Page 296 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

294  THE IBERIAN PENINSULA

are the handsome Plaza de la
Constitución and the church of
Santa María del Coro, with its
Baroque portal. Behind the old
town, Monte Urgull is worth
climbing for the superb views
from its summit. At the foot of
the hill, the Museo de San Telmo
holds exhibits including works
by El Greco.
The Playa de la Concha is one
of the most famous beaches in
Spain. As it curves around the
Bay of La Concha, it becomes Bulls scattering the runners during
the Playa de Ondarreta, at the Sanfermines in Pamplona
end of which is Eduardo y Pamplona
Frank Gehry’s ultramodern Museo Chillida’s beautiful sculpture, the
Guggenheim building in Bilbao Comb of the Winds. The Palacio Navarra. * 196,000. k £ @
Miramar (1889), built for Queen n C/San Saturnino 2 (948-42 07 00).
r Bilbao María Cristina, is a venue for the _ Sanfermines (Jul 6–14).
Vizcaya. * 354,000. k g £ @ world-famous film festival.
n Plaza Circular 1 (944-79 57 60). Supposedly founded by the
_ Fiesta (third week Aug). E Museo de San Telmo Roman general, Pompey,
Plaza Zuloaga. Tel 943-48 15 80. Pamplona is most famous for
Bilbao (Bilbo) is the center of Open 10am–8pm Tue–Sun. the fiesta of Los Sanfermines,
Basque industry and Spain’s & (free Tue). 7 8 with its daredevil bull running.
leading commercial port, yet it West of the city’s mainly
has many cultural attractions Gothic cathedral lies the old
worth visiting. In the city’s Jewish quarter, with the Neo-
medieval quarter – the Casco classic Palacio del Gobierno
Viejo – the Museo Arqueológico, de Navarra and the medieval
Etnográfico e Histórico Vasco Iglesia de San Saturnino.
displays Basque art and folk The Museo de Navarra is a
artifacts, while in the newer town, museum of regional history,
the Museo de Bellas Artes is one archaeology, and art.
of Spain’s best art museums. Southeast of the center is
The jewel in Bilbao’s cultural Felipe II’s massive citadel,
crown, however, is the Museo erected in the 16th century.
Guggenheim Bilbao, which has
a superb collection of Modern E Museo de Navarra
and contemporary art. It is just Calle Santo Domingo. Tel 848-42 64
one of the city’s many pieces Mural by Josep Maria Sert in the Museo de 93. Open Tue–Sun. & free Sat pm,
of modern architecture, which San Telmo, San Sebastián Sun. 7 8 by appointment.
also include the striking Palacio
de la Música y Congresos
Euskalduna. Basque Culture
The Basques are one of the oldest people in Europe. Long isolated in
E Museo Guggenheim their mountain villages, they have preserved their unique language
Av Abandoibarra. Tel 944-35 90 00. (Euskera), myths, and art – almost untouched by outside influences –
Open 10am–8pm Tue–Sun (Jul & Aug: for millennia. Many families still live in the stone caseríos, or
daily). Closed public hols. & 0 8 farmhouses, built by their
d 7 ∑ guggenheim-bilbao.es
forebears. Among the most
popular exponents of Basque
t San Sebastián cultural life are the bertsolaris, oral
poets, originally from rural areas,
Guipúzcoa. * 185,000. £ @ who improvise verses and who
n Boulevard 8 (943-48 11 66). are still very popular among the
_ International Film Festival (late Sep). younger generations. Though
the Basque region has had its
Popular with the aristocracy, own parliament since 1975 (as all
San Sebastián (Donostia) other Spanish regions), there has
became a fashionable seaside always been a strong separatist The Ikurriña, the flag of the
movement seeking to sever links
resort in the late 19th century. with the government in Madrid. Basque region
At the heart of the old town
For hotels and restaurants see pp330–32 and pp333–5

294-295_EW_Europe.indd 294 14/07/16 10:15 am