Old Town Bilbao (Casco Viejo)

I don’t pretend to give a lecture in history nor politics; instead I want to prove the greatness of Biscay and its people, who irradiate sympathy, kindness and hospitability, with these pictures.

I was lucky enough to visit Bilbao on a Sunday, when the book fair of ancient books took place. I was amazed with the texts printed in Euskera (Basque), as well as the sheets and drawings. I let my host guide me and rejoiced with the beauty of the buildings and the sobriety of the institutions; the window in the train station is a jewel, as well as the endless corners that one discovers in these pictures, such as the one of the bar Río-oja, where you can see the inscription of the great floods in the eighties.

One of the neighborhoods that I like the most in Bilbao is the Siete Calles (Seven Streets), name commonly given to the old part of town. Located on the edge of the Nervión ria, they are a group of narrow stone streets, with big bridges, spectacular churches and a gothic cathedral, the Santiago Cathedral.

This area is known for being one the commercial parts of the city, some of the most ancient stores are found in this part of Bilbao. If you like markets, every Sunday they set up a famous one in Plaza Nueva.

You can also find there some of the most typical bars in Bilbao where you can have some delicious pinchos accompanied with a txikito (a type of wine) when you take a shopping break, or you can eat in one of its many restaurants. Some of the most famous bars are the Itziar, Soiz and Herriko. You will find all kinds of people perfectly integrated to the cosmopolitan atmosphere of the area.

Full of nice shops, old town buildings and the cathedral