The Basque Country is an autonomous community in northern Spain with its capital town Vitoria. The region borders France, and the locals harbour a proud and defiant nature with strong support for a separate, united Basque state. The origins of their local language Euskadi cannot be traced, like that from the Basque race itself.

The coastal road from Bilbao to San Sebastian offers some spectacular scenery with little fishing villages and coves overlooked with jagged and dramatic cliffs. The town of Bakio includes a long beach, frequently used by the locals, and a rocky island that’s joined towards the mainland by a little bridge. The picturesque port of Bermeo offers a good selection of bars and restaurants, while the fishing villages of Lekeitio and neighboring Ondarroa both provide historical architecture in their Gothic churches. The coastal town of Zarautz has a sixteenth century Town Hall, Palacio Narros and also the church of Nuestra Senora de la Real, also hosts the annual International Surfing Championship.

Bilbao is the largest town within the Basque Country region and also the capital of Vizcaya province. The town was a main seaport and in the past and offered little in the way of attractions for the visiting holidaymaker. However urban renewal has helped to move it away from its industrial roots and more towards tourism. Numerous developments within the town have helped to enhance its image such as new parks, a Metro system and at the heart of the renaissance, the Guggenheim Museum. The Guggenheim Museum was opened in 1997 and is one of the most visited museums in Spain. It provides constantly changing exhibits along with a permanent collection focused on the 2nd half of the twentieth century. The building was created by Frank Gehry and is a masterpiece of modern architecture built out of titanium, glass and limestone. Inside, the large windows of the central atrium bring organic light into the museum and outside stands a surrealistic floral structure of a giant puppy.

San Sebastian is the capital of the Guipuzcoa province and has been visited by Spanish aristocracy for hundreds of years due to the quality of its beaches and beautiful town. Much of the original city was destroyed in the early nineteenth century during the Spanish War of Independence, so few historical buildings can be found within the centre. However, the town does offer a unique atmosphere and a distinguished cosmopolitan feeling making it different from numerous other Spanish towns. In summer, the resort is packed with holidaymakers, and even in the winter the beach and its wonderful promenade of tamarind trees, Edwardian lampposts and beachfront cafes is a well-liked destination with the locals.

Vitoria ranks second in standard of living out of all the cities in Spain. It has a huge number of green parks around the town such as Florida Park that was created in 1820 with its huge variety of plant species, and San Juan de Arriaga Park, which is the largest in the town. Vitoria is the capital of the Alava province, which as a whole offers a tremendous diverse amount of protected spaces including many Nature Reserves such as the Izki Nature Reserve with its melojo-oak forest and Gorbeia Nature Reserve.

Between March 24th and Oct 24th, Aer Lingus offer direct flights from Dublin Airport to Bilbao. The flights operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Bilbao is the busiest airport in the Basque Country. The airport is twelve kilometres from the city of Bilbao. Passenger numbers have doubled at the airport in the last ten years.

The south of Spain is generally the first area of Spain you consider visiting when planning a holiday in Spain however the north of the country is certainly not without its charms. Bilbao is often considered a dull industrial city but the last few years have seen great changes in the city. The city has gone to great lengths to improve by bringing in some top architects to design new buildings for certain areas of the city.

The Guggenheim museum is easily the best known building in Bilbao. It truly is a spectacular museum with much to admire. The building itself in an architectural delight with its random curves while inside you will find over 10,000 metres squared of exhibits.

The people of Bilbao are a relaxed and friendly lot. Once work finishes for the day they can be seen enjoying a coffee or a glass of wine in the evening sun. The old town of Bilbao is a great spot to enjoy some cheap traditional food as well as offering a lively nightlife. Delicious fresh fish and locally produced fresh produce are the order of the day.

The Basque language is spoken in Bilbao. All street signs are written in Basque and Spanish. Engulf yourself in Basque culture while in Bilbao. It may not be the south of Spain but there are still some excellent beaches in this region. Plentzia beach and Sopelan beach are just a short drive away in your Bilbao car hire. There is no need to jostle for position here so you can enjoy the beach and relax in your own space.

Temperatures in Bilbao are moderate all year round with warm summers and mild winters. Check out our cheap car hire Bilbao offers.