Alava

The cultural activity of Álava throughout the year is dense and varied…An important number of international festivals ensure this. In Vitoria-Gasteiz, spring leads, in May, to the “Month of Dance” and to the “International Cinema Festival of Vitoria-Gasteiz. New Producers “; in June, in addition to the “Display of Artists in the Street” the “Business Video Festival” and the “Music Video” Festival are also held. A highlight, owing to its international character, is the “Jazz Festival” held in July; the “Folklore Festival”, the “Audiovisual Festival”, and the “International Games Festival” also take place in the same month.

Later in the summer, between July and August, the “Organ Music Festival” is held, with sessions distributed around several churches in the province, as happens with the “Choral Week” in September.

The “Festival of Old Music” and the “Theatre Festival” run from September to December, and also held in December, are the “Shorts Festival” and the “Christmas Music Cycle”.

In Araia, the “International Festival of Comic Theatre” is worthy of note. It is held in August.

During this period the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz was extended, giving rise to what is known today as the Ensanche. This great work taken on by Vitoria architect Olaguíbel, reflects the rationalist character of the time. The town planning solutions contributed by Olaguíbel to the design of the new city show his deep knowledge of it.

The Paseo de Los Arquillos, for example, is designed to counteract the pronounced drop of the southern face of the hill on which the old part of the city rests. The Plaza de España, in neo-classical style, is a space designed on a human scale, with clean lines prevailing in contrast with the grandiosity and details of previous eras.

Olaguíbel was skilful enough to know how to combine the curves with which the hill of the original city obliged him to work, with the grid layout typical of the “ensanches” (town extensions) of the time.

Shops in Alava offer highly diversified products, but as a whole they are distinguished by their constant dynamism and modernity.

In Vitoria-Gasteiz, the urban activity of the Ensanche area (Calle Dato and environs) is especially rich in specialist establishments, with confectionery shops enjoying special protagonism: local sweets known as “vasquitos” and “nesquitas”, truffles, homemade turrón (a kind of nougat), Gasteiz cake, Goxua, crystallised fruits… are all local products of renowned fame.

Also distinguishable by their quality are the fashion and accessories shops, which carry names that make their offering even more attractive.

Traditional shops offer the most representative products of Álava in their most varied forms, with the Mediaeval Quarter of Vitoria-Gasteiz displaying many of them.

Fournier playing cards are famous worldwide; outstanding craft items include popular Basque pottery, silverware, leather, wineskins, stained glass, and woodwork such as walking sticks, yokes, chests and boxes, musical instruments, etc.

The “Market on the First Saturday of the Month” is very popular and apart from its commercial activity it includes a range of cultural events: visits to buildings in the Mediaeval Quarter, theatre, puppets, musical performances, etc. Other busy markets are the “Mediaeval Markets” of Vitoria-Gasteiz and Artziniega, the “Road Market”, with traditional products from the regions crossed by the Road to Santiago, the Christmas Fair full of farming products or the Craft Fair around New Year.

The areas of expansion in the city constitute new, active areas for shopping, stretching from the Calle Siervas de Jesús to the Avenida Gasteiz and Calle Gorbea in the eastern area, and from the Calle Paz-Desamparados area and past Los Herrán in the western part.

Newly built shopping centres are distributed around the areas of Lakua (Lakua Centro), Etxabarri-Ibiña (Gorbeia) and Zaramaga (El Boulevard).

The province’s main urban centres: Amurrio, Llodio, Salvatierra, Laguardia, Labastida, etc., are also points that offer active and varied shopping possibilities.

Visiting Álava also means visiting the wine cellars of Rioja Alavesa to buy or sample its wine, famous around the world. Oyón, Labastida and Laguardia are villages where these establishments can be easily found.

Articles bearing the Designation of Origin stamp, such as the wines of Rioja Alavesa already mentioned, Idiazabal Cheese, or Txakoli from the Valley of Ayala, amongst others, can be a nice gift to round off and further savour the visit.

Basque gastronomy is internationally renowned and in Álava we can find singularities that differentiate it from the rest. One of these is based on seasonality, using products available in each season. Another comes from its inland nature, with the main dishes being based on meat and vegetables. Apart from this, the cuisine of Alava uses the same ingredients as Basque cooking in general: top quality products, combining tradition and creativity.

In addition to internationally recognised dishes, such as bacalao al pil-pil (hot, spicy cod), in Alava the main stars are the products of the market gardens, with recipes such as habitas a la vitoriana (Vitoria-style beans), patatas a la riojana (Rioja.-style potatoes), pencas de acelga rellenas (stuffed leaves of Swiss chard), peppers, green beans, etc. Not forgetting the exquisite perretxikos (wild mushrooms) and snails, which are most in demand during the festival of San Prudencio, the patron saint of the province.

As for meats, the lamb is outstanding, prepared in different ways: chuletillas al sarmiento (chops prepared over wood from the vines), legs of lamb and roast lamb. Also typical are roast suckling pig, and beef steaks, oxtail, etc. Game prominently includes quail hotpot, stuffed duck or wild boar, with an abundance of different recipes.

These traditional dishes and other more novel additions can be sampled in Álava’s many restaurants, some of great fame, such as Zaldiaran, recently awarded a Michelin star.

Another typical way of eating is to tour bars and try the different and varied pintxos (tapas)that fill the counters of the bars.

Álava’s confectionery tradition is manifested in the quantity of high-level creations. Especially worthy of highlight are the vasquitos y nesquitas, truffles, and homemade turron (nougat), Goxua, Gasteiz cake, sweets made from egg yolks and marzipans, all classic sweets made for over a century.

However, Álava’s gastronomy is not only nourished by traditional dishes. The creative “New Basque Cuisine”, based on conserving the essential and authentic, also shines with the same level of quality. Numerous restaurateurs offer their imaginative dishes around the entire territory.

In Álava, the “Gastronomic Societies” also give testimony to the culinary culture that exists. They bring together members under the common denominator of a love of cooking, and set very high standards.

Some “Gastronomic Societies” allow visitors to take part in the preparation of dishes, to visit traditional markets and buy the freshest products, cooking a typical menu accompanied by one of the members. And of course, singing popular local songs in the company of the famous “ochotes”. A singular meal that will surely delight everyone involved.

For some years now there have also been a growing number of Cookery Schools, which train professionals in the culinary art.

Designation of Origin.

As for local produce, it is worth pointing out products bearing the “Eusko Label de Calidad Alimentaria” seal, some of which are included in the different “Designations of Origin”: Wines from the Rioja Alavesa, Idiazabal cheese, Beef, the Álava potato, Honey, the Álava Pinto Bean, etc.

Idiazabal Cheese is a designation of origin for all those aged and semi-aged cheeses made from the milk of the local Latxa sheep, it is produced in the “Cuadrilla” of Zuia, the mountains of Altzaina and the Entzia Mountain Range.