BILBAO


Close to Plaza Nueva are the seven


medieval streets — known as Las Siete Calles — that make up the heart of the Old Town. Ancient five-storey buildings with wrought-iron balconies look down on the cobbles. On one of these streets, Calle Carnicería Vieja, is Bilbao’s first vegan bakery, Bohemian Lane. Its owner, Sandra Mateo, welcomes me with a coffee and a slice of carrot, cinnamon and walnut cake (verdict: two sticky thumbs up). “Bilbao is changing,” she says. “People


thought I was crazy to go against the usual traditions, but, as in so many places, veganism is growing.” A steady flow of customers through the doors underlines her point. “I actually studied architecture,” Sandra continues. “I still love walking around the city and staring at buildings. I like to think I actually use my education in my baking. It takes architectural skill to create a three-layered vegan cake!” Today’s city has eye-catching buildings


by the dozen, from the 41-storey curves of the Iberdrola Tower to the neo-baroque


detailing of the Arriaga Theatre. For me, one in particular stands out. Not the Guggenheim, for all its showstopping beauty, but the Akzuna Zentroa, a bizarre but brilliant cultural complex created by French architect and designer Philippe Starck in 2010. Its vast, dark foyer is supported by a series of squat, stylised pillars. Commuters wander through this otherworldly gloom while families recline on glowing benches and, way overhead, swimmers float in a glass-bottomed rooſtop pool. It’s an oddity that somehow finds a natural home in Bilbao. The building was once an enormous


wine warehouse. This makes sense. Sooner or later, everything in Bilbao comes back to food and drink. I later learn that the local couple I’d seen having their photos taken on the riverside were about to embark on a banquet of what can only be described as Basque proportions: a traditional seven-course wedding feast lasting several hours. It’s no wonder they were looking so happy.


INSIDER TIPS


Kalimotxo is a drink that’s popular across the Basque region. Improbable though it sounds, it’s made by mixing equal parts cola and red wine, and tastes much as you’d expect.


Locals rarely order more than one pintxo per bar, although no one’s going to object if you choose to stay put and try multiple options.


The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is closed on Mondays, but otherwise opens from 10:00 to 18:00. Coming later in the day is a good way of beating the crowds.


If you’re travelling by car, the underground Arenal Casco Viejo car park is centrally located and has reasonable daily parking rates.


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nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel


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