6 Essential Things To See In Vitoria

Of the three capitals of the Basque Country, the city of Vitoria is perhaps the least known. That for you, that you are going to visit it is a great advantage, since we are sure that you will be surprised by how much there is to see in Vitoria.

Essential places to see in Vitoria

Vitoria is surprising, to begin with because it is a truly monumental city that can be discovered mainly on foot, given its small size and the pedestrianization of the center. And to recover from those walks, it is best to try and enjoy the excellent local cuisine. You follow us?

1. The old town of Vitoria

Almost everything there is to see in Vitoria is in its old town. A nucleus that is considered, neither more nor less, than the best preserved of the entire Basque autonomous community.

And if contemplating this historical complex is very interesting, it is even more so because it is a most pleasant experience, as it is done through streets that are mostly only for pedestrians. Something that fits very well with the spirit of the entire city, since it has been committed for years to sustainable development from an ecological point of view.

2. The Plaza de la Virgen Blanca

One of the must-see places in Vitoria is its Plaza de la Virgen Blanca, which Vitorians call the Plaza Vieja. It is a corner of the most attractive for its vitality and for the elements that compose it. Among them, the church of San Miguel stands out, one of the most beloved in the city, as it houses the image of the Virgen Blanca, patron saint of Vitoria.

And in the center of the Old Square another monument stands, in this case a commemorative one. It is a set that recalls the battle of Vitoria in 1813, which practically put an end to the War of Independence, an event that led to the victory over Napoleon’s French army.

3. The Cathedral of Vitoria

The Cathedral of Santa María de Vitoria is the great temple of this Basque capital. We are talking about a construction whose origins date back to the 13th century, in times when Gothic art forms predominated.

But also, they were troubled years of continuous confrontations. For that reason , its curious aspect of a medieval fortress should not surprise us, which is helped by its location at the top, dominating a large part of the urban area.

4. The New Square

Above we have talked about the Old Square, because now it is time to mention the New one. To get to it, the best thing to do is to walk down Dato Street, one of the busiest in the city. Why? Because there are plenty of bars, taverns and restaurants where you can eat and especially have one of the specialties of Basque gastronomy: its pintxos.

As we say, along Eduardo Dato street there are numerous opportunities to taste pintxos, but that does leave a little hole in the stomach, because that gastronomic festival continues in the Plaza Nueva.

And one piece of advice, try the pintxos, both the simplest and the most elaborate, accompanied by a glass of wine, either txakoli, the quintessential Basque white wine, or with a red with the Denomination of Origin of La Rioja Alavesa, made in the south of the province.

5. The Museum of Fine Arts of Vitoria

There are several museums to visit in Vitoria, however we are going to individualize this one for two reasons. First of all, because inside it keeps an excellent collection of paintings from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. And secondly, because the building itself is very interesting to visit, since it occupies what was the Augustin-Zulueta Palace.

6. The Artium

The Artium is both a contemporary art museum and a congress center. In short, it is one of the things to see in Vitoria. Yes or yes.

Interesting architecture and works by great Spanish artists of recent times await us there, from Picasso and Dalí to Miquel Barceló, passing through the most famous Basque sculptors such as Jorge Oteiza or Eduardo Chillida.