Bilbao Cruises
Bilbao straddles the Bilbao or Nervion River some 15 miles from the Cantabrian Seacoast. An industrial city, the metropolitan conglomerate of 28 town ranks among Spain's most important commercial and financial centers. The city is Pais Vasco's center of commerce, but Vitoria is the regional capital. Proximity to the seaand early discovery of vast mineral deposits led to the development of the port. Iron and steel are still major exports after initially being shipped to England in exchange for coal. The modern city center is El Ensanche (literally "the expansion"). Metro stations are clean and modern and the airport has recently expanded. One of the newest and perhaps most phenomenal sights, however, is an import. The remarkable Guggenheim Museum"Bilbao is a source of great local pride and should not be missed.