One of the less known but worth-a-visit towns of Spain is Vitoria, the capital of the Spanish Basque Country. It is a tranquil and approachable province capital, overshadowed by Bilbao and the glamorous San Sebastián. But there are some nice surprises waiting here for you!

The old town called Almendra, meaning the almond-shaped medieval quarter on a hilltop, is one of the best preserved in Spain. It has been virtually ignored even by Vitorians until recently. This proves now to be an advantage for modern travellers, who may find one of the few quiet and not commercialized medieval quarters in Europe.

The highlight of the medieval Almendra is the Cathedral of Santa Maria, which is “Open for restoration works”. Open, yes, and not closed, as you might think.

Some 40 years ago, the building had to be closed after a quite big stone fell from the ceiling and almost killed a catholic priest who was holding a wedding ceremony. 20 years later, the town council was having thoughts about tearing the church down because the whole structure was collapsing. But they took a valiant decision: to try to consolidate the whole building using an innovative concept. The cathedral would remain open to visitors during the restoration, offering the possibility to watch and learn from the undergoing work. The concept proved to be a huge success and nowadays it has become a meeting point for history-fans, especially medieval history, since author Ken Follet (The Pillars of the Earth) entered this cathedral in intensive care and left the place as an absolute enthusiast.

To reinforce the foundations, the existing floor had to be removed in order to reach the rocky hilltop. Layer after layer, archaeologists discovered that Vitoria is actually far older than believed. Travellers and visitors from Spain and abroad can watch the ongoing work, walking on gangways above the workers.

The tour is always guided by one of the young archaeologists working here, who explains the technical and historical facts in a language for profanes. You will also have a catwalk along the outer walls of the church which were part of the medieval walls and climb up a ladder to see the paintings of a Romanesque portal being restored to its impressive original colours while preserving the bullet impacts of Napoleonic troops during the peninsular war in Spain at the beginning of the 19th century. These impacts are also part of Vitoria´s history, since the final battle in this war took place in its outskirts.

Why don’t you have a look by yourself? Vitoria can be easily reached from Madrid (360 Km by highway or train) or Bilbao (60 km).

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