Vitoria-Gasteiz, Green capital

Vitoria-Gasteiz, home of the Basque parliament and capital of the Basque Country, is a green city, rich in natural areas and a just short distance from Rioja Alavesa, a world-class wine tourism area.

You’ll feel it as soon as you arrive - Vitoria-Gasteiz is friendly and convenient, designed for living in: everything is close at hand, including the so-called Green Ring, a perimeter around the city formed by six large parks you can explore on foot or by bicycle. In one of them, Salburua, you can see several lakes which, thanks to their privileged location on a migration route, are visited by a wide variety of birds. Vitoria-Gasteiz gets international certification as a destination for sustainable tourism, Biosphere Responsible Tourism.

Another of the treasures Vitoria-Gasteiz has to offer is what is known as the Mediaeval Almond, so-called because of its shape, one of the finest old quarters in the Basque Country.

The Cathedral, a Gothic literary star

The gothic Cathedral of Santa María will be first on your list. It occurred to somebody that long-term restoration work on the building could be taken advantage of to show visitors and history lovers just how it was constructed. A brilliant idea! Over a million visitors have already explored its naves, atrium and walls. Novelists like Ken Follett and Toti Martínez de Lezea have taken inspiration from the cathedral to tell the stories in their books. Old Gasteiz also boasts the status of a Historic Site. Its street names – Cuchillería, Herrería, Pintorería, Correría, etc. – recall the trades of the guilds (cutlers, smiths, painters and harness makers, respectively) to which they were home.

Vitoria-Gasteiz is just a short distance from Rioja Alavesa, so you can combine a visit to the city with the pleasure of discovering some of its famous wineries. The capital loves fine food and wine in all their dimensions.