Bilbao, a hilly and green city in Spain's Basque region, offers a gentler, more liveable and cooler version of the future, according to Deputy Travel Editor Milo Boyd, who visited the city of 350,000.
Guggenheim and cultural transformation
The Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Gehry with chrome-tile plated buildings that look like ships sailing into town, towers above the river. When it opened in 1997, it supercharged Bilbao's transformation from an Atlantic port town into Spain's premier cultural spot.
Inside, the 55m central atrium features Jenny Holzer's LED display, Richard Serra's massive rusted maze sculptures, Jeff Koons' huge floral puppy and Andy Warhol's One Hundred and Fifty Multicolored Marilyns. The building itself, with its swooping walkway that emits steam and blasts of fire at night, beneath a towering road bridge and in the shadow of mountains, offers entertainment.
Museums and public amenities
Beyond the Guggenheim, the Basque Museum sits in a 17th-century former Jesuit college in the Old Town, giving voice to the region's working people and history of struggle. The Maritime Museum takes visitors through Bilbao's rise as a centre of iron and wool trading. No mention is made of Bilbao's role as a shipmaker in Spain's trans-Atlantic slave trade.
The city's extreme hilliness has visitors sweating up hills and climbing Calzadas de Mallona's 350 steps. Outdoor elevators assist in parts of Santutxu, where high-rises cut into the slopes make it one of Europe's most densely populated neighbourhoods. Locals ride electric scooters and cool off at numerous free water taps. Streets are spotless, hosed down each night, and the city centre river is clean enough to house shoals of fish.
Food and drink
Bilbao specialises in pintxos, small plates best eaten beneath a parasol in Casco Viejo. International options include Europe's 17th best pizza at Demaio, Vietnamese/Mexican fusion at Perro Chico, a vegan build-you-own plate at Margarito, and hefty focaccia at Molica. Half a litre of Spanish lager rarely costs more than three euros.
Vueling flies from Heathrow, Gatwick and Edinburgh, with flights occasionally available for £14. The carrier delivers a mid-range service for budget prices, with a little more room, smoother loading and cheerier staff than rivals.
