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Athletic Bilboa

Mark barton

By Mark barton
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1960maaan

1960maaan

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, Mark barton said:

Has anyone seen a game at Bilboa travelling from UK, any useful tips

Been to Bilbao a few times, never managed to see a game, though I have fingers crossed for October.
All I can say. Flights are reasonable from Bristol and easy Bus trip into town. The ground is easy to find too.
Friends went to the local derby, the bloody year we didn't go. Been around the shop and in the cafe. 
Tickets available online or at the ground near the game. 

Bilbao is a lovely City, though can be rainy. As Gazred said , San Sebastián is worth a trip. Coaches run regularly from the station.

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Norn Iron

Norn Iron

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We were based in San Sebastian for the 1982 World Cup. In order to guarantee tickets, you had to buy a package holiday with Sportsworld. What a rip-off that was!

To pacify the disgruntled campers, the Sportsworld Ambassador agreed to meet those who could be bothered for a kickabout on the beach in San Sebastian, at 7am! The press hounds were duly invited and at least one photo made the front page of the ambassador being thrown into the sea. It was portrayed as fun. It wasn't. Most of the campers were annoyed with what the brochure said we would get for our money and what we actually got!

The bay has an island in the middle (a bit like Steep Holm).

Oh, and the ambassador was Bobby Moore.

 

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Orbital

Orbital

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They are superbly supported, Bilbao. I used to live in Madrid and followed Rayo Vallecano. About 11 years ago, on the day they played each other at the Theresa Rivera in Vallecas, me and the lads were having a few beers when literally thousands of Bilbao supporters descended on the area. This is unheard of normally as away support isn’t usually small over there. We started to worry that things were going to get very tasy, but it was all apparently arranged. The Rayo boys and the Bilbao lads all proceeded to going on a beer, spliff and pyro march around the area in solidarity over their left wing views and their joint hatred of the fascists: Real Madrid. An unforgettable day of football, before and after.

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Major Isewater

Major Isewater

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9 hours ago, 1960maaan said:

Been to Bilbao a few times, never managed to see a game, though I have fingers crossed for October.
All I can say. Flights are reasonable from Bristol and easy Bus trip into town. The ground is easy to find too.
Friends went to the local derby, the bloody year we didn't go. Been around the shop and in the cafe. 
Tickets available online or at the ground near the game. 

Bilbao is a lovely City, though can be rainy. As Gazred said , San Sebastián is worth a trip. Coaches run regularly from the station.

Agreed it’s a lovely city and ‘ authentic ‘ . Don’t miss the Guggenheim museum which is an amazing building even for those who aren’t into art.
The tapas are excellent in the city and the locals are very welcoming.

 

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RedRock

RedRock

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Saint Jean de Luz, just on the French side of the border, was/is lovely when I visited on my ‘Grand Tour’ back in the 80’s. Mountain country on Spanish side equally so. 

Never forget a mountain river flowing into San Sebastián being fluorescent green through some sort of effluent discharge. Assume they’ve sorted that now. 

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GrahamC

GrahamC

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8 hours ago, Orbital said:

They are superbly supported, Bilbao. I used to live in Madrid and followed Rayo Vallecano. About 11 years ago, on the day they played each other at the Theresa Rivera in Vallecas, me and the lads were having a few beers when literally thousands of Bilbao supporters descended on the area. This is unheard of normally as away support isn’t usually small over there. We started to worry that things were going to get very tasy, but it was all apparently arranged. The Rayo boys and the Bilbao lads all proceeded to going on a beer, spliff and pyro march around the area in solidarity over their left wing views and their joint hatred of the fascists: Real Madrid. An unforgettable day of football, before and after.

Basically it’s a religion to them, Rob.

They are the most obvious representation of being Basque outside of politics & if you look at their history of club presidents, that is very closely intertwined, too.

Their eligibility rules are incredible, you have to be born in the Basque Country or have grown up there to play for them, nothing else is allowed.

To regularly compete for the top six & to have never been relegated in these circumstances is incredible.

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Welcome To The Jungle

Welcome To The Jungle

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, GrahamC said:

Basically it’s a religion to them, Rob.

They are the most obvious representation of being Basque outside of politics & if you look at their history of club presidents, that is very closely intertwined, too.

Their eligibility rules are incredible, you have to be born in the Basque Country or have grown up there to play for them, nothing else is allowed.

To regularly compete for the top six & to have never been relegated in these circumstances is incredible.

Long been envious of the club for these reasons. Imagine watching City in the top flight, with only local lads playing for us, reasonable ticket prices, not owned by a narcissist etc etc. They are truly a football CLUB, not a corporation.   

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Numero Uno

Numero Uno

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4 hours ago, RedRock said:

Saint Jean de Luz, just on the French side of the border, was/is lovely when I visited on my ‘Grand Tour’ back in the 80’s. Mountain country on Spanish side equally so. 

Never forget a mountain river flowing into San Sebastián being fluorescent green through some sort of effluent discharge. Assume they’ve sorted that now. 

Agreed, St Jean de Luz pisses all over the more famous Biarritz.

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PHILINFRANCE

PHILINFRANCE

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13 hours ago, Norn Iron said:

We were based in San Sebastian for the 1982 World Cup. In order to guarantee tickets, you had to buy a package holiday with Sportsworld. What a rip-off that was!

The bay has an island in the middle (a bit like Steep Holm).

A few years ago, I read a detective thriller (Arcam), which is set in Steep Holm.

I recalled the name from my childhood, probably from visits to Weston-super-Mare, so did some research to get some more information about its history.

I was surprised to learn that it is part of Somerset, whilst its sister island, Flat Holm, is part of Wales.

 

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Curr Avon

Curr Avon

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, GrahamC said:

Basically it’s a religion to them, Rob.

They are the most obvious representation of being Basque outside of politics & if you look at their history of club presidents, that is very closely intertwined, too.

Their eligibility rules are incredible, you have to be born in the Basque Country or have grown up there to play for them, nothing else is allowed.

To regularly compete for the top six & to have never been relegated in these circumstances is incredible.

Didn't Yorkshire CCC employ similar rules for players, Graham? 

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LondonBristolian

LondonBristolian

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I went in 2019. What struck me was - passionate though it was - there was a real community atmosphere. This may have been because they were against another Basque team - Alaves I think - but there were away fans mixing with home fans before the game and even a scattering of fans in Alaves kits in the home section. It was passionate but it was friendly too. And the stadium is spectacular!

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PHILINFRANCE

PHILINFRANCE

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14 minutes ago, LondonBristolian said:

I went in 2019. What struck me was - passionate though it was - there was a real community atmosphere. This may have been because they were against another Basque team - Alaves I think - but there were away fans mixing with home fans before the game and even a scattering of fans in Alaves kits in the home section. It was passionate but it was friendly too. And the stadium is spectacular!

Spectacular, and partially (50%) funded by the town and local authorities!

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Numero Uno

Numero Uno

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1 hour ago, PHILINFRANCE said:

St Jean de Luz is, indeed, a lovely little town, although Biarritz is also very nice, albeit very expensive.

Biarritz isn’t a hovel by any stretch of the imagination but you said it really, a lot more bang for your buck in St John de Luz. Great place I would recommend to anyone visiting France.

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Selred

Selred

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Currently in Logrono, the Rioja region. Was in Bilbao then San Sebastián the past few days, on a bit of a Northern Spain tour. 
 

Main tips:

Get an Uber from the airport, half the price of taxis. 

You can walk around Bilbao easily. No need for Taxis/Tram where there. We walked from old town to the stadium to have a look, would love to see a game there!

The delicacy is Pintxos. They are like Basque tapas. A great place to start is Plaza Barria in the Old Town. A fabulous square which lots of Pintxos bars, my favourite were Zaharra (amazing chorizo rolls), Iturriza Taberna (great fish Pintxos), and Victor Montes. Another great place to eat is Erribera Merkatua, one of Europe’s largest undercover markets and had great stalls.

It’s SO cheap! Wine was €1.80 a glass on average (and they don’t measure), Beers €2.20 for 2/3rd glass. Pintxos were €1-2 euro. 

If you want somewhere to stay, Pension Ama in the old town was great. Super cheap, amazing location. 

Things to see: Guggenheim. Go up the Funicular for great views. I want to go back and do an art bike ride around. 

Finally if you have time go to San Sebastián. Coach was £16 there, and took about an hour and half. The food is better, marginally more expensive Pinxtos (talking €0.2-0.5 per Pintxos more), the wine is as cheap, and the beach is excellent. 
 

Would recommend 2 nights in Bilbao, 2-3 nights in San Seb. We’ve now gone to the Wine Region to make it a bit longer but overall great trip!

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Shuffle

Shuffle

Posted
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10 hours ago, Norn Iron said:

All the England Round 1 games were played at Athletico Bilbao's ground. I remember it as a newish stadium which would not be out of place today over here. 

They have moved to a new stadium now! Progress.

Watched all 3 games in Bilbao  and loads of City over there.  The Basque people were very welcoming and  there was no trouble at all despite press offering money to start trouble. The France game was hairy when riot police baton charged he England fans beyond the goal but Bilbao is a top place to visit.  Now Madrid  and trouble was a completely different story! Was a great experience & we never lost a game in 82.

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