Sonia Pérez Ezquerra

Sonia Pérez Ezquerra is the head of the Transport, Mobility and Tourism area of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia from 2023. She holds a degree in Business Administration and Management from the University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU) and an Executive MBA from ESIC.

After a solid professional career as an auditor, she was Councillor for Tourism, Trade and Consumer Affairs of the Basque Government between 2019 and 2020.

Among the experiences that Sonia Pérez Ezquerra recommends to visitors to Bizkaia, she highlights txakoli wine tourism, “which consists not only of visiting a winery, but also understanding how the Cantabrian breeze and the slopes of our mountains create a unique wine, and experiencing it first-hand with special tastings and pairings”; or rural and industrial tourism, “from farmhouses with cheese production to old factories and mines that have been converted into places to visit”. She points out that “Bizkaia offers a unique combination of nature and industrial heritage”.

She also draws attention to the exclusive events that make Territoria a point of reference. Bizkaia hosts highly attractive activities that combine tradition and innovation, creating unique experiences for visitors.

What undisclosed resources does Bizkaia have to offer to those who decide to visit it?

Bizkaia still has many places to discover, even for those who have been here before. There is a lot of talk about Bilbao and the coast, but there are unique experiences that are still off the beaten track.

For example, the enogastronomy of txakoli. It is more than a wine; it is a tradition, a way of understanding the landscape and culture. We want more people to discover this history through visits to wineries and gastronomic experiences linked to the local product. There are also areas with enormous heritage and cultural value that deserve more attention.

Portugalete, for example, is not only the Hanging Bridge; it is a town with a fascinating history that we want to highlight, and that is why we are bringing prestigious events there.

And then there are the traditions, that essence of Bizkaia that we want to continue to transmit. A good example is ‘De Bizkaia de toda la Vida’, a publication that we have collaborated in publishing, which has been a publishing success, which brings together the traditional identity of the territory and serves as a gateway for those seeking to get to know the soul of Bizkaia.

Why should anyone who visits the Guggenheim and Bilbao visit the rest of Bizkaia?

The Guggenheim is, without a doubt, an icon of Bilbao and Bizkaia. But it is only the starting point. Those who come to see the museum discover a cosmopolitan city with a unique shopping scene and spectacular cuisine.

However, if you stay in Bilbao, you are missing out on the real soul of Bizkaia. Here we have Michelin-starred restaurants, such as Azurmendi or Etxebarri, which combine tradition with gastronomic innovation. We have landscapes where, in a matter of minutes, you can go from the mountains to the sea, with routes that take you along the Flysch, unique in the world. We have a living culture, which is not only seen, but felt in every village, in every market, in every popular festival.

And there are also unique experiences that can only be experienced here.

What is Bizkaia’s great unknown touristic treasure?

Authenticity. People who come here are surprised because what they find here is real, it is not built for tourists. In Bizkaia there are no clichéd experiences; everything on offer here has a history, an identity.

This is something that is not always sufficiently communicated, but when visitors discover it, they value it highly. It is the combination of landscapes, gastronomy, history and, above all, a unique way of life.