Spanish schools in Bilbao · College life

Try Bilbao to take Spanish lessons in the north of Spain: walk along the riverside until Guggenheim museum or make the most of Mundaka sports area.

General Information. 355,000 inhabitants, although it lies at the heart of a greater metropolitan area with over a million people. 398 kilometres to the north of Madrid. "The Very Noble and Loyal Town of Bilbao" (La Muy Noble y Leal Villa de Bilbao), as the city coat of arms proclaims, is situated in the Basque Country and is the capital of the province of Vizcaya. Bilbao was founded in 1300 by Don Diego Lópe de Haro, although it was not until Juana I of Castile created its most important institutions in the early 16th century that the city began to flourish. Formerly a centre of iron and steel production, the city has recently become far more oriented towards the services sector and this change has led to a radical physical transformation that has improved the standard of living in the city, which now has numerous open spaces for its citizens to enjoy and a more vibrant cultural life. Bilbao boasts two universities; the oldest was founded in 1886 and is called Deusto. Bilbao has two official languages, Spanish and the Basque language, euskera, although the latter is rarely heard in the city. Bilbao is a very attractive place to study Spanish with many language schools offering a wide range of courses.

Surrounding Areas. Bilbao is surrounded by mountains and this means that by travelling only a few kilometres, the landscape changes and the atmosphere becomes completely rural. You will find many villages here which are well worth a visit. The Nervión River, which crosses the city, flows into the River Abra, 11 kilometres away. From there on, you will encounter good beaches such as Azkorri (15 kilometres), Sopelana (20 kilometres), Barrika (24 kilometres), Plentzia (24 kilometres) and fishing villages such as Mundaka (40 kilometres), Bermeo (37 kilometres), Ondarroa (72 kilometres) and Elantxove (47 kilometres). A little further to the east is the city of San Sebastián (100 kilometres), and towards the west is the city of Santander (102 kilometres).

World Heritage Site. El Puente Colgante de Vizcaya (1893), an iron bridge with a moving mechanical mechanism that transports people and vehicles across the river, has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The area of Urdaibai, at the mouth of the River Guernica, has been declared a biosphere reserve.

Main Sights. Bilbao has many historical buildings and is famous for its many art events. Today the most emblematic building of all is the Guggenheim Museum, designed by the Canadian architect Frank Gehry. Other important buildings are: the Palacio de la Música Euskalduna, a conference centre and concert hall; Santiago Cathedral; the Palacio de John, the current headquarters of the Bilbao Stock Exchange; the Palacio de la Sociedad Bilbaína, an English-style gentleman's club, as well as numerous buildings scattered along the Gran Vía, and some outstanding small palaces in the nearby village of Neguri.

Culture. A festival of international pop-rock music, Festival de Música BBK Live, is held at the beginning of July. The jazz festival, Bilbao Distrito Jazz, takes place in March. A festival dedicated to Sacra (Sacred Music), Festival Bilbao Ars Sacrum, can be seen in the days leading up to Holy Week. A programme of operas, organized by the ABAO Association and known as the Temporada de Ópera, begins in September. The Bilbao International Festival of Documentary and Short Films (Festival Internacional de Cine Documental y Cortometrajes de Bilbao) (Zinebi) is held between April and June. The most important museums are the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum (Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao), the Guggenheim Museum, and the Bilbao Archaeological Museum. Other places of interest are the Arriaga Theatre in Arenal, and La Alhóndiga, an old wine warehouse which recently opened as a culture and leisure centre. The cultural offer is a major attraction for the many students who decide to study Spanish in Bilbao.

Shopping. The Seven Streets (Las Siete Calles) area in the city's old quarter is one of the most important pedestrian shopping districts in Europe. It is a mix of historical monuments, cultural centres and over 800 shops. In Bilbao's city centre, the "backbone" of local commerce is formed by two streets, Gran Vía and Ercilla, where you can find large department stores and many international brand names. There are numerous shopping centres within easy reach of Bilbao.

Gastronomy. It is worth trying the exquisite pintxos, high quality miniature snacks which are usually eaten as appetizers with a glass of wine. It is traditional to walk from bar to bar and try as many of these as possible. The most popular areas are: the seven streets in the old quarter, Abando, and Indautxu. The typical dishes in the Basque Country are beans cooked with a variety of pork cuts; stewed vegetables (menestra de verduras); revuelto bilbaíno (ratatouille with scrambled eggs); salt-cod, either sautéed with garlic and olive oil (pil-pil) or cooked in a sweet and spicy pepper sauce (a la vizcaína), hake, baby eels and wing rib beef chop (el chuletón de carne roja).

Sports. Bilbao boasts 7 square metres of green area per inhabitant. These include well conserved and high quality sports areas, where you can play or learn almost any sport. Mundaka (40 kilometres) is ideal for surfers and boasts the best left-breaking wave in Europe; in October it becomes the world surfing capital when it hosts the competition the Surf Billabong Pro competition. Traditional rural sports are still popular in the surrounding villages, such as wood chopping, ox dragging and stone lifting. La pelota vasca (a traditional Basque ball game that can be played with the hand, a bat, or a type of wicker basket called cesta-punta...) is another indigenous local sport; you can watch organized matches, where betting is legal, or you can play it yourself on any of the many courts (frontones). Athletic de Bilbao is one of the oldest football clubs in Spain and something of an institution for the people of Bilbao. The club is in the First Division and is the only team that does not admit foreign players. Bilbao Basket is one of the top basketball teams in Spain.

Fiestas. ‘The Big Week' (La Semana Grande or Aste Nagusia in euskera) is held at the end of August and lasts 9 days. Bilbao undergoes a complete transformation and the Arenal area is decked out with marquees (txosnas) where you can eat and drink cheaply, listen to music and have fun. There are also bullfights, free concerts, street celebrations and shows.

Transport. There are numerous ways to get around Bilbao, such as trams, underground, and a cable car that links the city with Mount Artxanda, as well as an extensive network of urban and regional buses. The Bilbaocard is a travel pass which allows you to use all of the city's public transport services and also offers you discounts in museums and other establishments. Bilbao has a very good transport infrastructure which connects the city with the rest of Spain and Europe by land, sea and air. There is also a tourist bus with 15 stops, which leaves from Calle Lersundi. It is easy to get from Bilbao to other Spanish cities by train or by using the various coach services.

Nightlife. Students who decide to study Spanish in Bilbao will discover a very active nightlife, thanks to the city's university atmosphere. The bars in the old quarter, which are much more than just bars, are definitely the place to party. The areas of Mazarredo, Albia or Galerías de Urquijo are usually very lively; and for a more relaxing evening, try Pozas (Calle Licenciado de Poza and surrounding areas), Indautxu and Abando, where you can find places with live music.

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