On a wide plain, surrounded by mountains and lakes, 60 km. away from the coast of the North of Spain, 30 km from the vineyards and the wine cellars of La Rioja and 50 km from the Monasteries where the Spanish Language was born, VITORIA, untouched by massive tourism, is a city in which to discover the miracle of the fusion of the past and the strength of the future. An old town because of its history and a young town because of its development. It will surprise you for its excellent quality of life and will catch you with its vitality.

Vitoria is the perfect blend of old European history with young and modern development. It boasts one of Spain’s highest standards of living thanks to its array of cultural activities, its beautiful surroundings, and its excellent services.

The town, as yet untouched by mass-tourism, allows you to discover the marvel of the fusion between the solid strength of the past and the energetic power of the future.

The city’s award-winning urban design, its environment, and its lively social initiatives together with its first-class services, and cultural and sporting activities, make Vitoria one of the capitals with the highest standard of living in Spain.

In fact, Vitoria is ranked second in standard of living among all the cities in Spain, and first as to green areas and cultural spaces. With all its pedestrian streets, Vitoria invites you to go out for a walk.

The entire old town, with its narrow streets and unique architecture, has been declared a monumental group. The gothic churches of Santa Maria, San Vicente, San Pedro and San Miguel as well as the Renaissance palaces of Montehermoso and Villa Suso, are worth seeing. Afterwards, you can stroll through Los Arquillos, an arcaded walk that leads to the two main squares: Plaza de España, and Plaza de la Virgen Blanca. This central area perfectly links the medieval quarter to the modern town-centre.

This bustling area is filled with people strolling, shopping or sitting at the countless outdoor cafés, which line the streets. Time flies as you sit and watch people coming and going and children trading their card collections on Sunday mornings...

The parks, pedestrian-only streets and wide avenues are an open invitation to walk to the Museum of Fine Arts or the Romanesque church of San Prudencio. You can also go jogging around taround the parks El Prado or San Juan de Arriaga or the "green belt", a set of periurban parks of high ecological and landscape value linked strategically by means of eco-recreational corridors. That is the location of the Basketball Camp, with paths, lakes, deer and a bird observatory near Buesa Arena and BAKH.

Host families live in different aereas of the city. Students will have a transport ticket to go to Vitoria city centre.

If participants choose to live in a Residence, the will live in a residential area near the sport complex of the city, tthe swimming pools, soccer stadium...

Vitoria Highlights
Population ― Nowadays Vitoria has about 230,000 inhabitants. In the 1950s, when the city had about 60,000 residents, Vitoria experienced a significant population boom. Its dynamic industry and services sectors attracted many people from other Spanish regions to settle in this ever-growing city.


How to get there ― Vitoria has both a train and a bus station, as well as an airport. The city is 351 Km from Madrid, 66 Km from Bilbao, 110 Km from San Sebastian, 112 Km from Burgos and 90 Km from Pamplona. All these cities, as well as others like Zaragoza and Barcelona, are interconnected by highways, bus and train lines. There are regular national flights available to and from Madrid and Barcelona. For international flights, the nearest airport is Bilbao (BIO), around 45-60 minutes by car.


Places to visit ― The entire medieval town with its four Gothic churches, its medieval walls, its palaces and towers. Santa María Cathedral, 7 Museums with ARTIUM, the Basque Museum of Contemporary Art …


Vitoria social life ― As in most Spanish cities, there are many bars where you can try the famous “tapas”. In the Basque Country, they are called “pintxos”. You will find many outdoor cafés, especially in summertime, on the various streets and squares, such as Plaza de España square or Dato Street, the traditional pedestrian areas of the city. La Cuesta, the area that connects the city’s 19th century extension to the medieval quarter, is another lively part of town (as is the medieval quarter itself), with many bars, and plenty of weekend entertainment.


Vitoria sports live — People in Vitoria love practicing sports and watching sports and Basketball. And TAU VITORIA (BASKONIA for us), is our team: One of the most competitive teams in Europe, Tau is always a top candidate for the Spanish league and the EuroLeague. People in Vitoria is very proud of Baskonia and always celebrate with passion its victories: last June around 30,000 people celebrated the Spanish League Championship at Virgen Blanca Square.


Festivities and events — Various artistic and cultural events are celebrated the year round: concerts, lectures, theatre, an open-air market held in the old town on the first Saturday of each month, soccer, basketball, pelota (traditional Basque Jai-alai game)… The most important events include: the Dance Month, the Spring Craftsman’s Fair, the International Folklore Festival, one of Europe’s most important Jazz festivals in mid July, a medieval market held on the last weekend of September, the Wine Fair in early November, where numerous wine cellars of La Rioja region present their wines, the week of the “pintxo” (tapas), where the city’s bars and restaurants offer their best “mini” culinary creations… and a great many more things to discover. One of the most important celebrations is the festivities dedicated to the city’s patron sain, the Virgen Blanca, held from the 4th to the 9th of August. There are bullfights, pilgrimages, processions, fireworks and all sorts of popular celebrations for all ages.


The province where Vitoria is: Álava is a land of contrasts: there are many Alavas in one. The Alava of the green valleys in the North and that of the vineyards in the South. The Alava of the calm lakes and that of the spectacular cascades. The Alava of the ideal city, Vitoria, and that of the tiny and remote villages. Most of the province is dotted with small towns and villages of rural character with few inhabitants. Thanks to that, it has important and well conserved natural spaces: Valderejo Natural Park to the west, Izki Natural Park, with a golf course surrounded by mountains, Gorbea Natural Park, Urkiola, Aizkorri or Entzia mountain ranges or the three lakes located near the city. Most of Alava’s inhabitants live in Vitoria, a city surrounded by hills and lakes. There are wonderful places for biking, horseback riding or practicing all kinds of water sports. One may also play golf on one of the three courses. Rioja region is located about 30 Km from Vitoria. It is famous for its vineyards and fortified villages such as Laguardia, where one can visit wine cellars and taste excellent wines.


Surrounding cities ― The biggest city is Bilbao, with a medieval origin but a strong and modern industrial and commercial tradition. Ever since the city embarked on its ambitious urban reform, it has become famous all over the world, with Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum, the most modern subway system in Europe designed by Norman Foster, Euskalduna Congress Hall...
San Sebastian has its most extraordinary natural landscape, right in the middle of the city: the mountains meet the sea to form the beautiful bay of La Concha. Beyond the sun and beach, the city offers various possibilities: museums, concerts, sports, popular festivities and cultural events of international renown –the Jazz Festival in July, “the “Semana Grande” in August, the International Film Festival in September… The lively atmosphere on the streets of the Old Town should not be forgotten on this list. Here one can savor the wonderful Basque cuisine: from the exquisite “pintxos” (tapas) to the menus of the prestigious restaurants featuring the Basque “nouvelle cuisine”.
Just an hour or an hour and a half’s drive from Vitoria you can visit the world-famous festivities of San Fermin in Pamplona in July, the impressive cathedral in Burgos, the alternative festivals in Logroño and the wonderful Sardinero beach in Santander.