Discover the heart of the Basque Country with this Vizcaya & Vitoria day trip! You will get to know the Salinas de Añana, Balmasedaand the Mining Zone of Vizcaya. In addition, you will see the only suspension bridge in use in the world.
We will leave early in the morning towards the city of Vitoria, the government headquarters of the Basque Country. Upon arrival, we will take a guided tour of its most emblematic places, walking through the historic center and the medieval area. We will visit the New and Old Cathedral, the Basque Parliament, the Plaza de la Virgen Blanca, the Town Hall, the Arquillos, the Plaza del Machete, among other churches and palaces.
We will continue our journey towards the Salinas de Añana, one of the most surprising corners of the Basque Country, in the so-called “Salado Valley”. Here, we will enjoy an interesting guided tour to learn about the history, architecture, archaeology and biodiversity of these salt flats, learning about the production process of Añana salt.
We will follow our route to the port of Orduña, where we will take a relaxing walk through this historic town. Then we head towards the Ayala Valley and Artziniega, until we reach Balmaseda, a small and charming medieval town, close to the border with Burgos.
Later we will stop for lunch at a typical local restaurant (lunch included). Already with the energies replenished, we will continue to travel through the Vizcaya Mining Zone, on the way to Santurtzi(port of Bilbao) and Portugalete(right bank of the Ria). From there we will cross the Nervión River through the famous Vizcaya Suspension Bridge, the only suspension bridge in use in the world, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
After crossing the bridge we will arrive in Getxo, a coastal area with an old fishing port, modern water sports facilities and beautiful mansions close to the beach. Here we will make a short panoramic visit to discover the area.
Finally we will start our way back to Bilbao bordering the Ria, while our guide tells us the entire industrial history of the region.