Bilbao is the largest city in the Basque Country in northern Spain, and the capital of the province of Biscay.
Bilbao is located on the banks of the Nervión, a tidal river. The population of Bilbao city is just over 372,000, but within the metropolitan area there are over 1 million inhabitants, ranking it as the fifth largest metropolitan area of Spain.
Bilbao is a major seaport and industrial center, but in recent years the city has undergone a major urban renewal, in order to move it away from the region's industrial history and instead focus on tourism and services. The developments are centered around the new metro system and most of all, the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum. A new tram line was introduced in 2002. The Port of Bilbao, formerly on the river, has been moved and expanded downstream on the Bay of Biscay, opening a great deal of real estate on the river that has been the site of most of the new buildings.
The Guggenheim Museum is probably Bilbao's top tourist attraction. It is situated on the bank of the Nervión River. Designed by the American architect Frank O. Gehry, it is one of the most celebrated buildings of the 1990s. It is made like a sculpture, with curved and bend forms covered in titanium, and has no concrete shape. The museum exhibits the artwork of both contemporary Spanish and international artists.
Museo de Bellas Artes (Museum of Fine Art) has a remarkable collection of paintings, sculptures, drawings, engravings and decorative objects, and is recognized as one of Spain’s finest art museums. Among other museums in Bilbao is the Euskal Museoa (The Basque Museum), focusing on the prehistory, archeology, ethnography and history of the Basque Country, and La Ria Maritime Museum, which covers an area of 27,000 sq. meters, 7,000 for indoor exhibitions and 20,000 for outdoor exhibitions including three docks.
Cathedral of Santiago is a Gothic style 14th century cathedral, named after Bilbao's official patron saint. Basílica de Begoña, built in the 16th century, is perhaps the most symbolic religious building in the city. Iglesia de San Antón is a Gothic style church from the first half of the 15th century. The church was constructed on the ruins of a former alcazar, and is shown on Bilbao's shield.
The medieval neighborhood, Casca Viejo (the Old Town), is the most colorful part of Bilbao, a maze of narrow streets full of taverns, shops and monuments. It has a monumental square called Plaza Nueva, which is considered a most beautiful ancient piece of architecture, on each Sunday the square becomes the place of a flea market and is full of stalls.
In Bilbao there are many places for shopping. Mercado de La Ribera is a market for fresh products in Bilbao. It is considered as the biggest market of its kind in Spain. For the interesting and unique items, Safiartx can be visited. Centro Comercial Max Center is a big shopping mall in Bilbao, which contains around 150 shops.
