Madrid + Bilbao

About the destination: Madrid has a tempo of its own: The dry air of the Castilian plain crackles with its cosmopolitan crowds. If the illuminated shop windows along the Gran Vía, and the unrelenting elegance of Paseo de la Castellana are overwhelming, retreat to Old Madrid. Its tangle of side streets south of Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol are what makes the real Madrid. Spend half a day in the Prado Museum, thaat sit to rest on the steps leading down to the lake in lush Retiro Park. The city begins to live it up as soon as the sun goes down. Madrid claims to boast the largest number of bars per capita of any European city. Madrid teems with cultural events all year round. After concert, play or film, you can choose among literally hundreds of tapas bars and an endless array of nightspots. Madrid successfylly combines its cosmopolitan sophistication with its most cherished local traditions, the result is fascinating to explore.

About the destination: Bilbao is the capital of Biscay in the Basque Country, in northern Spain. The city is situated on the banks of the Nervión, a tidal river. Bilbao was till the 90s a grey big industrial town, the economical heart of the Basque Country. But since the opening of a new Guggenheim Museum by the river, the city has become an arty and stylish city and is now a major touristic destination. The main attraction that put Bilbao on the map was the construction of the Guggenheim Museum by Frank Gehry, it is now one of Spain’s most visited attractions. The building is impressive and there are some very interesting sculptures outside the museum and in the atrium. Centred on the Plaza Nueva, a busy and colourful square, and the Santiago Cathedral the old quarter of Bilbao is pretty compact and a walk around its streets doesn't take long. The impressive church of San Nicolas, built in 1743 in honour of the sailors from Bilbao, stands at the entrance to the Casco Viejo. Located in the very heart of Bilbao's old centre, the cathedral of Bilbao is the oldest church in the city and the main Gothic construction in Biscay. Vital and exciting Bilbao is famous for its great food, its culture and its active nightlife.