Learn about Basque history in Bilbao

Bilbao, a major Spanish ferry destination, is home to a museum which has been called "a buried treasure" by a reviewer on tripadvisor.com.

According to Silverladysanta, the Euskal Museoa Bilbao Museo Vasco has "a little bit of everything having to do with Basque culture and history".

The museum is based in Bilbao's old quarter and used to be the home of a Jesuit school and a church.

Collections at the museum include information on the ethno-history of the Basque Country and the archaeology of Bizkaia. Topics covered include the blacksmith trade, weaving, pastoral life and maritime life.

According to the museum, it is undergoing a period of renovation in organisation and content which will lead to a clearer experience for visitors and will better "show the historical and cultural evolution of [Basque] society by emphasising those characteristics which make it unique and special".

The BBC says that the Basque people have built up a reputation as "formidable" fishermen who are very attached to their homeland.