What to see in Vitoria-Gasteiz ?

Vitoria-Gasteiz operates by its own rules. Capital of the Basque Country, it administers a region without any corresponding arrogance. Its medieval centre, the Almendra, concentrates eight centuries of architecture on a few steep streets, surrounded by a green belt that has become the subject of urban studies across Europe. Vitorians eat late, drink in pintxo bars with no lit signs, and largely ignore tourists-which is rather a good sign.

Spring and early autumn offer stable weather without summer's crushing heat. Two days suffice to cover the essentials on foot: the city is compact and the tram handles the rest. Avoid arriving in early August without a reservation-the Jazz Festival turns hotels into inaccessible fortresses. Don't miss the Archaeology Museum, modest on the outside but solid in content.