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BILBAO
Steel, Water and Avant-Garde
Bilbao emerges from the mist as a city that has
known how to reinvent itself without betraying
its soul. At its origin, seven streets — the Siete
Calles of the Casco Viejo — wove the heart of
the medieval town, still today full of life, txikiteo
(small glasses of wine and groups of friends),
and echoes of merchants (salted cod). Over the
Nervión estuary, bridges of iron, stone and mo-
dern design link past and present: the Puente
de San Antón, symbol of the coat of arms; the
elegant Zubizuri Bridge by Calatrava; and the
monumental Bridge of La Salve, which embra-
ces the Guggenheim like a frame of titanium.
And it is there, beside the water, where the Gu-
ggenheim Museum rises like a mythological
creature with impossible curves. Its titanium skin
reflects the sky and the estuary in a changing
play of lights. Inside, reverential silence envelops
monumental works by Serra and Rothko, rooms
that breathe metal, emptiness and emotion. Bilbao
is no longer just industry: it is art floating on water.
This avant-garde Bilbao contrasts with that of
Restaurante Aspaldiko, a 15th-century Basque
farmhouse, monumental, surrounded by gar-
dens where peacocks parade and which offers
the best of exquisite Basque cuisine. A con-
trast of history and modernity that defines the
essence of Bilbao.
Exterior of the Guggenheim Museum
TRAVEL
Bilbao train station (FEVE)
Bilbao Estuary and City Hall
Guggenheim Museum, The Matter of Time, work by Richard Serra
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