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The city: Bilbao

Although we have no records enabling us to date Bilbao exactly, archaeological remains found where it stands suggest that there was a settlement there before the current one, whose people, who lived on both banks of the Nervión, worked as fishermen and mined and processed iron. The history of Bilbao as we know it began in the Middle Ages when it became a centre for trading.

This seafaring and trading town earned the title "Villa" when, on 15th June 1300 in Valladolid, Don Diego López de Haro V, a nobleman from Bizkaia, awarded the town the Carta Puebla Fundacional, which led to it becoming one of Biscay's main centres for development, supplanting Bermeo as the most important town in the region.

It is very difficult to say in just a few lines what the most typical or interesting of Bilbao's sights are: museums such as the Guggenheim, the Museo de Bellas Artes and the Museo Marítimo are all worth visiting.

Religious tourism is also important, with the impressive Basílica de Begoña being a pilgrimage destination for many, not to mention San Mamés, one of the best known "cathedrals" in the country, where every Sunday a large number of faithfuls flock in their droves to worship a different cult altogether: the beautiful game and its football club, Atlético Bilbao, another of the city's institutions.

Bilbao has one of the best shopping centres in the area in terms of both variety and quality, and some of best brands in the world are represented on its Gran Vía and in the surrounding area, which is popularly known as "La Milla de Oro”.

To end this tour of 'El Botxo' (Bilbao’s nickname) on a high note, we should mention its Pintxos restaurants and bars. It should be said that its cuisine already enjoys an international reputation so why not sample some Pintxos in the Casco Viejo and enjoy a meal at one of the city's many restaurants.

Festivals of interest

SEMANA GRANDE DE BILBAO

Summer is the time of year for the most anticipated and acclaimed festivals, with the ASTE NAGUSIA, or Semana Grande, which offers nine days of culture and madness for locals and visitors alike.Concerts, theatre, fireworks, children's games, herri kirolak,... all of the ingredients on the menu of these festivals to which Mari Jaia, the mascot of the festivals, invites you and which, this year, will take place from 20th to 28th August.

Events

BIEMH

Start date: 3/3/2008 | End date: 8/3/2008
Bienal Española de la Máquina-Herramienta [Biennial Spanish Machinery and Tools Exhibition]

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Construlan

Start date: 2/4/2008 | End date: 5/4/2008
Salón de la Construcción, Equipamiento e Instalaciones [Construction, Equipment and Installations Fair]

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Egurtek

Start date: 3/4/2008 | End date: 4/4/2008
Simposium Internacional de Arquitectura y Construcción en Madera [International Wooden Architecture and Construction Symposium]

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Creamoda

Start date: 15/5/2008 | End date: 18/5/2008
Convocatoria para el descubrimiento de tendencias y nuevos valores en el mundo del diseño y de la moda [Fair examining trends and new values in the world of design and fashion]

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Expovacaciones

Start date: 15/5/2008 | End date: 18/5/2008
Feria del Turismo y del Tiempo Libre [Tourism and Free Time Fair]
The world of tourism "as you have never seen it before" Guest country: Morocco - A thousand and one treasures waiting to be discovered

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Expoconsumo

Start date: 15/5/2008 | End date: 18/5/2008
Feria de los Bienes del Consumo y del Consumidor [Consumption and Consumer Goods Fair]

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Aerotrends

Start date: 4/6/2008 | End date: 5/6/2008
Encuentro Internacional de Negocios Aeroespaciales [International Aerospace Fair]

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GEO2

Start date: 4/11/2008 | End date: 7/11/2008
Feria del Desarrollo Sostenible [Sustainable Development Fair]
The 3 pillars of sustainable development, in other words, the environment and energy, the economy, and society, are to come together as the real protagonists of this amazing edition of GEO2 - 2008

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Ferroforma

Start date: 25/3/2009 | End date: 28/3/2009
Feria Internacional de Ferretería [International Ironmongery Fair]
Which will bring together manufacturers, distributors and professionals who form the industrial and ironmongery supply chain, in businesses specific to and related to all manner of industry and professional users.

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Sinaval Eurofishing

Start date: 21/4/2009 | End date: 24/4/2009
Rumbo a un Nuevo Puerto [Going towards a new port]:
This new event will turn into a meeting point for the naval, maritime, harbour and fishing sectors.

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