a modern icon of services, tourism and culture, with greater environmental awareness.
“A city with high living standards, plenty of green spaces, and an interesting mix of old and modern constructions that visitors come to love.”