Vitoria-Gasteiz in 30 seconds
Almost 260,000 inhabitants (257,968 in 2024, according to Wikipedia), seat of the institutions of the Basque Autonomous Community (Euskadi), including the Basque Parliament and the Basque Government. Also the capital of the province of Álava (Araba).
Altitude: 525 m.
A little history to get your bearings
1181: founded by Sancho VI the Wise, King of Navarre, under the name Nova Victoria. The almond-shaped medieval street plan is still clear today.
1199–1200: after a siege of several months by Alfonso VIII, the town passes to Castile.
1813: Battle of Vitoria — on 21 June, Wellington’s British, Portuguese and Spanish forces defeat Joseph Bonaparte’s French army. That same year, Beethoven composes Wellington’s Victory, Op. 91, to commemorate the battle.
20 May 1980: Vitoria-Gasteiz is chosen as the seat of the institutions of the Basque Autonomous Community.
2012: European Green Capital.
Unmissable sights
The almond-shaped Casco Medieval
Vitoria’s crown jewel. An almond-shaped medieval town whose streets are named after old trades: Cuchillería, Herrería, Zapatería, Correría…
Don’t miss:
- Casa del Cordón — this is where Adrian of Utrecht was staying when he learned, on 22 January 1522, that he had been elected pope (Adrian VI); he stayed in the city for just over a month
Santa María Cathedral
A medieval Gothic cathedral, built on the site of the town’s original core, which served as both church and fortress. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015, as part of the inland route of the Northern Camino de Santiago. It is undergoing a long-term restoration, which you can discover on the ‘Open for restoration’ guided tours (Abierto por obras); you can also climb its tower, the tallest in the city.
Ken Follett drew on it for World Without End, the sequel to The Pillars of the Earth.
New Cathedral (María Inmaculada)
Neo-Gothic, with five naves lit by stained glass from the Maumejean workshop. Begun in the early 20th century (in 1907, according to the city council) and halted between 1914 and 1946, it was consecrated in 1969. It houses the Museum of Sacred Art (free entry): El Greco, Ribera, Flemish triptychs, Renaissance altarpieces and the original statue of the Virgen Blanca.
Plaza de la Virgen Blanca
The city’s festive heart. This is where Celedón lands on 4 August, at the start of the Virgen Blanca fiestas.
Artium Museum — contemporary art
The Basque museum of contemporary art, opened on 26 April 2002 on Calle Francia and designed by the architect José Luis Catón: a large white concrete cube above ground, with three-quarters of the galleries below ground. Nearly 3,000 works: Chillida, Oteiza, Tàpies, but also Picasso, Dalí and Miró.
Fournier Museum of Playing Cards
In the Renaissance Bendaña Palace (BIBAT museum), a historical, technical and thematic journey through playing cards since the 15th century.
Other museums
- Museum of Fine Arts — in the Augustin-Zulueta Palace (1912), founded in 1942: 18th- and 19th-century Spanish art and Basque art from 1850 to 1950.
- Natural History Museum — in the Doña Ochanda tower, a 15th-century fortified house: Lower Cretaceous amber.
Green Ring (Anillo Verde)
A network of parks and green spaces encircling the city, the emblem of its environmental policy.
Where to eat — pintxos
Vitoria has its own pintxo scene, best explored in the streets of the Casco Medieval.
Rioja Alavesa
The south of the province is taken up by Rioja Alavesa, wine country.
Worth seeing:
- Laguardia — a medieval town surrounded by high stone walls, with five gates (Mercadal, Carnicerías, Páganos, San Juan, Santa Engracia)
- Marqués de Riscal hotel and bodega in Elciego — designed by Frank Gehry
- Bodegas Ysios (Laguardia) — architecture by Santiago Calatrava
Getting there
- By train: Vitoria-Gasteiz station, with connections to Madrid among other places
- By air: Vitoria airport (VIT), Spain’s 4th-busiest airport for freight in 2017, also has a few passenger routes (Ryanair, Binter)
Ready-made itineraries
1 day in Vitoria-Gasteiz
- 10:00: Plaza de la Virgen Blanca + coffee
- 10:30: Santa María Cathedral
- 12:30: pintxo lunch in the Casco Medieval
- 14:00: Artium Museum
- 16:00: stroll around the Casco Medieval (Casa del Cordón)
- 17:00: New Cathedral
- 19:00: drinks + pintxos
Weekend (2 days)
Day 2: Rioja Alavesa (Laguardia + Elciego)
3 days
Day 3: Green Ring (morning) + Salinas de Añana (afternoon, terraced salt valley)
The Virgen Blanca fiestas — 4–9 August
The city’s big patron saint fiestas, in honour of the Virgen Blanca (whose feast day is 5 August). The Celedón tradition dates back to 1957, in tribute to Celedonio Alzola. On 4 August at 18:00, Celedón — a figure hanging from a cable, umbrella open — ‘flies down’ from the top of the tower of San Miguel church to Plaza de la Virgen Blanca. The fiestas end on the night of 9–10 August, when Celedón heads back up into the sky.
Frequently asked questions
Is Vitoria worth a detour if you’re already visiting Bilbao and San Sebastián?
Yes. The medieval centre, cathedrals, museums and parks justify at least a day, ideally two.
When is the best time to visit?
Early August for the fiesta atmosphere; spring and autumn for a quieter visit.
Famous people linked to Vitoria-Gasteiz
- Jesús Guridi (1886–1961) — composer, born in Vitoria, one of the leading figures of Basque music and composer of the opera Amaya (1920).
- Ramiro de Maeztu (1874–1936) — essayist and journalist born in Vitoria, a member of the Generation of ’98.
- Ken Follett — the British novelist drew on Santa María Cathedral for World Without End, the sequel to The Pillars of the Earth.
- Karra Elejalde (born 1960 in Vitoria) — actor, twice winner of the Goya for Best Supporting Actor (Even the Rain, 2010; Ocho apellidos vascos [Spanish Affair], 2014); he also played Miguel de Unamuno in While at War (Mientras dure la guerra, 2019).
- Unax Ugalde (born 1978 in Vitoria) — actor, Goya-nominated for Héctor (2004); his films include Miloš Forman’s Goya’s Ghosts, Love in the Time of Cholera and Lasa y Zabala.
- Patricia López Arnaiz (born 1981 in Vitoria) — actress, Goya for Best Actress 2021 for Ane; she has also appeared in the series La otra mirada and La peste and in the film 20,000 Species of Bees.
- Vitoria, seat of Basque power — the city is home to the Parliament and to Ajuria Enea, the official residence of the lehendakari (president of the Basque Government). Since 2024, the lehendakari has been Imanol Pradales (PNV, Basque Nationalist Party), born in Santurtzi in 1975.
What’s on
My favourite photo
The Casco Medieval at sunset, with its almond-shaped plan. Or the Marqués de Riscal hotel in Elciego at golden hour.
Sources
- Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council — Santa María Cathedral, María Inmaculada Cathedral, Museums
- Turismo Euskadi — Catedral Nueva (in Spanish)
- Wikipedia (es): Vitoria, Artium, Celedón, Aeropuerto de Vitoria, Jesús Guridi, Ramiro de Maeztu
- Wikipedia (es), actors and institutions: Karra Elejalde, Unax Ugalde, Patricia López Arnaiz, Lehendakari, Imanol Pradales
Ongi etorri Gasteizera — Welcome to Vitoria-Gasteiz.