Vitoria-Gasteiz: the green capital of the Basque Country

Administrative capital of the Basque Country, Vitoria-Gasteiz was the first Spanish city awarded the title of European Green Capital for its ring of urban parks.

The center, honored as Europe's green capital, can be comfortably visited on foot among its parks.

The Cathedral of Santa Maria, Gothic, inspired writer Ken Follett for his novel 'World Without End', and today is visited following a path through its own restoration construction sites.

A few steps away, the medieval historic center in the shape of an almond preserves Renaissance palaces along streets arranged in semicircles.

Continuing toward the outskirts, you walk along the Green Ring, a system of parks that surrounds the entire city on a reclaimed industrial area.

Toward evening, the Casco Viejo district animates pinxtos bars, the Basque version of tapas, along the streets of the historic center.

Vitoria-Gasteiz became the first Spanish city to receive the title of European Green Capital in 2012, thanks to its Green Ring that transformed abandoned industrial areas into a continuous network of urban parks surrounding the city.

Welsh writer Ken Follett chose Santa María Cathedral as direct inspiration for his historical novel 'World Without End,' set around the construction of a medieval cathedral.