ChadL

Has anyone ridden the new Euskotran in Bilbao? How is it? How much does it cost? Is there a stop near the new Sheraton Bilbao?

Thanks,

-- Chad

Maribel

ChadL
I'm going to give your questions a shot to top your thread and hope that cova, our resident bilbaína, will soon see this and correct it all!

I believe the basic ticket (according to
www.bilbao.net) costs .60 euros, a full day ticket 1,80, a 10 ride ticket 1,50 and a full weekend ticket 3 euros.

There's a tram stop at the Palacio Euskalduna which isn't too far from the new Sheraton, not adjacent but it * looks like* it's within walking distance.

Now, hope that cova can set us straight .

JudyC

The tran is sleek,convenient and fast, departure about once every 10 minutes. I took it all over Bilbao last month.

It costs 1 Euro for single ride,ticket is sold at the machine by the stop. But is is cheaper and convenient to buy a travel card (5 /10 Euro two kinds,good for bus/tran/Metro). It costs 58(or59)cents per ride. One card is good for the whole group, just pounch the card before boarding. You could add credit on the card when it is almost done.

The card is good for airport bus and metro out of town too.

cova

Hi Chad,

the best stop for the Sheraton is the Euskalduna. There is another in front of the future shopping center by the Sheraton, and both of them are very near of the hotel.

http://www.euskotren.es/euskotran/

The card Judy mentioned is the Creditrans. You can buy it at any metro stop, and it costs 5, 10 or 15 Euros. It is valid in the metro, public buses (Bilbobus and Bizkaibus, including the bus to the airport), tram, the Archanda funicular or the Portugalete hanging bridge (please go there). Using it makes a big difference in prices (although if you decide to get the metro to Las Arenas and visit the hanging bridge, you must have enough credit in your card... it's kind of difficult to explain ). If you get this card, the ride in the tram will cost you 52p against 1 euro. I don't think it can be bought at the airport, and that's a pity.

I cannot really help you about timetables, because I haven't used it yet. It seems to be directed mostly towards tourism, and for the ordinary life, the metro is much, much better. That was a real change .

Another thing. I would recommend you to get a taxi from the airport to the hotel. If you get the bus, you would get dropped in the Plaza Eliptica. From there, it is a bit of a walk to the Sheraton. The tram goes along the river, nowhere near the center, so your two options would be walk or taxi. So I think that it would be better to get the taxi at the airport (won't be so expensive and it is fast).

I took yesterday a couple of pictures of the Sheraton. If you want to see how the area looks (still a lot of works), send me your address and I'll send them to you.

Rgds, Cova

Thomas

What is the Euskotran in Bilbao? Is it a tour bus, a regular bus, a train, a tram?

ChadL

Thanks to everyone for your responses. This forum is really great for getting details that are difficult to find anywhere else. I had checked the official Euskotran website, but much of the route/station information appeared a bit out of date.

Thomas, Euskotran is a street car which runs along the river in Bilbao. It is sort of a supplement to the more extensive metro system. As Cova indicates, it is more geared toward tourists. For us, we'll be staying near the river and are looking for transit to the siete calles area. The tram is much more convenient than the metro for this route.

Thanks for all of the fare information as well. We'll be in Bilbao for three nights. It sounds like the Creditrans is the way to go. It also sounds like some of the fare structure can be a bit complicated. Cova mentions that you need to be sure that there is enough credit on the card before taking a longer trip (to Las Arenas). Can you add credit to the card after you board and before you exit your destination station? I've seen other metro systems with these "add fare" machines near the exit turnstyles.

Thanks again,

-- Chad

cova

Hi Chad,

you cannot add the credit, but the machine will reject your ticket if you have less credit than you would need to get to Plentzia (end of line 1). That would be 81p. So, once the ticket is rejected, you must go to the automatic ticket seller (there aren't any ticket booths), put your creditrans inside its slot (be careful, because there is another for credit cards), and the screen will say something like "renovacion". Then you can select how much money you want to recharge : 5, 10 or 15 euros. The old ticket will go out, you put your bills or coins, and then you will get the new card and the change.

I do hope you have understood me. It's much more easier to show it in the machines than explaining it

Another thing. Be careful with the metro. There are two lines now : 1 and 2. Don't get on any train going to Urbinaga, that's line 2, it goes to the left side of the river from San Inazio and it's not in the same direction as Las Arenas-Areeta or Plentzia.

Rgds, Cova

Maribel

cova to the rescue, as usual!

While you're around, cova, could you give me any "insider's info" on the new Hesperia Hotel Embarcadero they've build in one of the mansions in Getxo, in Las Arenas? Just read Garcia Santos' restaurant review on El Correo and looked at the website of the hotel. Don't even know if the hotel itself has opened yet. We're looking for something different, with water views, for our last couple of Bilbao area nights in late July.
BTW, we really did enjoy your suggestion of the Gran Hotel Puente Colgante last summer. We booked a suite (cheap!!) with views of the bridge and Las Arenas, and it suited our needs perfectly as it has a garage, and we did day trips into the Encartaciones from there and took the train into Bilbao-20 min.. So a big and belated thank you !! for that recommendation.

Maribel

ChadL

Hi,

If we do go out to Portugalete to see the Puente Colgante, can anyone recommend a good restaurant nearby?

Thanks,

-- Chad

cova

Hi Maribel,

it opened last year. At the beginning they didn't want to open a restaurant (or that was the rumour surrounding them), and I found it a bit strange given that they are a "daughter" of the Ercilla and Lopez de Haro ...
The hotel looks very nice, and the bar is handy when you are walking along the promenade. The people in charge are very, very young, and I don't think they have previous experience in hotel management, but I cannot say anything because I haven't met yet anyone staying there.

Another interesting one, but you do need a car, is the NH boutique hotel in Portugalete. I have been there for a wedding, and the views and the location is magnificent (and the food was very good, strange for a wedding). The decoration is very minimalist, but everybody was delighted with their rooms.

Chad, if you want to splurge and the weather is fine, I would go to Kubita Kaia in the Getxo harbour. I have a couple of recommendations for you : paella in Bilbao I'll write tomorrow.

Bye, Cova

Maribel

Yes, ChadL,
I'll enthusiastically second cova's rec. Definitely try to go to Cubita (Kubita) Kaia at the Puerto Deportivo on Muelle Arriluce at El Abra, Getxo.
The food is very creative from a hot young chef, really, really nice atmosphere, imaginative dishes, and the nautical setting very attractive, posh and really comfortable with well spaced tables. It's closed on Sun. night and Mon. and from 1-15 June. We had the degustacion menu for 39,10 euros, a real steal for the quality. And a lovely young lady, Izaskun is the maitre who will take good care of you.

Kaixo, cova.
Thanks for the inside scoop. I meant the Ercilla group, not Hesperia.
I just looked at the NH page. Are you referring to the Palacio de Oriol? I take it that it's on the Portugalete/Santurce side, looking at El Abra, correct? The building looks lovely, and we don't mind at all the clean, minimalist look of NH. Where is the location relative to the Puente Colgante? Now I don't know which to choose!

ChadL

Cova and Maribel,

Thanks for the enthusiastic recommendations on Cubita Kaia. As fate would have it, our one free day in Bilbao will be on Monday. We arrive on Saturday afternoon, have Sunday devoted to the Guggenheim, and drive out Tuesday morning. Since Kubita Kaia (I'll spell it both ways ) will be closed, any other dining recommendations in the Portugalete or Getxo area.

Thanks again,

-- Chad

ChadL

One more question (as always). What's the best metro station for the Puente Colgante? We've been looking at pictures on the website (www.puente-colgante.com) and are really excited about seeing it.

-- Chad

Maribel

ChadL,
We stayed for a couple of nights right at the Puente Colgante at the Gran Hotel on the Portugalete side of the river and took the cercanias C1 train back and forth to Bilbao. You catch it at Bilbao's Abando (RENFE) station. Ride takes 17 min. and departures every 20 min.
See the schedule here:
http://www.renfe.es/cercanias/bilbao..._horarios.html
If you take the cercanias train to Portugalete and walk up north just a short distance you'll come to the bridge, and you can take it across to Las Arenas section of Getxo for wandering around this very tony neighborhood.

I need to look at my list at home for another fine dining option near the Puente Colgante for a Mon. since the other gourmet temple in Getxo, Jolastoki, is closed. There are other options at the Puerto Deportivo but informal places.
You could go to the original "Cubita" which serves traditional Basque cuisine in an old mill on Carretera de la Galea 30 (open Mon.), but it would be a taxi ride from the bridge, I think.
I only know the pintxos bars in Portugalete.

Let's see what cova recommends...

ChadL

Thanks Maribel,

I've done some reading after getting Cova's recommendation on the Puente. I think we'll try to visit from the Getxo side via the Areeta metro. So, any recommendations you have for Puerto Deportivo restaurants would be great (only a couple of metro stops away).

Thanks again,

-- Chad

ChadL

Yet another afterthought. We'd also be interested in your thoughts on eateries in the Puerto Viejo area of Getxo.

-- Chad

cova

Hi Chad,

it's been a long time, but things are a bit complicated here. And now a few answers :

- as you intend to get the Creditrans card, you will be better off going to Areeta with the metro. Get on the tram at the Euskalduna stop, and go to the end of line near Termibus, the bus central station. There you can get into the San Mames metro station. Be careful because there are works right now. It will be around 20 minutes until you reach Areeta. Sit on one of the front wagons, and you will be near the entrance of the station. Walk up, and turn to your left in the Calle Mayor (if the weather is fine, as you walk towards the hanging bridge, you could buy yourself a very good ice-cream in Aberasturi, on your left). It will be no more than 5, 10 minutes walking.

- You can get a lift and walk over it (in this case it is not included on the Creditrans)
http://www.puente-colgante.com/ingles/homesi.html
but only do that if there isn't any wind. It can be a bit dangerous.

- I see that your intention is to spend the whole day in the area. When I have taken friends around the area, we usually do it only as a half-day visit, either morning or afternoon.
I would probably go in the morning there, maybe have a couple of pintxos in Portugalete, and then get back to Bilbao to have lunch (specially because monday is a difficult day
for restaurants). I can't tell you about the Puerto Viejo area, because I usually go there only to have a few drinks and some pintxos. I'm very sorry.

- If you cannot get your paella fix in Madrid, "La Barraca" in Bertendona does a decent paella (I don't like their fideuas or their arroz negro, but the paellas and the arroz a banda are quite good). Another
interesting place could be Tapelia http://www.tapelia.com/ It is located in the Paseo Uribitarte, not so far away from the Guggenheim. They prepare many different kind of non-conventional paellas, but it is difficult
to get a table. If you are interested, ask your hotel to book a table for you.

- There are many places where you can get decent pintxos in Bilbao. In the Plaza Nueva, in the Old Town, I prefer the Cafe Bilbao to the Victor Montes. I like the later a lot, and all those bottles are really impresive,
but I find that the Cafe Bilbao is a bit more familiar, and I haven't still managed to try all their specialities (it is lovely to sit at one of their outside tables on Sundays, and order a dish of "txipirones", fried baby squids ...).
Also in the Old Town, Jardines is an interesting street. A couple of pintxos bars (Sasibil and Berton), a classical restaurant (Anboto), a modern one (La deliciosa) and a delikatessen just in the corner with Santa Maria.
In Santa Maria you can find a restaurant, Kasko, that becomes a night bar and a traditional "sidreria" (a ciderhouse is a restaurant with a very simple food, chorizos, cod, steaks, and its main drink is the cider, although you can order wine). Sidreria Arriaga is quite nice.

- If you read spanish, the following link will give you an exhaustive list of places where you can have a great time :
http://www.bilbao.net/castella/resid...03/pag4041.pdf

- I'll try to find a few restaurants open on Mondays for you, but in the meantime, a couple of my favourites.
"Asador Guetaria" in Colon de Larreategui http://www.guetaria.com/ . Very traditional, I like specially the fish and the foie.
"Etxanobe", in Palacio Euskalduna http://www.etxanobe.com/principal.html They have a degustation menu at a very good price. It is closed on Sundays, so it could be a good idea for monday lunch.
I know that Maribel likes "Serantes", but I have been there a couple of times last fall, and I didn't like it at all. It's not in my list to return
An interesting, modern place is "Yandiola" http://www.yandiola.com/, also closed on sundays. Near the Town Hall, very unexpected flavours and textures. My brother still remembers a broccoli mousse served on a champagne flute, with a floating mussel ... It was 4 years ago, in their old place in Mungia.
And among the classics : Goizeko Kabi, Gorrotxa, Zortziko and Guria. I would add the Baita Gaminiz in Alameda Mazarredo. Its mother restaurante is now located in a technological park, out of town, but you can always enjoy its bacalao.

More later,
Cova

Maribel

cova,
Thanks so much for your dining list. I've copied it and will take it with us. Many of our favorites coincid.
ChadL,
While wandering in the Casco Viejo, make sure to wander down Jardines, as cova tells you, and stop at Berton for pintxos. They're really, really delicious, and there are tables to have them sitting. Also across the street at Sasibil they have a really well priced menu del dia. These 2 places were our new discoveries last summer.
We usually add Cafe Bilbao on Plaza Nueva, Bar Gatz on Santa Maria and Xukela on Perro to the mix.

Our very favorite place in the modern quarter is El Globo. We make it our very first and last stop. It's on pedestrian Diputacion, and it's always filled. They make yummy pintxos and nice cazuelas, and there are tables out on the terrace. Do you like it too, cova?
I'll have to check my notes on the names of the Portugalete old quarter pintxos bars and post later.

cova,
I'm glad you let me know you've been disappointed in Serrantes. We may take it of our list-haven't been there in quite a while.

For formal dining we really like Etxanobe, Asador Guetaria and Goizeko Kabi. All open on Mon. , correct?
I've tried Zortziko but I really wasn't all that impressed despite the Michelin star.

Again, thanks for that list. Have never been to Yandiola so it will be our first place to hit!
Also Kasko on Santa Maria. What about the restaurant with the Basque name, begins with H.....??

It's impossible not to dine extremely well in food obsessed Bilbao!

ChadL

Cova and Maribel,

Thanks so much!!! We'll definitely follow your advice and see the Puente in the morning, then head back into the city for lunch. That will allow us to spend some quality time at Zara that afternoon.

Thanks for all of the restaurant suggestions. It sounds like I need to get in contact with the concierge at the Sheraton soon.

As I mentioned earlier, Sunday is our Guggenheim day. Any thoughts on the restaurant there? Again, I'll need to get with the concierge to get reservations set up.

Thank you again for the recommendations. I do speak a bit of Spanish, so I will be sure to check out the website you mention.

-- Chad

cova

Hi Chad,
I guess we didn't mention the Guggenheim restaurant because we kind of assume that you were going to have lunch there on Sunday It deserves its good name, and you will probably need reservations.

Maribel, I like "El globo", but it is always so crowded that it can become crazy. Also in Diputación, across the Gran Via, "Lekeitio" has some outside tables and a mouthwatering bar. Their "tortilla" is famous. The Urrestarazu "New Inn", off Alda Urkijo (walk up from the Corte Ingles, it is located around the corner from "Casa del Libro&quot is a good spot for something quick when you are around shopping. I like their tiny breads with iberic ham and green pepper, or their fried courgettes. A bit further in Alda Urkijo, "Colmado Iberico" is another good place to get delicatessen, such as "5 jotas" or "Joselito" iberic ham, a few good wine bottles, tins of extra-virgin olive oil or cheese from Extremadura (cremositos del Zújar). And of course, have something to eat at their bar or a few raciones in their tiny restaurant.
But the best, best tortilla de patatas can be found in "Kepa Landa". It is located in the Plaza del Ensanche, around the corner from the "Lopez de Haro". A small cafeteria. They cook an amazing tortilla, very soft, with lots of onion, good potatoes, very, very good (unless you want the eggs overcooked ...)

Another thing, I don't know if the NH Palacio de Oriol is very well located in relation to the Puente Colgante (if you want to walk). It is located on the top part of Portugalete, between Portugalete and Santurce, and although we walked down, the climb back to the hotel would have been a bit hard. One should go up Santa Maria until you reach Avda Abaro, and then walk towards the hotel. I'd say around 15, 20 minutes walking from the bridge to the hotel.

And before I forget, the Limpias parador was finally opened last weekend. I wonder if they will have surcharges in case you see the resident ghosts (a mother and her two children ... )

Bye, Cova