2 days in Bilbao
 

My husband and I have 2 days in Bilbao in late May. Any MUSTS to see? Accommodation suggestions (+/-E90)? He's in the "urban renewal" business. Thanks!!

Hi Hazel,<BR>I would check the Barcelo Avenida. It´s not in the center of the town, but very near to a metro station, and the bus from the airport also has a stop nearby. They sometimes have good offers for Internet bookings (around 60 Euros)<BR><BR>http://www.barceloclavelhoteles.com/avenida.htm<BR><BR>The booking on line service is sometimes quite slow, but be persistent.<BR><BR>I´ll write later about must-sees, specially given your husband´s business.<BR><BR>Rgds, Cova

Anyone else have ideas for Hazel?

Be sure to go to the Old Town. You can walk over the bridge from the center of town. Lots of nice cafes and wine bars and good views.. The center of town is quite beautiful to walk around. Then there is the Guggenheim Museum of course. <BR> It is short bus ride to Santander with its lovely beaches. And another short ride in the opposite direction to San Sebastian, my favorite city. "Picasso's" city of Guernika is near Bilboa also. We stayed at the Hotel Ercilla and enjoyed it.

Message for Cova:<BR>Thanks for your advice! You intriguedme with your comments about writing further with regard to my husband's business in urban renewal. He is very involved all over South Africa (Johannesburg, Cape Town etc) in cities)

Hi Hazel,<BR>Bilbao is undergoing a really strong renewal process, going from an industrial town to a services city, and that´s being both tough and interesting.<BR>The Guggenheim is just a tiny bit of all the things that have been going on. <BR>A promenade has been built along the river, where once there were stores and railtracks. There have been good things and bad things. The Guggenheim has been built upon a beautiful wood factory, a good example of the industrial architecture of the beginning of the XX century. But we have a gleaming metro, designed by Sir Norman Foster and loved by everybody.<BR>I´ll send you a mail, OK?<BR><BR>Regards.