Bilbao

We direct our eyes towards the north of Spain, more closely towards the Basque Country and the city Bilbao. A city that e.g offers fine dining restaurants, world-famous museums, trendy districts and fascinating architecture.

Check in at Hotel Carlton, the most luxurious hotel in the city centre, that in fact the Basque Government listed as an architectural, historical and cultural monument in 1995, and then start exploring the city. 

www.verybilbao.com

Visit the famous Guggenheim Museum or the Museo Bellas Artes, which is one of the most important fine-art collections in the Basque Country and has been open since 1914. The collection includes works from the 12th century to the modern day, and features artists such as Francisco de Goya, El Greco, Paul Gauguin, Francis Bacon and Eduardo Chillida.

www.guggenheim-bilbao.eus

Culinary wise, Basque Country is well known for its pintxos bites, which is small pieces of bread, topped with all manner of local ingredients. Choose from pintxos with meat, seafood, vegetables or cheese for example. Bilbao, along with San Sebastián and Vitoria-Gasteiz is home to some of the best pintxos bars in the country so it is a must to enjoy them during your stay in Bilbao.  

www.thetravelista.net

To get an even further gourmet experience, drive to Axpe in the Atxondo valley, at the foothills of the magical Mt.Anboto. Far from the noise, the restaurant, Asador Etxebarri, preserves ancient techniques of grill cooking using carefully selected firewood from different trees to work in harmony with the locally cultivated, natural produce, to offer endless possibilities of truly wonderful dishes. 

www.guiarepsol.com

www.guiarepsol.com

To refer to cuisine and art; Bilbao and the Basque region in general, and at restaurant Asador Etxebarri specifically, the food truly is art.