Bilbao is full of surprises. For those visiting for the first time, the city offers something unexpected: a cultural identity that is unique in Europe, rooted in a millennia-old language and unrivalled traditions. A way of life unlike anywhere else in the world.

Basque: Europe’s oldest language

Any introduction to Basque culture begins with the language. Euskera is the oldest living language in Europe and is not known to be related to any other language in the world. In Bilbao, it coexists naturally with Spanish: road signs, neighbourhood names and everyday conversations mix both languages quite naturally. Learning a few words such as kaixo (hello), eskerrik asko (thank you) or agur (goodbye) is one of the gestures most appreciated by the people of Bilbao.

Aste Nagusia: Bilbao’s Big Week

Every August, for nine days, Bilbao is transformed into one huge festival, it all kicks off with the txupinazo from the Arriaga Theatre, Basque dances, herri kirolak competitions, trainera regattas on the River Nervión, bertsolaris, txosnas and nightly fireworks over the estuary. The central figure is Marijaia, a giant figure with her arms raised who presides over the festivities and is burnt on a bonfire at the end of the week. A cultural extravaganza that you simply must experience at least once.

Pintxos: tradition, gastronomy and a way of life

Going for pintxos in Bilbao’s Old Town is one of the city’s most authentic experiences. The Basque pintxo is elaborate and skilfully crafted. It is a small work of culinary art in miniature. It is accompanied by txakoli, a slightly sparkling white wine produced in the Biscay region itself, poured from a height. Ledesma and García de Salazar streets, and Plaza Nueva, form the epicentre of this experience. More than just gastronomy, it is a way of socialising and understanding life.

Traditional Basque sports, dances and bertsolaris

Basque rural sports, known as ‘herri kirolak’ in Basque, have their roots in work on land and at sea: the ‘aizkolari’ chops logs with an axe, the ‘harrijasotzaile’ lifts stones weighing over 200 kilos, and the ‘trainera’ rowing regattas fill the estuary with excitement. Basque dances, with the aurresku as their most solemn form, and the music of the txistu, the trikitrixa and the txalaparta complete a cultural universe without equal. And the bertsolari, the oral improviser who composes and sings verses on the spot, is perhaps the most astonishing tradition for those discovering it for the first time. Their championships fill stadiums.

The Old Town and contemporary culture

The Old Town, Zazpi Kaleak (the Seven Streets), is where Bilbao’s tradition is most vividly felt, with its century-old bars, La Ribera market, Santiago Cathedral and Plaza Nueva. But Bilbao is also at the cutting edge; the Guggenheim Museum transformed the city from 1997 onwards and sparked the “Guggenheim effect”, which is studied all over the world. Tradition and modernity coexist here in a way that perfectly defines the character of this city.

Where to stay to experience it all from the inside

To immerse yourself in Bilbao’s culture and traditions, location is everything. Tayko Bilbao, at 13 Calle Ribera, is right in the heart of the Old Town, just a stone’s throw from La Ribera market, the best pintxo streets and the Nervión estuary. During the Aste Nagusia, the dantzaris and the fireworks over the river pass just metres from the door. The rest of the year, the most authentic Casco Viejo provides the backdrop to every morning. Bilbao is best understood from within.