Bilbao city guide 2017 ENG

o help you connect with the metropolitan side of Bilbao, it's worth taking a visit to the surrounding area to discover the marine side of the city's character, which is intricately linked to the place's history. Since the metro was established, Bilbao can proudly say it has a beach. With the sea just a stone's throw away. Before you set off, you should decide which of the banks of the Ría you want to see first. If you position yourself on the left bank, it helps to know that this was the very centre of the great industrial developments that took place over the last century. The area's manufacturing history brings you along to towns such as Barakaldo and Sestao , until you get to Portugalete , a medieval town founded in 1322 with a valuable heritage site: the Casco Viejo. In addition, it boasts an icon recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. That's right, it's the Vizcaya Bridge . You are sure to enjoy climbing up the bridge or taking the lift that runs up its structure to see a breathtaking view of the Ría and its mouth from on high. It is also a pleasure to walk along the shore and see the small palaces that the bourgeoisie erected at the end of the 19th century. Bilbao exudes a maritime spirit that reaches right to the mouth of the Ría Estuary which you can reach by metro t S A N T U R t z i

BILBAO has the smell of the sea

O L D P O R T O F A L G O R T A ( G E T X O )

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