97 Best Sights in The Basque Country, Navarra, and La Rioja, Spain

If you've come from Barcelona, this extraordinary facade built in 1901 by architects Alfredo Acebal and Jean Baptiste Darroquy may look familiar. The wild Moderniste excitement of the intensely ornate circular arch is a marked contrast to the more sober Bilbao interpretation of the turn-of-the-20th-century art nouveau euphoria. The theater is called Campos Elíseos after Paris's Champs-Élysées (a brief spasm of Francophilia in a town of Anglophiles), as this area of town was a favorite for early-20th-century promenades. During most of the 20th century, Bilbao's theatrical life had two poles: the Casco Viejo's Teatro Arriaga and El Ensanche's Campos Elíseos. The elegant venue offers varied programs of theater, dance, and more.

This 15th-century tower houses Vitoria's Museo de Ciencias Naturales, which contains botanical, zoological, and geological collections along with the museum's most prized items: pieces of amber from the nearby archaeological site at Peñacerrada-Urizaharra.

This is the oldest house and defensive tower in Vitoria, constructed in the 15th century beside the cathedral. Though it's closed to the public, the courtyards and winding streets that surround it are worth exploring.

For a look at a working Basque farmhouse, or caserío, where the Urdapilleta family farms pigs, sheep, cattle, goats, chickens, and ducks, take a detour up to the village of Bidegoian, on the Azpeitia–Tolosa road. Pello Urdapilleta (which means "pile of pigs" in Euskera) sells artisanal cheeses and Basque heritage-breed pork sausages.

Santiago Calatrava's seagull-shaped bridge (the name means \"white bridge\" in Euskera) is a few minutes from the Guggenheim. Other creations by the cult architect include Bilbao Airport and Ondarroa's Puerto Bridge.

Across the Urumea River from La Concha lies this sprawling, less touristy beach. Exposed to the open Atlantic, the beach boasts waves that are often big enough to surf—and occasionally too dangerous for kids and inexperienced swimmers. Amenities: lifeguards; water sports. Best for: surfing.