Spain Motorhome North–South (2–3 Weeks)

Bilbao, long a center of Basque industry, has transformed from a medieval trading port into a modern cultural city. Founded in 1300, the city experienced a boom through iron ore trade and shipbuilding, which significantly shaped its development. Its architecture speaks of tradition and modern design.The spectrum ranges from the winding Casco Viejo with the Gothic Santiago Cathedral to the stately townhouses on Gran Vía in Ensanche, the late 19th-century urban expansion. A turning point was the opening of Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum in 1997, which established Bilbao internationally as a destination for contemporary architecture and art. Structures like Santiago Calatrava's Zubizuri Bridge or César Pelli's Iberdrola Tower underscore this transformation.Culturally, Bilbao is rooted in Basque identity, evident in the preservation of the Euskera language and numerous traditions. The Pintxo culture is a central part of social life. Important cultural institutions alongside the Guggenheim include the Museo de Bellas Artes with an extensive collection of classical and modern art, as well as the Arriaga Theatre. The annual Aste Nagusia (Great Week) in August is a celebration of Basque culture with music, dance, and sports.

University and Golden AgeAlfons IX. of León founded the University in 1218, where scholars like Fray Luis de León and Miguel de Unamuno later taught. Its Plateresque facade is covered in stonework; visitors traditionally look for the frog on a skull. The New Cathedral was built next to the Romanesque Old Cathedral starting in 1513, and restorers added an astronaut to its portal in 1992.The Plaza Mayor was built in the 18th century and is considered one of the finest examples of Spanish Baroque architecture. The Casa de las Conchas, dating from the late 15th century, is adorned with over 300 stone shells.