Located in the centre of Etten-Leur, the Van Gogh Church offers a fascinating glimpse into what is probably the least known period in Vincent van Gogh’s life, but certainly not the least important! ‘The start of a career’ This is the church where Van Gogh’s father was minister for seven years and where Van Gogh could regularly be found. Vincent van Gogh first registered as an artist in Etten in 1881. For nine months he lived and worked in the parsonage behind the Dutch Reformed Church. He also had his first drawing studio here. ‘Precious memories’ In the Van Gogh Church you can see how Vincent wrestled with drawing but became better at it through sheer hard work. How he was infatuated by his cousin Kee Vos and the drama which then unfolded. How he had arguments with his father. How he left Etten at Christmas 1881 but never forgot it. ‘Around the Van Gogh Church’ All these unusual stories are told in and around the Van Gogh Church. Nine colourful windows, multilingual information panels, showcases, animation, a film, a garden, an oversized portrait wall and audio columns take you back in time. The ‘Van Gogh in virtual reality’ is new: you will be immersed in an almost a real life encounter with Vincent van Gogh through a computer simulated environment. Van Gogh Shop The Van Gogh Shop has a large variety of souvenirs. It is also the ideal starting point for a Van Gogh walk or a cycle trip through the surrounding area. Van Gogh heritage location The Van Gogh Church and Van Gogh Shop (Markt 4) are within walking distance from the bus and railway stations. There is a multi-storey car park very close to the church. The locations are also on the Van Gogh Cycle Route that connects the five heritage locations in Brabant with each other.

Plentzia is a happening resort just outside Bilbao, in the province of Biscay. Located atop a hill, its streets pour down the hillside leading to lovely sandy beaches. Plentzia is a popular weekend destination from Bilbao, as it takes a short 30 minutes to get there on the overground metro service from the centre of Bilbao. In the town of Plentzia, there are plenty of bars and cafés which serve locally caught fresh seafood. The town also has an indoor court for the sport of Basque pelota. Here you can watch this traditional game, which involves two teams of players who hurl a small hard white ball at a wall swinging at it with the full force of the palms of their bare hands.

This cave is a spectacular jewel of natural phenomena. It was discovered in 1840, and opened to the public in 1908. An indeed unusual excursion into what looks like another world.