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CONTENTS Introduction
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Useful Information
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New Tourist Office
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Not to be missed
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Bilbao by Land, Sea and Air
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Bilbao Art District
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Cultural Agenda
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Basketball World Cup
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Easter Week Processions
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Godd Food
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Bilbao by Night
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More Plans for Families
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Bizkaia
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Basque World
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Basque FEST
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IS SPRING VISIT
Bilbao gets decked out for Spring to the beat of “Basque FEST”, a festival that is a reference for culture and the avant-garde, filling the city with Basque cultural and artistic events during Easter Week. This is the perfect opportunity to discover, share and experience the “be Basque” Passion that invades every corner of Bilbao. The entire city becomes one big festive venue with exciting events and activities, as well as delicious food. Bilbao is design, cutting-edge, architecture, tradition, gastronomy, personality and culture. It is a friendly, welcoming and absolutely charming city. Come and experience “be Basque passion” this Easter. Discover the charm of a city that is a world reference in urban transformation; a city sheltered by mountains, only twenty minutes from fabulous beaches and a few kilometres from magnificent historic city centres and nature areas. Bilbao has so much more to offer this Easter.
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USEFUL INFORMATION Bilbao Tourist Offices Opening Hours EASTER PLAZA CIRCULAR OFFICE Every day from 9:00 to 21:00 h. GUGGENHEIM OFFICE (next to the museum) From 12 to 21 April: 10:00 to 19:00 h. 1 MAY BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND PLAZA CIRCULAR OFFICE Every day from 9:00 to 21:00 h. GUGGENHEIM OFFICE (next to the museum) From 1 to 4 May: 10:00 to 19:00 h.
NEW TOURIST OFFICE
Bilbao Card The Bilbao Card lets you use the urban public transport at a special rate. You will also get signifi cant discounts on guide visits of the city, tourist buses, at museums, leisure establishments, shops, restaurants, for shows and other services. The Bilbao Card is available for 1, 2 or 3 days. Where to buy: • Plaza Circular, 1. • Next to the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. Website: www.bilbaoreservas.com
Booking Centre bilbaoreservas.com is the offi cial Bilbao Turismo service to make it easy for visitors to book any tourist service in the city. www.bilbaoreservas.com Tel.: 902 877 298
BILBAO BIZKAIA FRIENDLY Bilbao is a modern city, brimming with opportunities, and known as a tourist-friendly destination in Europe scene, where you will fi nd a select variety of bars, restaurants, fashion boutiques and many other establishments where people get along together. Useful links. www.bilbaobizkaiafriendly.com PLANS FOR THE FAMILY
Useful telephone numbers • Ertzaintza (Basque Police) Emergency: 112. • Local Police: 092. • Bilbao International Airport: 902 404 704
*All the activities shown in this leaflet may be subject to changes.
The new Bilbao-Bizkaia Tourist Office in the heart of the city attends visitors and locals alike in a building with more than 120 years of history, where the old and classical interacts in permanent dialogue with the new and modern.
The original architecture and materials – marble floors, columns, capitals and a large Compass Rose – blend in with curved wood, HD screens, innovative lighting techniques and the latest modern art expressions. Kalejira mural- Abigail Lazkoz (1972) Polysemic shapes are a representation of the global polyhedral non-exclusive human feature. This work represents the cosmopolitan, modern Bilbao of the 21st century. It revives the Basque mural tradition and redesigns it from a modern perspective. “Navel” - Javi Martín (1968) Navel opens a space for artists in the field of photography, graphic design and illustration. This first installation is made up of 119 cubes on the wall which show images of cloudy days in Bilbao. The printing technique is known as Fine Art Digital Colour Printing and works on Hahnemühle Cotton Smooth 300gr paper. “The Forest of Forests” Four large canvasses depicting a beech wood in Orduña line the inner courtyard, giving the building a green core.
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Yoko Ono. Half-A-Wind Show. Retrospective Guggenheim Museum Bilbao www.guggenheim-bilbao.es
NOT TO BE MISSED
Discover all that Bilbao has to offer you this Easter. Activities to learn more about the city’s history, traditions and architecture; magnificent exhibitions; music and historic religious processions. We suggest the not-to-be-missed essentials for experiencing the “be Basque” Passion in Bilbao.
The exhibition reviews Yoko Ono’s entire career to date, from some of her most significant works of the 1960’s to recent installations and works created especially for this retrospective, with a section specifically dedicated to her film and music production. On this art tour, ideas very often imbibed with social criticism are the main component.
Ernesto Neto: The Body that Carries Me
Markus Lüpertz. Matter and Shape
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao www.guggenheim-bilbao.es
Fine Arts Museum www.museobilbao.com
The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao presents a journey to understand the essence of the Brazilian artist’s work. This is an experience that encompasses smell, colour, emotion, language and sensory events.
The exhibition covers 50 years of the artistic career of one of the most important contemporary creators. The exhibition brings together 91 works, featuring paintings, sculptures and works on paper.
“basque FEST” This year’s edition of Basque FEST, the festival of Basque culture and avant-garde art, will make Bilbao an important venue and point of reference for Basque art and cultural expressions. Tradition, personality, innovation, talent and creativity are the ingredients that Basque FEST adds to its programme: spectacular exhibitions in the Ría, dance, street theatre, children’s entertainment, crafts, concerts and shows. Make sure to visit the Ribera Market with exhibits and sales of Basque design; and the book fair and Basque authors in the Ensanche. All the above, plus exhibitions of traditional Basque sports and, of course, the delicious food in the city’s many gourmet areas. In addition, this year Alhóndiga Bilbao hosts two artistic tasting events: one dedicated to txakoli wine and the other to wine from La Rioja Alavesa. Discover the details in the programme handout enclosed with this guide and on www.basquefest.com
Arts Weekend in Bilbao Art District Bilbao Art District is in the area between the Maritime Museum, Albia Gardens, Colón de Larreategi and Paseo de Abandoibarra. It is a unique spot that boasts art galleries, museums, booksellers, art restorers and an exhibition of open air sculptures by artists of the stature of Dalí, Chillida, M.Lüpertz, Galarza, Tucker, Rückriem, Koons and Sir A. Caro.
On 2-3 May Bilbao holds the Weekend of the Arts with live music, performances, workshops, and special opening hours for art galleries and museums so you can enjoy a unique experience.
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Txikitos and pintxos The food and wine ritual par excellence in Bilbao is to go from bar to bar, tasting the pintxos and txikitos (traditional wine gla sses), while you enjoy the good company and atmosphere. Casco Viejo, Maestro GarcĂa Rivero, Deusto, Ledesma, Licenciado Poza‌ are some of the favourite spots with the local to enjoy this age-old tradition.
The Flower Market The traditional Flower Market is held in the Arenal sheds from 9.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. on Sundays. Branches, plants, colours, scents and a great atmosphere are what make this Sunday ritual special.
La Ribera Market The recently refurbished La Ribera Market, a temple to gastronomy on the banks of the river estuary, is another must in the search for succulent food. It is a retail fl agship for the whole of Bizkaia. Thousands of people fl ock to this food market everyday in the certainty that they will fi nd the best tasty products there.
Abandoibarra: Open air Pritzker Catalogue Discover on foot, by bike and from the river one of the most sophisticated areas of Europe, which boasts buildings by some of the best architects in the world such as Gehry, Moneo, Siza, Isozaki, Pelli or Calatrava.
Easter Week Processions The streets of Bilbao are the backdrop for thirteen processions with over two thousand brethren. Their artistic heritage is a true treasure built up over four centuries of perseverance. A unique opportunity to enjoy the major works of the imagery of the Bilbao Holy Week is the Procession of the Entombment [Santo Entierro] on Good Friday, which is the most important in terms of the crowds and the quality of the images in the procession.
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BILBAO BY LAND, SEA AND AIR
NAVIGATING BILBAO Learn more about the history of Bilbao while you sail on the Ría and discover a wonderful new view of the city. Bilboats takes you past the most modern architecture and landscapes, immerses you in the city’s industrial past and gives you a glimpse of the authentic Bilbao: the most significant events, traditions and places in a city that has evolved in close contact with its Ría. Navigating Bilbao: 17 - 21 April: 13:00, 16:00, 17:30 and 19:00 h. Navigating by sea: 17 - 21 April: 10:30 h. www.bilboats.com bilboats@bilboats.com Tel.: 94 642 41 57 and 644 442 055.
GUIDED TOURS OF EUSKALDUNA CONFERENCE CENTRE AND CONCERT HALL The Jauregia Euskalduna Conference Centre and Concert Hall is the flagship of the new 21st century Bilbao. Discover every part of this building which is designed as a ship permanently under construction, emerging from a dry dock where the historical Euskalduna shipyard was situated. Free guided tours for the general public. Day of tour: Saturdays. Time: 12:00 h. Visitors per group: a maximum of 30. Ticket collection site: Euskalduna Conference Centre (Guide). (*) Where there are more than 30 people per group, an additional tour will be organised at 13:00. The route of the tour is dependent upon the number of visitors within the Conference Hall at any given time.
GUIDED WALKING TOURS
PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE CITY
Discover Bilbao as a professional guide takes you around two areas that capture the essence of the city: the Casco Viejo (Old Quarter) and Ensanche-Abandoibarra. Casco Viejo at 10:00 h. Meeting point at the Bilbao Tourist Office, located at No. 1, Plaza Circular. Price: € 4.5. Ensanche-Abandoibarra at 12 noon. Meeting point at the Bilbao Tourist Office, next to the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. Price: € 4.5.
One of the best panoramic views of Bilbao is from the Artxanda mountain. A historical cable car built in 1915 will take you to the top of the mountain. From there, you can view the all of the city’s architectural landmarks and the winding Ría. The Ría is also the perfect place to enjoy the city’s green belt, practice sports and try the traditional local dishes.
Both tours take place every day from 14 to 21 April and 1 to 4 May, weekends included. Duration: 90 minutes. Languages: English – Basque – Spanish.
Opening hours: - Weekdays from 7:15 to 22:00 h. - Holidays: 8:15 to 22:00 h.
TOURIST BUS www.busturistikoa.com An easy and different way of viewing Bilbao. The Bilbao Tourist Bus Tour gives you a privileged and complete panoramic view of the city. 24 hour tickets. Easter 2014 timetable 17 - 20 April: 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00 and 18:00 h. After 21 April: 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 16:00 h. Closed Tuesdays, except on holidays and bank holiday weekends. info@busturistikoa.com Tel.: 696 42 98 47 / 696 42 98 48.
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BY BIKE, KAYAK OR SURFBOARD An easy, practical and sustainable way to tour the city. Hire a bike or a kayak, or jump onto a surfboard and have fun your own way or explore every corner of Bilbao and the estuary.
TOURNÉ BILBAO Bike hire and guided bike tours. Bike hire schedule: every day from 10:00 to 20:00 h. Two hour Viva Bilbao itinerary in English and Spanish. Dates: 17 - 21 April. Departure time: 11:00 h. Location: Tourné Bilbao (C/ Villarías 1) Price per person: €28 (The itinerary includes bike hire, local guide and pintxo pote snack en route). Tel.: 944 249 465 www.tournebilbao.com info@tournebilbao.com
BWATERS / BILBAO URBAN SURFING There are many ways to tour Bilbao. One of the most original ones is on the water, with a surfboard and paddle, effortlessly gliding through the sheet of water of La Ría of the river Nervión, the city’s main thoroughfare. Departures only by booking in advance. Venue: Ramón de la Sota dock, next to the Bilbao Maritime Museum. Tel.: +34 608 382 772 Email: hello@bwaters.org www.bwaters.org Fb: https://www.facebook.com/BWATERSS Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/48981346
BILBAO ART DISTRICT
BILBAO ONE BIG ARTS CENTRE
IBILBI Guided bike tours and bike hire. www.ibilbi.com info@ibilbi.com Tel.: +34 633 03 20 70 BILBOBENTURA Kayak hire and lessons; bike hire. Easter Week: 10:00 - 20:00 h. every day. From May to October: 10:00 - 21:00 h. Telephone: 660 734 953 info@bilbobentura.com www.bilbobentura.com
OHR!G!NAL Different Experiences for this holiday. For example, pedal karts, 4-wheel sightseeing bikes and circular conference bikes. 17 - 21 April: available at any time, booked in advance. Tel. 94 400 44 30 info@ohriginal.net www.ohriginal.net www.facebook.com/ohriginalregalos
Bilbao has secured a position at the centre of the international avant-garde art scene. And art in Bilbao lies in the heart of the city. With the milestone that was the opening of the Guggenheim Museum 15 years ago, Bilbao has been developing a special concentration of artistic proposals in what is known as the Bilbao Art District: an area between the Maritime Museum, the Ría, Albia Gardens, Colón de Larreategui and Paseo de Abandoibarra. Explore this area and discover Bilbao while you discover the city’s art. Admire the amazing collections in the Fine Arts Museum, Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Ría de Bilbao Maritime Museum and the Sala Rekalde art gallery. Stroll through this privileged spot, among sculptures by iconic contemporary artists: Dalí, Chillida, Koons, Bourgeois and Kapoor. Look up to contemplate the works of such renowned architects as Pelli, Isozaki, Ferrater, Soriano, Siza, Moneo, Calatrava and Gehry. Naturally, you must not miss exploring the many art galleries, bookshops, antique
shops, auction houses, trendy boutiques, charming bars and prestigious art restorers who enrich the Bilbao Art District with a special and singular ambience. Bilbao Art District is a big art centre in the heart of Bilbao.
ARTS WEEKEND Culture and avant-garde arts invade the streets of the Bilbao Art District on 2-3 May. There will be live music, performances, workshops, open-air paintings, entertainment, activities for all ages and special opening hours for art galleries and museums to give you a unique experience. Renowned artists explain their works and their creative processes. With Arts Weekend, Bilbao joins other international venues in Berlin, Milan, London, Miami, Helsinki and Oslo. We celebrate our passionate love of art in the Bilbao Art District, where every street breathes art.
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CULTURAL AGENDA
BILBAO FINE ARTS MUSEUM www.museobilbao.com The Bilbao Fine Arts Museum hosts a permanent collection that covers the 13th century to the present, with important paintings from the Spanish and Flemish schools as well as a large collection by Basque artists. The current offer is rounded off with the following temporary exhibitions: ‘Mikel Díez Alaba. After an age’. The Fine Arts Museum is holding an exhibition focussing on the artist Mikel Díez Alaba (Bilbao, 1947). The exhibit features a total of 33 works, the core of which are hung in Gallery 33 of the museum, as well as in other spaces containing works of reference for the painter. It comprises abstract landscapes created with vivid brush strokes and richness of colour. Until 28th April. ‘Markus Lüpertz. Matter and shape’ The Fine Arts Museum is holding an anthological exhibition covering 50 years of the artistic career of one of the most important contemporary creators. The exhibition brings together 91 pieces featuring paintings, sculptures and works on paper. Until 19th may.
EXHIBITIONS GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM BILBAO www.guggenheim-bilbao.es In addition to the permanent collection, you can also visit the following exhibitions during Easter: Ernesto Neto: the body that carries me Under the heading ‘Ernesto Neto: the body that carries me’, the Guggenheim Museum presents a journey through the Brazilian artist’s work, who was born in Río de Janeiro (Brazil) in 1964, to enable an insight into the essence of his work. This is an experience that encompasses various sensorial experiences, such as smell, colour, emotion, language and sensory events. This trip commences in the Museum Atrium, where a large piece is installed, and continues through the eight galleries located on the second floor. Each room will offer viewers a different experience and rhythm to be watched for contemplation or interaction. According to Neto, who defines himself as a sculptor, his works have been created to be penetrated, inhabited, felt, and even smelled. Until 18th may.
Yoko Ono. Half-A-Wind Show. Retrospective With nearly 200 pieces, including installations, objects, films, drawings, photographs, text and audio works, together with documented performances, the exhibit entitled ‘Yoko Ono. Half-A-Wind Show. Retrospective’ offers a full vision of the multiple productions of this pioneer in conceptual and performance art. The exhibition reviews Ono’s entire career through to today, from some of her most significant works of the 1960’s to recent installations and works created especially for this retrospective, with a section specifically dedicated to her film and music production. On this art tour, ideas very often imbibed with social criticism are the main component. Until 31th august. Selections from the Collection of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao IV This exhibition confronts works in the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao Collection by two generations of contemporary artists who investigate spaces of presence and absence. Through their creations, they undertake to transform a reality that ranges from human relations and references to art history to cosmic and microscopic visions. Until 31th august.
ALHÓNDIGABILBAO www.alhondigabilbao.com Cry When it Happens. Laida Lertxundi Laida Lertxundi was born in Bilbao and lives in Los Angeles. Her exhibition is a tour of her film work, including the première of her installation We Had the Experience but Missed the Meaning; a room dedicated to films on Los Angeles; and a documentary section on her influences and references, which include her new work, Utskor Either/Or, filmed in Norway. Until 18 May.
‘Badu Bada. Euskera in a Trilingual World’ This exhibition is a space for discussing and reflecting on how languages live with each other and contribute to a more diverse cultural and linguistic world. Another important part of the exhibition is the survival of Basque via those that speak the language, games, the theatre and literature. Until 4 May. www.badubada.com
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RÍA DE BILBAO MARITIME MUSEUM www.museomaritimobilbao.org
THE BASQUE MUSEUM www.euskal-museoa.org
Located in Abandoibarra, the dock area of the oldest Basque shipyards, the Maritime Museum offers the following programme in addition to its permanent collection:
Housed within a Baroque building in the Casco Viejo (old quarter) of Bilbao , the exhibitions of this museum aim to depict the historical and cultural evolution of Basque society.
Bakailao. The Power of the Senses. The theme of this exhibition introduces visitors to one of the stars of our cuisine: cod. A dish of cod with pil-pil sauce will immerse visitors in the fascinating universe of cod through experience, emotion, the five senses and surprise. Gabarra Athletic. This exhibition focuses on the ship that bears witness to the triumphs of the Athletic football team. It is part of the memory of every follower of the Athletic Bilbao. The exhibition is complemented with a visit to the Gabarra Athletic on the Museum’s own docks. Bilbao’s Iron Landscapes. This exhibition by Ignacio Ipiña, organised by Bilbao Historiko, takes you on a tour of the mining landscapes forged by the work in the mines of Bilbao La Vieja, San Francisco and Atxuri. The exhibition is complemented with tools and other items used in the mines, on loan from the Basque Country’s Mining Museum. Children’s Easter workshops. Children’s workshops are held on 22-25 April. Please book in advance. The price is €10 per day and opening hours are from 9:30 to 13:30 h. Booking starts on: 10 March, by calling +34 946 085 500.
The Discovery of Leisure. The theme of this exhibition is the emergence and development of spaces for informal socialising and new cultural centre and activities in the 19th century. MUSEUM OF ARTISTIC REPRODUCTIONS www.museoreproduccionesbilbao.org Visitors can tour the exhibition Vía Renacimiento/Florentzia Eskultura, which offers a vision of the changes brought by the Renaissance through the works of the great artists of 15th and 16th century Florence. The Renaissance established the foundations of many aspects of subsequent European art. ARKEOLOGI MUSEOA www.bizkaia.net/arkeologimuseoa The Archaeological Museum’s permanent exhibition presents a tour of the history of Bizkaia via material recovered from archaeological excavations. The Museum organises guided tours to the exhibition Raíces (Roots) at the following times: Mornings: • 17, 18, 19, 22 and 24 April at 11:00 h. • 21 April at 11:30 h.
Afternoons: • 15, 16, 17, 18 , 22, 23, 24 and 25 de April at 17:00 h. The Museum also provides tours of the temporary exhibition In Search of Flint. The First Settlers on the Basque Coast: Mornings: • 17 - 18 April at 12:15 h. • 21, 22 and 24 April at 12:30 h. • 26 April at 12:00 h. Afternoons: • 15, 16, 17, 18 , 22, 23, 24 and 25 April at 18:15 h. • 19, 20 and 26 April at 17:00 h. The Arkeologi Museoa invites you to take part in the programme of guided tours “The Museum Piece by Piece “The Little Late Roman Treasure of Sakona (Errigoiti)” Mornings: • 12, 13, 19, 20, 26 and 27 April at 13:15 h. Afternoons: • 12, 19 and 26 April at 18:15 h. Workshops and games for families are also organised during Easter: • “Archaeology for One Day”, on 15 and 16 April at 11:30 and 13:00 h. • “Con las manos en la masa” (playing with dough) on 13, 20 and 27 April at 11:30 and 13:00 h. • “Entretelas” (amidst fabric), on 23 and 25 April at 10:30 and 12:30 h.
CRAFTS FAIRS ESKUTARTIE CRAFT FAIR This is the fourth year that the craft fair offers an opportunity to discover and admire the products made according to traditional Basque arts and techniques. The fair is open every day during Easter Week. Dates: 11 - 21 April. Location: Arenal. Opening hours: 11:00 to 14:30 and 17:00 to 21:00 h.
CONCERTS BILBAO ARS SACRUM (BAS), BILBAO RELIGIOUS MUSIC FESTIVAL A religious music cultural event. The programme includes prestigious musicians, groups and soloists who offer a sample of the various musical traditions based on spirituality and religious sentiment throughout different periods of history. Date: 10 and 12 April. Location: Church of La Encarnación de Atxuri. Further information: www.bilbao700.com
Información: 94 404 09 90 arkeologimuseoa@bizkaia.net DIOCESAN MUSEUM www.eleizmuseoa.com An exhibit of more than 500 pieces, from Romanesque to contemporary art, in a very complete view of religious art in the province of Bizkaia. BENEDICTO MUSEUM www.museo-benedicto.net This museum hosts luminous and important bronze sculptures inspired by the paintings of Maestro Benedicto. SALA REKALDE www.salarekalde.bizkaia.net Jesús Pastor The exhibition poses the persistent and obstinate question of where the image is to be found. The Sala Rekalde art gallery’s Abstract Cabinet hosts the Lourdes de la Villa exhibition.
60th OPERA SEASON IN BILBAO: Vincenzo Bellini’s I Puritani The Romanian soprano Elena Mosuc is Elvira in the romantic drama by composer Vincenzo Bellini. Dates: 11 and 14 April. Location: Euskalduna Conference Centre. Time: 20:00 h.
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365 JAZZ BILBAO Hernán Hock Quintet Concert by Hernán Hock guitarist and jazz composer born in Buenos Aires. Dates: 11 and 12 April. Location: Hotel Villa de Bilbao. Time: 23:00 h. SYMPHONIC OF ABBA This is an impressive new show where the audience can shut their eyes and be transported to the most Abba-like world they can possibly imagine. The best songs of this historical band sung by some of today’s greatest and most powerful voices. Date: 12 April. Location: Euskalduna Conference Centre. Time: 20:00 h. MANUEL CARRASCO Manuel Carrasco presents his new album Confieso que he sentido. Full of new sentiment, nuances, colour and life, the album covers the recent feelings and experiences that have made Manuel Carrasco a charttopping platinum artist. Date: 12 April. Location: Campos Elíseos Theatre. Time: 20:00 h.
JOAQUÍN ACHÚCARRO PIANO SEASON – Marta Zabaleta Marta Zabaleta is the third Basque pianist to act, in chronological order, in the season dedicated to the maestro from Bilbao. Date: 13 April. Location: Campos Elíseos Theatre. Time: 19:30 h. 365 JAZZ BILBAO - Roy Hargrove Quintet At 43, Roy Hargrove is firmly established among the world’s premier jazz trumpeters. In a constant search for new musical challenges and more colourful ways of expressing his musical genius, he has indelible imprints in a vast array of artful settings. Date: 23 April. Location: Campos Elíseos Theatre. Time: 20:00 h.
ESTOPA “A SOLAS” The Muñoz brothers, David and José have branched out into a new format, a new way of presenting a selection of top hits in an intimate, personal concert: just the two of them, accompanied only by their guitars. Date: 26 April. Location: Euskalduna Conference Centre. Time: 20:30 h.
NACH NACH, one of today’s best hip-hop singers, presents his latest recording: Los viajes inmóviles, accompanied almost exclusively by a piano. Date: 30 April. Location: Campos Elíseos Theatre. Time: to be defined.
4th BBVA FOUNDATION CONTEMPORARY MUSIC CONCERTS Concert by the Aleph Gitarrenquartett in the contemporary music season offered by the BBVA Foundation. Attendance must be confirmed in advance. Tel: 944 875 252 musica@fbbva.es Dates: 29 April. Location: Sala San Nicolás (Pl. San Nicolas, 4). Time: 20:00 h. EUSKADI SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA Concert by the Euskadi Symphonic Orchestra with the following programme: P.I. Tchaikovsky: Concert for violin and orchestra [35’]. R. Schumann: Symphony No 4 [29’]. Date: 30 April. Location: Euskalduna Conference Centre. Time: 20:00 h.
MUSIKETAN SEASON – Danni Leigh Recital by Danni Leigh, an all-in-one poet, courageous artist, sexy singer and non-conformist rebel. Date: 4 May. Location: Sala BBK (Gran Vía 19). Time: 20:00 h.
SERGIO DALMA Sergio Dalma presents Cadore 33, which has gone straight to the top of the sales list. With almost 25 years of musical career behind him, Sergio Dalma proves himself to be unstoppable with these 11 new love songs that have consecrated him as an iconic artist in Spain. Date: May first. Location: Euskalduna Conference Centre. Time: 20:00 h.
OPERA - The Judge The Arriaga Theatre hosts the première of this opera about a terrible and painful case currently in the news: the babies that were stolen in the 50s. The cases have recently come to light and are being investigated by the courts. One of world’s great tenors returns to the opera on stage: Josep Carreras. Dates: 26 and 29 April, and 2 May. Location: Arriaga Theatre. Time: 20:00 h.
BILBAO SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA Concert by the Bilbao Symphonic Orchestra with the following programme: Bach: Brandenburg Concert no. 3 in G major. Beethoven: Romance for Violin and Orchestra No 1 in G major, Op. 40. Bottesini: Gran Duo Concertante for double bass and violin. L. van Beethoven: Symphony No 2 in D major, Op. 36. Dates: 24 and 25 April. Location: Euskalduna Conference Centre. Time: 20:00 h.
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THEATRE
BILBAO, HOST OF THE 2014 FIBA BASKETBALL WORLD CUP
JAMMING This is an improvised theatrical performance that is construed while the audience is watching. The actors improvise short plays based on titles provided by the audience. The company will provide an EXTRA with a performance by JAMMING + FERNANDO TEJERO, on 18 and 19 April: JAMMING with FERNANDO TEJERO. Date: 12, 18, 19 and 26 April. Location: Campos Elíseos Theatre Sala Teatro (ground floor). Time: 21:00 h. TAITANTOS This comedy starring Nuria González poses the question of whether or not it is rather absurd to spend our lives quarrelling with each other. Date: 25 and 26 April. Location: Campos Elíseos Theatre. Time: 20:00 h. REHEARSING WITH DON JUAN Director Albert Boadella directs this play with Arturo Fernández in the role of Don Juan. The comedy represents an amusing rehearsal of Don Juan Tenorio that is full of mishaps, directed by a young, modern director who wants the play to be performed from a contemporary perspective. Date: From 1 to 4 May. Location: Campos Elíseos Theatre. Time: to be defined.
GODOT A version of the classical play Waiting for Godot. Date: 11 and 12 April. Location: Pabellón 6 – Ribera de Deusto 47. Time: 20:00 h. FAUST, an Exemplary Citizen A DJ, rap singer and four actors on stage. A disconcerting concert, theatrical pamphlet, comedy, tragedy and performance, based on Faust, by C. Marlowe. Dates: 11, 12 and 13 April. Location: Pabellón 6 – Ribera de Deusto 47. Time: 22:00 h. (11 and 12 April), 20:00 h. (13 April).
SPORTS ROWING 34th Ingenieros – Deusto Regatta The first Ingenieros – Deusto Regatta was held in 1981, when the Higher School of Engineering of Bilbao challenged the University of Deusto. These are the two oldest universities in the city. Date: 17 April. Starting line: Erandio. Finish line: Bilbao City Hall.
Bilbao will become a global reference for the best basketball on 30 August and 4 September. The Bizkaia Arena, one of the pavilions of the Bilbao Exhibition Centre (BEC), will host a total of 15 games in the preliminary stage of the FIBA 2014 Basketball World Cup.
These facilities are less than a quarter of an hour away via the Bilbao Metro. Other settings for the FIBA 2014 Basketball World Cup will be the Bilbao Arena, which will be used as a training court and the Pabellón de la Casilla, which will host various activities for basketball fans and the general public.
FOOTBALL 13 April Athletic Club – Malaga C.F. 27 April Athletic Club – Sevilla C.F. BASKETBALL 20 April Bilbao Basket - Murcia. FUTSAL KING’S CUP FINAL Date: 4 May. This year the Futsal King’s Cup final is held in Bilbao. The venue chosen by the federation is the Bilbao Arena Sports Centre.
The United States will play in the BEC! the group stage of the Basketball World Cup The national team of the United States, current world champion and gold medallist at the 2012 Olympic Games will play the preliminary stage of the FIBA 2014 Basketball World Cup in the installations of the Bizkaia Arena (BEC!). The biggest stars of the NBA will share the bill with the national teams from Finland, New Zealand, the Ukraine, the Dominican Republic and Turkey. Another reason to return to Bilbao.
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PROCESSIONS HERITAGE AND PERSONALITY
PROCESSIONS 11 APRIL FRIDAY OF SORROWS Procession of La Virgen de los Dolores (Our Lady of Sorrows) 20:30 h. Departure: Parish of San Vicente Mártir de Abando.
Procession of Santo Entierro (the Entomb ment) 19:15 h. Departure: Parish of Santos Juanes.
19 APRIL HOLY SATURDAY Procession of La Esperanza (Our Lady of 12 APRIL HOLY SATURDAY Procession of Nuestra Señora de la Amar- Hope) 18:15 h. gura (Our Lady of Anguish) Departure: Parish of San José (P.P. Agus19:00 h. Departure: Colegio P.P. Jesuítas de Indau- tinos). txu. 20 APRIL RESURRECTION SUNDAY Procession of La Luz y la Resurrección 13 APRIL PALM SUNDAY (Light and Resurrection) Procession of El Borriquito (the Donkey) 13:00 h. 12:00 h. Departure: Parish of San Vicente Mártir de Departure: Cathedral of Santiago. Abando. Procession of Nuestra Señora de la Caridad (Our Lady of Charity) 18:30 h. Departure: Parish of Santa Cruz (Mallona). 14 APRIL HOLY MONDAY Procession of El Nazareno (the Nazarene) 20:30 h. Departure: Parish of San Francisco de Asís (Fifth Parish).
Even though processions were already held in Bilbao much earlier, the Holy Week was founded in 1554 with the arrival to the capital of Vizcaya of the “Lignum Crucis”, a splinter of the Cross of Jesus, which led to the first brotherhood being set up: the Santa Vera Cruz [Holy True Cross] to which the City entrusted the organisation of the penitential processions.
A restrained and austere Holy Week, typical of the City whose streets are the backdrop for thirteen processions over ten days and in which over two thousand brethren take part. Its artistic heritage, whose value exceeds 12 million euros, is a real treasure built up over four centuries of perseverance by the brotherhoods and the generosity of the residents of Bilbao, with the carvings by such masters of religious imagery as Juan de Mesa, Raimundo Capuz, Quintín de la Torre, Higinio Basterra, Ricardo Iñurria, Coullat Valera, Tomás Parés...
15 APRIL HOLY TUESDAY Procession of La Piedad (Our Lady of Grief) 20:30 h. Departure: Parish of San Nicolás de Bari. 16 APRIL HOLY WEDNESDAY Procession of Nuestra Señora de la Soledad (Our Lady of Solitude) 20:30 h. Departure: Parish of Santos Juanes. 17 APRIL MAUNDY THURSDAY Procession of La Santa Cena (Holy Supper) 19:15 h. Departure: Parish of Santos Juanes. 18 APRIL HOLY FRIDAY Procession of El Silencio (the Silence) 05:30 h. Departure: Parish of San Nicolás de Bari. Holy Way of the Cross 07:30 h. Departure: Plaza Miguel de Unamuno. Procession of El Encuentro (the Meeting) 12:30 h. Departure: Parish of Nuestra Señora del Pilar.
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THE ENACTMENT OF THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS IN BALMASEDA The Enactment of the Stations of the Cross in Balmaseda is a tradition which involves many of the inhabitants of this beautiful and regal town in Biscay. Year after year, the streets of Balmaseda are completely transformed when Easter comes and its people enact, with deep feeling and dramatic quality, the last hours in the life of Jesus of Nazareth. It is a performance that can bring together over 50,000 people in some of the most deeply felt scenes, but above all it enthrals viewers because of the dedication of its actors. Although there are authors who date the beginnings of this tradition back in the year 1480 when an epidemic of the plague struck the town and 13 penitents, carrying heavy crosses, completely covered over and barefoot, accompanied by numerous neighbours and authorities went to Mt. Kolitza, the first documentary confirmation of this comes in 1771. In any event, both the Enactment of the Stations of the Cross and the other processions that take place in Balmaseda during Easter have been gradually modified over the years to include new details and characters. Such is the case, that it was not until 1963 that what is undoubtedly the culminating scene was introduced the Crucifixion.
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GOOD FOOD
Performance of ‘The Last Supper’, ‘Prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane’, ‘Jesus’ Arrest’, and ‘The Trial before the Sanhedrin’ in the Plaza de San Severino, in the very heart of the town. The staging involves 150 people and it begins at 21.30 h. and concludes at approximately 22.30 h. (Chair prices: €3.00). GOOD FRIDAY (18th april) At 09.30 h., the drums of the Roman guard begin to sound in the Campo de las Monjas and everything is ready for ‘Judgement by Pontius Pilot’. At 10.30 h., the remaining Stations of the Cross occur in the town’s main streets, crossing its emblematic Old Bridge and concluding at the Campo del Frontón where the Crucifixion takes place. This scene is performed on an earthy structure in the shape of a truncated pyramid, which imitates Mt. Calvary. On top of this structure stands Christ crucified and the two thieves on their crosses, with the other characters in descending hierarchical order to the very foot of the stage where the secondary characters and the ‘people of Israel’ throng with impressive realism and emotion. (Chair prices at the Campo de las Monjas: €5.00 €13.00). Further information: www.viacrucisbalmaseda.com www.facebook.com/AsociacionViaCrucisVivienteBalmaseda Twitter.com/VC_Balmaseda PUBLIC TRANSPORT There is a FEVE narrow-gauge railway link (94 425 06 15) and Bizkaibus service (902 22 22 65) to Bilbao.
Thanks to its privileged geographical situation, the culinary heritage of Bilbao combines fi rst-rate raw materials with traditional and cutting-edge techniques. You can find pintxos (tapas), Michelin star restaurants, typical dishes, magnificent wines and an endless list of delicious seasonal fresh products featured in numerous restaurants, bars, taverns, etc Surrounded by the sea, mountains and market gardens, in Bilbao it is hard not to eat well. You will something here to please every palate. The majority of restaurants, located near to the Guggenheim, Gran Via, Casco Viejo, Alhóndiga and Bilbao la Vieja, serve traditional dishes such as cod al pil-pil, hake in green sauce or cuttlefi shin its ink, along with a variety of menus where you will fi nd red beans, seasonal vegetables or a tasty steak. There are also more avant-garde establishments that emerged from nouvelle cuisine, in all these areas of the city. The kitchens of these cutting-edge restaurants showcase fusion, innovative techniques and produce attractive culinary proposals. And when it comes to Michelin stars, the culinary flagship has numerous representatives in Bilbao: Azurmendi***, Andramari*, Boroa*, Etxanobe*, Etxebarri*, Mina*, Nerua Guggenheim* and Zortziko*. Pintxos are another culinary art here. They are an excellent way to trying Bilbao’s cuisine and at the same time discover its streets and people. There are many and good places to try pintxos, but the most popular areas at Easter are the Casco Viejo and Indautxu.
By Bilbao Bilbao’s gastronomy is part of the Basque cuisine but it has its own particularities. Apart from including products that are only sold in Bilbao (such as the butter rolls and the cake known as Carolina), the city boasts culinary proposals that pay their own special tribute to the capital of Bizkaia. We are referring to pisto a la bilbaína (a Bilbao-style ratatouille), Club Ranero-style cod and the mixed vegetable stew, which is a typical Bilbao dish providing it is made with vegetables coated in batter and fried, as well as egg and lamb. A desert to add the finishing touch: the canutillos (pastry tubes) de Bilbao.
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MORE PLANS FOR FAMILIES
BILBAO BY NIGHT Bilbao’s sky turns dark blue, the sinuous shadows of the Guggenheim being to grow and a new pace begins to be felt in the city. Night falls and Bilbao is the ideal place to linger over a drink, enjoy a coffee, pintxos (tapas) and txikitos (glasses of wine), and so on. Enjoy the conservation, the culinary heritage, live music, dancing, you will find so much to choose from in the different atmospheres and areas in the city. Ensanche, Casco Viejo and Bilbao la Vieja are the liveliest areas at Easter.
And no night out in Bilbao is complete without one of its famous Gin Tonics. Their preparation is a real art and a show for the people watching. And try one of the more innovative and sophisticated combinations. Enjoy the aromas of bergamot, lime, liquorice... just have fun and enjoy this gift for the senses.
Discover children’s entertainment in Bilbao. DOÑA CASILDA PARK
This park at the heart of the city is home to ducks and swans and is actually known to locals as the “Park of the Ducks”. It is sure to delight younger visitors. First laid out almost 100 years ago, the park also features a traditional merry-go-round, a cybernetic fountain and a beautiful pergola. With a surface area of over 85.000 square metres, it contains more than 1500 species of plants including 486 exotic trees from all over the world. The Bilbao Fine Arts Museum stands adjacent to this park.
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WATERFRONT PROMENADE IN ABANDOIBARRA This promenade provides an excellent vantage point for enjoying the works erected in Bilbao by prestigious architect and sculptors. It also has a children’s play area featuring futuristic swings and an interactive fountain that exerts an almost magnetic attraction on children. A piece of advice: take a change of clothes.
LETS GO TO THE CINEMA Going to see a fi lm is always a fun family outing. Enjoy the magic of the cinema in Bilbao. Check what films are on offer here. • Cinesa Coliseo Zubiarte 902 333 231. • Golem Alhóndiga 94 431 03 10. • Multicines 94 431 03 10.
ALHÓNDIGABILBAO TXIKILAND CHILDREN’S MEDIA LIBRARY
The Txikiland media library at the AlhóndigaBilbao cultural centre has thousands upon thousands of books and films available to children. It is designed to enable parents and children to enjoy reading and watching fi lms together in a purpose-built venue.
SWIMMING POOLS
The centre also contains Bilbao’s most modern swimming pool, where the whole family is sure to enjoy taking a dip. Further information: www.alhondigabilbao.com Tel. 94 401 40 14 (from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday to Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays).
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BIZKAIA
Bilbao is the capital of Bizkaia, a territory with modern and innovative amenities, with their own character, designed to meet the needs of any type of visitors.
Urdaibai and Gernika The Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve is a unique place where man has managed to respect the balance with an exceptional landscape of sea, beach and mountains. Gernika is the symbolic city the Basques, the cradle of their historical freedoms and rights and victim, 76 years ago, of the air-raid that Picasso immortalized to denounce human brutality. (40 min.).
The Transporter Bridge, the beaches and the cliff s by metro The Metro will whisk you from the centre of Bilbao to the beaches where you can relax or surf at Getxo or Soplena, cliff tops to walk along... and you can also take it to the Transporter ridge, a World Heritage Site. (20 min.).
The Urkiola and Gorbeia Natural Parks
Markina, Lekeitio and Ondarroa
The limestone landscape of the Urkiola Natural Park is covered with beech and oak forests between rugged landscapes. And within close reach, you can enjoy the cultural heritage in the old towns of Durango and Elorrio brimming with history. Gorbeia is the mountainous giant of Bizkaia and a popular destination for hiking and mountaineering. (40 min.).
Lea-Artibai is the most eastern regi贸n of Bizkaia and the coast is dotted with fi shing villages of great beauty such as Lekeitio and Ondarroa.. Markina is a stunning town that is the birthplace of cesta-punta, a variety of Basque pelota. (45 min.).
Enkarterriak Las Encartaciones or Encartaciones in the west of Bizkaia is a zone that combines wild nature with villages of great beauty such as Balmaseda. (30 min.). The Karrantza Valley is home to geological treasures such as the Pozalagua Caves or places for an entertaining family trip such as the El Karp铆n animal recovery centre.
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BASQUE WORLD
Due to its geographical location, Bilbao is the gateway to the so-called “Basque World”, which ranges from the traditional wineries of La Rioja Alavesa to the palatial luxury of the ‘côte basque’ of Biarritz.
The Basque Coast
Heritage and Old Towns
Fishing villages, magnifi cent beaches, legendary lighthouses, battered by waves… The Basque coastline is dotted with unique coastal settings that are ideal spots for a walk and to enjoy the delicious seafood dishes. Go surfi ng or on a trip out to sea, or just explore the Basque coast from Biarritz to Muskiz and delight at the landscape, history and Basque cuisine.
There are outstanding declared areas of historical interest within 45 minutes of Bilbao by car. Locations such as Gernika-Lumo, the town where the laws of Bizkaia were drawn up, universal peace symbol; Bermeo, the former capital of Bizkaia; the “inland port” of Balmaseda, the first town in the area to obtain its charter; Orduña, Elorrio and many more. Other sites not to be missed are the Puente de Bizkaia transporter Bridge or the Arantzazu and Loiola chapels in the neighbouring province of Guipuzkoa.
The Basque Country and the Great Outdoors Enjoy the views and the Basque landscape from some of the Basque Country’s most iconic summits. Climb up Aizkorri, the highest peak of the Basque Country or the famous Txindoki, wander through our natural parks such as Gorbeia, Aralar, Izki… explore the Goierri and be stunned at the magnifi cence of this land, its forests and protected areas.
Rioja Alavesa Rioja Alavesa is synonymous with excellent wine, iconic wineries, but it is also a region with significant historical heritage. Fascinating prehistorical remains, walled towns, manor houses make up a landscape where the vineyards are its international claim to fame and where famous architects of the ilk of Frank Gehry or Santiago Calatrava have left their hallmark.