Casco Viejo and the Siete Calles

Casco Viejo, the old quarter of Bilbao in Spain's Basque Country, occupies the right bank of the Nervion river and is organised around the Siete Calles, the seven medieval streets from which the city grew: Somera, Artekale, Tendería, Belostikale, Carnicería Vieja, Barrenkale and Barrenkale Barrena. The district is largely pedestrianised, so visitors can wander its narrow lanes without traffic, passing small independent shops, traditional cafes, hat makers and delicatessens alongside the Cathedral of Santiago and Plaza Nueva, the arcaded square at the heart of the quarter. The area is best known for pintxos, the Basque bar snacks served on bread or skewers and displayed along the counter. Locals practise the txikiteo, a slow crawl from bar to bar with a small glass of wine or a zurito of beer at each stop, and the streets around Plaza Nueva, Calle Somera and Calle Perro hold some of the densest concentrations of bars. A typical visit lasts two to four hours, longer if it includes an evening pintxo round. Shops usually open from about 10:00 to 14:00 and again from about 17:00 to 20:30, and bars are busiest from midday to mid-afternoon and from around 19:00 to 22:30. Good vantage points include the riverside by the Mercado de la Ribera and the Arenal promenade, from which the old quarter's rooftops and the San Anton church can be photographed. Crowds are heaviest on Friday and Saturday evenings and during local festivals, notably Aste Nagusia in August, when the streets fill late into the night. Weekday mornings are the quietest time for browsing and photography. The district connects easily on foot to the Ribera Market, the Basque Museum and the San Anton bridge, and Casco Viejo metro station sits at its edge. Because the area is free to enter and always open, it suits visitors with a flexible schedule, although individual shops and bars keep their own hours and many close on Sundays.