Our visit to hanging bridge in Portugalete

In order to take full advantage of the beautiful weather we have had over the past month in Bilbao, we decided to visit the nearby town of Portugalete as part of our free activities in the afternoon. Only a short ride away from Instituto Hemingway on the metro, the town of Portugalete offers something for every taste.

With our guide, the fairytale-like town was able to come to life. Firstly, we saw the Suspension Bridge, which is architecturally impressive, and a clear marker of the industrial history of the town. The bridge manages to strike a balance between beauty and functionality, and for this reason in 2006 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. We used the famous bridge to cross the Nervion river to experience the ease and charm of navigating the town.

In addition to the bridge, Portugalete also offers a quaint old-town. Traditionally named the ‘poorer’ area of Portugalete, the old town preserves unique architecture. Now filled with cafés and restaurants, the Old Town exhibits the importance of the area as a place for people to meet. We were able to notice the differences between Portugalete and Bilbao as Portugalete manages to its own identity, marked by its colourful blazon.

After exploring the small yet pleasant Old Town, we took the opportunity to explore the coastline of Las Arenas. As our guide informed us, the coastline embodies the historically ‘richer area’ of the town. The impressive boats and elegant mansion-like houses marked the area as different but still maintaining its charm. The pleasant Spanish sun enabled us to explore the beaches that surround the town. During our walk our guide told us stories about how and why the houses were built, which helped the town come to life. Furthermore, the cultural visit was a great opportunity to practice and learn more Spanish. I will definitely go back to Portugalete and I hope you can all come with us next time!