Social Programme

Sunday, 15 th March – 10 am to 2 pm

ESS Bilbao invites you to discover Bilbao and its surroundings

Getxo & Bilbao Tour

Bilbao, capital of the province of Bizkaia, is the centre of a metropolitan area of more than one million people. It is located on the banks of the Nervión river, which joins the Cantabrian Sea 11 kilometers further downstream. The river has been protagonist of its industrial and economic development since the city´s foundation in 1300. Bilbao, together with the towns located on both sides of the river until it reaches the sea, form the Greater Bilbao Metropolitan area.

Bilbao is one of the main economic and cultural hubs in northern Spain and has gained international recognition as an architectural point of reference. Certainly, the Guggenheim Museum has acted as its main calling card. But Bilbao has plenty of other interesting sites to offer, in and around the city.

Visiting Getxo

The tour starts in Bilbao, from where a bus will leave towards Getxo, an attractive seaside location. Lying on the northeastern stretch of the coastline of Bizkaia, it has ten kilometers of spectacular cliffs and beaches and falls within the boundaries of Greater Bilbao.

Getxo surprises its visitors with the architectural beauty of its mansions and stately homes in a variety of European styles, being built between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th.

You will also have the chance to visit the transporter bridge called “Vizcaya Bridge”, (World Heritage, Unesco 2006), designed by Alberto Palacio, which dates from the same time as the Eiffel Tower in Paris, to which it bears a great resemblance.

The Puerto Viejo (Old Port) in Algorta, a picturesque enclave, with its steep narrow streets, is a setting in which visitors not only can savor the local pintxos (tapas) while having a glass of wine, but also its atmosphere, history and tradition.

Getxo’s proximity to the sea means that water sports have always been popular in the area. You will also be able to visit the Getxo Marina, a modern complex which combines mooring services for vessels with a large leisure and restaurant area.

Back again in Bilbao

You will have the chance to visit the Ensanche-Abandoibarra quarter, an icon of the Village's development.

A tour to see Bilbao's architectonic and urban development from the 19 th century to the present. A look at the throbbing heart of a city where tradition and modernity converge. Walking around the Ensanche and Abandoibarra, you will experience Bilbao's thriving spirit and find a genuine outdoor museum of sculpture and architecture which reveals the Village's forward-looking character.

The second part of the Bilbao Tour will be dedicated to explore the Old Quarter, popularly called “Las Siete Calles” (The seven streets), where you will have a look at the city's origins.

An interesting tour that will take you back in time to Medieval Bilbao, with its cobbled streets, charming corners and squares, which have witnessed the port's hustle and bustle that made the Village grow. Its walls, Saint James's Gothic Cathedral, the Plaza Nueva (New Square), the emblematic San Antón Church and the ancient ruins it was built on, and the busy Mercado de la Ribera (Seaside Market) account for more than 500 years of history and an urban life not affected by the passing of time.

The excursion will finish in the Plaza Nueva, a place with a lot of character, which is also the heart of the city's gastronomic culture. There you will find plenty of bars and restaurants inviting you to participate in one of the most popular Basque customs: the "txikiteo" or "poteo", especially common in Bilbao.

While you drink a "txikito" (small glass of wine) or "zurito" (small glass of beer), you will be able to discover by your own, as city dwellers do by going from one bar to another, the typical "pintxo", appetizers made up of various ingredients. You will find dishes ranging from the simplest and most traditional "pintxos" to the most sophisticated and imaginative food delights.

Bon appétit!

Important note:

Participation is free of charge for workshop attendees and an accompanying person.

For organizational reasons participants have to register previously.

If you want to make sure your place, please submit now the registration form to workshop2009@essbilbao.com!

Deadline for registration is Thursday, 5th March 2009.

» Click here to download the Registration Form