Bilbao. Guide to know Bilbao

Sheraton Bilbao Hotel

The Sheraton Bilbao, designed by architect Ricardo Legorreta, has its privileged location between the Congress Palace and the Palace of Music Euskalduna, and close to the Museo Guggenheim , the Museum of Fine Arts and the Maritime Museum. Moreover, it is just 15 minutes from Airport Loiu.

The design of the Hotel Sheraton Bilbao is based on the work of Eduardo Chillida. Ricardo Legorreta not only took up the task of designing the hotel, but took part in the choice of materials to be built in each of the decorative elements.

The Sheraton Bilbao Hotel has a total of 211 rooms including 21 suites. The rooms feature the Sheraton Sweet Sleeper (SM), cable TV, ADSL, air conditioning, minibar and marble bathroom. The suites also feature a spa tub and plasma TV.

On the sixth floor there is the spa, with stunning views of the estuary. It has a gym, sauna, massage and heated pool.

In the restaurant of the Sheraton, Aizian, we can find the best chefs, which makes it a reference point. Buyers can enjoy the best of Basque cuisine, but also in the room, with service available 24 hours.

One thing to mention is the collection of contemporary art and Spanish ship models, spread across the hotel with the intention of giving it part of the history port of Bilbao.

Room of Hotel Sheraton Bilbao

The rise to Pagasarri Bilbao is an activity quite often, hence the path of Pagasarri is well documented.

The following describes the ascent route to the mountain, with photographs to facilitate orientation:

The route starts in the neighborhood of San Adrián (Bilbao). We start from the Plaza Zabalburu, located near the train station, and we are on the street Avenida Juan de Garay and San Adrián. At the end of the street we find the bridge of the following image:

Way up to Pagasarri: Building Iberdrola

Crossing the bridge will cross the highway, coming to the building of Iberdrola. At this point we leave the city to begin the ascent to Pagasarri. Go around the building right onto the road Larraskitu, an asphalted road that passes through the neighborhood Larraskitu.

Way up to Pagasarri: Road Larraskitu

Continue about 300 meters down the track. We find a path on the left. If we take this shortcut we will end up the same track much later, while ensuring more spin. This step is optional, if we track the whole time we'll end up at the same point, but will take longer.

Way up to Pagasarri: Shortcut

Continuing along the road, called Camino Pagasarri, we will find the Bar Athletic and later with a picnic area and tables, along with a panel of the council with a map and area information.

Way up to Pagasarri: Road Pagasarri

If we continue down the road, we reach a point where a barrier prevents access to vehicles. It is the starting point of the mount and, normally, we will have taken about 45 minutes to get there. Highlight a road that goes to the left, just before the barrier, which leads to the hermitage of San Roque.

Way up to Pagasarri: Barrera Pagasarri

On the way up, we find the source Zapaburu.

Way up to Pagasarri: Power Zapaburu

Later we came to a crossroads that offers three routes to Pagasarri. The right path is the softest and offers spectacular views over Bilbao. The path of the center, begins with a staircase and an information panel. Of the three routes, is the fastest (30 minutes) and the oldest, but also the most physically demanding. The left path instead, is the longest and gives the greatest return, so the least you usually do.

Way up to Pagasarri: Crossing the Pagasarri

If we have chosen the former path to Pagasarri, by the way we will find the source of the next picture. This way, toward the end, joins the left route. On the descent we must remember to properly take detours.

Way up to Pagasarri: Source in the ancient way Pagasarri

The road on the left and right end joining in the campaign of Pagasarri, under Mount Ganeta (685 meters).

Way up to Pagasarri: Campa of Pagasarri

In the campaign we have a bar

Way up to Pagasarri: Campa and bar Pagasarri

To finish up the top, climb a hill behind the bar.

Way up to Pagasarri: Top of Pagasarri

Taking the old road of Pagasarri, ascension round the hour and twenty minutes.

Hotel Carlton (Bilbao)

Located in the Plaza Moyúa Carlton Hotel is the first deluxe hotel which was in Bilbao. Designed by the architect Manuel Maria Smith, was designed in 1919 and completed in 1926. For its design was based on the guidelines of the Second Empire style, with classical forms and traditional plants, but with direct inspirations of famous hotels of the era: the porch and the front access of Carlton of London, and the windows of the lobby Hotel Negresco in Nice. We also noticed the magnificent oval skylight of the lobby, second in Spain by size, after the Hotel Palace in Madrid.

Skylight Hotel Carlton (Bilbao)

In 1937, the Carlton Hotel hosted the first Basque Government still has the bomb shelter at the time. It is also used to host official ceremonies and cultural Bilbao.

With a section of the building intended for hotel and other offices, has basement, basement, ground floor, five floors high and a sixth floor set back. They distributed a total of 142 rooms (one imperial suite of 250m2, 5 semi-suites, 21 superior rooms and 115 standard rooms), decorated in a classic style with the latest technological advances.

Imperial Suite at the Hotel Carlton (Bilbao)

Enter the Cafe Iruña in Bilbao

Founded in 1903, the day of San Fermin, for an entrepreneur Navarro, Severo Unzue, is now part of Bilbao's historical heritage, both for its aesthetic as to become a meeting place for Bilbao society, chats with participants welcoming such luminaries as Ortega and Unamuno Maeztu. Located on the corner of Columbus and Berastegi Larreategi and the architect Joaquín Rucoba (who also wrote the Arab lounge Hall), has a neo-Moorish style which highlights its interior tiles and murals.

The Café Iruña is currently keeping his literary vocation, being home to a dozen cultural organizations, who continue to use the Café Iruña as a center of celebration of its biggest events.

But despite its strong cultural role, does not forget about the food. Service has a daily menu that recalls the Café Iruña pianist wrote there, in 1927, the Castilian version of the song "Good Menu". In fact, the lyrics of the song is available freely on a postcard in the same Café Iruña and offices of Bilbao Turismo (BIT).

Finally, a detail of the importance of coffee in Bilbao has been declared a unique monument in 1980 and in 2000 won the award for best coffee in Spain.

Cafe Iruña (Bilbao)

Cafe Iruña (Bilbao)

Cafe Iruña (Bilbao)

"Container books" of the Regional Library of Bizkaia

Located in the rear of the council, is the Regional Library. Library entrance stands the "Container of Books', a modern design with semi-transparent box-shaped and decorated with 170 phrases in languages ​​silkscreened around the world. The glass also is treated so that the light does not affect the books. The library acquires all its splendor at night, when illuminated. Designed by architects bilbínos Gloria Iriarte, Edward Mujica and Agustin de la Brena, the new building is attached to the former Regional Library.

The library holds 60,000 volumes and has 450 reading seats, divided into different rooms for consultation, mapping, reproduction and research.

The main access (with a panoramic lift) is located between the streets and Arbieto council. The entrance is between the container and the ancient books of the library building.

Gate Regional Library of Bizkaia

Torre Iberdrola (Bilbao)

Designed by the architect Cesar Pelli and started on March 19, 2007, the Torre Iberdrola in Bilbao is a skyscraper of 165 meters that will house offices, most of Iberdrola. Thus moving its main office Iberdrola currently located on the street Gardoqui No. 8 Cardinal.

The building has a total of 41 plants, occupying an area of 50,000 square meters and using 4,800 units of glass, designed exclusively for covering the Torre Iberdrola in Bilbao. As anecdotal details, Torre Iberdrola has its own heliport and a Fire Service due to the size of the building.

The date of completion of construction of the Torre Iberdrola is estimated for August 2011.

Iberdrola Tower view from the Plaza Moyua

Each time you visit a city tends to carry a card or a figurine that represents something typical of the city you've visited. And the one thing that is evident in the Basque Country is its rich gastronomic culture, also has endorsed products with the quality seal Eusko Label . I therefore recommend a souvenir of the most original and you can get more out: buy products Eusko Label.

In the center of Bilbao is a shop worth noting. Here you can buy products with the Label Eusko while you atentido by people who really know what sells and competent prices. In fact, many products the price is very similar to a normal product, so even more worthwhile the purchase.

The store in question is called "Bilbao Pixka Bat" which means "A piece of Bilbao" and that is, as I said, the products of his shop become at once great memories for any trip to Bilbao. Needless to say, if you're there you can always do

And if you like and want to repeat, also have a web page where you can purchase products online Eusko Label.

Here you have your data, personally I recommend you visit them:

Bat Pixka Bilbao - Situation

C \ Old Butchery, 27
(Opposite the Cathedral of Santiago )
48005 Bilbao

Tlfno. / FAX: 94 416 73 70

WEB: http://www.bilbaopixkabat.com

For útlimo I leave a photo of the entrance to the premises:

Pixka Bilbao Bat

The name comes from Santiago Cathedral existing Jacobean culture predates the founding of Bilbao. Town Charter and in the town's founding in 1300, records the existence of the shrine of Santiago, located in the St. James Coast road. The initial chapel, prior to the eleventh century, is the first religious building predates the founding of Bilbao.

The present church was built in the fourteenth century, but is cited as the reference year 1379 and since that date the data from the cathedral and are more accurate. It is in 1643 when the Holy See confirms the Church. In 1819 he was consecrated as a basilica and in 1950 attained the rank of Cathedral.

Although the Church was to be Gothic, slow in its construction made this Gothic originally was to have a French influence, end up with a mixture of styles.

If we follow the outer perimeter can see three entries with different stylistic features, although framed in the florid Gothic:

- Front door: both the façade and the front door are of Gothic style and are oriented towards the Plaza de Santiago. On the sides of the door are figures of St. Peter and St. Paul and at the top of the usual rosette Gothic churches.

Cathedral of Santiago (Bilbao), Main Entrance

- Second door on the right of the main facade. This gate was built in the second half of XVI century Renaissance and trapezoidal parameters. Within the porch, the door contains a multicolored coat of Bilbao. Inside the door, the eardrum has a size of the Immaculate Conception Francisco Arizmendi, dated 1873.

Cathedral of Santiago (Bilbao), Side Entry

Cathedral of Santiago (Bilbao), coat of Bilbao Detail

- Third door located on the street known as Mail and door or gate Angel of the Pilgrims. The name comes from the Jacobean symbol on the door and greeted the pilgrims who came way to Compostela. The door, a Gothic structure, is decorated Plateresque-Elizabethan and Gothic ornamentation of the last period.

Cathedral of Santiago (Bilbao), Pilgrim Gate

Cathedral of Santiago (Bilbao), Symbol Jacobean

Indeed, the Angel door connects to the cloister, in the early sixteenth century Gothic cloister and only preserved in Biscay, together with the convent of San Francisco de Bermeo. In the cloister of 24 meters, you can see two altarpieces of early twentieth century and three tombs. It has two doors connected with the church: one bound to the north transept and that holds a picture of James, Commander Perez's work, and another near the entrance of the sacristy.

The Cathedral has a total of 15 chapels devoted, according to the custom of the times, to different saints or virgins, according to the preferences of the wealthy parishioners who financed with the goal of placing in them the family graves.

Plan of the Cathedral of Santiago (Bilbao)

The choir also has its own characteristics, and that is not located in the center, as is usual in Gothic churches. In the last restoration in 2002, was installed a new classic style organ of 2,260 pipes Nordic, named Jesus Guridi composer, who was the organist of the church of Santiago between 1918 and 1939.

The liturgical furnishings and original jewelry can be seen in the Museum of Sacred Art.

Bilbao - La Salve Bridge

Works of John Batanero the early seventies with the aim of achieving a quick exit Begoña Bilbao to the side of Artxanda. Its functionality was completed with the opening of Artxanda tunnels, and its image improved when it was installed next to the Museo Guggenheim , providing a shortcut.

The last step in the integration of the bridge to the museum occurred in October 2007 with the project by Daniel Buren, winner of artistic intervention in the La Salve bridge, convened to mark the tenth anniversary of the Guggenheim. The work of the Frenchman Daniel Buren, entitled Arcos Rojos, covered with a coating of bright red pillars of hanging straps that hold the bridge, forming an arc. The work gains more striking at night, thanks to dynamic lighting systems.

Bilbao - La Salve Bridge at night

The name of the bridge comes from the Place de la Salve, located on the right bank. The square was named because it was the point at which height, the sailors of the ships that were on the river, prayed a Hail Mary when you could see the Basilica of Begoña.

Mercado de la Ribera - Bilbao

Visible from the bridge of San Anton and installed in a building from 1930, designed by Peter Ispizua, is the Mercado de la Ribera. Like other buildings of the architecture of Bilbao ( Guggenheim , Euskalduna Palace, ...) the building simulates a boat stranded in the estuary. Under a colorful stained glass, surviving several restorations, highlights the main entrance.

Installed on the old square, was the place where fishermen and farmers set up their stalls. The current market is the largest in Europe, being also the most animated.

From the market we can skirt the river down the street to get to Arenal Bank. In front of the Mercado de la Ribera is situated a long porch with arches leading from the Old Butchery Somera up. In the vaults of the frames you can see some contemporary paintings made at the end of last century.