Hola Tio's,

I would like to find out some nice "tapas bars" in Bilbao and Haro. I will be arriving in Madrid and then heading up north to the region of La Rioja. I will in Spain Dec 9 thru Dec. 15. It's a very short business trip and I want to make the best of it.

In Bilbao, many bars have excellent tapas. For me, Bilbao and San Sebastian have the best, most imaginative, and diverse tapas in Spain.

In Bilbao, most neighbourhood bars have great tapas, but a good tapas area is Casco Viejo (old town), and some of the best places are in Plaza del Arenal, opposite the Arriaga theatre.

Ignacio,

How about the Plaza de Artxanda? The Funicular de Artxanda would also offer a nice opportunity for him to rise above the city and look at it from Mt. Artxanda. Great restaurants in the area and a few grills if I remember correctly.

They also serve tapas there too I remember.

I enjoyed stepping out on the balcony of the apartment we stay in when we're there for extended periods of time, and looking up at the mountain and the lights as they come on in the evening at dusk. It's a great sight.

Now you're making me hungry, and I want to get back to Bilbao and visit my friends...

Wolf

Yes. They serve very good food up there. I didn't remember about the tapas thing because I didn´t go there very often, and then, usually to have lunch.

Thanks guys,

I will make a note of those places. This is all new to me, so any information helps. By the way, what do you think might be some the main differences between northern and southern Spain as far a tapas......who's are better!!!!!!!!!!! I will be posting this question as a new message because I feel it falls on a seperate category by itself.... It's part of research for my new restaurant.

Gracias,