Modern Bilbao as a destination for your business trip!
Located in northern Spain on the Nervión River, Bilbao is the largest city in the Basque Country region and the capital of the province of Biscay. Also, Bilbao is located on one of the Pilgrim's routes to Santiago de Compostella. Basque Country is one of the first areas in Spain to become industrialized. Since that industrialization, the Basque Country has experienced economic growth that is generally stronger than in the rest of Spain. The main industrial activities in the Basque Country are shipbuilding, aviation, industrial design, paper industry, mechanical engineering and engineering. In addition, the metal industry, port industry (with the important port of Bilbao), chemical industry and petrochemical industry have significant size. The port of Bilbao is conveniently located in relation to, for example, Europe's largest port city, Rotterdam. Partly because of this, as much as a quarter of all transshipment of Dutch goods in Spain takes place through the port of Bilbao. All in all, this destination lends itself perfectly to your business trip.
Transportation to and location of Bilbao
KLM flies direct from Amsterdam to Bilbao almost daily, depending on the season. Vueling, a Spanish low-cost airline also offers direct flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from May through October. Bilbao's airport, the most important in northern Spain, is 13 kilometers from the old city center. By car, you can get to both Bilbao center and San Sebastian within twenty minutes. The cost for a cab is approx. eur. 25.00. The Bilbao-Airport bus runs every day of the year from 06.15-00.00 from the airport and from 05.15-22.00 from Bilbao. The bus makes three stops along the way, to the Bilbao Terminus terminus, in the west of the city: 14 Alameda Rekalde (near Guggenheim), Plaza Moyua and 74 Gran Via. At the Bilbao Terminus bus station, you can transfer to San Mames metro stop. Ryanair operates a direct service from Brussels Charleroi to Santander. The bus company ALSA, will take you to Bilbao within 1.5 hours.
Best travel time for a business trip to Bilbao
Bilbao can be visited year-round, but the best travel time is from June to mid-September. Typically, Bilbao has a fairly wide range of temperatures. In terms of clothing and footwear, keep in mind the variability of the weather.
Accommodations during your business trip to Bilbao
Bilbao has a wide choice of accommodation types. From guesthouses to hostels, homestays, apartments and hotels of different star ratings. I would like to give you some suggestions for quality hotels, ideally suited for the business traveler.
5* accommodations
- Hotel Carlton, 100 meters from downtown - close to the metro.
- Hotel Meliá Bilbao, 800 meters from downtown.
- Hotel López de Haro, 450 meters from the center - close to the metro.
All mentioned hotels have the possibility of organizing meetings and events.
4* accommodations
- Vincci Consulado de Bilbao, 650 meters from the center - close to the metro.
- Hotel Gran Bilbao, 2 kilometers from downtown.
- Sercotel Ayala, 550 meters from downtown - close to the metro.
- NYX Hotel Bilbao by Leonardo Hotel, 1 kilometer from the center - close to the metro.
- Hotel Mercure Jardines de Albia, 600 meters from the center - close to the metro.
3* accommodations
- Hotel Ilunion Bilbao, 800 meters from the center - near the metro.
- NH Bilbao Deusto, 1.1 kilometers from downtown.
- Sercotel Arenal Bilbao, 1.1 kilometers from the center - close to the metro.
These three- and four-star hotels all have opportunities for parking at or near the hotel, free of charge or for a fee.
Renewal and modernization
The fastest way to get around the city is by metro. Bilbao has three metro lines, which you can also use to reach the beaches and suburbs. However, most attractions are in the city center within walking distance. After the economic crisis in the 1990s, it was decided that Bilbao needed to become more livable and that it was time for renewal and modernization. The construction of the metro line in 1995 was one of these modernizations as well as the Eusko Tran in 2002. This is the streetcar line that connects the Atxuri and Basurto neighborhoods with the Guggenheim Museum and soccer stadium. The aforementioned Guggenheim Museum and the Palacio Euskalduna, a concert and event hall, have also resulted from this. Thus Bilboa is gradually losing its industrial character and has turned into a modern city, suitable for tourism and recreation.
A city with a culinary heart
Bilbao and the region are known for their "Pinxto." This snack is often eaten in bars along with family and friends. A characteristic of the Pinxto is that it is impaled with a stick. Although bread is often the base, Pinxtos are very varied in terms of other ingredients. In the Bilbao region, they often use all the goodies that come from the Bay of Biscay. Pinxtos are often enjoyed over txikito (white wine) and zurito (beer). A good place to have Pinxtos is Sorginzulo near Plaza Nueva, where both locals and tourists like to come. Bilbao is known for its culinary heart, so are other places where you can eat good food during your business trip, for example:
- Guggenheim: The Guggenheim's restaurant, "Nerua" is of excellent quality and is reasonably priced despite its Michelin star.
- Bistro: With its delicious menu and terrace overlooking the shores of Bilbao, is another restaurant you can find at the Guggenheim Museum.
- Plaza Nueva: Bilbao's coziest square with plenty of restaurants. The choice is vast. From burgers to Basque and Spanish dishes and dishes of international cuisine.
- Mercado Ribera: Mercado Ribera is an indoor market hall where you can taste tasty snacks in addition to fresh meat, vegetables and fish products.
What should not be missed on a business trip to Bilbao?
Casco Viejo - Las Siete Calle
Bilbao's oldest district. This lively district with narrow streets, modern stores and traditional eateries is located on the banks of the river. Built in the shape of a ship, the waterfront La Ribera market is known for its food stalls and is surrounded by pintxo cafes serving Basque tapas. The Santiago Cathedral, with its tall Gothic tower, is a monument from the 14th century, and Teatro Arriaga hosts opera and dance performances.
Museo Guggenheim de Bilbao
The exterior of the museum is a work of art an sich, designed by Canadian-American architect Frank Ghery. Inside, artworks by Dalí, Warhol and Picasso, among others, are on display. Besides the building, don't miss the "Flower Puppy" (over 12 meters high and covered with some 70,000 flowers) and the giant spider "Maman" (9 meters high and 10 meters wide).
Palacio Chávarri
The Chavarri Palace is a Flemish-style building in the city of Bilbao, most notable around Moyúa Square. It was built in the early 20th century and is similar in style to the palaces built during the Renaissance in Antwerp or Bruges.
Zubizuri
The Zubizuri is a pedestrian bridge in Bilbao. The bridge is also called Puente del Campo Volantin. The bridge was built between 1994 and 1997 to a design by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.
City Hall (Ayuntamiento)
The "Ayuntamiento" is Bilbao's city hall located in the Plaza Ernesto Erkoreka square. Various architectural styles were used in the construction of this neo-Baroque city hall, and from the outside the building looks impressive because of the beautiful bell towers and statues, among other things.
Culture: tips for doing business in Spain
- Proficiency in the Spanish language: This is definitely a plus but actually a must. Therefore, write informational materials in Spanish. Sometimes English is spoken, but Spanish is often more effective. Also consider an interpreter and consider regional languages.
- Name use: In Spain, the name consists of the first name, father's name and mother's name. In written correspondence and official documents, both surnames are used. Terms of address are señor or señora for the last name and don or doña for the first name.
- Lunch/dinner: Spaniards often conduct business at lunch or dinner. Lunches are often hot and consist of several courses. In summer, people often start early and stop working in the afternoon. Some businesses even close during the month of August. In addition, businesses are often closed on Friday afternoons.
- Clothing Style: The style of dress in traditional business is classic and formal. This is also expected of the business partner. In these companies, an employee is neither too independent nor shows initiative. He also does not make fun of the boss or contradict him. In younger companies and in ICT, there is a less formal business culture.
- Invest in a business relationship: Keep regular contact with the business associate and invest in a good personal relationship. A business gift is appreciated, but not really necessary. Spaniards unwrap a gift immediately. A memento from the Netherlands is appropriate. If a gift is too expensive, however, Spaniards see this as a bribe.
- Character: Spaniards want to know more about their business partner's character before doing business. They take their time to make an important decision. They are also sometimes late for an appointment and sometimes miss a deadline. After a business appointment, it is common to record and mail in writing a summary of the most important issues.
Carefree business travel to Bilbao?
Planning a business trip to Bilbao? We will be happy to help you put together your trip and stay to suit your needs and company policy. Also for group or incentive travel, Bilbao is a very surprising and unique destination. Our colleagues from goMICE would be happy to help you realize an unforgettable trip with your associates or employees. More tips and inspiration for your group or incentive trip to Northern Spain you will find here.
Sources consulted:
- Wikipedia
- Tradewithspain
- Spanishcities.com
- Alsa.com
- rvo.co.uk
- bilbaotop10.co.uk
