Home & Away with Robert Walshe
Destination Weekend Hotspot - Bilbao Spain Bilbao in Northern Spain has a remarkable range of activities catering to almost every market segment. The cities most modern cultural highlight is the Guggenheim Museum, easily recognisable by its striking Frank Gehry-designed titanium exterior. This iconic modern art museum runs alongside the Nervion River and features both permanent and visiting exhibits spanning sculpture, paintings, installations and prints. One of the
The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao Spain
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most admired works of contemporary global architecture, the building has been hailed as a “signal moment in the architectural culture”, because it represents “one of those rare moments when critics, academics, and the general public were all completely united about something. The Maman, a giant spider made by Louise Bourgeois, greets guests out front. www.guggenheim.org The Bilbao Fine Arts Museum just around the corner and inside Doña Casilda Iturrizar
park is one of the richest Spanish museums outside Madrid. It’s home to a valuable and comprehensive collection of Basque, Spanish and European art dating from the Middle Ages to contemporary with paintings including works by El Greco, Cranach , Murillo , Goya, Van Dyck to modern artists like Peter Blake and Francis Bacon. www.museobilbao.com “Plaza Nueva” square in the old town is one of the most interesting neoclassical squares in the Basque region, where this kind of monument is very common. For young couples and singles, Bilbao offers an exciting and diverse nightlife and is considered one of the culinary capitals of Spain. Eating out is taken seriously in Bilbao, and visitors will not be disappointed with the selection of regional Basque cuisine on offer. No visit to the city would be complete without sampling pintxos, the Basque version of tapas. Traditional dishes revolve around veal, lamb, and
Barcelo Bilbao Nervion
fresh fish (especially cod) prepared in olive oil sauces and colorfully presented. A signature dish is bacalao al pil-pil: slow cooking releases the salt cod’s oils, which are reabsorbed for an exquisite texture. “Etxanobe” is the cities top restaurant, run by one of Spain’s leading chefs Fernando Canales is and has a menu to match its location - on the roof of the new Congress and Concert Hall, with views across the city. A reminder you need to book days in advance www.etxanobe.com Bilbao is also a world-class shopping venue for shopaholics. For affordable high street fashions, head for Gran Via between Plaza Abando and Plaza Moyua. Here you will find dozens of clothes shops as well as El Corte Ingles, Spain’s favourite department store. For souvenirs such as Basque handicrafts, including linen, flags and dolls, you can try
the boutiques found in Casco Viejo, the city’s old town. The Barceló Bilbao Nervión is really impressive after carrying out a total renovation of its facilities. This hotel is located next to the City Hall, 10 minutes walk from the Guggenheim, the Old Quarter and Gran Vía (shopping area). Furthermore, to ensure optimum comfort, the hotel offers a new concept of relaxation with B-rooms fully equipped with TV, telephone, safe, hair dryer and magnifying mirror. It offers a range of fine dining options and complete facilities and services for congresses and conventions. www.barcelo.com Aer Lingus fly daily from Dublin to Bilbao. www. aerlingus.com Robert Walshe is a travel broadcaster with Q Radio & Travel Editor for numerous print and online publications on the island of Ireland. www.robertwalshe.com