Vizcaya - Vizcaya visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Vizcaya' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Basque Country.

Vizcaya (Bizkaya) is a province of northern Spain in the autonomous region of Basque Country. The capital city is the port of Bilbao which has ferry connections to France and England. Vizcaya became one of the wealthiest areas of Spain due to large scale industrialization throughout the early 20th century. In the wake of industrial decline as markets and technologies shifted focus, tourism flourished and this region opened up to a new future as an unspoilt destination for holiday-makers.

Around Bilbao there are many attractions and sights. The eclectic Guggenheim Museum with it's eccentric sculptural architecture is not to be missed. The rejuvenated harbour area was once the site of factories, shipyards and heavy labour industries but as focus turns towards hospitality, new cafes, restaurants and luxury accommodation is being developed along with marina facilities. Bilbao has many statues and memorials commemorating its rich and proud history and much of the centuries-old architecture remains peppered throughout the city, like a reminder of its proud heritage while the city finds its way into a new future as a holiday destination and gateway to exploring northern Spain and the Basque Country.

There are walking trails along the spectacular cliffs around Biscay Bay which include panoramic viewpoints out across the sea. There are small fishing villages to explore and this region can offer good sailing for the experiences skipper able to handle the changeable Biscay weather. Further afield, the natural parklands include the Urkiola Mountain Range, the Duranguesado and also worth visiting are the Caves Pozalagua. Much of the landscape has recently been reforested with pine, cypress and eucalyptus trees as well as management projects sustaining the indigenous birch forests which are habitat to much of the local wildlife.

There are many churches and fortified medieval buildings, castles and fortresses dating back through to medieval history to explore. A strong and noble history of Dukes, Knights, nobility and battles has left its mark on a landscape so passionately defended. One can well imagine why - so much of Vizcaya's charm lies in its unspoilt countryside and the sense of being an undiscovered land, new to tourism but the generations-old pride of its people. Still finding its way onto the well-trodden tourist trail, Vizcaya province has so much to offer and yet still has a "first-time" feel for visitors keen to discover a new cuisine, culture and countryside so closely related but yet distinctly unique from it's Spanish parent.