Limited-Time Discount: Custom-Made Big Maps! Looking for the perfect gift? My personalized maps featuring 8 meaningful locations—embossed and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity—are now €352.80 (regular price €392) until Tuesday morning! Printed in Paris, shipped with love.
I got to Paris late on a Wednesday night after almost 9 days of sea, sun, and the scent of pine trees. And a lot of great Italian food. Once a year, I try to fit in a little sea break—where I can actually lay on the beach, read good books, and think about (mostly) nothing. Thinking about nothing has gotten harder over the years, but the beach still feels so good.
I know better than to push myself to create on those vacations—I create so much every other day of the year. I always take my chosen art materials with me though—this year, my notebook and all of my pastels—but I only create if I feel like it. I took photos of things I’d love to draw and paint so that I have a whole library of material when I feel called by the muses. We’re on good terms, we like each other, and I know that call will come sooner rather than later.
I find this to be a successful strategy—after all, life is about not always pushing ourselves to do this or that. I was judging myself a bit, though. You see all these people traveling, drawing, and painting on social media, and you wonder—why don’t I have that urge? But then I realized that I create SO MUCH every day in the studio that creativity breaks are NECESSARY and helpful.
This morning, I felt the need to hold one of my oil pastel crayons. “Welcome back, urge to create,” I thought while putting cinnamon on my oatmeal. “I’ll find the time for you soon, just be patient.” The muses called, as I assumed they would. Now I have a whole set of wonderful Mediterranean plants—ones I photographed—to draw! How exciting. It’s good to listen to your body, even if that only happens on occasion.
When it comes to city visits, I try to play it by ear. Sometimes I draw, sometimes I don’t. I’m there in the moment, soaking in everything I can to put later on the map. I’m mapping memories in my head, in my tiny (and not so tiny) notebooks, on physical maps, and on my phone. Over the years, I’ve figured out the right pace to see new things and enjoy visiting new environments. Novelty can overwhelm us, and I avoid that feeling because the cities and towns our civilization has created deserve more than the feeling of overwhelm. When I was younger, I used to rush like crazy—calling it tourism—to see EVERYTHING possible. I stopped doing that because, after all, it’s impossible to see it all.
Now, I pick my tourist battles and see what I feel drawn to. I prepare a bit for the visit, reading about the location, watching a couple of YouTube videos, and searching for interesting things to see and do. I love this website. I also search for tours because, as a tour guide, I know how much a local guide can give you a unique perspective on a place. But that’s it. And yes, I switch DuoLingo to the language of the place I’m visiting so that I know at least how to say thank you and hello/goodbye. Communication is sacred to me.
When I was preparing for Bilbao, a bit tired from my artist residency, I couldn’t find the usual 3-day itineraries you typically find online. Maybe I didn’t scroll enough, or maybe I didn’t match the vibe of the people who wrote the existing tour guides. My friend Phoebe sent me a great list of places to visit and local shops where I could buy souvenirs. I also visited the local information center once I was already in Bilbao and got myself a proper physical map to orient myself—and to map moments on it.
As I visited places, I took photos and scribbled #mappingmemories moments on paper. I sketched a lot in preparation for map creation - once I was home, as I wanted to capture the memories I’d put on the map. Below is my list of favorite memories. When my clients order a map, I receive similar lists from them. These are the places that make you smile and remind you of the beauty of life.
A stroll by the river, seeing the Guggenheim, Museo de Bellas Artes, and Azkuna Zentroa for the first time. Modern architecture excites me and invites exploration.
The symmetry of Plaza Nueva, perfect weather, and pintxos—the Basque version of tapas.
Wandering through Las Siete Calles, with its old streets and peculiar northern architecture.
Dona Casilda Iturrizar Park and the giant tree dedicated to those who lost their lives during COVID.
Louise Bourgeois’s spider sculpture—I absolutely love her work and the symbolism of spiders.
Francisco Iturrino’s art in the Museo de Bellas Artes—my new favorite artist at the moment.
Dali and Miro in BBVA—a beautiful location, silent and elegant (didn’t make it to the map). The very kind lady at the door also let us into the old bank section.
The biggest market in Europe—we got some queso and Iberico ham. The food that never disappoints.
Afterward, I placed these locations on my hand-drawn custom map of Bilbao.
I also created an itinerary that might be helpful when you visit the biggest city in the Basque Country. There's also a free Google map you can use alongside the itinerary. Feel free to share it with your friends. It’s just here under.
Bilbao guide
Day 1
I went to grab a map of the city (I got a different one from the hotel too, but I like maps) at the local tourist office, which had a very cool design.
Grabbed a coffee at East Crema Coffeeshop.
Sat in Jardines de Albia (link in Spanish)—a park square—and embraced nature. I visited Café Iruña, which had incredible tiles and beautiful ceilings.
Took a stroll down the quai and photographed all the modern architecture buildings—Bilbao has seven Pritzker Prize winners. From Sir Norman Foster to Arata Isozaki, it's a hub of modern design. There’s even an urban planning concept known as the Bilbao effect.
Walked through Parque Doña Casilda Iturrizar—perfect for tree-watching.
Visited Azkuna Zentroa—my favorite place in Bilbao. It’s a contemporary culture center housed in a reconstructed factory, with a cinema, pool, gym, exhibitions, and shops. They also have a Bilbao design store, where I picked up some cool souvenirs.
Day 2
Guided tour of the Casco Viejo – learned a lot and got a great overview of the city.
The biggest European food market: Mercado de la Ribera. We didn’t eat there, but the food looked fun, and there was a great selection of pintxos.
Pintxos at Plaza Nueva – I loved the seafood ones.
Museum of Fine Arts– This museum was recommended by the Rioja Artist Residency coordinator, and since she’s a wonderful person, I knew I’d love it. And I did! It’s currently being reconstructed, so you can see only a part of its collection and I can’t wait to go back and see the whole collection once it’s finished.
More pintxos in one of the nearby streets (on the google map is called “street full of pinxos”).
Day 3
2-hour boat tour all the way to the sea. We chose a longer ride that took us to the Vizcaya Bridge, a UNESCO World Heritage site. One of the first things I did was book a boat tour—not just because I love boats, but also because the river and sea are such an important part of Bilbao’s history. It was O-K. Don’t go if it’s raining.
BBVA bank and its fantastic surrealist exhibition on Miro and Dali. I’ve noticed a lot of foundations in Spain investing in art and exhibitions (Caixa Forum, BBVA, MAPFRE), and this was a magnificent chance to see and understand Miro’s artistic process.
Pizza pintxos at Fratelli – I’ve probably eaten around 3,000 pizzas in my life, and these are among the best I’ve tried.
Guggenheim and its chaos – It’s like Disneyland for adults. I found it very crowded and overwhelming. It was a rainy day, so all the tourists, including us, were inside, and it was super noisy. The architecture and permanent collection are the highlights. Worth a visit, and the museum shop and café are cute (though also crowded). Got myself this book.
Another cozy coffeeshop I enjoyed.
Day 4
We only had half a day, so we went back to grab some souvenirs and soak in the city for a few more hours. Great places for souvenirs are the market, the Bilbao design store, and a local designer clothing shop (thanks, Phoebe!).
I hope to return to Bilbao soon. The people were kind and professional, the food was fantastic, and I felt like there was time for everything. I rarely get that feeling, and it’s a good one.
Now, I’m back in Paris and ready to restructure my routine and get better at organizing my (free) time. Riiiight. Yesterday, I received a video from a client showing the custom-made map I created for them, which they’re taking across the ocean as a surprise gift. It made me smile. You can surprise someone too, with 10% off using the link below.
I’m currently working on another wedding mini-map, a big first anniversary map, and a couple of very cool book projects—if you need inspiration for what to hire me for!
Wishing you a slow start to September: park strolls, city visits, and listening to your body. And a lot of coffee.
Thank you for reading this,
Bilbao is truly amazing! (And i would say the rest of spain too) ❤️ love the sketches