European Green Capital

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VITORIA-GASTEIZ, SPAIN – Vitoria-Gasteiz is the capital of the Basque Country in northern Spain. Founded by the end of the twelfe century, is today one of the Europe’s most beautiful green cities of urban design. With its natural spaces, large parks, and pedestrian and sporting areas Vitoria-Gasteiz is realy a city to enjoy.

Getting around Vitoria-Gasteiz on food is easy, and even more so when a gentle bike ride can take you out to spaces like the Anillo Verde (Green Belt) the natural perimeter of the capital of Alava. You can get around on food or by bicycle along 47 km of smooth tracks and walkways in the parks of Alegria, Armentia, Olarizu, Salbiria, Zabalgana the banks of the Zadorra river, Errekaleor and Lasarte. 

A walk around woods, rivers and manner of fauna and flora, Victoria ranks highly in Europe for the largest number of square metres of green per inhabitants. And the locals make the most of it. 

One of the customs of the locals is to walk along the Paseos de la Senda and Cervantes to the top of Armentia where you can find the Basilica de San Prudencio, surrounded by beautiful fields. 

photos by pixelillo 12019 Mrs Brown

In the capital, the avenues also combine culture, such as the Paseo de Fray Francisco, which is home to the museums of fine art and weaponry. Just nearby you will see Ajuria Enea Palace, residence of the Lehendakari – Basque president. Vitoria-Gasteiz  is presented as political capital of the Basque country and therefore the seat of the Basque government. 

Vitoria-Gasteiz is always green. In the heat of summer and the snows of winter, you will enjoy a thousand beautiful images. The locals of , gasteiztarras, value and enjoy their parks:  Arriaga, San Martin or Judimendi,  to name a few. In La Florida Park, next to the  Basque Parliament building, you will find a spectacular park. 

And in El Prado Park, you might bump into Olympic athlete Martin Fiz jogging. If you like cycling then you can try the 100 km of bike lanes that cover the city, including routes out to the Green Belt. If you haven’t brought your bicycle with you, the Town Hall offers a bike-hire service. 

The Anillo Verder is Vitoria-Gasteiz ‘s outdoor park that covers almost thousand hektares. When you visit it, they will explain to you why the UN included it in the list of  ‘The world’s 100 best initiatives in good practises’ which evaluates contributions to the quality of life in cities. In the capital nature  spings up within the city itself. 

The animals that inhabit the wetlands of Salburia can turn up anywhere in the park. 

If you prefer hiking, you have many options to choose from: to the south of the city in the Mounts of Vitoria, through Mendizorroza  and Berrostegieta to reach Zaldiaran, Errigana or Arrieta. To the north you have the ranges of Badaia, Arrato and Elgea. If you fancy beach and water, around the Ullibarri Ganboa, Santa Engracia Reservoirs, you can enjoy beauty spots like Landa, Erpidea, Garaio and Legutiano to catch a few race, go windsurfing, go for a dip or fly a kite along the banks.

The ‘Inland route’ as this part of the Camino de Santiago is known as it cuts through Alava, crossing the territory through the San Adrian Tunnel, near Agurain, until it reaches the town of Salinillas de Buradon, in theRioja Alavesa  province, where the route leaves the province and heads  to Santo Domingo de la Calzada. The route through Vitoria-Gasteiz is well signposted through the street and squares.

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