Bilbao Area
 

WE ARE LEAVING FOR SPAIN NEXT WEEK AND WILL BE STAYING IN BILBAO. ONE NIGHT AT HOTEL SILKEN INDAUTX AND 2 NIGHTS AT LOPEZ DE HARO. HOW ARE THESE HOTELS AND WHAT , OTHER THAN MUSEUM, HAVE YOU ENJOYED ALL AROUND. WE HAVE CAR. GOING TO GIRONA ALSO AND BARCELONA-HOTEL CLARIS. ANY WORDS OF HELP ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

Judy, <BR>The Lopez de Haro is Bibao's leading 5 star hotel with a perfect location; you should be quite happy with your choice. <BR>With Frank Gehry's new Guggenheim, a new subway with stations designed by Norman Foster, <BR>new airport control tower and terminal in the works designed by Santiago Calatrava, the clean-up of the Nervion River, Bibao is widely considered Spain's "city of the future"; it's definitely a prosperous city on the move and no longer the grey, grimy, polluted, ugly industrial eyesore it once was, although the grey, gritty suburbs don't give a good initial impression. Once you arrive on the Gran Via, you'll see that Bilbao is a highly sophisticated, very well-to-do place. Notice the elegant shops on Rodriguez Arias and Maximo Aguirre, take a stroll down Licenciado Pozas around 8-9 p.m. for tapas, and you'll see the bars filled to the rafters and people spilling out into the street enjoying these truly gourmet treats (the Basque Country serves the most sophisticated "tapas" in all of Spain). The "bilbainos" are friendly, hospitable and love to eat and drink. Fabulous restaurants (there are 16 Michelin starred restaurants in the area between Bilbao and San Sebastian) including the "Club Nautico" in your hotel. <BR>Besides a visit to the Gugg. (and don't forget to try Martin Berasategui's designer tapas or lunch at the Gugg's bar/restaurant), I'd also include a visit to the Museo de Bellas Artes (Zurbaran, El Greco, Goya). In the "Casco Viejo", the area called "siete calles" is a lively place for a pre-lunch or dinner tapas crawl as is the old-time cafe, Boulevard (but we prefer the area of Licenciado Pozas/Gregorio de Revilla (simple known as "Pozas"). <BR>I hope you enjoy Bilbao as much as we do! Have fun. <BR>Maribel

Hi, Judy. <BR>A couple of things before you leave. The weather is being very warm during this week, so be prepared (but don´t forget the umbrella and the raincoat). And we have works all over Bilbao. Most of the Gran Via will become a semipeatonal way in a near future, and we are building a new tram from the Old Town, so, more works from the Arenal, Buenos Aires street and so on. <BR>There is a new day ticket in the tube, it´s individual, and you can use it through all the line. Interesting if the day is warm and you decide to ride the tube to Plentzia. As you are staying at least two days, you should go to Las Arenas (or Areeta), and visit the Puente Colgante, an elegant work by a disciple of Eiffel. Walk along the sea promenade, and sit down at the bars in the harbour. <BR>The hotel Indautxu is a nice hotel in the new town part, on the other side of the Gran Via from the Guggenheim. The nearest tube station is Indautxu, but you won´t really be needing it, although you have to ride the tube at least once (ah, taking pictures is forbidden inside the tube). You can walk down to the Guggenheim in 15, 20 minutes. <BR>A nice restaurant, Asador Getaria, in Colon de Larreategui. Try the grilled green asparagus, the Gernika black pudding, and any of the fishes (although my preferences go for merluza, hake, or lubina, sea bass, and the meat is also good). <BR>Museo de Bellas Artes, free on wednesdays, and always a good exhibition going on. <BR>Go to one of the cafes in the Plaza Nueva, in the Old Town, and sit. I recommend the fried squids (chipirones) from Cafe Bilbao. <BR>Shopping. Although he comes from Galicia, northwest of Spain, Adolfo Dominguez is worth a try, in Rodriguez Arias. Brilliant collection this year. Cheaper, Zara, I prefer the shop in front of Gucci, or go to Cortefiel in Gran Via. <BR> <BR>Any other question? Have a nice trip, <BR> <BR>Cova

For Alex's plans. Maribel was a great resource for Northern Spain. I believe that is where she is this summer.

We went to Bilbao to see the Guggenheim and walked from the bus station to it. We were surprised at how beautiful the main streets enroute to the museum were. We wished we could have spent more time in the city rather than the museum.