The Old Part of Vitoria-Gasteiz is the heart and soul of its historical heritage. Anyone interested in discovering the history and art of the city must visit this area. Here, tradition and progress go hand in hand, thanks to the wonderful preservation work carried out on its buildings and the modern services available.

As for the artistic heritage of the Historical Centre, the place was declared of Monumental Interest in 1997, not only for its artistic wealth but also for its exceptional medieval preservation. This urban area has its origins back in the Middle Ages, creating in its path many civil and religious buildings from different periods and styles, from Gothic to Neoclassicism. Together, they transform the streets into places full of historical remnants and artistic beauty.

The medieval urbanization, which was perfectly rational, ordered and in keeping with the settlement (on a hill), was developed in several phases, starting in the highest area, the “villa de Suso”. Apart from the religious buildings, overlooked by the marvellous Santa Maria Cathedral, the Old Part was inhabited mainly by merchants and craftsmen, whose homes were distributed along the narrow streets with their elongated pieces of land and facades that opened up to workshops and a wide variety of commerce. The rural nobility also settled in the city and with the passing of time gradually substituted their tower-houses for palaces, such as the Escoriaza-Esquibel or the Villasuso Palace.

The Old Part of Vitoria-Gasteiz brings together a very varied offer of restaurants and bars where one can enjoy the traditional gastronomy, with anything from the typical tapas to “cazuelitas” (small dishes of typical cuisine) and of course, the classical “poteo” (or tippling).

The commercial tradition of Vitoria-Gasteiz has been around since the middle ages. The shops, with their wide variety of specialities, are spread out along the old narrow streets, streets that still preserve their medieval appearance: a cutler’s store, ironmonger’s, shoemaker’s… are names that refer back to the historical trades of the city.

The shops are quite small and have a special charm to them, preserving a friendly service as their main characteristic. Cake shops, grocer’s, florist’s, jeweller’s, silversmith’s and many, many more, will help you find any product you are looking for.

In the last few years, the public institutions have also encouraged the holding of fairs and markets in its streets. One of the main ones is the market that takes place in the Plaza del Machete; and there is also the antique market, held in the Calle Correría on the first Saturday of every month.