It was Diego López de Haro V, Lord of Bizkaia, who in 1300 granted it the title of city owing to its importance as a commercial centre on the route to Santiago de Compostela. Its incipient port and good communications soon made it the most important centre of the feudal estate of Bizkaia. The exploitation of the nearby mining areas gave it a definitive boost in the 19th century, attracting transport investments and iron and steel companies. The city was prosperous for most of the 20th century, expanding to engulf neighbouring towns on both sides of the river Nervión to constitute what is today Greater Bilbao. However, the crisis of the iron and steel industry and its negative consequences caused its industrial reconversion in the late 20th century. Bilbao has gradually recovered its dynamism to become a city of services dedicated to environmental and urban regeneration. Population: 353,340

Tourist Information: Bilbao Convention Bureau, Plaza del Ensanche, 11 ( 94 471 03 01). Open from Monday to Friday 9:00 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 19:30. Tourist Office, Abandoibarra, 2, beside Guggenheim Museum. Open from Tuesday to Friday 11:00 to 18:00, Saturday 11:00 to 19:00 and Sunday 11:00 to 15:00; July and August from Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 19:00 and Sunday 10:00 to 15:00. Tourist Office, Arriaga Theatre, Plaza del Arriaga. Open in winter from Monday to Friday 11:00 to 14:00 and from 17:00 to 19:30, Saturday from 9:30 to 14:00 and from 17:00 to 19:30, Sunday from 9:30 to 14:00; open daily in Summer from 9:30 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 19:30. Tourist Office, Airport, departure terminal ( 94 471 03 01). Open from Monday to Friday 7:30 to 23:00 and weekend 8:30 to 23:00. Citizens Information 010 or 94 424 17 00. More information at www.bilbao.net

Weather: Bilbao weather is humid oceanic. The predominance of winds from the west and regulator effect of the ocean make temperatures milder and favour a moderated weather the whole year. In winter the average temperature is around 8ºC and 20ºC in summer. Rainfalls are more frequently in spring and autumn, with soft winters and not very warm summers. This is the current weather:

Telephones: Bilbao code number is 94, even necessary for local calls. For international calls dial 00 plus the country code you wish to call. Public telephones works with coins and prepaid cards on sale at newsagents. For telephone information dial 11888 or 11822.

Sondika airport Terminal

Airport: Sondica International Airport - BIO ( 902 40 47 04) is located approximately 12 km from the city, in municipal area of Loiu. The straightest route is across Alameda Recalde and La Salve Briddge, from here you can go trough Artxanda tunnels and Corridor of Txorrieri, which is the highway to the Airport. It is communicated by bus A-3247 Bizkaibus ( 902 22 22 65), it leads to Termibus station, it stops at Gran Vía 79, plaza Moyua and Alameda Recalde 11. Bus frequency is every 30 minutes between 5:25 to 21:55 from Bilbao and 6:15 to 24:00 from Airport (20 minutes, fare 1.10 €). The average fare for a taxi ride to citycentre is 20 €.

Train Stations: Bilbao Abando, Plaza Circular, 2 ( Abando). Vizcaya railway comprises three networks: Renfe, EuskoTren and Feve. Renfe offers long-distance trains to Vigo-A Coruña, Alicante, Barcelona, Burgos, Logroño-Zaragoza, Madrid, Málaga, Miranda de Ebro and Valladolid-Salamanca, and also commuter trains: C-1 to Santurtzi, C-2 to Muskiz y C-3 to Orduña. EuskoTren provides three lines to valley of Txorierri, Durangaldea and Urdaibai. Feve offers Long-distance train to Santander and commuter train to Balmaseda.

Bilbao Metro access

Bus Station: Terminal Autobuses Garellano-Termibus, Gurtubay, 1 ( 94 439 50 77). Interurban transport services are provided by Bizkaibus ( 902 222 265).

Port: Ferry Bilbao-Porsmouth, Cosme Echevarrieta, 1 ( 94 423 44 77). Ferry operators are: Acciona Trasmediterránea ( 902 45 46 45) and P&O ( 94 423 44 77). Find information on Santurtzi Tourist Office: Av. Cristóbal Murrieta ( 94 483 94 94). Comunicated with Bizkaibus line A-3151 and line C-1 of commuter train to Santurtzi.

Public Transport: Bilbobus ( 94 448 40 80) offers a nice daytime bus service, and also night bus service -numbers between 191 to 198- which departures every hour on weekends from plaza Biribila. You can buy ticket directly from driver, it cost 1,20 € and allows free transfer during 45 minutes. Metro ( 94 425 40 25) includes two lines from Bilbao to the right edge of the Nervión river to Plentzia (line 1) and left edge to Sestao (line 2). Timetable is from Sunday to Thursday 6:00 to 23:00, Friday until 1:30 and Saturday 24 hours, frequency is 2 minutes in rush hours and 30 at night service. Single ticket costs 1.40 €, 1.50 € & 1.60 € for 1, 2 & 3 zones respectively; the Super 50 card, allows 50 rides in 30 days, and costs 24.50 €, 29 € & 32.50 €; Mensual Card, allows unlimited rides for 30 days, 29.40 €, 35 € & 40.70 €; one-day ticket, provides unlimited rides in 24 hours, it cost 4 € and combined with Renfe 8.75 €. Tram Eusko Tran connects Atxuri with Basurto every 10 minutes, through the main tourist points of Bilbao like Arriaga Theater, Guggenheim Museum, Eukalduna Palace or San Mamés soccer stadium, departuring from Atxuri Sundays to Fridays 5:57 to 23:00 and weekends 6:57 to 23:00, and from Basurto Mondays to Fridays 6:30 to 23:25 and weekends 7:30 to 23:25 (single ticket 1 €, one-day ticket 3 €). Artxanda's Funicular crosses every 15 minutes a 770 meters trip from plaza del Funicular beside Zubizuri bridge, to Artxanda mountain. Timetable in working days is 7:15 to 22:00 and weekends 8:15 to 22:00 (until 23:00 from June to September) fare is 0.86 € or 0.54 € with Creditrans.

Creditrans ( 901 640 642) is a credit card to travel in all public transports of Bilbao, substracting the cost of every ride (it is sold at Metro stations, tram, kiosks and tobacco shops costing 5, 10 and 15 €). Bilbobus ride costs 0.57 €, tram 0.64 € and Metro 0.69 €, 0.83 € or 0.93 € for 1, 2 or 3 zones.

Taxis: Radio Taxi, 94 444 88 88. Radio Taxi Bizkaia, 94 426 90 26. Tele Taxi, 94 410 21 21. Daytime fare is charged from Monday to Friday 7:00 to 22:00, the fare is 0.60 € for every Km, 14.50 € for one hour stopped and 3.25 € the minimum ride. Nighttime fare is chargued from Monday to Friday 22:00 to 7:00, Saturdays and non-working days 24 hours, the fare is 0.82 € for every Km, 20.50 € for one hour stopped and 4 € the minimum ride. For inter-city rides daytime fare is charged from Monday to Saturday 7:00 to 23:00 the amount is 0.51 € for every Km, 14,31 € for one hour stopped and 4.77 € the minimum ride. Nighttime fare is charged from Monday to Saturday 23:00 to 7:00 and non-working days 24 hours, the fare si 0.56 € for every km, 15.05 € for one hour stopped and 5.24 € the minimum ride.

Lost & Found: Luis Briñas, 14 - Garellano ( 94 420 49 81). Open Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 13:00.

Vehicles: Car parking is ruled by parquimeters called TAO, Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 13:30 and 15:00 to 20:00 and Saturday from 9:00 to 13:30. Costs 0.45 €, 1.05 €, 1.65 € & 2.55 € for 30, 50, 90 & 120 minutes. There are two types of places, marked in blue and green paint, for 2 & 5 hours maximum.

Motorbike & bike rentals: Alquimoto, Anselma de Salces, 9.

Emergencias: All the emergencies: 112; Ertzaintza: 94 444 14 44; National Police: 091; Local Police: 092; Osakidetza / Basque Health Service: 94 410 00 00.

Medical Assistance: Basurto Hospital, Avenida Montevideo, 18 ( 94 400 60 00). Santa Marina Hospital, Avenida Santa Marina, 41 ( 94 400 69 00). Cruces Hospital, Plaza Cruces - Barakaldo ( 94 600 60 00). Hospital de Galdakao Hospital, Barrio Labeaga - Galdakao ( 94 400 70 00).

Pharmacies: Amelia Egiraun Pharmacy, Hurtado Amezaga, 10. Open every day until 22:00. Joaquina Armesto Del Campo Pharmacy, Pl. Miguel de Unamuno, 5. Pariza Gómez-Rubiera Pharmacy, Correo 4. Maria Jose Orive Gonzalez Pharmacy, Iturribide, 63. Fuldain Iturri Pharmacy, Pl. Nueva, 4. Uriarte Goiricelaya Pharmacy, Carnicería Vieja, 15. Garmendia y Purroy Pharmacy, Fika, 65. Gandariasbeitia Pharmacy, Enrique de Ibarreta, 1. María Teresa Arenaza Asúa Pharmacy, Autonomía, 9.

Pintxos & tapas: Baden-Baden, Gran Vía, 75 ( Sabino Arana). Specialized in seafood and octopus. El Huevo Frito, García Rivero, 1 ( Moyúa). Original pintxos. Éle, General Concha, 3 ( Moyúa). A wide offer in pintxos. Izaro, Alameda de Urquijo, 66 ( Indautxu). Fashioned micro-place. La Dolce Vita, Licenciado Poza, 55 ( Indautxu). Specialized in risotto and crujiente of mushrooms with prawns. Lasa, Diputación, 3 ( Moyúa). Specialized in skewers. El Bistrot, Juan de Ajuriaguerra, 13 ( Uribitarte). Modern pintxosia. El Globo, Diputación, 8 ( Moyúa). Txangurro and grilled salmon. Munegorri, Alameda de San Mamés, 43. Original pintxos. Zuga, Plaza Nueva, 4 ( Casco Viejo). Design pintxos.

Restaurants: A Table, Dos de Mayo, 18. Minimalist Basque-french cooking. Agape, Hernani, 13. Imaginative cooking. Alberdi, Euskalduna, 5 ( Abando). Specialized in foie and cod fish. Arriaga, Santa María, 13. Traditional cooking. Getaría, Colón de Larreategui, 12 ( Abando). Grill. Guria, Gran Vía, 66 ( Indautxu). Basque cooking. Kikara, Iparraguirre, 23 ( Moyúa). Modern cooking. La Pérgola, Gran Vía, 87 ( Sabino Arana). Author's cooking. Taberna Rogelio, Carretera Basurto-Castrejana, 7 ( Basurto). Prestigious grill. Zuria, Uribitarte, 4 ( Uribitarte). Contemporary basque cuisine. Alameda, Alameda Urquijo, 40 ( Indautxu). Secialized in "felipadas". Eme, General Concha, 5 ( Moyúa). Specialized in small squids and hake fish. Serantes I, Alameda de Urquijo, 51 ( Indautxu). Seafood.

Pubs & Clubs: Azzurro, Telesforo Aranzadi, 1 ( Moyúa). Mixed drinks and info-disckjockey. Café-Bar Jaime, Gran Vía, 86 ( Sabino Arana). Mixed drinks with class. Abadía del Císter, Aureliano Valle, 1 ( Indautxu). Brewery with medieval environment. Alquimia, Jose María Escuza, 27 ( San Mamés). Cocktails in medieval environment. Big Ben, Galerías Urquijo, Alameda de Urquijo, 30 ( Moyúa). Theme parties. Central, Galerías Urquijo ( Moyúa). Both floors with diferent environment. Chicago, Galerías Urquijo ( Moyúa). American billiard. Buhos, Uhagón, 9 ( Indautxu). Disco music. El Surtidor, Barrenkale Barrena, 10 ( Arriaga). Techno music. Kasko, Andra Maria Kalea, 16 ( Arriaga). Modern environment. Lord Donovan Tavern, Manuel Allende, 21 ( Indautxu). International brewery. Le Club, Muelle de Martzana, 4 ( Atxurri). Three floor club with three different sounds: rock, disco and chill-out. Holiday, Av. Madariaga, 18 ( Deusto). Disco music club. Conjunto Vacío, Muelle de la Merced, 4 ( Arriaga). House music club.

Gay venues: Badulake, Hernani, 10 ( Arriaga). Live music and entertainment. Sildabia, Lamana, 1 ( Arriaga). Nice environment. Heaven, Dos de Mayo, 4 ( Arriaga). Coffee-shop. Congreso, Muelle de Uribitarte, 4, besides jardines de Albia ( Uribitarte). House music club. El Balcón de Lola, Bailén, 10 ( Arriaga). Club for youngsters from 2:00. La Marina, Nueva, 2 ( Arriaga). Coffe-shop. Enigma, Luis Iruarrizaga, 7 ( Arriaga). Gay pub.

Times changes, timetables and prices vary continuously, attractions that were once interesting are no longer so a year later, and others that were not even mentioned become a must in no time. For this reason, at infoidiomas.com we are always updating and we would be grateful if our clients would tell us about details and information that has become obsolete. We will acknowledge them by publishing their names in future editions.

Euskalduna Palace

You can start your visit to the city in the old town whith the church of San Nicolás, the patron saint of sailors -on the Arenal parade- is in the Baroque style and was built by Ignacio Ibero in 1756; its construction gave rise to the Bilbao Big Week ( Casco Viejo). From the adjacent Plaza Nueva, a meeting place for locals and strangers alike, which was constructed in 1849 in the neoclassical style by Silvestre Pérez, we come to the Plaza Miguel de Unamuno that commemorates the famous Basque writer. After climbing the 213 steps of the Mallona Way, we reach in the Plaza Juan XXIII the basilica of Begoña, the work of Sancho Martínez de Arego, which was built in the late Gothic style in 1620 and is popularly known as the "Amatxu". On the way back the Museo de Pasos -at Calle Iturribide, 3- stands out with a permanent exhibition of the carvings and floats of the Bilbao Easter Week ( Tuesday to Friday from 11:00 to 13:30 and from 17:00 to 19:30, on Saturdays from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 17:00 to 20:00 and on Sundays from 11:00 to 14:00, closed in August; adults 2 €, students 1 €) and the Museo Vasco -at Plaza Miguel de Unamuno, 4- which shows us the ethnography and history of the Basque Country ( Tuesday to Saturday from 11:00 to 17:00 and on Sundays from 11:00 to 14:00; adults 3 €, students 1.50 €, free entry on Thursdays). Next to the museum stands the church of the Santos Juanes, built in the 17th century in the Baroque style, which is noted for the altar dedicated to the Sacred Heart. After crossing the former access gate to the city or the Portal de Zamudio, we come to the Gothic church of San Antón, where Diego López de Haro read the charter of the city on 15 June 1300. Continuing a few metres along the banks of the river to the east, the Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art -at Plaza de la Encarnación, 9B- exhibits works of religious art, silverware, vestments, sculptures and painting ( Tuesday to Saturday from 10:30 to 13:30 and from 16:00 to 19:00, on Sundays from 10:30 to 13:30; adults 2 €, students and young people aged under 18 1 €; free entry on Thursdays). Going back along the river we come to the Ribera market, considered the largest covered market in Europe, and can continue along the Calle Carnicería Vieja to the cathedral of Santiago. It was initiated in the 14th century as a parish church for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela, and was finished in the 15th century in the Gothic style. A couple of blocks away stands the Palacio John, built in the Baroque style in the 18th century and the current headquarters of the stock exchange, around which are found the Seven Streets that were the origin of Old Bilbao.

Santiago Church

The Arriaga Theatre stands on the banks of the river next to the Arenal Bridge. It is one of the most representative buildings in the city and was built by Joaquín Rucoba in the eclectic style in 1890. Next to it we have the Bidebarrieta Library, built in the same year by Severino Achúcaro, and crossing the river the Santander station of 1902 and the Bilbaína building of 1913 at the foot of the Plaza de España, in the centre of which there is a statue to the founder of the city, Diego López de Haro, the work of Mariano Benlliure ( Abando). At this point the Gran Vía Don Diego López de Haro begins; it is the main artery of the city and the axis of its expansion. A few short metres from the plaza -through the Calle Berástegui- we come to the gardens of Albia, the palm trees of which protect the statue of the writer Antonio Trueba, which is also by Mariano Benlliure, and to the church of San Vicente Mártir, built in the Basque Gothic style in 1559. Continuing along the Gran Vía we pass before the Palace of the Vizcaya Local Government, an eclectic building constructed in 1900 by the architect Luis Aladrén. From here in the Plaza de Moyúa we come to the Casa de Montero in the modernist style and the Palacio de Chavarri, an eclectic work erected in 1894 by Paul Hankar and Anastasio de Anduiza, the peculiarity of which is that all its windows and balconies are different ( Moyúa). Other building of eclectic style is the adjacent Casa de la Sota -on the corner of Calle Iparraguirre and the Gran Vía- the work of Manuel María de Smith in 1919. A block to the south we have the park of Doña Casilda Iturrizar, which is studded with ponds, and a porticoed plaza by Ricardo Bastida and Juan Eguiraun. The Fine Arts Museum lies to the north of the park, at Plaza Museo, 2; it contains ancient (El Greco, Zurbarán, Murillo, Ribera, Goya, Van Dyck...), contemporary (Gauguín, Chillida, Tàpies, Oteiza, Barceló...), and Basque art collections (Regoyos, Zuloaga, Echevarría, Arteta) and also temporary exhibitions ( Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 20:00; adults 5.50 €, students and the unemployed 4 €, free entry on Wednesdays). The Gran Vía ends in the Plaza del Sagrado Corazón, where the 50-metre Sacred Heart monument stands; it was executed by Pedro Muguruza in 1927.

Guggenheim Museum

Exactly to the south, the eclectic Casa de la Misericordia and the San Mamés stadium ( San Mamés), and to the north the Euskalduna Conference Centre, the avant-garde work of the architects Dolores Palacios and Federico Soriano. Next to it -at the quay Ramón de la Sota, 1- the Maritime Museum, located in the former Euskalduna shipyards ( Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 to 18:30, weekends from 10:00 to 20:00; adults 5 €, students 3.50 €), and continuing northwards along the Avenida Abandoibarra, the spectacular Guggenheim Museum -at Avenida Abandoibarra, 2- designed in 1997 by the architect Frank O. Gehry. It is made up of several interconnected volumes, some octagonal in shape and covered with limestone and others curved and twisted and covered with titanium. The three levels of galleries are grouped around a central courtyard, from the flower-shaped central skylight of which flows a stream of light that illuminates the space. Its collection includes works by Chillida, Yves Klein, Wilem de Kooning, Antoni Tàpies, and Andy Warhol ( Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 20:00; adults 10.50 €, students aged under 26 6.50 €, free entry to children under 12).

Puente Colgante

On the opposite bank of the river stands the Universidad of Deusto, and going back towards the old town we can see some of the modern bridges crossing it, such as the avant-garde Zubizuri Bridge by Santiago Calatrava or that of the Town Hall (the building looks onto the Plaza Ernesto Erkoreka). This is the third headquarters of this institution, built on the old Convento de los Agustinos in 1892. The extensive Etxebarría Park starts practically at its feet, and behind it rises Mount Artxanda (accessible by funicular railway) from which magnificent views can be had of the city. Continuing to the north towards the river mouth on the Cantabrian Sea we come to the Puente Colgante, a raised transporter bridge that links Las Arenas to Portugalete. It has been declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO and was designed by the architect Alberto Palacio in 1893 ( boat service 24 hours a day, 0.25 € per trip; walkway open from 10:00 to sunset, adults 4 €, students 3 €).

Bilbaocard allows unlimited travel on the whole Creditrans public transport network ( Bilbobus, Artxanda funicular, La Salve lift and Eusko Tran), giving discounts of between 10 and 50% in museums, shows, shops, restaurants, and tourist destinations in general. It costs 6, 10 & 12 € for 1, 2 & 3 days respectively, and can be acquired over the Internet and in tourist offices in the city.