Bilbao, Spain

Perhaps no single edifice has had more impact on a city than the Guggenheim Museum of Bilbao. Designed by renowned architect Franck Gehry and opened in 1997, the massive, billowing, titanium-clad structure reflects the city’s revitalized relationship with the river that runs through it, and the modern collection within the museum is as impressive as the exterior. Other worthwhile museums include the Museo de Bellas Artes and the Euskal Museoa, devoted to Basque culture. A contrast to the city’s modern sensibilities, the colorful medieval streets of Casco Viejo are filled with shops, markets, restaurants and taverns, as well as historic churches such as the 14th-century Catedral de Santiago. While in Bilbao, one must stop into a couple of bars for some pintxos, delightful Basque nibbles typically speared onto bread with a toothpick. The local txakoli wine makes a nice complement.