Vitoria-Gasteiz
Vitoria-Gasteiz is a benchmark in sustainability and the first certified ecotourism city in Spain.
A Green Belt, 171 kilometers of bike lanes and a sustainable philosophy
A romantic garden created in 1820, wetlands of international importance and 42 square meters of green areas per inhabitant. These are just some of the natural attractions of Vitoria-Gasteiz, an icon of sustainability.
If you are looking for a compact city in which to walk, cycle, hike or run, the capital of the Basque Country will fit into your plans like a glove. A good example of this is its 171 kilometers of bike lanes, which make it a comfortable city to move around by bike.
Vitoria-Gasteiz is a city where you can enjoy nature and learn about sustainability. Its balanced growth, its quality urban planning and its growing concern for the environment and people's well-being are the basis on which it has projected its sustainable city model, centered on the principles of: efficient land consumption, social cohesion, human biodiversity, sustainable mobility, quality public space and efficiency of the urban system.
Vitoria-Gasteiz (Bittoixe in traditional Basque) is the capital of the province of Alava and is considered the de facto capital of the Basque Country, since it is the official seat of the Parliament and the Government of the community.
Vitoria-Gasteiz is located in the middle of the Alava plain, on the road linking Madrid to the rest of Europe via the N-1. It is 40 minutes from Bilbao; one hour from San Sebastian and Pamplona; less than two hours from Santander, less than three from Zaragoza and less than four from Madrid. In addition, Vitoria-Gasteiz currently has an important infrastructure of communications and transport by road, rail and air, with agile connections to the rest of Spain and Europe.
Vitoria-Gasteiz is a city with more than eight centuries of history, which still retains much of its medieval layout, with its curious almond shape and remains of its walls. It is medieval, but also Gothic, Renaissance, neoclassical and modern. The city is surprising "by nature". You can expect 42 square meters of green areas per inhabitant and almost half a hundred kilometers for walking, cycling, bird watching or horseback riding. Its commitment to sustainability has been recognized internationally with the EU's European Green Capital award in 2012, the Biosphere Sustainable Tourism Destination certification in 2016 and the UN's Global Green City Award in 2019. In 2020 it has obtained the Smart Tourism Destination distinction.
The capital of the Basque Country is a sustainable, friendly, welcoming and hospitablecity that offers much more than you can imagine.
With 42 m2 of green areas per inhabitant and 250,000 trees, in Vitoria-Gasteiz European Green Capital 2012 nature is inside the city.
Vitoria-Gasteiz can be visited on foot or by bicycle. From its medieval heart you can go through its 48 kilometers of urban trails or its 110 kilometers of bike lanes to the green ring, a belt that surrounds the entire city with its forests, parks and streams.
In Vitoria-Gasteiz you can enjoy the atmosphere of the streets and the numerous cultural, sporting and festive events: the International Jazz Festival, the Azkena Rock, the Ironman Vitoria-Gasteiz, the Festval television, the festivities of La Blanca, or the charm of the city at Christmas.
And delight yourself with the exquisite dishes of the gastronomy of Alava, the sophisticated recipes of the new Basque cuisine or our famous pintxos. A tip: everything will taste even better if you accompany it with a glass of wine from the Rioja Alavesa or txakolí from Alava. Not forgetting the specialties of its confectioneries and pastry shops, with a recognized tradition since the 18th century.
It is often said that Vitoria-Gasteiz is also surprising "by nature". The Basque capital has almost half a hundred kilometers for walking, cycling, bird and deer watching, or horseback riding. Its "green ring", the belt of parks and natural spaces that surrounds the city, was selected by the UN as one of the world's top 100 actions. In addition, the city received the European Green Capital award in 2012 and is the first Spanish city to achieve GEP (Green Enterprise Parks) certification.
Another of the most marked characteristics of the Basque capital is its exquisite gastronomy and its varied enogastronomic offer, which was recognized as the Spanish Capital of Gastronomy 2014.
These attributes make Vitoria-Gasteiz a perfect place for the organization of all kinds of congress events, which can be located in unique spaces and equipped with the best technical means and be, in addition, perfected with "a la carte" incentive programs that encompass unique experiences.
It is essential to underline that the city' s Congress and Tourism service is made up of a highly qualified technical team that provides personalized treatment and that the city also has a very competitive business sector in congress services and in the organization of social programs of all kinds.